Realising quite quickly that this was going to be left to Sam, and whilst everyone is concentrating on him and Lumithor, Vin quickly digs into his pack and grabs a potion. Unstoppering it and downing it in one fluid motion.
Instantly Sam's words start to make sense to him, and he listens intently as Sam speaks. Initially he expects he will have to interject, but the more Sam says, the more apt his words seem to be. Sam's train of thought is a little roundabout, and he is not sure how offended he should be at times, but he finds a little smile crease his lips as the speech goes on.
When Sam finishes, mentioning how Gewyn or Muir would have been by far the better choice to negotiate with Lumithor, he steps forward.
"I actually think that was perfect, Sam", he says to Sam, and no matter how it looks or sounds, everyone understands him. "Great Lumithor. Sam's words are raw, devoid of flattery and conceit because that is not his way. But his words convey our need, and our respect. We hope they strike a cord with you".
Muir steps forward and puts a hand on Sam's shoulder smiling (Guidance) "Yes I am Muir" As his trunk raises and waves assuming Sam's gesticulations were about his trunk.
The dragon face floats in silence for a moment taking in the ramblings, and the new faces and noting Griff on top of the shrine, raising an eyebrow at Ethan as it moves to get a better look, sniffing at Neferox in confusion. It then turns back to Sam and smiles wide beginning to speak in the giant tongue once more, sounding like scraping rocks, odd vowels and glottal stops.
"Sa-am, huh, you're quite the talker aren't you and you're all really here, not another hallucination.. I Uhhh, never mind, it's been so long since I had company that id been toying with the idea of letting a single undead through and trapping them here for conversation... Uhhhh, I apologise that I have nothing to offer as refreshments um I suppose I could instead answer your many many many questions, yes? Here they are, in order that they were asked, I think.
No, though I do speak and understand primordial, draconic and Auran, giant is my common language.
I am aware of some of the realms, but mostly just air, earth and that hub world, where Jotunnam lies...
You think I look good for being dead!? My my, you charmer, my body got struck and split by mothers strike, and then to top it off a bunch of crystal debris fell on my ass, and now after so many years it's crystallised over me. Still... These old bones serve as my anchor here with out them I wouldn't be able to keep protecting this realm even after my death, I'm duty bound you know..
But you're also duty bound, huh, heroes you say, that's pretty cool! I like that alot! What kinds of adventures have you gone on? Did you beat up any bad guys? Are you gonna beat this Eilish boy? Your predicament in your home plane sounds confusing, but I think I understand, Akiin from this realm had one of my bones stolen and you don't like him, and then gave that bone to Sergor of your realm? Who you also don't like, who then made an island float with the bone and called it a lode stone, which you also don't like? And now you need more to keep the island from killing a bunch of people. Sounds reasonable. Though like I said I gotta have most of my bones here otherwise they stop acting as an anchor to keep me here suppressing the shadowfell.
Hey I have an idea though, if you can get the old stone back to me Its like I won't be losing anything right? Same amount of bones just one missing huh, unless you need more, but like my hand bones over there are like a bunch of little bones so you could probably take two of them. Well... I suppose they're little to me, hah! Look they're like the size of your head aaaaaaahahahaha ooohhhhhh I've been alone for too long, makes you go a little barmy in the brain waves and everything you said after the thing... Y'know the questions thingy, I've forgotten it already" he heavy breathes a bit whilst chuckling, even though it seems that this voice is not using air to make sound but the precise rubbing and nanging of miniscule crystals, he beams a wide smile and eventually regains his composure
"But! If you're taking my bones and you're such big great heroes I have a favour to ask along with the return of my other bone, the one that doesn't work any more. I wanna talk to that girl there but I also want answers from you all as a group who have been travelling outside of this prison. Yes?
I wanna know why my mom killed me?
I wanna know why that girl there isn't dead, like geez you shadow elves don't have that long of a life span or has something changes in the shadowfell that's effecting you all out here?
Also what is the state of the isle? The communities here? my senses only extend to this place and I've been keeping the residual lightning at bay so I've not seen what's been going on and I've not had visitors in maybe a few hundred years, are my dragonkind still having a hard time?"
