As plans form and rest is had by the Rocs, Elthana finds that in their restful state they are calm and though still monsterous, she sees the more curious animal side to them, the female wakes a little and seems to lift a wing inviting Elthana to rest too, if she takes the mother up on the offer then the massive roc will preen and coo over Elthana, as gently as possible getting the knots out of her hair.
The hours while away, Ömertyr seems to keep an eye on s specific point on the cast horizon apparently keeping track of where his target is. Once the Ric's are ready to fly once more the group board Ömertyr's pack and continue the journey.
The morning after the rest spent on the small isle, Elthana receives a note in the portal bag, and since there's nothing else to do, read it for you all.
'hey, I went to that meeting, just got back, all of the council members were there, even Sergor Hamilton though he's still being investigated for the risk that he put the whole city under. They asked for my involvement in what happened, I didn't know what to say... I told them about the stone and your mission through the portal, they seemed to already know about it. But then asked why none of you were back to 'corroborate' the stories going round. Why you hadn't returned when the replacement stone was delivered. I looked around the room and sergor seemed to be staring daggers into me, I had to tell them about the portal bag, they are interested in it, wanted to take it to get contact with you. I'm not sure which ones to trust any more. I asked for a day to get things in order with you and the druid woman had my back. I don't know if I did the right thing telling them everything, but they seemed happy that I helped stop the treasury crashing and interested in the things I can make, the cavalcade specifically, I think they looked over my talents when I was a student there, and now might be regretting it.
I hope I did the right thing, I hope you guys are coming back soon to sort this out, they'll have questions... The druid lady came back with me and wants to also send you a letter. If there's anything else that you want to know before tomorrow then ask soon, also if there's a specific council member I should entrust with the bag then I'd like to know your preference. I was thinking Judge Tibus??
Write soon!
Hog '
In the bag there is indeed another note, this one written in odd symbols instead of letters or words.
There is much of nothing, boring hours followed by boring hours as the flight continues over several days, the Roc's find that taking it in turns to perch upon the pack gives them enough short rests to complete the journey, without any more stops. The male seems to be healing up very well by the third day. Griff sometimes climbs up on the back of Ömertyr to stretch his wings, but cleaning his armour and weapons is what he uses to distract himself from boredom mostly, it's a militaristic and well trained discipline that he displays when maintaining his equipment. He sometimes talks to spyro asking things about the faewyld interested in other planes and the oddities therein and he uses the evenings to rest and worry about what he will have to say to shenoh.
(you all have four days of downtime to fill however you please, training, honing crafts or working towards feats, how you do this is up to you)
Muir listens in on the conversation still thinking about Vox being the phylactery somehow...seems unlikely but here he is traversing portals and realms....He sees Vin give him a look and decides to chime into the conversation "What kind of druid would I be without a herbalism kit. However, I have 2 concerns....The first being nearly killing us to sneak in. It is a good idea but if Nivara is as powerful as she sounds, she may be able to determine through necromantic means if we are indeed dead, especially if one of them is Elthana. My second concern is the army we are hopefully raising....Where do they wait while a group sneaks in? If we are flying to a dreadnaught creature and there are no islands around to land on.....where do they wait?"
Muir would take the note with the odd symbols to read
"Good observations. That is why I wanted to chat with Morris, he could help overcome Nivara's necromantic senses. About the army, it is interesting you are worried about where they will wait and not how will they get to the castle in the sky without Nivara seeing them and using Vox's power or her own to wipe them out. Perhaps a distraction is exactly what is needed", Vin replies with a crooked grin.
When Hog's letter comes through, he listens attentively.
"Not surprised the Cavalcade are interested in Hog's abilities", he says afterwards. "Remind me, who is Judge Tibus?"
With regards downtime activities, he spends a lot training his blasts to push the wind resistance from atop Ömertyr. He might also pray to Morris a bit in case he can get on a call with aspect of the Raven Queen to discuss his plan.
Muir smiles "I am not worried about how they will get there. That is the Djinns' worries. My worries are keeping us alive in this increasingly impossible task. Nivara will know the army is coming and landed, but a scouting group is dangerous that could see whoever goes, dead if not planned perfectly. If the wish of the group is a clandestine group scouting ahead then so be it....I only wish to see no one dies.....again....."
