Kan picks up the pieces of his barrel boy and sighs, getting to work salvaging the pieces.
“So… what’s next?”
"We organize a show!" Khessa speaks to him about her 'Nightstone independence day' protect "With you as the main star! I remember how well you can dance... And Mistress Kramyra, Gryrim and I can provide many 'special effects' using magic. Is going to be great! What do you think? After that, you can always rebuild that... thing, can't you? I'd be do curious about how you can do it, by the way... Composed as... things as it was, it still seemed... alive! Did it have a soul? Oh, and we can finally start our journey to Triboar, of course"
“I’d really like that,” Man’s face lights up for a moment before sinking. “But I can’t. There are reasons I’m not still off teaching dance to young aristocrats.”
"Oh..." Khessa is really puzzled "Are you sure? There is nothing we can do about it? If you have enemies looking for you, we will be all at your side, you should know... You are quite talented... It would be a pity to... well to hide. But if you believe you must hide" she gets another idea "you could perform masked and under a fake name... The mistery could even benefit the show: 'And here's to you... THE DANCING BLACK MASK!' What do you think? If not even this can work, if you want to speak or explain, I'll be happy to listen and offer help or advice, if possible. Or... well, if you don't trust me enough, ok, think about all this yourself, and if you think you really can not... so it will be. It will be a 'plain' magic show, without dance. But it would be a waste, in my opinion. And, believe me, not all people can trust me, Kan, but you can. You helped me. We fought side by side. I would not betray you, no matter what you'd have to say to me"
“Khessa, I would like to believe you, but money can do terrible things to trust. And there is a person looking for me with a great deal of money at their disposal. I started this sort of work because it gives me time to figure out what to do next. They’d never expect me to be ‘adventuring’ of all things. So I think I should keep it to myself for now. Maybe… maybe someday, I can get back to it. Far away from here.” Kan does not sound hopeful, just resigned.
Khessa would have been offended by what Kan's words implied, that she could betray a friend for money... but she pities the so worried elf. Great must be his fear... Who knows what he is against? She looks at him. He seems so... frail... Khessa gently takes his face in her hands, caressing his cheeks and speaking with the same sweet tone she used days ago, while triyng to console her children after their ordeal: "Kan, I'm Khessa and I'm as free as the blowing wind. No amount of money could buy me, because I'm priceless. And so are you. Now, since you are priceless and those people scare you so much, I will not insist. It will be a magic show. Period. Unless you'll change your mind in the next days. But, for your own sake, my dear, I wish to ask you something: what it is that makes you wake up at the morning? What it is that makes you feel alive? You do not need to answer me. But you should answer yourself. If this thing is dancing, then you should not allow anybody and anything to prevent you from that. Because fear can make you survive, but can not keep you ALIVE, you understand? You are alive as long as you are free, Kan. And if you live free, death when it will come, will find you ALIVE. It is good to defer death, that's granted, but even more important is that death finds us ALIVE in the end. If you'll allow fear to steal your freedom... maybe you'll survive, but you'll be like dead already. It would not be life. Think about that, my friend. And not because of the show, but because of YOU. And should you ever come to trust me, rest assured I'll try to help you the best I can"
With that, she caresses him a last time. She hopes he will reflect. He will choose to be alive. Khessa hates ANY slavery. Even the slavery of fear. She smiles reassuringly at the elf and goes on planning the magic show. No dancing. Unless Kan... Who nows? She hopes he will change his mind, but she will not press him anymore. It is like with Boss Pojo. It is Kan the one thar has the quill of his own future in hand.
Ev'alish smiles as he watches Khessa and Kan speak from a distance.
"Khessa... thy art more than a warrior. Thy art a leader, one who might bring people together. I hath much respect for thy energy and strength."
"Kan... thy art more than a dancer, or a tinkerer - thy art an artisan who creates wonders with thy mind and soul. Thy true self is proud of thy work, and I desire nothing more than to see the happy with thyself."
He glances over his shoulder, to the rest of his new friends. "Kramyra, your talent, and Gryrim, your eagerness, both have captured my respect."
The dragonborn kneels down, bowing his head as he whispers: "Lorde of all Dragonkind, Bahamut, please lend thy guidance to them all, so they may grow and flourish under thy watch as we proceed. Let it be so."
He stands, and walks toward the now-alone Khessa. "Milady, if I may ask, doth the festivities require any more before we proceed? I hath finished talks with Master Ur'gray and obtained some kind of... fruity syrup from his stores, for use for the confections I hath made. Anything else that I may lend assistance to?"
