Kramyra jabs Khessa in the ribs, hard. "Will you two break it up? Do you really think now is the time to start a relationship? Here, not only on a flying citadel, but in front of a giant who is talking about something very serious? And speaking of serious, are you really contemplating bringing your children with us? This is not the place for them. Not only will it endanger them, it will also endanger us as we spend half our energy watching over them to make sure they are safe."
...
"OUCH!" Khessa is caught off guard by the unexpected hit "Mistress Kramyra..." she whispers "did you come to the idea to try to finish what the ogre at the Dripping Caves started? What's the matter? Now, maybe I've got distracted for a moment..." (it HAS been just a moment, right? Oh well, so it seems... At least, the sun did not still change its position in the sky) "...but just in case you failed to notice I JUST DID ask Zephyros some advice about what to do... and of course, if he will be able to point out to some place where to start this ordning restore mission, the children will not come. They joined for an ordinary journey to Triboar... not for some fight with giants, or dragons, or whatever. But let's listen to what Zephyros can tell us. I might talk a bit too much, at times, but he for sure does not have this problem... He did not disclose too many details to us, at the moment... I just hope he can tell us more than vague omens."
When Khessa mentions it was just a moment, Kramyra rolls her eyes, "Has nothing to do with the time, this is not the place or the time for such things. And whether or not you think this giant talks a lot, and you're right - you're the pot calling the kettle black, we need to be here in the present and find out how and why it is us that have been called upon and what we can do." she changes her focus back to the giant, "please sir, it is hard to me to see how the five of us can make a difference, but if you believe so, where can we start?"
At these words many thoughts cross Khessa's mind...
(in spoiler, so easier to skip for those not interested)
Mistress Kramyra... dear mentor (and friend) of mine... I respect your opinion, but this time I really cann't understand what are you talking about. 'This is not the place or the time'? There is neither a 'proper place', nor a 'right time', when you meet someone that is very special to you. The proper place is 'here', where you are meeting. The righ time is 'now', when you are living. But what do you think? Do you expect to find a building with a sign that reads 'Relationship Initiation Proper Place - Show up at the right time - between the ninth hour of the morning and noon'? You have to live in the moment, or the moment will pass; it will pass never to return! If you'll be lucky, maybe you will have other moments, but never like that; every moment is unique and you'd better live it to the full when it exists. I really hope you won't find yourself one day discovering that you haven missed something very important just because you were too busy looking for the right place or the right time... or rolling your eyes.
...but she simply keeps silent. It's not a problem, if the tabaxi has a different idea from hers. Khessa is with her children! In a tower that flies thanks to solid clouds, an experience that very few (excluding the cloud giants) must have had in their life! And maybe that one day her children will have a new father. Nothing can disturb her good mood, right now. She keeps awaiting quietly for any advice that Zephyros can provide.
"I confess, me neither. Train to become mighty warriors, and try to one day have the influence to do something about this problem." Zephyros sighs. "Now, shall we be on our way?"
Khessa is visibly disappointed by the lack of information... but, for the already enumerated reasons, nothing can disturb her good mood, right now; so she manages to smile all the same: "It's all well, Zephyros," she pats him... where she can reach (maybe the upper leg?) and goes on "if that's all you can tell us, we'll have to do with it. May I just ask you a few more short questions? It will not take long."
"Yes, Kan, he said so, but he also asked us, just after we made presentations, if we had a destination" remembers Khessa "telling he would have brought us to any place in the North, except Bryn Shander. And Ev'alish replied to him that indeed we had a destination. I'd say that our host assumes we will still wish to go there. To Triboar. And we might discuss whether this still seems a good idea or not. But before, as I already told him, I'd really like to ask still a few questions, if he agrees" and she turns to the giant again. "May I Zephiros?"
Kramyra leans over and whispers to Kan, "Don't worry, I was thinking the same question. With all that's going on I'm a bit confused and I'm hoping we didn't just get kidnapped in a flying citadel."
