Lady Kaede just looks over at Judal, shakes her head, and quietly announces “A wise man changes his mind, a fool never will.”
She then walks back and stands by Princess Zelda’s side, bows, and quietly continues:
“My father used to say- An arrogant person insists that they know the truth and refuse to listen to others — They become blind and deaf to the truth, and no amount of persuasion will make them change their opinions. This obstinacy is their loss.“
Continuing, but louder this time, for all to hear, “What are your orders, Princess Zelda?”
Judal watches as Rum and Greko run off to the ominious observatory of oracles and he is torn between following and waiting... But he feels he needs at least wait and see if these self-proclaimed unworthy pilgrims have more to tell. If nothing else it seems as if they know the location of the Sphinx Gate.
Having entered the observatory, Rum waits for Greko to catch him up, cautiously looking around at the interior that he finds himself in. Having been directed to enter by the pilgrims, he is fairly sure that it is safe, but plenty on this journey had not been as it seemed and he takes no chances.
Not only is he looking about, he also listens for sounds of movement, trying to pinpoint where this Engewook might be.
Thea had gracefully accepted the cheese danish. She'd nod to Judal and thank him, as well as Greko of course. Breaking hers in half, she offers to split it with the Princess. Then she would nibble on it slowly to savour it as she'd simply observe with wide eyes and await the Thri-Kreen's responses. When Lady Kaede would ask out loud what Princess Zelda's orders were, she'd wipe her crumby fingers on her leg, and then extend it to her to hold if she needed a moment.
Princess Zelda smiles as Thea offers up part of her danish, and takes it with an appreciative nod of her head.
The Thri-Kreen seem to be preoccupied with themselves as the band seems to fade from their orbit. They chitter and chatters amongst themselves, watching the lingerers nervously, suspecting they have more questions but not hearing anything. It's the Princess the breaks the silence though. She daintily picks at her cheese danish as she looks at Judal while considering Lady Kaede's question.
"I'm...uh...I don't..." The Princess stammers, looking up the hill behind Greko and Rum and searching for an answer. "I'm just...here. I'm just trying to help you. We came for the Triforce of Wisdom, right? If so, your answers, what you want to do next? That's up there. I think."
She points up toward Rum and Greko as they enter Engewook's observatory.
The observatory is tiny, once Greko and Rum get up to it. It's still big for what it is, but it's clearly built by the smaller folk of Hyboria; probably Gnomes. This thought is proven true as they open the tiny door and force their way into the building. Sitting at a table in what is apparently a tiny apothecary is a small Gnome woman wearing a bonet and sporting a set of huge buck teeth. She looks right at Rum and Greko and smiles in her absurd little way, her eyes lighting up.
"Ah, visitors!" She says around a mouthful of enamel. She seems genuinely excited. "Engewook, we have more company!"
"Woman, tell them I'm busy!" The nasal, curmudgeonly voice echoes from another room. "We haven't seen this much activity from the oracle in...in uh..."
There is a noise. Is that an abacus being slid around?
"You know how old men are." She says to the Lizardfolk with absolutely no irony. "No patience for anything, always in a hurry to do this or that. He's back there right now writing down the same figures he's been scribbling down since I was but a girl and he was barely old enough to sprout the first goofy little hair out of his chin..."
"I hear you!" Engewook scolded from another room.
"Well if you would come in here and meet your new guests, maybe I wouldn't have to sit in here and tell them about you, hm?"
There is a shuffle of materials from a back room, and then a skinny little Gnome covered in gray hair shuffles out into the main room, his glasses sliding down his nose with every step.
"Okay fine, I'm here! Now what is it that you want! I am very busy, as you must know, researching the exact measurements of the Southern Oracle and the effects the Great Conjunction and the perpetual twilight are having on it! I will have you know that I take my work very seriously, especially since I am the only Professor in all of Hyboria to dedicate himself to such eccentric studies!"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Lady Kaede will escort Princess Zelda and Thea up the hill towards the observatory. Once they're there, they will stand outside, figuring there isn't room enough for the entire group to enter. She'll crouch down and sit in repose in seiza, waiting and listening.