Lumithor looks over to Vin and listens surprised at such a small and scrawny humanoid creating the booming sounds needed to speak the giant language, (though vin Is not making such noises, lumithor doesn't know that) "strike a cord? Respectfully little guy I'm glad you're all here! Look at this place! Aside from the shrine to the great raven queen and the door over there with a bunch of evils trapped inside occupying my queen's throne, there's literally nothing in here, it's soo boring! Hey by the way what is your fluffy friend there, I've never seen an animal like that and it smells funny, right?"
As Muir approaches and says his piece lumithor laughs awkwardly and gives both Sam and vin a pleading side eye, "hey uhhh what did they say? What's 'yusss eyearm yoor' ? You were right about his nose, that thing is.... Wow hah!"
The crystal face talks for a while, a booming and aggressive voice, and as the group who do not understand listen, they realise that the dragon is actually enjoying himself, he seems to also be rambling as much as Sam is and even laughs a few times exchanging amused glances toward the rest of the group as he addresses Sam, and then vin, and finally looking to Muir the dragon face stops in some confusion, says something to Sam and vin and ends the statement with a nod to Muir whilst repeating back to him in common mimicry "yuss eyearm yoor'" and then laughing uproariously.
Serafina struggles to keep up with the giant language and is physically straining to translate what she can hear in her head, she turns her back on the dragon face and mutters to the group, "he isn't doing so well mentally as he was in life, I fear so many centuries of isolation takes its toll..."
(Sam's persuasion roll with advantage due to vin's help brough him a NAT 20+5, then +3 from Muir's guidance total 28 persuasion!)
Vin waits patiently as Lumithor speaks to Sam, reiterating the details of the request for help and speaking of his isolation. He pays particular attention to Lumithor's terms for obtaining a new lodestone, and waits for an opportunity to pass them on.
When Lumithor turns to him though, he knows he must respond first.
"If we can relieve you of your boredom even for a short time, then I am glad. And this is Neferox, she is my most trusted friend and companion, although she comes from somewhere very different to myself. It is that other place that you are likely smelling. Anyway, I will bring our companions up to speed with your request whilst Sam answers your other questions. You seem to speak the same language, literally and figuratively. One question though. Will you allow us to take the bone first, because as Sam mentioned, we do not have long before the catastrophe happens?", he says to Lumithor with a smile, although all can understand his words.
"Lumithor is happy for us to have a replacement for our lodestone, but there are conditions", he says lowering his voice and turning to the rest of the group. "The most pressing of which, I suppose, is the return of the original bone that was stolen. We should request that immediately, because I don't know how long it will take". He waits to make sure someone starts to write a note to that effect to put into the bag.
He then continues, "He also wants answers to some more questions, a lot of which revolve around Elthana. And some about the state of the outside world and how his draconic kin fare, which I am sure Serafina and Griff can explain. He speaks Auran and Draconic as well as Primordial, which should help that. He also wants to know why his mother struck him down".
Lumithor smiles and responds to vin's question before Sam can begin answering.
"Of course! Let's see, take Uhhh, that one there and the one next to it. You'll be returning the other right after yes?"
The head swings around and points two bones out within the hand of the dragons skeleton, each about 1.5-2ft in diameter. Large enough to replace the one within the treasury and also small enough that they'll fit in the bag without breaking it.
Serafina gives vin a nod, telling the group "I'll fill him in on topside progress and politics when I get chance" she then waits for Sam to be done with his conversation before starting.
Muir excitedly says with his ears flapping speaking to Vin more and Sam less "Oh I would be happy to tell him everything he wants to know. I can give him all of my theories that seem to be true the more we find out....How exciting....Oh" He turns to Elthana "Perhaps we should send a message that we need the old bone back. It is a matter of interplanar importance to get that bone back. We cannot have the shadowfell leak into this world because then they are a step away from ours....It is imperative that Sergor understands this and returns the bone. If he does not that will add more suspicion to his already undead uhhh self...."
As Lumithor shifts around a bit after Sam finishes speaking, Sam's stomach sinks to the floor. I screwed up, he thinks. Said something wrong. Said too much. Not enough. Definitely didn't explain things well... We're going to have to fight...