( Yes, you can ask more questions, Zephyros just wants to know where you're going first.)
"Thank you very much Zephyros!" smiles warmly Khessa "Our original destination was Triboar, but that was before you disclosed all these news to us. Maybe we should consider among us whether we still wish to go there or if we should go elsewhere. Anyway, before starting the journey, I had just a few questions left" then she starts asking...
(The questions are three and not related to each other, so I tought it better to list all of them here, in a single post, to minimize player/DM lag. - Khessa of course asks only one at a time and listens to the reply, before asking the next one)
1) "Now, Zephyros, one thing that still puzzles me about this ordning matter is: how it is that YOU are not trying to reach the top... and are you looking for a way to restore the ordning instead? Do you feel the urge but are resisting? Or do you not feel it at all? Not that I'm complaining... I just wish to better understand things, so to have better chances to succeed at our so vague but so important task. And if you feel not the same as the other giants, maybe you have an important role in this matter (whether you know it or not)."
2) "Zephyros, do you know anything about a raid of drow slavers that took place a few months ago? The drow gang wiped out many small villages not too far from the Goldenfield complex, taking lots of slaves. Can you give me some information about that? Most cloud giants, from what you told us, would not pay too much attention to matters of smallfolk like this, but you are different, so... maybe... there is something you know about this?"
(if he, as I suspect, does not still know anything about this):
"Oh, too bad, you still don't know. It would have been really important to me... Perhaps... would you be able to gather some information using your powers? You told us that you have been able to contact mystical planar entities who guard the realms beyond the multiverse... With such a power (or other powers - I still have no idea what you else can do), might you be able to find the slavers? Or at least some of the prisoners... I can describe them very well, if it helps. Of course I'll pay you for this service, if needed; you just have to state how much and I'll do anything I can to gather your price - or to repay you, should you prefer a service instead."
3) "Zephyros, I just mentioned your powers, in my previous question... I'd like to know if your powers are somewhat innate... or you had to STUDY to get them. Or better, to be clearer, what I'd really would like to know is: are you a WIZARD," there is utter reverence, in this word "Zephyros? Do you feel the lure of knowledge and of magical secrets that have been lost to the ages? If you are... well, during the journey we should really try to find some time to study together! If you think about it, one of the greatest wonders of knowledge is that by sharing it you do not diminish it, but, on the contrary, you INCREASE it! For example, let's say I know a spell. And you a different one. If we share our spells, then we both will know TWO spells! Now, honestly I am only a humble apprentice, but mistress Kramyra, here, is far more advanced than I am in the study of the arcane arts. She is the greatest living wizard I ever met" (Well... she is also the only one... given that the other wizard that Khessa ever met, the drow that once owned her spellbook, does not live anymore, but the enthusiastic arcane warrior does not care to mention these uninteresting details right now). "Just some hour with her taught me more than nights and nights of study I had alone. I owe to her if now I can cast magic at all. Each one of the three of us could benefit, should we take some time each day to study together, comparing intellectual breakthroughs we have had about the nature of the multiverse and maybe, why not, copying an interesting spell that one of us knows but the others still not. What do you think about this, Zephyros? Shall we try?"
Ev'alish replies to Khessa. "Master Zephyros hath stated that we ought to gain strength and experience 'fore we begin restoring the Ordening. Mayhaps a venture toward Triboar is a start to such training."
He stands more alert as Khessa asks her questions, and adds a few of his own.
1) "How fast doth the castle move?"
2) "Thy hath appeared to be in shock at the news of cloud giants attacking Nightstone. Art thee part of a larger society of cloud giants who hath been traveling, or art thee a solitary giant? Mayhaps if thee hath friends they may be of assistance to us as well."
Ev'alish turns to Kan. "We were instructed to deliver a message on behalf of Master Ur'gray of Nightstone. Mayhaps we may find other interesting things there as well."