"Judge Tiberus is the leader of the Marbled Legion....they are the courts and guards within the city. Perhaps one of the others knows him or more of him, but that is all I know"
Elthana finds the Roc's attention both odd and a little comforting. Not something she had been prepared for, but she holds still as the female dotes on her. As she does, Vin's words carry over to her and her whole body goes rigid.
She quickly but gently extricates herself from the Roc and proceeds to stalk over to where the others are gathered. Glowering at Vin, "Excited are you?" She glances over to the kobold-Gewyn, giving him some of her ire as well, "I realize getting to the dreadnaught creature is definitely a puzzle, but to stuff us in boxes,"she visibly shudders, "and pretend we're undead? And to useMORNLYFT??Are you insane? I will never touch that stuff again, and I can't see Sam wanting to use it either. And I see Nef's looks, and she's right, I can't see that splitting us up in a good idea. There must be another way. Is scouting ahead really worth our lives?" She is so shaken and upset tears come to her eyes. "No, I won't go in a box. No."
Sam takes a step back and gives Elthana room to blow up! He has a smile on his face at first, appreciating watching her unleash... And the fact that it is not on him. Basically looking at her with some pride and giving her the best "You go, girl!" nods of agreement that he can. But at the end when her anger and fierceness seem to have petered out and been overtaken by worry and uncertainness, Sam steps over to her and puts a reassuring arm around her. "Nobody puts Elthana is a box," he says firmly. He holds her for as long as she needs (or tolerates) and waits for her to regain her typical Elthana composure...
When she does seem herself a bit more, Sam finally chimes in. "As for sneaking in, I'm kind of large to be playing the part of a kobold. And I only get bigger. And playing at undead... Well I wasn't that way for long and I didn't really run into any others but part of me thinks like knows like, ya know? I mean you can have a dog that chases any small furry critter it ever sees... But it knows another dog from a cat or a squirrel or whatever, even if it is a tiny one. They just don't react the same, yeah?" Sam kind of gives a shrug and looks around to see if his point catches with anyone or not. "Anyway, not sure it holds true or not but undeath is more than just a disguise, I think. It's not just Nivara you would need fool but everyone you came across the entire time... And the Mornlyf? I agree... It is evil stuff. We shouldn't be playing with it. I don't think we know enough about it to be risking using it in any kind of disguise or anything."
"If we found out where the undead kobolds are being stored or waiting or whatever then perhaps we could figure out a way to diminish her forces before she gets a chance to use them. If we found out how they are going from point A to point C the same thing, more or less. If we could disrupt their movement, yay us... Point is, any information we can find is good information... Let's get that information before we decide what to do with it, eh?"
Later, just after the letter comes and is read...
"He shouldn't give up the bag to anyone!" Sam insists out of pure stubbornness, "It's his damn bag, we only have the other end of it on loan anyway..."
After a little calming and considering he suggests "The druid or Jimmy, if he must. I'm sure you druid types have your own secrets and agendas and all but I don't think you all cotton that well to undeath and it's leaders so... And Jimmy? I would trust him with my life and he knows I'd kill him if he betrayed me. But not Tibus or any of the others we don't know personally. Least that is my thinking on that..."
Sam would borrow the bag back from Elthana (Either before we send official response back or after, doesn't really matter) and send through the items he picked up from the island - the ripped flying carpet and the armor, with a note more or less telling Hog sorry for sending trash back but he suspects these items were magical at one point and he was curious if they could be recycled or refurbished or anything. Not knowing magic much himself he's not sure what kind of items would be useful to Hog in his crafting and would be happy for guidance...
The four days of travel...
((Well I'll wait to see if there is any more retconning or adjusting or big reveals from before the note is read or just after and we all want to use the bag for a bit first? lol... But I suppose also to find out if we get a Long Rest during the 4 days and/or if their is a "dawn" that would make Hootie disappear into the Bag of Tricks or not.))
Vin stands stock still with wide eyes and mouth agape as Elthana glowers at him and starts to shout. As she finishes he has no idea how to react, and has no idea why she is so angry with him for simply trying to think of ways to give them a better chance of survival.
He looks to Gewyn for some support, as he shared a little of Elthana's wrath, before setting himself to respond. But then Sam has his say, and surprise, surprise he disagrees as well.
"I didn't mean to upset you, Elthana. And I didn't suggest anyone should do anything they aren't comfortable with, or suited to. And I didn't say anyone should pretend to be undead. I may be wrong, but I am pretty sure that part happens at the other end", he says carefully.