"Ha... Hallucination?" Sam responds quietly, shocked that he's not alrighty fighting for their lives. "Um... no. No, sir..." But Sam realized he himself had rambled on, perhaps it was best he shut up and let the face of the dragon have it's turn...
"Muir is your one for answers, though I warn he'll have as many questions right back..." Sam cannot help but sneak in.
When Lumithor is indeed done Sam smiles and gives them a bit of a bow and says "A moment please, I need to pass that all on..."
"Vin. Vin!" Sam calls out, switching to common. "You and Elthana work on exchanging the bones. NOW. Get that done before anything changes their mind, eh? Will also maybe help to keep Elthana too busy to be under it's direct gaze..."
That done, Sam thinks about what else was said... "Muir... Muir! Lumithor has questions. We'll try to take those carefully as we don't want me screwing up winging it, yes? I know you'll have questions in return. Let's keep it a slow and organized back and forth... But first..."
"Serafina! Lumithor is lonely! It is hurting them, the loneliness... This is your god or protector or I dunno the exact term but what the hell?? Think up some kind of visitation structure or something... Companions and such to visit and talk to him and keep him grounded. You all should already have been on this. Seriously!" Sam calls over to her. He really is shocked that such a being would be left alone to grow so lonely they hallucinate...
"I'm sorry, how should I address you?" Sam says turning back to the face of Lumithor and switching back to Giant. "Lumithor? Great one? Protector? I'm... Well, not used to dealing with being such as yourself..."
After a pause to let them answer Sam explains that he has a couple of them working on the bone exchange. "I cannot express how happy and relieved and thankful we are that you have granted us such a boon. And we shall be sure everyone back home knows of your kindness. I imagine Sergor will try to take all the credit but no, I pledge to you, we will let them know that it is you they have to thank..."
"And I am urging Serafina there to deal with your lack of companionship and information from the outside world. I am suggesting she get volunteers to come here regularly to talk with you, to answer your questions, to be here for you. I can only imagine they were too reverent of you to want to impose on you... But if it is company you wish, I will do my best to press the importance of it upon them. I myself... Well we're not very comparable, me and you, I suppose.... Very little alike... But I know loneliness as well... But I found something a while back. A pouch... This pouch..." Sam says as he takes his rust colored pouch and holds it up. "It can help with the loneliness..."
Sam reaches into the pouch and pulls out a fuzzy ball of fur. This too he holds out for Lumithor to see. He then drops it to the ground and allows it to grow... Grow into Molly the Giant Goat. Sam chuckles as she wriggles and struggles a moment before growing free and shaking herself into full size. "I never know which I am going to get. Sometimes it is Molly here, sometimes it is Órga the lion or Barnaby the bear or... Well, you understand. They're not the absolute best companions in that I cannot speak to them... Well, I can speak to them but they can't really speak back. But sometimes also that is even better maybe? They have meant the world to me since I found the bag but..." Sam pauses here and gathers himself...
"But I can leave the cave. I have the other members of my party.... I... I think I want you to have the pouch. A token of thanks and appreciation. A way to ensure that you can always have companionship when lonely..." Sam steps for a bit towards the face and reverentially lays the rust colored bag down. "Ummm... Would you have a way to pull them out of the bag??"
((Will leave some space here for Lumithor to respond to this, yadda yadda...))
"Here is Muir though... He will answer your questions. I will translate... What would you like answered first?" And with that Sam summons Muir to his side and lays a hand on his shoulder and turns and whispers what he just said to Lumithor to Muir and then waits to play translator...
((Do we want to assume Sam is playing translator and just let Muir and Lumithor interact directly? Actually having me repeat everything will surely slow the pace down. lol...))
After realizing the dragon was not going to be easy to understand, Gewyn takes out his pipes and plays one single note. With his right hand, he makes a pinching motion in the air, and slowly twists. The pitch of his note inexplicably lowers. He tweaks around with the pitch for a second until apparently it is just right, and then he shakes his earlobe and looks up to the dragon to listen.
"My, he is far friendlier than most dragons or skeletons I've heard of. Sam, I can understand him, but I alas cannot speak back. Can you ask him for me if he likes music?"Then Gewyn walks over to the two indicated bones and begins inspecting them, preparing to remove one of them.