Rum listens to the exchange between the female gnome and Engewook as he crouches in the small space, and sees the likelihood that if Greko and they get talking he would never get a word in edgewise. And so as soon as Engewook appears he takes the lead.
"Master Engewook, do not fear, we are not here to waste your time. I am Rumble of Hunger and this is Greko the White. We, along with some companions outside, are the remnants of two bands of heroes entrusted with Auryn and charged with standing against Ganon; the amalgamation of the Lord of Darkness and Ganondorf, and the Nothing. Sadly, the powers of the Auryn have faded into dust so I have no proof of this, but I assure you it is the truth. One of our previous number, Kit-Tik of the Thri-Kreen, spoke of your wisdom and knowledge of the Southern Oracle. He spoke of three gates with three trials", he states, diving straight into their purpose with minimal ceremony.
"We need to find the Southern Oracle, and as such pass through these trials, and we implore you to help guide us to the Sphinx Gate and forewarn us about these trials. And anything else you can tell us that will help in our plight would be appreciated, perhaps about this Great Conjunction".
Princess Zelda smiles as Thea offers up part of her danish, and takes it with an appreciative nod of her head.
The Thri-Kreen seem to be preoccupied with themselves as the band seems to fade from their orbit. They chitter and chatters amongst themselves, watching the lingerers nervously, suspecting they have more questions but not hearing anything.
((Judal had asked "What makes you say you are unworthy? What makes one worthy or not? Why do you wish to go beyond the Sphinx Gate anyway?" and will ask again if it goes unanswered. Not to be pushy but figuring he may get relevant information about what it takes for one to pass the Sphinx just by hearing why others could not... But once he gets whatever answer there is to get he will, of course, wander off to follow the others towards the observatory.))
(That's my bad Kaegman. I meant to answer that the other day and completely skipped it for some dumb reason.)
Dit-tid has a seat on a crude wooden bench, and then motions for Judal to join her after a bit once she realizes he's still lingering. When he joins her, she tries to offer her insights.
We sought the help of the Oracle to gain power. But that is not what the Oracle is for. I...lack the ability to explain it the way Engewook will. I do not understand what it takes. I just know that it takes something more...selfless...and that we had poisoned our chances before we even arrived here, at the Observatory.
"The AURYN!?" Engewook says with exaggerated reverence even for the spoken word. "Well, you might have led with that! Come in, come in! What is it that Engewook and Urgl can do for you my boy? Rumble of Hunger you say...What..."
He listens, his mouth hanging agape as Rum explains their purpose, his one front tooth hanging in the wind as if to draw attention to itself.
"The Nothing." Engewook says, quiet and meek. "Much of the world has fallen to the Nothing now. And Ganon! That is quite the to-do list you young folks have."
He nods at Greko and Rum.
"I do hate hearing that the AURYN's powers have faded, though I suppose that is to be expected with the loss of the Childlike Empress. Oh, but the Southern Oracle! Now THAT is a subject I know much about! Yes, much indeed! Why, ol' Professor Engewook is Hyboria's foremost authority! Ah, but, oh! Yes! Let's gather your party and take them up the hill to the summit! I can show you better there!"
Engewook quickly shuffles out the door, quite spry for such an old Gnome, pushing his way past Lady Kaede and moving toward a sort of sky-lift that seemed to be cabled to go high up the incline, up to its peak some several hundred feet above.
Unfortunately, it looks like most of the Remnants are too big to ride the lift themselves and are going to have to take the shoelace express...
Rum follows the Professor outside, nimbly moving around Lady Kaede.
"The Professor here wishes for us to gather at the summit of the hill, and there he will show us the Oracle and hopefully give us the knowledge we need", he says loud enough for all the companions to hear.