"We have to work with the tools at our disposal, and I was just trying to think outside the box", he realises what he has just said and shakes his head before trying again. "I mean, a frontal assault is not going to be enough from everything we know. Whatever army we gather we just won't have the numbers, and with so much open sky on the approach, I think it would be suicide to even try without a distraction", he says, keeping talking for fear of stopping and getting screamed at again.
"If we are lucky, we will have the element of surprise. And we have allies we can call upon, like Morris. And we can potentially turn our enemies weapons against them, like with the Mornlyf. I was just trying to help. I guess I should leave the planning to everyone else", he finally says totally dejected.
Muir stands up as he was huddled staying warm "Vin those were fine ideas to sneak in but there are holes in the idea, one being claustrophobia. Some of us may not like to be stuck in boxes" Muir tries his best to quell the situation and help Vin see the fears of others "Also the poison that's been used on the Kobolds could be dangerous giving we are all different sizes. It would take quite a lot of study to mimic the poison on different sized persons not even accounting on the different species metabolisms. Keep coming up with ideas. You are an idea man. I am more of a logical thinker Loxodon. We all have our strengths. Continue to play to them....There's no such thing as a bad idea—just ideas that haven't been properly 'thought through' yet and that's where we come in."
Vin’s hands ball into fists by his side and his knuckles turn white as Muir doubles down on what is wrong with his ideas. As if he has spent weeks planning and presented what he thinks is a fully fleshed out strategy and not just started spit balling ideas.
And can’t he see that stealth and subterfuge are his and Gewyn’s strengths. That they aren’t soldiers to march with an army. Keep coming up with ideas, only to be shouted at and spoken down to like a child rather than helped and encouraged? Not exactly a safe space for that.
He says nothing more but those insightful ones present likely see from his facial expression that he is unlikely to raise his ideas again in front of the group for some time.
Neferox pads over and nudges him with her nose, and he absently pats her neck, taking a deep breath to quell the frustration he is feeling.
Muir looking around figuring everyone is fine "Right so subterfuge is an option, how that looks I am unsure of....Gewyn although you can change your image, you don't smell dead....You still smell like Gewyn. Maybe my sniffer can pick up on these things easier than the rest of you....Are there any other ideas? I feel like at this point any idea is a good one and we should be so hasty ruling them out. Finding logical reasons why they would not work is the best course of action. I'd really prefer to not have to bring anyone back from the dead especially in the castle of a lich. Personally without finding this Phylactery assaulting Nivara is moot as she can come back to life. Now a Phylactery would be made of precious stones, possible like the ones in Vox's head. It would also be covered in ruins and wards of binding. Is Vox the Phylactery or is Vox's soul the one being held if Nivara dies? I am unsure of this. There is also mention in the dead person's diary of a secret vault.....It's doubtful the Phylactery is there but maybe there is something there to help us destroy it. You can't just smash the phylactery on the ground like a vial...." Muir pauses and looks at the others
Elthana is slowly calmed by Sam and listens carefully to Vin's next words. Even in her state she appreciates how he is tiptoeing around the situation. She wonders if she has let them know about this particular nightmare or not. It's all so confusing anymore.
Then Muir steps in and steps all around and then wades in it. She knows he doesn't know any better, but can't help but think after all this time with them, and his yearning to learn so much, that he hasn't learned more about the people he travels with. She watches as anger courses through Vin and how he shuts down. This more than anything makes Elthana regret her outburst. But she knows if it happened again, she would still react the same way. These nightmares... they were overwhelming.
"You know, once we get to Shenoh, they might have some ideas on how to travel here in Thaeir. But yes, brainstorming is good.. but that is what it is Muir, brainstorming, not fully fleshed out plans." That is all she can muster as an apology to Vin.
"Gewyn said he could make a pretty convincing dead Kobold and you heartily agreed with him," Sam reminds Vin, sounding tired of the whole argument already. "So you did effective suggest him pretend to be undead... But that's not really the point..."
"The point is..." But Sam pauses trying to think up a point...
Luckily Muir is there to step in and say stuff. Words. Lots of words. Sam isn't sure just how well they work on the kid because Sam himself doesn't much listen to them, he instead looks to Elthana to make sure she is alright and gives her a bit of a reassuring squeeze. "We're all here for you," Sam says just above a whisper to her while Muir is seemingly STILL speaking. "Remember that..."
