Crimson Sands of Time

Then she starts walking very stiff, with one hand across her stomach and one across her back, as she imagines a butler would walk.  She walks back and forth, offering everyone imaginary beverages.  

"What do you think, search for the butler on the first floor and see if he can help us in some way?"

Trisk doesn't want to speak for everyone so often throws out a question or two to see what ideas others have.

"It looks like Piccolo wants to see this butler for herself."

Uriel:

“The butler seems like a fine idea,” says Uriel, “But I’d like to hear more about this League of Malevolence.  They seem to have taken over this castle by force and accuse the deposed queen of trafficking with demons, though one of their members wears the religious iconography of a demon prince.”

Turning to the frog, he adds, “We haven’t taken sides in this dispute, at least to the point of violence against one side or the other, but you have been quite helpful.  Can you give us further information about the League and the Hags that we might determine, if it comes to a fight, whose side we should be on?”

Piccolo shakes her head in agreement, and plays a gentle tune for the frog. (Persuasion 19)

Iggrick doesn't know much about the league, but they arrived recently and conspired with the hags to take Prismeer from Zybilna. As indicated by the toad, the servants' quarters are in the room adjacent to the kitchen, beside the base of the beanstalk. 

This candlelit workroom contains tables, dressers, and bunks for the palace staff. Five goblins are frozen in place like statues, caught in the mundane chores of ironing clothes, darning socks, and folding sheets. A row of brass bells is mounted on one wall.

Picollo (and anyone else with passive perception 14+) notices something peeking out from the narrow space behind one of the dressers. 

Piccolo lies on the floor and looks at the thing peeking, while taking out a flower from her bag.

Drain

Drain will give a wink to the hiding thing while PIccolo attempts to communicate, and take a search around the room.

investigation 6

Trisk will crouch down near Piccolo to offer her support if needed and also appear less threatening to whatever is hiding from them.

"We don't mean any harm. We just recently arrived and found some things and people frozen in time. Can you help us understand what is happening here?"

Persuasion: 14 

 A parchment-flat creature timidly emerges from behind the cabinet.  Once in the open space of the room, its body inflates to a normal anatomical volume and it speaks in a soft tone.

"After using Zybilna’s cauldron to neutralize my mistress and most of her court, the hags of the Hourglass Coven left the League of Malevolence in the palace to guard the cauldron. Only three members of the league—Kelek, Warduke, and Zargash—are in the palace presently. Clearly you are not with them, but what is it exactly you are doing here?"

...

"A unicorn horn? To free a creature frozen in time, one must touch it with a unicorn horn while speaking the creature’s true name. The League of Malevolence is searching Prismeer for a unicorn horn so that Kelek can free Ringlerun, his archenemy, from temporal stasis and steal his staff of power."

...

"The dragon / cauldron? Years ago, Zybilna befriended a jabberwock and trained it to drink from her cauldron. It still frequents the palace and loiters around the cauldron, making it impossible for Kelek and the others to guard the cauldron effectively. The only creature in the palace that stands a chance in a fight against the jabberwock is Zybilna’s great owl, Bloodybeak, which is kept in the aviary."

Drain:

"Well, it may be we should be heading to look for the unicorn, at least we could find some allies in this fight.  I believe the woods outside was mentioned."

Piccolo shakes her head, excited to speak with the unicorn.  

Okay. The wooded lands of Prismeer are known as Thither

8

You leave the cadtke, go through the garden, out the gate and locate Thither below, venturing into the narrow band of mist dividing the Castel grounds from the lands beyond. 

The mists part to reveal a primeval forest. A fragrant breeze wafts between the enormous trees, sending motes of pollen dancing into the air. Patches of sunlight kiss the forest floor, and the sweet melody of birdsong echoes all around.

Shortly, you come upon a clearing. Three pixies sit around a tiny table, sipping tea and nibbling cakes. A 6-inch-long wedge made of wood lies on the ground nearby. The pixies found this piece of wood (a doorstop) on one of their recent forays into the Material Plane and are arguing about what it could be. Spiderlily thinks it’s a slice of cake made for a treant, Cowslip thinks it’s an exercise bench for mice, and Maypole is convinced it’s a troll’s toothpick.

Spiderlilly notices you first (of the others did, they didn't show any sign of it) "you there," she calls, "yes, you. Settle a debate for us, won't you? You look like material folk, aren't you? Can you tell us what this thing is?" she holds up the doorstop? "Is it a cake or a toothpick?"

"it's an exercise bench for a..." Cowslip protests, cut off by the other two, who shout in unison, "it's not a mouse's gym equipment!"

This starts them to squabbling again, their squeaky voices shouting unintelligent over one another. 

Piccolo skips over and sees if they will serve her tea,. The tiny girl is quite large compared to the pixies.
She smells the log and tries a bite of it, seeming to enjoy the flavor.

Uriel:

Going over and picking up the wedge of wood, Uriel says, “This is a device used to hold a door in place.  It is called a door stop.”

"It's probably worthless out here in the forest where there are no doors."

Trisk thinks how many things they might find somewhere that serve little purpose in the forest. 

They are profoundly disappointed to learn of the doorstop’s mundane purpose. "are you quite certain that is all it is?" 

Uriel:

”Even a simple tool applied creatively can have a myriad of uses,” says Uriel kindly.

Piccolo picks it up and examines it further, smelling it and looking at it with her keen eyes (OOC: don't have detect magic but will look for signs of it being something else). She also holds it suggestively and then playfully hits Uriel with it in his hind quarters, smiling as she suggests yet another use. (A club)

"I suppose that's it, then." Spiderlilly concedes, trying not to sound too disheartened.

"I told you it weren't no cake, silly." chides Maypole.

"Well, it wasn't a toothpick either." notes Cowslip.

While they continue to bicker, Spiderlilly thanks you. "Sorry about them. Thank you for your candor. Listen, I know the Feywikd can be as incomprehensible to you Primes, at times, as your world proves to be for us. So, if you ever need anything, give us a call.  Here take this."

She hands you a reed whistle...