With that, seeing the sky-lift is not built to his proportions, he starts to make his way up the hill on foot, turning briefly to check if Greko needs assistance.
Greko smiles and politely declines. "Maybe in Greko's younger years when Greko wasn't so squatty.....Greko will take the lift." And with that Greko ambles his way onto the lift assuring himself a spot and possibly no one else.
Rum inclines his head to Greko as he watches the old lizardfolk squeeze himself onto the sky-lift, before turning and starting to make his way up the hill. He goes at a sedate pace in case any of the others wish to walk alongside him.
(That's my bad Kaegman. I meant to answer that the other day and completely skipped it for some dumb reason.)
No worry at all, it's pretty easy to miss things, specially when someone is just mildly pressing for more detail...
Judal sits and has a bit of a theoretical and philosophical discussion with Dit-tid about what it means to want power and the meaning of power itself. No deep or necessarily useful answers are found but (I assume) Judal is left with the feeling that perhaps his group has a shot with the Oracle since they are not seeking their own safety but rather the betterment of the world, and reality, as a whole... Maybe.
Assuming that our purposes are indeed pure... Which Judal is not sure of at all.
Lady Kaede, ever vigilant, led the trek up the daunting hill. Her samurai training propelled her forward, her polished greaves crunching on the loose gravel path. Princess Zelda followed close behind, her brow furrowed in concentration as she navigated the uneven terrain. Thea, the last of the trio, brought up the rear, her keen eyes scanning the surrounding woods for any sign of danger. As they ascended, the air grew cooler, and a light breeze whipped at their hair. Sweat beaded on Lady Kaede's forehead, but she pressed on, her unwavering gaze fixed on the peak, where the Southern Oracle awaited.
Greko stops messing around with the children and hurries up after Rum shouting for him to slow down and wait for Greko
Rum pops his head back out the entrance to the observatory as Greko calls out for him to wait.
”Come on friend Greko. I know you like to play the part of the frail old lizardfolk, but I know you too well”, he calls back.
Greko laughs and moves a bit faster
Lady Kaede just looks over at Judal, shakes her head, and quietly announces “A wise man changes his mind, a fool never will.”
She then walks back and stands by Princess Zelda’s side, bows, and quietly continues:
“My father used to say- An arrogant person insists that they know the truth and refuse to listen to others — They become blind and deaf to the truth, and no amount of persuasion will make them change their opinions. This obstinacy is their loss.“
Continuing, but louder this time, for all to hear, “What are your orders, Princess Zelda?”
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Judal watches as Rum and Greko run off to the ominious observatory of oracles and he is torn between following and waiting... But he feels he needs at least wait and see if these self-proclaimed unworthy pilgrims have more to tell. If nothing else it seems as if they know the location of the Sphinx Gate.
Having entered the observatory, Rum waits for Greko to catch him up, cautiously looking around at the interior that he finds himself in. Having been directed to enter by the pilgrims, he is fairly sure that it is safe, but plenty on this journey had not been as it seemed and he takes no chances.
Not only is he looking about, he also listens for sounds of movement, trying to pinpoint where this Engewook might be.
Perception: 10+13=23
Greko follows Rum in and watches him look all over, checking their surroundings...Greko wonders if there is a gong they should ring.
Thea had gracefully accepted the cheese danish. She'd nod to Judal and thank him, as well as Greko of course. Breaking hers in half, she offers to split it with the Princess. Then she would nibble on it slowly to savour it as she'd simply observe with wide eyes and await the Thri-Kreen's responses. When Lady Kaede would ask out loud what Princess Zelda's orders were, she'd wipe her crumby fingers on her leg, and then extend it to her to hold if she needed a moment.
just an unstable unicorn.
Princess Zelda smiles as Thea offers up part of her danish, and takes it with an appreciative nod of her head.