"The point is..." Sam says again once there is some silence as he was pretty sure he had never made a point yet. "The point is we're all here for each other, right? We may not always agree. We may not always disagree in the best way. But for good or ill we are here for one another and we work shit out, yes? Yes. Just 'cause we pick apart an idea doesn't mean we're picking apart the one who had the idea. Hell, picking it apart just proves we considered it... gave it some thought. No need to act like you are being disregarded..."
"I for one have no idea on how to do any of this yet. Besides getting more help and backup it seems to me that we need more information before we can hope to come up with a plan that can't be picked apart... if such a thing exists. Truth is, no plan really lasts past the first punch in the face anyway so...." But Sam thinks that perhaps he got off topic or lost the the point or never really had one... But he gives a shrug as if that sums up and tops off everything and lets it go at that.
Vin closes his eyes as Sam accuses him of suggesting Gewyn pretend to be undead. He wonders why all this was landing on him. He wanted to sneak in to Vox Tontritor's castle amongst the shipment of dead. Not the undead, the dead. If Gewyn then decided to walk around and blend in, that was on Gewyn. And he is a changeling, of course he could pull it off. Why not celebrate his talent? And all of this talk of smell, do undead breathe? Can they even smell?
The thought occurred to him that Sam smelled when he was undead, but that wasn't quite the same thing. He had stopped listening to the half-orc, and was lost in his own thoughts.
The days come and go, the group filling their travel time with whatever distractions or training that comes to mind on the third night as Griff is trilling in his sleep, Elthana too let's the warmth of the heating crystal get to her and lays down her head.
Griff snores himself awake and groggily greets the group, beginning to take the chance whilst Elthana is asleep to quell his doubts if his own abilities in the coming meet with shenoh and the guard there. "I am just not knowing what I will be saying, how I can be persuading them to be giving us an audience with the djinn. We cannot be telling of our stay on the shattered isle, it will be giving them reason to be doubting us, throwing in our lot with those they are believing as traitors and scum.but without telling of our meet with lumithor then we are having no story... What can I be doing or saying as your 'way in'?"
"Of course, we are sorry for bringing up the idea of being put in what are essentially coffins, Elthana. That was thoughtless of me to entertain such an idea given the current context. Though I believe..."he places a hand on Vin's shoulder. "that it was a clever thought nevertheless. There may be something along similar lines that can help give us an edge. For example, however we go about it, the dead kobolds are a trail we can follow to a place of importance one way or another. But I also like Sam's idea of having more information. There is a wisdom in that that one would not expect from his brutish physique and brickesque face. And whatever information we do discover, we can trust in Muir to help us parse."
"perhaps we can be asking the Djiini to be sending some dead kobold transport to the shattered isle, and they can be using that route to be sending actual kobolds to be assisting in your information gathering mission? The biggest problem is being the convincing of the djinni..." Griff interjects later whilst Elthana sleeps, and as a call back to the previous conversation.
Vin has been withdrawn since the argument, spending as much time as possible outside training his blasts. The term sulking might be apt to use in fact, although playing things over in his mind he still thinks he was treated unfairly. He does regret upsetting Elthana though, having certainly not intended to.
Whilst inside Ömertyr's pack he sticks close to Neferox and away from the others as much as is possible in the small space.
Overhearing Griff ask about how he could persuade Shenoh and the guards to allow them an audience, he sighs. He had voiced one thought on that before they left, as well as his concern that this planes problems were being put on them to solve.
Muir takes a potion out of his bag and gives credit to Vin hoping to swing his mood. Muir may not be good at picking up social cues but after days of silent treatment even he can pick up on it. "Young Vincent had an idea earlier, a fine idea might I add, to use these so you wouldn't have to do all the talking. This is a potion of tongues. This will allow me to speak with the Djinn in their language. It was a fine idea, a fine idea indeed. I believe he has another as he mentioned while you were sleeping, I believe. I think between us talking, what Omertyr has seen, and you pitching in following suit, we will do all we can to convince the Djinn."
"so I don't need to be doing most of the talking? This is being a relief. The guards should not be too much of troubling for me, but shenoh herself... Ehh, I am happy to be leaving this to you" Griff says, keeping his voice low as to not wake El, "this is being a big effect on her. Is she going to be ok? I am travelling with you for a while now, like being a part of the group despite being some differences if opinion. I think I am being changing my mind, no longer wanting to stay back at shenoh whilst you all are fighting Nivara, this is effecting Elthana, my whole realm, and being the most important, the future of my children. I cannot be sitting back when I can being helping."