"Oh! Hey! You can understand this now? Then great, you can help keep everyone else in the loop about what is being discussed!" Sam happily replies... And he does indeed, once he can fit it in, ask the Face of Lum if it enjoys music...
"Already on it, Sam", Vin responds, realising Gewyn also understands Lumithor and is also collecting the bones. He moves to get closer to Elthana so he can speak without being overheard by Lumithor or ideally Serafina either.
"Lumithor has agreed to let us send the bones before the original is returned. Are you certain once Sergor has what he needs, that he will honour the agreement we made? Or should we tell him we need the original back first?", he whispers. "You know him best, it should be your call, but I don't want to be forced into breaking the agreement".
Elthana is taken aback at the demeanor of the giant dragon. It first makes her smile, but then that crumbles knowing what Nivara had done to him and she is positive it is because of her creator that this dragon was struck down by his mother.
As soon as she hears of the exchange, she starts writing on the paper to Sergor before the others even start on the bones.
She only nods to Vin's words as he whispers to her.
After receving Sergor's message she responds to Vin in a whisper,"We can't. We need the original to slow the descent, if he sent it back now, the Treasury would crash. They are ready for the new bones once we have them." Her expression is telling Vin to go get them so she can send them to Sergor, she doesn't want to get any closer to the dragon face.
With Sam translating for Muir, Elthana writing letters and overseeing vin and Gewyn's extraction of the bones. Gewyn finds a palm sized shard of bone that breaks off as the lodestones are retrieved, and seeing that Lumithor's attention is elsewhere pockets it.
Serafina looks a little taken back at the suggestion it it her fault that lumithor us being left alone, "he's not always like this, though it was many years since I met him, in my training as a youth I crossed the lightning fields as a test and delivered an offering to the shrine" she points over to the tower Griff is standing upon.. "when I met him before he valued his isolation as a dedication to his duty. I shall bring his request up with the council in our return, perhaps we can make some kind of covered path across the fields for safe passage."
Lumithor accepts Sam's compliments with a smile and watches Sam pull the fuzzy ball from the bag, staring wide eyed at Molly the goat who grows from it. "This is a strange creature, I feel the compulsion to eat it even though I no longer have a stomach, what does it do? It cannot speak you say? It is very odd. Um I don't believe I would have the dexterity to pull them from the bag but I am glad for the offer. Perhaps I can ask something else of you...
But first the questions yes!? What has become of Vox Tontritor my mother, why did she do what she did? Knowing that duty binds me here and that my presence is required to keep the Gates shut on the orders of the raven queen, it should have been obvious that my spirit would remain to carry out my duty as unfinished business. Was I not doing my job properly whilst alive?" As Lumithor speaks everyone hears what he says through Sam's translation into common.
"That makes sense, I feel a little dim now, I should have expected that", Vin replies quietly.
He looks across to where Gewyn is, by the skeletal remains of Lumithor, and calls across, "Time is ticking Gewyn, we need those bones now please. Or do you need help carrying?", he says, realising the bones Lumithor pointed out might be quite heavy. In which case, Sam is really the best person for this job, but unfortunately he is occupied. He rushes over to Gewyn, trying to keep an ear open to the conversation between Lumithor, Sam and Muir.
Muir without hesitation begins to explain the situation after Sam translates "You see we do not believe it was your mother who struck you down, at least not purposefully. We think she was either captured, tricked/used, or killed....She would know exactly that, you would still be bound, but if she was tricked to believe that you were dead, perhaps she was trying to save the realm by prevenint the shadow realm from crossing over. You were doing your job and still are, but it is our belief that she has been captured, tricked or is dead by an evil being....Perhaps you could tell us what happened that day...The story goes you had a visitor and shortly after you were struck down and the island destroyed."
After giving an answer Muir turns to Vin and Elthana "What did Sergor say? Are they returning the bone? Lumithor said we could take 2 bones if we returned the 1...2 should do the trick no?"
Hmm, so no mind powers with which to move things, good good, thinks Sam as Lumithor turns down the offer of the bag due to lack of able to draw the fuzzballs out. "They're an animal. They do animal things... But they're friendlier to most animals. You can pet or hug or play with them too..." Sam responds. "And talk to them. They can't respond in kind but still, sometimes it is nice to have someone to talk to."
