As the fear of losing Vin slowly subsides, anger replaces it. Elthana overhears Gale talking to Sam and she stalks over. "You better appreciate the help. If we hadn't stepped in," Elthana looks to the fallen chimera, "It didn't look to me as though the result would have been the same. Yes, we will help rid you of this beast as we do not want to be anymore overweight, but we will return to our cabin when we are ready." she yawns, is about to say more but decides it isn't worth it and helps Sam with the body of the beast.
When she heads back into their cabin, she overhears Muir introduce himself to Vin and she stops short, "Um.. what's going on Muir? Vin, are you ok?"
Muir feels Vin's head and looks to Elthana "It is unclear...He may...let's see what he remembers...it could be a side effect of getting knocked on the head or......" Muir trails off looking at Elthana...One doesn't have to be perceptive or insightful to see Muir is concerned
Vin pushes himself up on to his elbows, causing the hammock to wobble a bit more before settling. His face creases into a frown as he contemplates the loxodon's question, which at first he thought to be a bit silly. But what was his most recent memory, it was hard to tell. He looks around at his surroundings, and those others present, including Elthana as she enters and asks if he is ok. As he searches his mind he is vaguely aware of the loxodon, Muir, touching his head and discussing what he remembers with Elthana.
"I'm not sure Elthana, I remember we were just meeting for the first time. In that dark chamber with the stone teardrop shaped table", his frown deepens as he looks around. "No, this doesn't make sense", he says getting agitated. "I feel like I only just met you all, but I have fragments of memories of spending time with you, but they are more distant. And...I saw the loxodon revive me, although I wasn't myself", as he gets more agitated he loses his balance on the hammock and tumbles off backwards, away from Muir, landing with a grunt. He scuttles away to lean up against the wall.
Nef pushes past Elthana and Muir and darts under the hammock and over to the wall to make sure he is alright. Vin reaches out to stroke the side of her neck, seemingly trying to ground himself as she looks closely at him.
Sam, still enlarged and not feeling at all appreciated, is about to loom over Gale and explain how one properly thanks one guests for helping out with menial labor but Elthana steps in and beats him to it. He finds it hard to hide the smirk that is trying to take over his face as Elthana chews Gale out but, through force of will and fear of the woman, he somehow manages. As Elthana begins to unbind the body and set it loose Sam thinks a moment about the note Hog sent via the bag. Some sack in the back of the dragon head could be valuable in many ways, it seems... But Sam shrugs and lets it go. It's not worth it to antagonize Gale more than need be and he'd likely bungle trying to carefully dissect the creature anyway. Muir would definitely be a likelier candidate but he's still busy with Vin. Still, Hog said the teeth and scales and such would be useful, so not a total loss.
Once the Chimera body is cast overboard, so to speak, Sam is of course more than willing to lift up Vin and carefully carry him back to their bunks. Sam is back to normal size by this point but that is for the best, easier to be gentle... Less chance of bumping his head.
"It seemed maybe he was in the hounds head for a bit there," Sam offers up as people are discussing the kids perplexing memory issues. "Could some of the memories be stuck in that thick skull?" Sam tosses Neferox a wink to try to show he is only kidding... But Sam isn't sure Neferox would understand. Or care.
"But to add more onto the mess... I got a note from Hog via the bag. I think it came a bit ago. Was small so didn't notice til I was sending stuff myself. Anyway... Not great news." Sam coughs and pulls out the note. He studies it for a moment before reading it out to the others. He reads it slow and carefully, as is his norm...
Hey Sam, when I got up this morning the treasury was a lot lower, people are panicking and getting as far away from it as possible, some have left the city, others are held up in the cavalcade who have opened their doors to refugees.
I got a summon from the monks, the treasury guy figured out that from what I told him I must have a method of communication with you guys, he wants me close to him to make the hand over of the stone quicker, he forced me to tell him about the bag, I'm sorry.
"Not sure the bag was a big secret but yeah, the Treasure is lower. Not good..." Sam sums up. "There's another note telling me not to spill stuff on the bag and such but... no duh, am I right?"
"Anyway kid, what you think? Up for trying to save our home, head scrambled as it is? It seems we need to go fast as we can..."