As plans form and rest is had by the Rocs, Elthana finds that in their restful state they are calm and though still monsterous, she sees the more curious animal side to them, the female wakes a little and seems to lift a wing inviting Elthana to rest too, if she takes the mother up on the offer then the massive roc will preen and coo over Elthana, as gently as possible getting the knots out of her hair.
The hours while away, Ömertyr seems to keep an eye on s specific point on the cast horizon apparently keeping track of where his target is. Once the Ric's are ready to fly once more the group board Ömertyr's pack and continue the journey.
The morning after the rest spent on the small isle, Elthana receives a note in the portal bag, and since there's nothing else to do, read it for you all.
'hey, I went to that meeting, just got back, all of the council members were there, even Sergor Hamilton though he's still being investigated for the risk that he put the whole city under. They asked for my involvement in what happened, I didn't know what to say... I told them about the stone and your mission through the portal, they seemed to already know about it. But then asked why none of you were back to 'corroborate' the stories going round. Why you hadn't returned when the replacement stone was delivered. I looked around the room and sergor seemed to be staring daggers into me, I had to tell them about the portal bag, they are interested in it, wanted to take it to get contact with you. I'm not sure which ones to trust any more. I asked for a day to get things in order with you and the druid woman had my back. I don't know if I did the right thing telling them everything, but they seemed happy that I helped stop the treasury crashing and interested in the things I can make, the cavalcade specifically, I think they looked over my talents when I was a student there, and now might be regretting it.
I hope I did the right thing, I hope you guys are coming back soon to sort this out, they'll have questions... The druid lady came back with me and wants to also send you a letter. If there's anything else that you want to know before tomorrow then ask soon, also if there's a specific council member I should entrust with the bag then I'd like to know your preference. I was thinking Judge Tibus??
Write soon!
Hog '
In the bag there is indeed another note, this one written in odd symbols instead of letters or words.
There is much of nothing, boring hours followed by boring hours as the flight continues over several days, the Roc's find that taking it in turns to perch upon the pack gives them enough short rests to complete the journey, without any more stops. The male seems to be healing up very well by the third day. Griff sometimes climbs up on the back of Ömertyr to stretch his wings, but cleaning his armour and weapons is what he uses to distract himself from boredom mostly, it's a militaristic and well trained discipline that he displays when maintaining his equipment. He sometimes talks to spyro asking things about the faewyld interested in other planes and the oddities therein and he uses the evenings to rest and worry about what he will have to say to shenoh.
(you all have four days of downtime to fill however you please, training, honing crafts or working towards feats, how you do this is up to you)
Muir listens in on the conversation still thinking about Vox being the phylactery somehow...seems unlikely but here he is traversing portals and realms....He sees Vin give him a look and decides to chime into the conversation "What kind of druid would I be without a herbalism kit. However, I have 2 concerns....The first being nearly killing us to sneak in. It is a good idea but if Nivara is as powerful as she sounds, she may be able to determine through necromantic means if we are indeed dead, especially if one of them is Elthana. My second concern is the army we are hopefully raising....Where do they wait while a group sneaks in? If we are flying to a dreadnaught creature and there are no islands around to land on.....where do they wait?"
Muir would take the note with the odd symbols to read
"Good observations. That is why I wanted to chat with Morris, he could help overcome Nivara's necromantic senses. About the army, it is interesting you are worried about where they will wait and not how will they get to the castle in the sky without Nivara seeing them and using Vox's power or her own to wipe them out. Perhaps a distraction is exactly what is needed", Vin replies with a crooked grin.
When Hog's letter comes through, he listens attentively.
"Not surprised the Cavalcade are interested in Hog's abilities", he says afterwards. "Remind me, who is Judge Tibus?"
With regards downtime activities, he spends a lot training his blasts to push the wind resistance from atop Ömertyr. He might also pray to Morris a bit in case he can get on a call with aspect of the Raven Queen to discuss his plan.
Muir smiles "I am not worried about how they will get there. That is the Djinns' worries. My worries are keeping us alive in this increasingly impossible task. Nivara will know the army is coming and landed, but a scouting group is dangerous that could see whoever goes, dead if not planned perfectly. If the wish of the group is a clandestine group scouting ahead then so be it....I only wish to see no one dies.....again....."
"Judge Tiberus is the leader of the Marbled Legion....they are the courts and guards within the city. Perhaps one of the others knows him or more of him, but that is all I know"
Elthana finds the Roc's attention both odd and a little comforting. Not something she had been prepared for, but she holds still as the female dotes on her. As she does, Vin's words carry over to her and her whole body goes rigid.