"Zephyros," Khessa's gratitude reverberates in every single word "for what you allow me and mistress Kramyra to do now, and even more for what you promise to do for me in the near future, I consider you as a trusted friend of mine from now on... You know, those prisoners... it is of my original family we are talking about, my parents and sisters and brother! Ask whatever you want, should you ever be in need. I'll do whatever it takes to restore the ordning. Both because it is the right thing to do, and because you care so much about it. Count it as done. Your ordning is coming back. Speaking about this, what you just revealed to us is of great value! At least now we know that this 'urge' can be suppressed by temporary madness. It is a piece of knowledge that we might be able to use to our advantage in the future".
Khessa studies with Zephyros as soon as she has a chance to do it and eagerly invites mistress Kramyra also. Khessa will not copy new spells, because she can only copy 1st level ones and Zephyros is a bit lacking at these, but she still reads fascinated the notes of the giant mage, taking notes about what can make clouds solid or a tower fly, if she finds any clue about this. She also asks Zephyros if he can teach her how to drive the flying tower... if it is possible for a human to learn this. It sounds so exciting!
(@Kramyra: Zephyros has many interesting 2nd level spells... If you have the gp to copy some of them, it might well be a good investment! Your choice, of course...)
@DM: It will probably have 0 impact on the game, but of course Zephyros is also welcome to copy any spell he likes from Khessa's spellbook - so, if you wish to update his spell list feel, free to do so.
Ev'alish replies to Khessa. "Master Zephyros hath stated that we ought to gain strength and experience 'fore we begin restoring the Ordening. Mayhaps a venture toward Triboar is a start to such training."
...
Khessa smiles to the dragonborn. "You have a point, here, my dear" (is it by chance or on purpose that she's getting so close to him now?) "Plus, I can not imagine a different destination, right now... To be honest, I'd rather pay Countess Sansuri a visit and confront her for what she did to Nightstone, but we don't know how to track her at the moment. We could go to Triboar and deliver our message, for start, while we gather ideas. And at the same time we can try to pay attention to anything that seems related to the ordning".
Then, to the Cabbage Patch Companions: "We are all involved, so each one of us should feel free to discuss. Someone would prefer a different destination? Or a different course of action? Gryrim? Mistress Kramyra? Kan?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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"OUCH!" Khessa is caught off guard by the unexpected hit "Mistress Kramyra..." she whispers "did you come to the idea to try to finish what the ogre at the Dripping Caves started? What's the matter? Now, maybe I've got distracted for a moment..." (it HAS been just a moment, right? Oh well, so it seems... At least, the sun did not still change its position in the sky) "...but just in case you failed to notice I JUST DID ask Zephyros some advice about what to do... and of course, if he will be able to point out to some place where to start this ordning restore mission, the children will not come. They joined for an ordinary journey to Triboar... not for some fight with giants, or dragons, or whatever. But let's listen to what Zephyros can tell us. I might talk a bit too much, at times, but he for sure does not have this problem... He did not disclose too many details to us, at the moment... I just hope he can tell us more than vague omens."
When Khessa mentions it was just a moment, Kramyra rolls her eyes, "Has nothing to do with the time, this is not the place or the time for such things. And whether or not you think this giant talks a lot, and you're right - you're the pot calling the kettle black, we need to be here in the present and find out how and why it is us that have been called upon and what we can do." she changes her focus back to the giant, "please sir, it is hard to me to see how the five of us can make a difference, but if you believe so, where can we start?"
At these words many thoughts cross Khessa's mind...
(in spoiler, so easier to skip for those not interested)
Mistress Kramyra... dear mentor (and friend) of mine... I respect your opinion, but this time I really cann't understand what are you talking about. 'This is not the place or the time'? There is neither a 'proper place', nor a 'right time', when you meet someone that is very special to you. The proper place is 'here', where you are meeting. The righ time is 'now', when you are living. But what do you think? Do you expect to find a building with a sign that reads 'Relationship Initiation Proper Place - Show up at the right time - between the ninth hour of the morning and noon'? You have to live in the moment, or the moment will pass; it will pass never to return! If you'll be lucky, maybe you will have other moments, but never like that; every moment is unique and you'd better live it to the full when it exists. I really hope you won't find yourself one day discovering that you haven missed something very important just because you were too busy looking for the right place or the right time... or rolling your eyes.