Muir looks at Elthana first “does what Vin said make sense to you? Dark chamber etc?” Muir turns to Sam next “We are only half way there. He needs to stay here and rest. I need to watch, monitor, and we need to figure this out together”
Gewyn, who'd been leaning against a nearby wall with his arms crossed, chin on his chest, and eyes closed, snaps his head up when Vin awakens. "Okay, so you don't remember who we are, strictly speaking. Do you remember who YOU are?"Gewyn asks, concern evident on his face.
Elthana nods to Muir when he asks if what Vin is saying makes sense. "Yes, that is where we all met for the first time. I hope this is just fuzziness of waking up..."
She moves over to the wall that Vin is leaning against, and without getting too close as she doesn't need the wrath of Nef as well, "Vin? It'll be ok. You're here, you're awake, you're alive. How about rest for now and we'll get your memories sorted once you're up for it."
Turning back to Sam, "That doesn't sound good at all, too bad we can't light a fire under this bird's ass. That sounds like Sergor though, and it's probably good to have Hog at the Treasury for now."
"Yes, yes Sam. I think I was seeing through Nef's eyes back there. Did I speak through her too? I feel like I might have", Vin says eagerly, glad to find an explanation for his out of body experience. He looks to Nef who confirms as much, which helps relax him a bit. Neferox for her part simply ignores Sam's taunt, too focussed on Vin's predicament.
"Our home, I think I remember it", he starts to say just before Gewyn speaks up. "I definitely know I am Vin. And it is not that I don't know you all. Apart from, Muir was it? You are familiar, I feel like I might know you too, but when I try and focus my mind on memories of you it all goes hazy. But the rest of you, I know who you are, but the memories I have are...disjointed. I have a clear memory of hanging beside you Gewyn. We were hurt, and suspended over some kind of...portal? But I don't quite remember why. And it definitely feels like we were only just in that dark chamber. Even though I know it doesn't make sense".
He looks up at Elthana and smiles, reaching up a hand so she can help him up, "You are right, I bet this happens to everyone who comes back from the....you know...other side. I certainly am grateful to still be with you all. Speaking of which, where is Ebb?".
Muir smiles at Vin "Ah Young Vincent, I am Muir, I joined your group in Hokum and was there while you were suspended...Ebb is no longer with this group. They left because the Clerics of Hermes decided to leave the council and take a different approach to the portal dilema. Vincent if I may, what do you remember when you were on the other side?"
Vin cocks his head to the side as he contemplates Muir's question, putting his hand to his temple and wincing slightly.
Neferox sees Vin's pain and turns to Muir and growls, as if to warn him off asking questions that cause pain, but Vin reaches under the hounds chin and turns his head to face him. Something passes between the two of them and Neferox stops growling and lies down.
"You will think me mad, but it smelt like hot chocolate", Vin replies on consideration. "No, it didn't smell like hot chocolate, because I had no form. There was the memory of the smell of hot chocolate", he adds before pausing for a moment.
"What I remember was existing only in my memories, which kept shifting", he says starting again trying to explain. "And I wasn't alone in there", he says, his eyes widening slightly as he remembers that detail.
Vin scratches the back of his head, a little unsure about sharing his memories, in case they were just delusions. He does continue though.
"Do you remember that tavern we went to, where the door appeared in the tree? The man who greeted us, Morris? The older looking fellow, mostly bald with huge mutton chops. He asked each of us for a story. He was there, sieving through my memories for his collection. And that's exactly what he said, that he was collecting my memories", he says looking up at Muir. "I said you would think me mad", he adds moving his hand from the back of his head to cover is eyes.
Muir narrows his eyes at the theft before looking at the others and then back to Vin "It seems Mr.Morris was a little premptive on collecting your memories....So he took your memories but which ones....Not all of them since you remember the others but not me. Interesting....I wonder if we will run into Mr.Morris again. This is my last question Vin...is there anything else you can tell us....are you missing a piece of you besides your memories? Perhaps a piece of you split away?"
When Muir asks if he is missing a piece of himself, Vin briefly starts to panic checking limbs and digits are present. Maybe his ears.