She quickly but gently extricates herself from the Roc and proceeds to stalk over to where the others are gathered. Glowering at Vin, "Excited are you?" She glances over to the kobold-Gewyn, giving him some of her ire as well, "I realize getting to the dreadnaught creature is definitely a puzzle, but to stuff us in boxes," she visibly shudders, "and pretend we're undead? And to use MORNLYFT?? Are you insane? I will never touch that stuff again, and I can't see Sam wanting to use it either. And I see Nef's looks, and she's right, I can't see that splitting us up in a good idea. There must be another way. Is scouting ahead really worth our lives?" She is so shaken and upset tears come to her eyes. "No, I won't go in a box. No."
Sam takes a step back and gives Elthana room to blow up! He has a smile on his face at first, appreciating watching her unleash... And the fact that it is not on him. Basically looking at her with some pride and giving her the best "You go, girl!" nods of agreement that he can. But at the end when her anger and fierceness seem to have petered out and been overtaken by worry and uncertainness, Sam steps over to her and puts a reassuring arm around her. "Nobody puts Elthana is a box," he says firmly. He holds her for as long as she needs (or tolerates) and waits for her to regain her typical Elthana composure...
When she does seem herself a bit more, Sam finally chimes in. "As for sneaking in, I'm kind of large to be playing the part of a kobold. And I only get bigger. And playing at undead... Well I wasn't that way for long and I didn't really run into any others but part of me thinks like knows like, ya know? I mean you can have a dog that chases any small furry critter it ever sees... But it knows another dog from a cat or a squirrel or whatever, even if it is a tiny one. They just don't react the same, yeah?" Sam kind of gives a shrug and looks around to see if his point catches with anyone or not. "Anyway, not sure it holds true or not but undeath is more than just a disguise, I think. It's not just Nivara you would need fool but everyone you came across the entire time... And the Mornlyf? I agree... It is evil stuff. We shouldn't be playing with it. I don't think we know enough about it to be risking using it in any kind of disguise or anything."
"If we found out where the undead kobolds are being stored or waiting or whatever then perhaps we could figure out a way to diminish her forces before she gets a chance to use them. If we found out how they are going from point A to point C the same thing, more or less. If we could disrupt their movement, yay us... Point is, any information we can find is good information... Let's get that information before we decide what to do with it, eh?"
Later, just after the letter comes and is read...
"He shouldn't give up the bag to anyone!" Sam insists out of pure stubbornness, "It's his damn bag, we only have the other end of it on loan anyway..."
After a little calming and considering he suggests "The druid or Jimmy, if he must. I'm sure you druid types have your own secrets and agendas and all but I don't think you all cotton that well to undeath and it's leaders so... And Jimmy? I would trust him with my life and he knows I'd kill him if he betrayed me. But not Tibus or any of the others we don't know personally. Least that is my thinking on that..."
Sam would borrow the bag back from Elthana (Either before we send official response back or after, doesn't really matter) and send through the items he picked up from the island - the ripped flying carpet and the armor, with a note more or less telling Hog sorry for sending trash back but he suspects these items were magical at one point and he was curious if they could be recycled or refurbished or anything. Not knowing magic much himself he's not sure what kind of items would be useful to Hog in his crafting and would be happy for guidance...
The four days of travel...
((Well I'll wait to see if there is any more retconning or adjusting or big reveals from before the note is read or just after and we all want to use the bag for a bit first? lol... But I suppose also to find out if we get a Long Rest during the 4 days and/or if their is a "dawn" that would make Hootie disappear into the Bag of Tricks or not.))
Vin stands stock still with wide eyes and mouth agape as Elthana glowers at him and starts to shout. As she finishes he has no idea how to react, and has no idea why she is so angry with him for simply trying to think of ways to give them a better chance of survival.
He looks to Gewyn for some support, as he shared a little of Elthana's wrath, before setting himself to respond. But then Sam has his say, and surprise, surprise he disagrees as well.
"I didn't mean to upset you, Elthana. And I didn't suggest anyone should do anything they aren't comfortable with, or suited to. And I didn't say anyone should pretend to be undead. I may be wrong, but I am pretty sure that part happens at the other end", he says carefully.