The Thri-Kreen seem to be preoccupied with themselves as the band seems to fade from their orbit. They chitter and chatters amongst themselves, watching the lingerers nervously, suspecting they have more questions but not hearing anything. It's the Princess the breaks the silence though. She daintily picks at her cheese danish as she looks at Judal while considering Lady Kaede's question.
"I'm...uh...I don't..." The Princess stammers, looking up the hill behind Greko and Rum and searching for an answer. "I'm just...here. I'm just trying to help you. We came for the Triforce of Wisdom, right? If so, your answers, what you want to do next? That's up there. I think."
She points up toward Rum and Greko as they enter Engewook's observatory.
The observatory is tiny, once Greko and Rum get up to it. It's still big for what it is, but it's clearly built by the smaller folk of Hyboria; probably Gnomes. This thought is proven true as they open the tiny door and force their way into the building. Sitting at a table in what is apparently a tiny apothecary is a small Gnome woman wearing a bonet and sporting a set of huge buck teeth. She looks right at Rum and Greko and smiles in her absurd little way, her eyes lighting up.
"Ah, visitors!" She says around a mouthful of enamel. She seems genuinely excited. "Engewook, we have more company!"
"Woman, tell them I'm busy!" The nasal, curmudgeonly voice echoes from another room. "We haven't seen this much activity from the oracle in...in uh..."
There is a noise. Is that an abacus being slid around?
"...three hundred years! Everything MUST be documented!"
The woman rolls her eyes and looks up at Greko.
"You know how old men are." She says to the Lizardfolk with absolutely no irony. "No patience for anything, always in a hurry to do this or that. He's back there right now writing down the same figures he's been scribbling down since I was but a girl and he was barely old enough to sprout the first goofy little hair out of his chin..."
"I hear you!" Engewook scolded from another room.
"Well if you would come in here and meet your new guests, maybe I wouldn't have to sit in here and tell them about you, hm?"
There is a shuffle of materials from a back room, and then a skinny little Gnome covered in gray hair shuffles out into the main room, his glasses sliding down his nose with every step.
"Okay fine, I'm here! Now what is it that you want! I am very busy, as you must know, researching the exact measurements of the Southern Oracle and the effects the Great Conjunction and the perpetual twilight are having on it! I will have you know that I take my work very seriously, especially since I am the only Professor in all of Hyboria to dedicate himself to such eccentric studies!"
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Lady Kaede will escort Princess Zelda and Thea up the hill towards the observatory. Once they're there, they will stand outside, figuring there isn't room enough for the entire group to enter. She'll crouch down and sit in repose in seiza, waiting and listening.
Perception: 8
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Rum listens to the exchange between the female gnome and Engewook as he crouches in the small space, and sees the likelihood that if Greko and they get talking he would never get a word in edgewise. And so as soon as Engewook appears he takes the lead.
"Master Engewook, do not fear, we are not here to waste your time. I am Rumble of Hunger and this is Greko the White. We, along with some companions outside, are the remnants of two bands of heroes entrusted with Auryn and charged with standing against Ganon; the amalgamation of the Lord of Darkness and Ganondorf, and the Nothing. Sadly, the powers of the Auryn have faded into dust so I have no proof of this, but I assure you it is the truth. One of our previous number, Kit-Tik of the Thri-Kreen, spoke of your wisdom and knowledge of the Southern Oracle. He spoke of three gates with three trials", he states, diving straight into their purpose with minimal ceremony.
"We need to find the Southern Oracle, and as such pass through these trials, and we implore you to help guide us to the Sphinx Gate and forewarn us about these trials. And anything else you can tell us that will help in our plight would be appreciated, perhaps about this Great Conjunction".
Greko nods in agreement "Indeed what my friend says is true. 300 years....Greko doesn't think Greko was born yet but who knows anymore"
((Judal had asked "What makes you say you are unworthy? What makes one worthy or not? Why do you wish to go beyond the Sphinx Gate anyway?" and will ask again if it goes unanswered. Not to be pushy but figuring he may get relevant information about what it takes for one to pass the Sphinx just by hearing why others could not... But once he gets whatever answer there is to get he will, of course, wander off to follow the others towards the observatory.))