...but she simply keeps silent. It's not a problem, if the tabaxi has a different idea from hers. Khessa is with her children! In a tower that flies thanks to solid clouds, an experience that very few (excluding the cloud giants) must have had in their life! And maybe that one day her children will have a new father. Nothing can disturb her good mood, right now. She keeps awaiting quietly for any advice that Zephyros can provide.
Kan speaks up: “Sir giant, i must say… I still don’t understand how you expect us to do anything about that.”
Paladin - warforged - orange
Khessa is visibly disappointed by the lack of information... but, for the already enumerated reasons, nothing can disturb her good mood, right now; so she manages to smile all the same: "It's all well, Zephyros," she pats him... where she can reach (maybe the upper leg?) and goes on "if that's all you can tell us, we'll have to do with it. May I just ask you a few more short questions? It will not take long."
“On our way to where? You just said you don’t know how we are supposed to help.” The poor elf is pondering how he got into this… whatever it is.
Paladin - warforged - orange
"Yes, Kan, he said so, but he also asked us, just after we made presentations, if we had a destination" remembers Khessa "telling he would have brought us to any place in the North, except Bryn Shander. And Ev'alish replied to him that indeed we had a destination. I'd say that our host assumes we will still wish to go there. To Triboar. And we might discuss whether this still seems a good idea or not. But before, as I already told him, I'd really like to ask still a few questions, if he agrees" and she turns to the giant again. "May I Zephiros?"
Kramyra leans over and whispers to Kan, "Don't worry, I was thinking the same question. With all that's going on I'm a bit confused and I'm hoping we didn't just get kidnapped in a flying citadel."
"Thank you very much Zephyros!" smiles warmly Khessa "Our original destination was Triboar, but that was before you disclosed all these news to us. Maybe we should consider among us whether we still wish to go there or if we should go elsewhere. Anyway, before starting the journey, I had just a few questions left" then she starts asking...
(The questions are three and not related to each other, so I tought it better to list all of them here, in a single post, to minimize player/DM lag. - Khessa of course asks only one at a time and listens to the reply, before asking the next one)
1) "Now, Zephyros, one thing that still puzzles me about this ordning matter is: how it is that YOU are not trying to reach the top... and are you looking for a way to restore the ordning instead? Do you feel the urge but are resisting? Or do you not feel it at all? Not that I'm complaining... I just wish to better understand things, so to have better chances to succeed at our so vague but so important task. And if you feel not the same as the other giants, maybe you have an important role in this matter (whether you know it or not)."
2) "Zephyros, do you know anything about a raid of drow slavers that took place a few months ago? The drow gang wiped out many small villages not too far from the Goldenfield complex, taking lots of slaves. Can you give me some information about that? Most cloud giants, from what you told us, would not pay too much attention to matters of smallfolk like this, but you are different, so... maybe... there is something you know about this?"
(if he, as I suspect, does not still know anything about this):
"Oh, too bad, you still don't know. It would have been really important to me... Perhaps... would you be able to gather some information using your powers? You told us that you have been able to contact mystical planar entities who guard the realms beyond the multiverse... With such a power (or other powers - I still have no idea what you else can do), might you be able to find the slavers? Or at least some of the prisoners... I can describe them very well, if it helps. Of course I'll pay you for this service, if needed; you just have to state how much and I'll do anything I can to gather your price - or to repay you, should you prefer a service instead."