He stands, and walks toward the now-alone Khessa. "Milady, if I may ask, doth the festivities require any more before we proceed? I hath finished talks with Master Ur'gray and obtained some kind of... fruity syrup from his stores, for use for the confections I hath made. Anything else that I may lend assistance to?"
"Nothing else I can think of, my friend!" Smiles Khessa "I thank you very much for all your assistance in setting up alliance and show. Your words have the good taste of calm and truth. I really hope men and goblins will be able to cohoperate now. And that delicious cones you had the idea to make... Yondra and Sarvin want you to know that they will be more than happy to continue helping you 'testing' your recipe... They seem they can not get enough of them! You are the real hero here. Invaluable not only for his valor in the battelfield, but also and most of all for the vastness of his heart. Let's go ahead with this... and with our journey, after we finish"
Ok, so after alliance is forged and festivities are done, Khessa would be ready for the journey.
(OOC: spent some of the money for new equipment - spell components mostly)
She asks to men and goblins if someone did notice the direction the flying citadel of the giants took leaving with the Nightstone (in case we have to try to track it later).
Since this one to Triboar does NOT start as an expecially dangerous journey (Khessa does not know this is a 'quest'...), Khessa asks her children if they prefer to stay in Nightstone waiting for her (she will, of course, leave enough gp to live during that days - anyway, I paid monthly lifestyle expenses both for Khessa and for them) under the watch of the neighbors, or to come with her (during a 'standard' journey Khessa believes she can be able to keep them safe).
Gryrim plays his part in the festival - creating illusions to inspire both fear and awe. A true spectacle. He recites tales from travellers through his tavern, mainly to the adults if the village but some less gruesome ones for the children also.
After a night's rest he, too, is ready to travel to Triboar. He sees Khessa readying her children and quietly takes her aside. "Ye sure the road is a place for children? I know if half o' what I heard on the far side of the taproom be true, we'll need your head about ya not half in half out. Just a thought, no intent to upset ya lass."
Kramyra thoroughly enjoys the show and the festivities, but mainly from a distance. Honestly, the festivities remind her too much of the pain of the past and she would have rather stayed home. But she wanted to do what she could to help after all this town had been through. So she added her magic when asked, but otherwise stuck to the shadows. Hmm.. she muses, she is going to miss the shadow stalker, even though she knew he wasn't her biggest fan, but maybe she can fill his role, at least with being stealthy. She'll have to work on that.
Kramyra also appreciates the kind words from Ev'alish and as always, his fine way of talking amused her. She hopes he always stays with them.
He sees Khessa readying her children and quietly takes her aside. "Ye sure the road is a place for children? I know if half o' what I heard on the far side of the taproom be true, we'll need your head about ya not half in half out. Just a thought, no intent to upset ya lass."
"You don't upset me in the least, my friend" smiles Khessa. "Your concern for my children is most welcome! I still have to find the best decision. Leaving them in Nightstone seems less dangerous... but I'd be far, should they need me or something unexpected happen. While letting them come might expose them to the dangers of the journey... but I'd be there, ready to defend them. But" she puts her hand on his shoulder "anyway rest assured that I'll do my best, you and the others Cabbage Patch Companions will not be left without support".
Kramyra thoroughly enjoys the show and the festivities, but mainly from a distance. Honestly, the festivities remind her too much of the pain of the past and she would have rather stayed home. But she wanted to do what she could to help after all this town had been through. So she added her magic when asked, but otherwise stuck to the shadows. ...
"Oh, here you are, mistress Kramyra!" Khessa finally finds the tabaxy wizard; the festivities are being a success... but why she keeps so at distance then? "Here! Have one of the cones Ev'alish invented! The fireworks you just did with your Burning hands have been awesome! But you... why here alone? You don't seem to enjoy too much... Something troubling you? (If you want to speak about it, of course)"
Kan does his best to be a good audience for festivities. He appears to be working at a few tiny wooden tablets when he thinks no one is looking, arranging them on a bracelet.
Khessa does not really know what to think about this: "Well... A flying citadel took the Nightstone... And a flying citadel here we have. Stairs appears like they are inviting us... Or like a trap. I have no idea what all this means..." (she tries the first cloud steps to verify if they are solid, if they can be used like a regular stairway) "...but this could be a chance to meet (or to learn something about) the giants that did the raid. Crazy as it sounds... I'd say to go up. At least one of us, so only one will fall down if it is a trap; or together, if you feel safer that way. Anyway, trap or invitation, we could not have another chance like this."