(That's my bad Kaegman. I meant to answer that the other day and completely skipped it for some dumb reason.)
Dit-tid has a seat on a crude wooden bench, and then motions for Judal to join her after a bit once she realizes he's still lingering. When he joins her, she tries to offer her insights.
We sought the help of the Oracle to gain power. But that is not what the Oracle is for. I...lack the ability to explain it the way Engewook will. I do not understand what it takes. I just know that it takes something more...selfless...and that we had poisoned our chances before we even arrived here, at the Observatory.
"The AURYN!?" Engewook says with exaggerated reverence even for the spoken word. "Well, you might have led with that! Come in, come in! What is it that Engewook and Urgl can do for you my boy? Rumble of Hunger you say...What..."
He listens, his mouth hanging agape as Rum explains their purpose, his one front tooth hanging in the wind as if to draw attention to itself.
"The Nothing." Engewook says, quiet and meek. "Much of the world has fallen to the Nothing now. And Ganon! That is quite the to-do list you young folks have."
He nods at Greko and Rum.
"I do hate hearing that the AURYN's powers have faded, though I suppose that is to be expected with the loss of the Childlike Empress. Oh, but the Southern Oracle! Now THAT is a subject I know much about! Yes, much indeed! Why, ol' Professor Engewook is Hyboria's foremost authority! Ah, but, oh! Yes! Let's gather your party and take them up the hill to the summit! I can show you better there!"
Engewook quickly shuffles out the door, quite spry for such an old Gnome, pushing his way past Lady Kaede and moving toward a sort of sky-lift that seemed to be cabled to go high up the incline, up to its peak some several hundred feet above.
Unfortunately, it looks like most of the Remnants are too big to ride the lift themselves and are going to have to take the shoelace express...
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Rum follows the Professor outside, nimbly moving around Lady Kaede.
"The Professor here wishes for us to gather at the summit of the hill, and there he will show us the Oracle and hopefully give us the knowledge we need", he says loud enough for all the companions to hear.
With that, seeing the sky-lift is not built to his proportions, he starts to make his way up the hill on foot, turning briefly to check if Greko needs assistance.
Greko smiles and politely declines. "Maybe in Greko's younger years when Greko wasn't so squatty.....Greko will take the lift." And with that Greko ambles his way onto the lift assuring himself a spot and possibly no one else.
Rum inclines his head to Greko as he watches the old lizardfolk squeeze himself onto the sky-lift, before turning and starting to make his way up the hill. He goes at a sedate pace in case any of the others wish to walk alongside him.
No worry at all, it's pretty easy to miss things, specially when someone is just mildly pressing for more detail...
Judal sits and has a bit of a theoretical and philosophical discussion with Dit-tid about what it means to want power and the meaning of power itself. No deep or necessarily useful answers are found but (I assume) Judal is left with the feeling that perhaps his group has a shot with the Oracle since they are not seeking their own safety but rather the betterment of the world, and reality, as a whole... Maybe.
Assuming that our purposes are indeed pure... Which Judal is not sure of at all.
Lady Kaede, ever vigilant, led the trek up the daunting hill. Her samurai training propelled her forward, her polished greaves crunching on the loose gravel path. Princess Zelda followed close behind, her brow furrowed in concentration as she navigated the uneven terrain. Thea, the last of the trio, brought up the rear, her keen eyes scanning the surrounding woods for any sign of danger. As they ascended, the air grew cooler, and a light breeze whipped at their hair. Sweat beaded on Lady Kaede's forehead, but she pressed on, her unwavering gaze fixed on the peak, where the Southern Oracle awaited.
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
At the back of the line, Thea shields her nose and mouth with material as she fumbles stepping through the terrain, up the hill.
just an unstable unicorn.