"No, I think I am all here", he says with a sigh of relief. "A lot more scarring though", he adds as he stretches the skin a little too much where he was clawed and bitten.
"But I think you misunderstand. Or I haven't explained it fully yet. Morris was collecting my memories, and I was watching and talking to him as he was doing it. He has some really interesting ideas by the way. But anyway, when he realised you were bringing me back, he started to panic, and was trying to return my memories", he says slowly, considering his words as he is explaining.
"He kept telling me to wait until he finished", he adds. "It is odd, I can recall that quite clearly now".
"this is being same Morris that we were meeting in odd tree place yes? Back in your plane... What is he? Was he being with tiny armoured creature and horned red woman too?" Griff asks as he grows ever more confused by the situation. "Is this not normal in your plane?"
Muir, with so many more questions to ask, waits not to interupt Griff's question. Muir instead looks at Elthana with a quizzical look before looking out past everyone as if he is wracking his mind lost in thought.
"That's the one", Vin replies to Griff. "And no, he was alone this time. I can't tell you what he is for sure, but I can tell you what he told me. He said that he was an aspect of the Raven Queen, tasked with collecting the memories of all those who die. And he said he has two siblings, one collects the body and the other collects the soul. Apparently everyone who dies is split into three parts".
He looks to the others, realising they probably thought he was speaking gibberish.
Muir nods his head thinking he understands "Split into 3" he murmors to himself...."You were split into three, body which was with us, soul and memories....We were able to get your body and soul back but not all of your memories as Morris ran out of time....Curious" Muir looks at Elthana once again thinking of what she said earlier...."Vincent, do you feel yourself outside of missing memories? Do you feel like you are missing something more than memories....I suppose that is hard to answer but if you do feel like more is missing.....
Elthana listens to the discussion, a bit taken a back by all of it. And she finds the information actually makes her feel worse than she did before. She is aware of Muir's sideways glances to her and knows they are thinking about the same thing, but she doesn't say anything, this wasn't about her. She was just so relieved Vin was back.
"Do you think we could find this Morris again? Think he would still be found in that hollowed out tree?" she scoffs a bit, "As if we could find it again."
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As the fear of losing Vin slowly subsides, anger replaces it. Elthana overhears Gale talking to Sam and she stalks over. "You better appreciate the help. If we hadn't stepped in," Elthana looks to the fallen chimera, "It didn't look to me as though the result would have been the same. Yes, we will help rid you of this beast as we do not want to be anymore overweight, but we will return to our cabin when we are ready." she yawns, is about to say more but decides it isn't worth it and helps Sam with the body of the beast.
When she heads back into their cabin, she overhears Muir introduce himself to Vin and she stops short, "Um.. what's going on Muir? Vin, are you ok?"
Muir feels Vin's head and looks to Elthana "It is unclear...He may...let's see what he remembers...it could be a side effect of getting knocked on the head or......" Muir trails off looking at Elthana...One doesn't have to be perceptive or insightful to see Muir is concerned
Vin pushes himself up on to his elbows, causing the hammock to wobble a bit more before settling. His face creases into a frown as he contemplates the loxodon's question, which at first he thought to be a bit silly. But what was his most recent memory, it was hard to tell. He looks around at his surroundings, and those others present, including Elthana as she enters and asks if he is ok. As he searches his mind he is vaguely aware of the loxodon, Muir, touching his head and discussing what he remembers with Elthana.
"I'm not sure Elthana, I remember we were just meeting for the first time. In that dark chamber with the stone teardrop shaped table", his frown deepens as he looks around. "No, this doesn't make sense", he says getting agitated. "I feel like I only just met you all, but I have fragments of memories of spending time with you, but they are more distant. And...I saw the loxodon revive me, although I wasn't myself", as he gets more agitated he loses his balance on the hammock and tumbles off backwards, away from Muir, landing with a grunt. He scuttles away to lean up against the wall.
Nef pushes past Elthana and Muir and darts under the hammock and over to the wall to make sure he is alright. Vin reaches out to stroke the side of her neck, seemingly trying to ground himself as she looks closely at him.
"It's all so muddled".