She seems to come to a decision: "Yondra, Sarvin, you wait a moment down. I'll come back and call if all seems safe. If I do not come back in, let's say, half one hour or so, go back to Nightstone and wair for me there. Do not come if I don't call. As far as you all are concerned, my friends" she now speaks to the Cabbage Patch Companions "feel free to do as you think better. Wait with the children here or come with me now. You, of course, may well come to the rescue, if you like, if I don't come back!"
With that, she starts ascending, slowly, calm and watchful.
“They didn’t have to come to us this way. They could’ve just dropped rocks or something. They must need something. Something better gained by talking.”
Ev'alish places a claw down on the stairs, feeling them out. Then two claws. Then his head. "Ah. Like the softest of beds. Perchance I shalt discover what composes these stairs, and have one crafted."
He turns to the two children. "Listen to thy mother. I shalt lend you my tent for shelter should the need arise, such as rain."
He then cranes his neck up to look at the castle, then says to his friends: "I shalt accompany thee. Perchance, I hath heard of a spell to slow falls to safe speeds; mayhaps one of you hath learned it? We may have use of thy spell in future encounters, should the worst occur."
... I hath heard of a spell to slow falls to safe speeds; mayhaps one of you hath learned it? We may have use of thy spell in future encounters, should the worst occur."
"Well you heared, my friend" replies Khessa, with a warm smile at the care the dragonborn shows for her two children.
She seems lost in thoughts for a moment... What is that light in the depth of her blue eyes? Maybe... Maybe? Later.
It was just a moment; the arcane warrior quickly continues with her reply: "I have learned it and I already planned to keep it ready in my mind in the next days, precisely 'should the worst occur'. It looks like a long fall from there... But sadly, I did not put it in my mind today (I was preparing for a journey on land... not for an exploration of a tower in mid-air) and I can not do it right now. Usually, it is only in the morning, right after a good full night of sleep, that the mind of a wizard has enough concentration to fix the spells for the day. For today, we can not have that kind of safety. And I don't dare to wait a full day... the flying citadel might well fly away - and we would then not be able to discover anything."
The warrior mage is also reflecting about Kan's words. He has a point. The giants would have not needed a trap... shoud they have been hostile, they could have simply dropped rocks.
Like they did at Nightstone!
The thought enrages her. How could they be so brutal and careless? But, admittedly, she knows too little at the moment. Maybe these are not the same giants? Who knows?
"We organize a show!" Khessa speaks to him about her 'Nightstone independence day' protect "With you as the main star! I remember how well you can dance... And Mistress Kramyra, Gryrim and I can provide many 'special effects' using magic. Is going to be great! What do you think? After that, you can always rebuild that... thing, can't you? I'd be do curious about how you can do it, by the way... Composed as... things as it was, it still seemed... alive! Did it have a soul? Oh, and we can finally start our journey to Triboar, of course"
“I’d really like that,” Man’s face lights up for a moment before sinking. “But I can’t. There are reasons I’m not still off teaching dance to young aristocrats.”
Paladin - warforged - orange
"Oh..." Khessa is really puzzled "Are you sure? There is nothing we can do about it? If you have enemies looking for you, we will be all at your side, you should know... You are quite talented... It would be a pity to... well to hide. But if you believe you must hide" she gets another idea "you could perform masked and under a fake name... The mistery could even benefit the show: 'And here's to you... THE DANCING BLACK MASK!' What do you think? If not even this can work, if you want to speak or explain, I'll be happy to listen and offer help or advice, if possible. Or... well, if you don't trust me enough, ok, think about all this yourself, and if you think you really can not... so it will be. It will be a 'plain' magic show, without dance. But it would be a waste, in my opinion. And, believe me, not all people can trust me, Kan, but you can. You helped me. We fought side by side. I would not betray you, no matter what you'd have to say to me"
“Khessa, I would like to believe you, but money can do terrible things to trust. And there is a person looking for me with a great deal of money at their disposal. I started this sort of work because it gives me time to figure out what to do next. They’d never expect me to be ‘adventuring’ of all things. So I think I should keep it to myself for now. Maybe… maybe someday, I can get back to it. Far away from here.” Kan does not sound hopeful, just resigned.