3) "Zephyros, I just mentioned your powers, in my previous question... I'd like to know if your powers are somewhat innate... or you had to STUDY to get them. Or better, to be clearer, what I'd really would like to know is: are you a WIZARD," there is utter reverence, in this word "Zephyros? Do you feel the lure of knowledge and of magical secrets that have been lost to the ages? If you are... well, during the journey we should really try to find some time to study together! If you think about it, one of the greatest wonders of knowledge is that by sharing it you do not diminish it, but, on the contrary, you INCREASE it! For example, let's say I know a spell. And you a different one. If we share our spells, then we both will know TWO spells! Now, honestly I am only a humble apprentice, but mistress Kramyra, here, is far more advanced than I am in the study of the arcane arts. She is the greatest living wizard I ever met" (Well... she is also the only one... given that the other wizard that Khessa ever met, the drow that once owned her spellbook, does not live anymore, but the enthusiastic arcane warrior does not care to mention these uninteresting details right now). "Just some hour with her taught me more than nights and nights of study I had alone. I owe to her if now I can cast magic at all. Each one of the three of us could benefit, should we take some time each day to study together, comparing intellectual breakthroughs we have had about the nature of the multiverse and maybe, why not, copying an interesting spell that one of us knows but the others still not. What do you think about this, Zephyros? Shall we try?"
Ev'alish replies to Khessa. "Master Zephyros hath stated that we ought to gain strength and experience 'fore we begin restoring the Ordening. Mayhaps a venture toward Triboar is a start to such training."
He stands more alert as Khessa asks her questions, and adds a few of his own.
1) "How fast doth the castle move?"
2) "Thy hath appeared to be in shock at the news of cloud giants attacking Nightstone. Art thee part of a larger society of cloud giants who hath been traveling, or art thee a solitary giant? Mayhaps if thee hath friends they may be of assistance to us as well."
“What’s in Triboar that might be of interest?” Kan says still a bit confused.
Paladin - warforged - orange
Ev'alish turns to Kan. "We were instructed to deliver a message on behalf of Master Ur'gray of Nightstone. Mayhaps we may find other interesting things there as well."
"Zephyros," Khessa's gratitude reverberates in every single word "for what you allow me and mistress Kramyra to do now, and even more for what you promise to do for me in the near future, I consider you as a trusted friend of mine from now on... You know, those prisoners... it is of my original family we are talking about, my parents and sisters and brother! Ask whatever you want, should you ever be in need. I'll do whatever it takes to restore the ordning. Both because it is the right thing to do, and because you care so much about it. Count it as done. Your ordning is coming back. Speaking about this, what you just revealed to us is of great value! At least now we know that this 'urge' can be suppressed by temporary madness. It is a piece of knowledge that we might be able to use to our advantage in the future".
Khessa studies with Zephyros as soon as she has a chance to do it and eagerly invites mistress Kramyra also. Khessa will not copy new spells, because she can only copy 1st level ones and Zephyros is a bit lacking at these, but she still reads fascinated the notes of the giant mage, taking notes about what can make clouds solid or a tower fly, if she finds any clue about this. She also asks Zephyros if he can teach her how to drive the flying tower... if it is possible for a human to learn this. It sounds so exciting!
(@Kramyra: Zephyros has many interesting 2nd level spells... If you have the gp to copy some of them, it might well be a good investment! Your choice, of course...)
@DM: It will probably have 0 impact on the game, but of course Zephyros is also welcome to copy any spell he likes from Khessa's spellbook - so, if you wish to update his spell list feel, free to do so.
Khessa smiles to the dragonborn. "You have a point, here, my dear" (is it by chance or on purpose that she's getting so close to him now?) "Plus, I can not imagine a different destination, right now... To be honest, I'd rather pay Countess Sansuri a visit and confront her for what she did to Nightstone, but we don't know how to track her at the moment. We could go to Triboar and deliver our message, for start, while we gather ideas. And at the same time we can try to pay attention to anything that seems related to the ordning".
Then, to the Cabbage Patch Companions: "We are all involved, so each one of us should feel free to discuss. Someone would prefer a different destination? Or a different course of action? Gryrim? Mistress Kramyra? Kan?"