Sam, still enlarged and not feeling at all appreciated, is about to loom over Gale and explain how one properly thanks one guests for helping out with menial labor but Elthana steps in and beats him to it. He finds it hard to hide the smirk that is trying to take over his face as Elthana chews Gale out but, through force of will and fear of the woman, he somehow manages. As Elthana begins to unbind the body and set it loose Sam thinks a moment about the note Hog sent via the bag. Some sack in the back of the dragon head could be valuable in many ways, it seems... But Sam shrugs and lets it go. It's not worth it to antagonize Gale more than need be and he'd likely bungle trying to carefully dissect the creature anyway. Muir would definitely be a likelier candidate but he's still busy with Vin. Still, Hog said the teeth and scales and such would be useful, so not a total loss.
Once the Chimera body is cast overboard, so to speak, Sam is of course more than willing to lift up Vin and carefully carry him back to their bunks. Sam is back to normal size by this point but that is for the best, easier to be gentle... Less chance of bumping his head.
"It seemed maybe he was in the hounds head for a bit there," Sam offers up as people are discussing the kids perplexing memory issues. "Could some of the memories be stuck in that thick skull?" Sam tosses Neferox a wink to try to show he is only kidding... But Sam isn't sure Neferox would understand. Or care.
"But to add more onto the mess... I got a note from Hog via the bag. I think it came a bit ago. Was small so didn't notice til I was sending stuff myself. Anyway... Not great news." Sam coughs and pulls out the note. He studies it for a moment before reading it out to the others. He reads it slow and carefully, as is his norm...
"Not sure the bag was a big secret but yeah, the Treasure is lower. Not good..." Sam sums up. "There's another note telling me not to spill stuff on the bag and such but... no duh, am I right?"
"Anyway kid, what you think? Up for trying to save our home, head scrambled as it is? It seems we need to go fast as we can..."
Muir looks at Elthana first “does what Vin said make sense to you? Dark chamber etc?” Muir turns to Sam next “We are only half way there. He needs to stay here and rest. I need to watch, monitor, and we need to figure this out together”
Gewyn, who'd been leaning against a nearby wall with his arms crossed, chin on his chest, and eyes closed, snaps his head up when Vin awakens. "Okay, so you don't remember who we are, strictly speaking. Do you remember who YOU are?" Gewyn asks, concern evident on his face.
Griff is wildly concerned as he overhears the conversation, though he does not interrupt.
Elthana nods to Muir when he asks if what Vin is saying makes sense. "Yes, that is where we all met for the first time. I hope this is just fuzziness of waking up..."
She moves over to the wall that Vin is leaning against, and without getting too close as she doesn't need the wrath of Nef as well, "Vin? It'll be ok. You're here, you're awake, you're alive. How about rest for now and we'll get your memories sorted once you're up for it."
Turning back to Sam, "That doesn't sound good at all, too bad we can't light a fire under this bird's ass. That sounds like Sergor though, and it's probably good to have Hog at the Treasury for now."
"Yes, yes Sam. I think I was seeing through Nef's eyes back there. Did I speak through her too? I feel like I might have", Vin says eagerly, glad to find an explanation for his out of body experience. He looks to Nef who confirms as much, which helps relax him a bit. Neferox for her part simply ignores Sam's taunt, too focussed on Vin's predicament.
"Our home, I think I remember it", he starts to say just before Gewyn speaks up. "I definitely know I am Vin. And it is not that I don't know you all. Apart from, Muir was it? You are familiar, I feel like I might know you too, but when I try and focus my mind on memories of you it all goes hazy. But the rest of you, I know who you are, but the memories I have are...disjointed. I have a clear memory of hanging beside you Gewyn. We were hurt, and suspended over some kind of...portal? But I don't quite remember why. And it definitely feels like we were only just in that dark chamber. Even though I know it doesn't make sense".
He looks up at Elthana and smiles, reaching up a hand so she can help him up, "You are right, I bet this happens to everyone who comes back from the....you know...other side. I certainly am grateful to still be with you all. Speaking of which, where is Ebb?".
Muir smiles at Vin "Ah Young Vincent, I am Muir, I joined your group in Hokum and was there while you were suspended...Ebb is no longer with this group. They left because the Clerics of Hermes decided to leave the council and take a different approach to the portal dilema. Vincent if I may, what do you remember when you were on the other side?"