"We have to work with the tools at our disposal, and I was just trying to think outside the box", he realises what he has just said and shakes his head before trying again. "I mean, a frontal assault is not going to be enough from everything we know. Whatever army we gather we just won't have the numbers, and with so much open sky on the approach, I think it would be suicide to even try without a distraction", he says, keeping talking for fear of stopping and getting screamed at again.
"If we are lucky, we will have the element of surprise. And we have allies we can call upon, like Morris. And we can potentially turn our enemies weapons against them, like with the Mornlyf. I was just trying to help. I guess I should leave the planning to everyone else", he finally says totally dejected.
Muir stands up as he was huddled staying warm "Vin those were fine ideas to sneak in but there are holes in the idea, one being claustrophobia. Some of us may not like to be stuck in boxes" Muir tries his best to quell the situation and help Vin see the fears of others "Also the poison that's been used on the Kobolds could be dangerous giving we are all different sizes. It would take quite a lot of study to mimic the poison on different sized persons not even accounting on the different species metabolisms. Keep coming up with ideas. You are an idea man. I am more of a logical thinker Loxodon. We all have our strengths. Continue to play to them....There's no such thing as a bad idea—just ideas that haven't been properly 'thought through' yet and that's where we come in."
Vin’s hands ball into fists by his side and his knuckles turn white as Muir doubles down on what is wrong with his ideas. As if he has spent weeks planning and presented what he thinks is a fully fleshed out strategy and not just started spit balling ideas.
And can’t he see that stealth and subterfuge are his and Gewyn’s strengths. That they aren’t soldiers to march with an army. Keep coming up with ideas, only to be shouted at and spoken down to like a child rather than helped and encouraged? Not exactly a safe space for that.
He says nothing more but those insightful ones present likely see from his facial expression that he is unlikely to raise his ideas again in front of the group for some time.
Neferox pads over and nudges him with her nose, and he absently pats her neck, taking a deep breath to quell the frustration he is feeling.
Muir looking around figuring everyone is fine "Right so subterfuge is an option, how that looks I am unsure of....Gewyn although you can change your image, you don't smell dead....You still smell like Gewyn. Maybe my sniffer can pick up on these things easier than the rest of you....Are there any other ideas? I feel like at this point any idea is a good one and we should be so hasty ruling them out. Finding logical reasons why they would not work is the best course of action. I'd really prefer to not have to bring anyone back from the dead especially in the castle of a lich. Personally without finding this Phylactery assaulting Nivara is moot as she can come back to life. Now a Phylactery would be made of precious stones, possible like the ones in Vox's head. It would also be covered in ruins and wards of binding. Is Vox the Phylactery or is Vox's soul the one being held if Nivara dies? I am unsure of this. There is also mention in the dead person's diary of a secret vault.....It's doubtful the Phylactery is there but maybe there is something there to help us destroy it. You can't just smash the phylactery on the ground like a vial...." Muir pauses and looks at the others
Vin just shrugs.
Elthana is slowly calmed by Sam and listens carefully to Vin's next words. Even in her state she appreciates how he is tiptoeing around the situation. She wonders if she has let them know about this particular nightmare or not. It's all so confusing anymore.
Then Muir steps in and steps all around and then wades in it. She knows he doesn't know any better, but can't help but think after all this time with them, and his yearning to learn so much, that he hasn't learned more about the people he travels with. She watches as anger courses through Vin and how he shuts down. This more than anything makes Elthana regret her outburst. But she knows if it happened again, she would still react the same way. These nightmares... they were overwhelming.
"You know, once we get to Shenoh, they might have some ideas on how to travel here in Thaeir. But yes, brainstorming is good.. but that is what it is Muir, brainstorming, not fully fleshed out plans." That is all she can muster as an apology to Vin.
"Gewyn said he could make a pretty convincing dead Kobold and you heartily agreed with him," Sam reminds Vin, sounding tired of the whole argument already. "So you did effective suggest him pretend to be undead... But that's not really the point..."
"The point is..." But Sam pauses trying to think up a point...
Luckily Muir is there to step in and say stuff. Words. Lots of words. Sam isn't sure just how well they work on the kid because Sam himself doesn't much listen to them, he instead looks to Elthana to make sure she is alright and gives her a bit of a reassuring squeeze. "We're all here for you," Sam says just above a whisper to her while Muir is seemingly STILL speaking. "Remember that..."