Paladin - warforged - orange
Khessa would have been offended by what Kan's words implied, that she could betray a friend for money... but she pities the so worried elf. Great must be his fear... Who knows what he is against? She looks at him. He seems so... frail... Khessa gently takes his face in her hands, caressing his cheeks and speaking with the same sweet tone she used days ago, while triyng to console her children after their ordeal: "Kan, I'm Khessa and I'm as free as the blowing wind. No amount of money could buy me, because I'm priceless. And so are you. Now, since you are priceless and those people scare you so much, I will not insist. It will be a magic show. Period. Unless you'll change your mind in the next days. But, for your own sake, my dear, I wish to ask you something: what it is that makes you wake up at the morning? What it is that makes you feel alive? You do not need to answer me. But you should answer yourself. If this thing is dancing, then you should not allow anybody and anything to prevent you from that. Because fear can make you survive, but can not keep you ALIVE, you understand? You are alive as long as you are free, Kan. And if you live free, death when it will come, will find you ALIVE. It is good to defer death, that's granted, but even more important is that death finds us ALIVE in the end. If you'll allow fear to steal your freedom... maybe you'll survive, but you'll be like dead already. It would not be life. Think about that, my friend. And not because of the show, but because of YOU. And should you ever come to trust me, rest assured I'll try to help you the best I can"
With that, she caresses him a last time. She hopes he will reflect. He will choose to be alive. Khessa hates ANY slavery. Even the slavery of fear. She smiles reassuringly at the elf and goes on planning the magic show. No dancing. Unless Kan... Who nows? She hopes he will change his mind, but she will not press him anymore. It is like with Boss Pojo. It is Kan the one thar has the quill of his own future in hand.
Ev'alish smiles as he watches Khessa and Kan speak from a distance.
"Khessa... thy art more than a warrior. Thy art a leader, one who might bring people together. I hath much respect for thy energy and strength."
"Kan... thy art more than a dancer, or a tinkerer - thy art an artisan who creates wonders with thy mind and soul. Thy true self is proud of thy work, and I desire nothing more than to see the happy with thyself."
He glances over his shoulder, to the rest of his new friends. "Kramyra, your talent, and Gryrim, your eagerness, both have captured my respect."
The dragonborn kneels down, bowing his head as he whispers: "Lorde of all Dragonkind, Bahamut, please lend thy guidance to them all, so they may grow and flourish under thy watch as we proceed. Let it be so."
He stands, and walks toward the now-alone Khessa. "Milady, if I may ask, doth the festivities require any more before we proceed? I hath finished talks with Master Ur'gray and obtained some kind of... fruity syrup from his stores, for use for the confections I hath made. Anything else that I may lend assistance to?"
"Nothing else I can think of, my friend!" Smiles Khessa "I thank you very much for all your assistance in setting up alliance and show. Your words have the good taste of calm and truth. I really hope men and goblins will be able to cohoperate now. And that delicious cones you had the idea to make... Yondra and Sarvin want you to know that they will be more than happy to continue helping you 'testing' your recipe... They seem they can not get enough of them! You are the real hero here. Invaluable not only for his valor in the battelfield, but also and most of all for the vastness of his heart. Let's go ahead with this... and with our journey, after we finish"
Ok, so after alliance is forged and festivities are done, Khessa would be ready for the journey.
(OOC: spent some of the money for new equipment - spell components mostly)
She asks to men and goblins if someone did notice the direction the flying citadel of the giants took leaving with the Nightstone (in case we have to try to track it later).
Since this one to Triboar does NOT start as an expecially dangerous journey (Khessa does not know this is a 'quest'...), Khessa asks her children if they prefer to stay in Nightstone waiting for her (she will, of course, leave enough gp to live during that days - anyway, I paid monthly lifestyle expenses both for Khessa and for them) under the watch of the neighbors, or to come with her (during a 'standard' journey Khessa believes she can be able to keep them safe).
Gryrim plays his part in the festival - creating illusions to inspire both fear and awe. A true spectacle. He recites tales from travellers through his tavern, mainly to the adults if the village but some less gruesome ones for the children also.
After a night's rest he, too, is ready to travel to Triboar. He sees Khessa readying her children and quietly takes her aside. "Ye sure the road is a place for children? I know if half o' what I heard on the far side of the taproom be true, we'll need your head about ya not half in half out. Just a thought, no intent to upset ya lass."