Vin cocks his head to the side as he contemplates Muir's question, putting his hand to his temple and wincing slightly.
Neferox sees Vin's pain and turns to Muir and growls, as if to warn him off asking questions that cause pain, but Vin reaches under the hounds chin and turns his head to face him. Something passes between the two of them and Neferox stops growling and lies down.
"You will think me mad, but it smelt like hot chocolate", Vin replies on consideration. "No, it didn't smell like hot chocolate, because I had no form. There was the memory of the smell of hot chocolate", he adds before pausing for a moment.
"What I remember was existing only in my memories, which kept shifting", he says starting again trying to explain. "And I wasn't alone in there", he says, his eyes widening slightly as he remembers that detail.
Muir dog talks back to Nef and then raises what would be an eyebrow, if he had any, to Vin "Please if you don't mind, go on....Who else was there?"
Vin scratches the back of his head, a little unsure about sharing his memories, in case they were just delusions. He does continue though.
"Do you remember that tavern we went to, where the door appeared in the tree? The man who greeted us, Morris? The older looking fellow, mostly bald with huge mutton chops. He asked each of us for a story. He was there, sieving through my memories for his collection. And that's exactly what he said, that he was collecting my memories", he says looking up at Muir. "I said you would think me mad", he adds moving his hand from the back of his head to cover is eyes.
Muir narrows his eyes at the theft before looking at the others and then back to Vin "It seems Mr.Morris was a little premptive on collecting your memories....So he took your memories but which ones....Not all of them since you remember the others but not me. Interesting....I wonder if we will run into Mr.Morris again. This is my last question Vin...is there anything else you can tell us....are you missing a piece of you besides your memories? Perhaps a piece of you split away?"
When Muir asks if he is missing a piece of himself, Vin briefly starts to panic checking limbs and digits are present. Maybe his ears.
"No, I think I am all here", he says with a sigh of relief. "A lot more scarring though", he adds as he stretches the skin a little too much where he was clawed and bitten.
"But I think you misunderstand. Or I haven't explained it fully yet. Morris was collecting my memories, and I was watching and talking to him as he was doing it. He has some really interesting ideas by the way. But anyway, when he realised you were bringing me back, he started to panic, and was trying to return my memories", he says slowly, considering his words as he is explaining.
"He kept telling me to wait until he finished", he adds. "It is odd, I can recall that quite clearly now".
"this is being same Morris that we were meeting in odd tree place yes? Back in your plane... What is he? Was he being with tiny armoured creature and horned red woman too?" Griff asks as he grows ever more confused by the situation. "Is this not normal in your plane?"
Muir, with so many more questions to ask, waits not to interupt Griff's question. Muir instead looks at Elthana with a quizzical look before looking out past everyone as if he is wracking his mind lost in thought.
"That's the one", Vin replies to Griff. "And no, he was alone this time. I can't tell you what he is for sure, but I can tell you what he told me. He said that he was an aspect of the Raven Queen, tasked with collecting the memories of all those who die. And he said he has two siblings, one collects the body and the other collects the soul. Apparently everyone who dies is split into three parts".
He looks to the others, realising they probably thought he was speaking gibberish.
"That's what Morris said, anyway", he confirms.
He turns away from the others and looks at Nef.
Muir nods his head thinking he understands "Split into 3" he murmors to himself...."You were split into three, body which was with us, soul and memories....We were able to get your body and soul back but not all of your memories as Morris ran out of time....Curious" Muir looks at Elthana once again thinking of what she said earlier...."Vincent, do you feel yourself outside of missing memories? Do you feel like you are missing something more than memories....I suppose that is hard to answer but if you do feel like more is missing.....
Elthana listens to the discussion, a bit taken a back by all of it. And she finds the information actually makes her feel worse than she did before. She is aware of Muir's sideways glances to her and knows they are thinking about the same thing, but she doesn't say anything, this wasn't about her. She was just so relieved Vin was back.
"Do you think we could find this Morris again? Think he would still be found in that hollowed out tree?" she scoffs a bit, "As if we could find it again."