"The point is..." Sam says again once there is some silence as he was pretty sure he had never made a point yet. "The point is we're all here for each other, right? We may not always agree. We may not always disagree in the best way. But for good or ill we are here for one another and we work shit out, yes? Yes. Just 'cause we pick apart an idea doesn't mean we're picking apart the one who had the idea. Hell, picking it apart just proves we considered it... gave it some thought. No need to act like you are being disregarded..."
"I for one have no idea on how to do any of this yet. Besides getting more help and backup it seems to me that we need more information before we can hope to come up with a plan that can't be picked apart... if such a thing exists. Truth is, no plan really lasts past the first punch in the face anyway so...." But Sam thinks that perhaps he got off topic or lost the the point or never really had one... But he gives a shrug as if that sums up and tops off everything and lets it go at that.
Vin closes his eyes as Sam accuses him of suggesting Gewyn pretend to be undead. He wonders why all this was landing on him. He wanted to sneak in to Vox Tontritor's castle amongst the shipment of dead. Not the undead, the dead. If Gewyn then decided to walk around and blend in, that was on Gewyn. And he is a changeling, of course he could pull it off. Why not celebrate his talent? And all of this talk of smell, do undead breathe? Can they even smell?
The thought occurred to him that Sam smelled when he was undead, but that wasn't quite the same thing. He had stopped listening to the half-orc, and was lost in his own thoughts.
The days come and go, the group filling their travel time with whatever distractions or training that comes to mind on the third night as Griff is trilling in his sleep, Elthana too let's the warmth of the heating crystal get to her and lays down her head.
Griff snores himself awake and groggily greets the group, beginning to take the chance whilst Elthana is asleep to quell his doubts if his own abilities in the coming meet with shenoh and the guard there. "I am just not knowing what I will be saying, how I can be persuading them to be giving us an audience with the djinn. We cannot be telling of our stay on the shattered isle, it will be giving them reason to be doubting us, throwing in our lot with those they are believing as traitors and scum.but without telling of our meet with lumithor then we are having no story... What can I be doing or saying as your 'way in'?"
"Of course, we are sorry for bringing up the idea of being put in what are essentially coffins, Elthana. That was thoughtless of me to entertain such an idea given the current context. Though I believe..." he places a hand on Vin's shoulder. "that it was a clever thought nevertheless. There may be something along similar lines that can help give us an edge. For example, however we go about it, the dead kobolds are a trail we can follow to a place of importance one way or another. But I also like Sam's idea of having more information. There is a wisdom in that that one would not expect from his brutish physique and brickesque face. And whatever information we do discover, we can trust in Muir to help us parse."
"perhaps we can be asking the Djiini to be sending some dead kobold transport to the shattered isle, and they can be using that route to be sending actual kobolds to be assisting in your information gathering mission? The biggest problem is being the convincing of the djinni..." Griff interjects later whilst Elthana sleeps, and as a call back to the previous conversation.
Vin has been withdrawn since the argument, spending as much time as possible outside training his blasts. The term sulking might be apt to use in fact, although playing things over in his mind he still thinks he was treated unfairly. He does regret upsetting Elthana though, having certainly not intended to.
Whilst inside Ömertyr's pack he sticks close to Neferox and away from the others as much as is possible in the small space.
Overhearing Griff ask about how he could persuade Shenoh and the guards to allow them an audience, he sighs. He had voiced one thought on that before they left, as well as his concern that this planes problems were being put on them to solve.
Muir takes a potion out of his bag and gives credit to Vin hoping to swing his mood. Muir may not be good at picking up social cues but after days of silent treatment even he can pick up on it. "Young Vincent had an idea earlier, a fine idea might I add, to use these so you wouldn't have to do all the talking. This is a potion of tongues. This will allow me to speak with the Djinn in their language. It was a fine idea, a fine idea indeed. I believe he has another as he mentioned while you were sleeping, I believe. I think between us talking, what Omertyr has seen, and you pitching in following suit, we will do all we can to convince the Djinn."
"so I don't need to be doing most of the talking? This is being a relief. The guards should not be too much of troubling for me, but shenoh herself... Ehh, I am happy to be leaving this to you" Griff says, keeping his voice low as to not wake El, "this is being a big effect on her. Is she going to be ok? I am travelling with you for a while now, like being a part of the group despite being some differences if opinion. I think I am being changing my mind, no longer wanting to stay back at shenoh whilst you all are fighting Nivara, this is effecting Elthana, my whole realm, and being the most important, the future of my children. I cannot be sitting back when I can being helping."