Kramyra thoroughly enjoys the show and the festivities, but mainly from a distance. Honestly, the festivities remind her too much of the pain of the past and she would have rather stayed home. But she wanted to do what she could to help after all this town had been through. So she added her magic when asked, but otherwise stuck to the shadows. Hmm.. she muses, she is going to miss the shadow stalker, even though she knew he wasn't her biggest fan, but maybe she can fill his role, at least with being stealthy. She'll have to work on that.
Kramyra also appreciates the kind words from Ev'alish and as always, his fine way of talking amused her. She hopes he always stays with them.
"You don't upset me in the least, my friend" smiles Khessa. "Your concern for my children is most welcome! I still have to find the best decision. Leaving them in Nightstone seems less dangerous... but I'd be far, should they need me or something unexpected happen. While letting them come might expose them to the dangers of the journey... but I'd be there, ready to defend them. But" she puts her hand on his shoulder "anyway rest assured that I'll do my best, you and the others Cabbage Patch Companions will not be left without support".
"Oh, here you are, mistress Kramyra!" Khessa finally finds the tabaxy wizard; the festivities are being a success... but why she keeps so at distance then? "Here! Have one of the cones Ev'alish invented! The fireworks you just did with your Burning hands have been awesome! But you... why here alone? You don't seem to enjoy too much... Something troubling you? (If you want to speak about it, of course)"
Kan does his best to be a good audience for festivities. He appears to be working at a few tiny wooden tablets when he thinks no one is looking, arranging them on a bracelet.
Paladin - warforged - orange
Khessa does not really know what to think about this: "Well... A flying citadel took the Nightstone... And a flying citadel here we have. Stairs appears like they are inviting us... Or like a trap. I have no idea what all this means..." (she tries the first cloud steps to verify if they are solid, if they can be used like a regular stairway) "...but this could be a chance to meet (or to learn something about) the giants that did the raid. Crazy as it sounds... I'd say to go up. At least one of us, so only one will fall down if it is a trap; or together, if you feel safer that way. Anyway, trap or invitation, we could not have another chance like this."
She seems to come to a decision: "Yondra, Sarvin, you wait a moment down. I'll come back and call if all seems safe. If I do not come back in, let's say, half one hour or so, go back to Nightstone and wair for me there. Do not come if I don't call. As far as you all are concerned, my friends" she now speaks to the Cabbage Patch Companions "feel free to do as you think better. Wait with the children here or come with me now. You, of course, may well come to the rescue, if you like, if I don't come back!"
With that, she starts ascending, slowly, calm and watchful.
Kan looks at it with a mix of awe and suspicion.
“They didn’t have to come to us this way. They could’ve just dropped rocks or something. They must need something. Something better gained by talking.”
Paladin - warforged - orange
Ev'alish places a claw down on the stairs, feeling them out. Then two claws. Then his head. "Ah. Like the softest of beds. Perchance I shalt discover what composes these stairs, and have one crafted."
He turns to the two children. "Listen to thy mother. I shalt lend you my tent for shelter should the need arise, such as rain."
He then cranes his neck up to look at the castle, then says to his friends: "I shalt accompany thee. Perchance, I hath heard of a spell to slow falls to safe speeds; mayhaps one of you hath learned it? We may have use of thy spell in future encounters, should the worst occur."
"Well you heared, my friend" replies Khessa, with a warm smile at the care the dragonborn shows for her two children.
She seems lost in thoughts for a moment... What is that light in the depth of her blue eyes? Maybe... Maybe? Later.
It was just a moment; the arcane warrior quickly continues with her reply: "I have learned it and I already planned to keep it ready in my mind in the next days, precisely 'should the worst occur'. It looks like a long fall from there... But sadly, I did not put it in my mind today (I was preparing for a journey on land... not for an exploration of a tower in mid-air) and I can not do it right now. Usually, it is only in the morning, right after a good full night of sleep, that the mind of a wizard has enough concentration to fix the spells for the day. For today, we can not have that kind of safety. And I don't dare to wait a full day... the flying citadel might well fly away - and we would then not be able to discover anything."
The warrior mage is also reflecting about Kan's words. He has a point. The giants would have not needed a trap... shoud they have been hostile, they could have simply dropped rocks.
Like they did at Nightstone!
The thought enrages her. How could they be so brutal and careless? But, admittedly, she knows too little at the moment. Maybe these are not the same giants? Who knows?
Only one way to learn it...
She keeps going upstairs.