"Of course, I would do anything I can for you," Sam answers before starting in again on the translating and absently patting Molly companionably.
In the translating from Muir to Face Sam throws in a few words of sympathy when he tells the undead dragon God thing that we think it was his mom who deaded him. It's Mother's Day, one should have some tact with that kind of information!
Elthana smiles at Vin's response, "Don't worry, I didn't get to that conclusion right away either. But yeah, sure is obvious when pointed out."
Elthana grimaces as she reads Sergor's last note, "Well... the time it will take to install the new one and then dislodge the old one, it will take 30 min to an hour. Which I suppose is reasonable, but that's 2 to 4 hours here. I think we need to explain that to Lumithor."
"ah animals, I remember those!" Lumithor responds to Sam energetically. As Sam translates Muir's news, softening the blow a little, Lumithor's expression sours slightly, "I wondered what became of her, the isles are all out of odds. Bit you said the long nose one isn't sure, which means she could be alive, still holding the isles together somewhat yes? Do they... Do the other isles still think I betrayed my duties?"
"Griff?" Sam calls to try to summon them over. "Griff, they have a question I think perhaps you are best equipped to answer... They want to know if the people from the other isles still think they betrayed their duties. So... What do you say?"
Griff nods from atop the shrine, not wanting to get any closer. "Story is being that he was tempted by true immortality by Nectyran. This after becoming jealous of his own mother and the Djiini granted immortality by their natural places in the realms, and so he attempted to open the gate to make a deal with Nectyran. But before he could do it he was struck down. As I am understanding it, this is word from Vox Tontritor herself." Griff speaks in his broken common, not wanting the dragon to understand him and instead leaving the intricacies of what to translate to Sam.
Realising quite quickly that this was going to be left to Sam, and whilst everyone is concentrating on him and Lumithor, Vin quickly digs into his pack and grabs a potion. Unstoppering it and downing it in one fluid motion.
Instantly Sam's words start to make sense to him, and he listens intently as Sam speaks. Initially he expects he will have to interject, but the more Sam says, the more apt his words seem to be. Sam's train of thought is a little roundabout, and he is not sure how offended he should be at times, but he finds a little smile crease his lips as the speech goes on.
When Sam finishes, mentioning how Gewyn or Muir would have been by far the better choice to negotiate with Lumithor, he steps forward.
"I actually think that was perfect, Sam", he says to Sam, and no matter how it looks or sounds, everyone understands him. "Great Lumithor. Sam's words are raw, devoid of flattery and conceit because that is not his way. But his words convey our need, and our respect. We hope they strike a cord with you".
Muir steps forward and puts a hand on Sam's shoulder smiling (Guidance) "Yes I am Muir" As his trunk raises and waves assuming Sam's gesticulations were about his trunk.
The dragon face floats in silence for a moment taking in the ramblings, and the new faces and noting Griff on top of the shrine, raising an eyebrow at Ethan as it moves to get a better look, sniffing at Neferox in confusion. It then turns back to Sam and smiles wide beginning to speak in the giant tongue once more, sounding like scraping rocks, odd vowels and glottal stops.
"Sa-am, huh, you're quite the talker aren't you and you're all really here, not another hallucination.. I Uhhh, never mind, it's been so long since I had company that id been toying with the idea of letting a single undead through and trapping them here for conversation... Uhhhh, I apologise that I have nothing to offer as refreshments um I suppose I could instead answer your many many many questions, yes? Here they are, in order that they were asked, I think.
No, though I do speak and understand primordial, draconic and Auran, giant is my common language.
I am aware of some of the realms, but mostly just air, earth and that hub world, where Jotunnam lies...
You think I look good for being dead!? My my, you charmer, my body got struck and split by mothers strike, and then to top it off a bunch of crystal debris fell on my ass, and now after so many years it's crystallised over me. Still... These old bones serve as my anchor here with out them I wouldn't be able to keep protecting this realm even after my death, I'm duty bound you know..
But you're also duty bound, huh, heroes you say, that's pretty cool! I like that alot! What kinds of adventures have you gone on? Did you beat up any bad guys? Are you gonna beat this Eilish boy? Your predicament in your home plane sounds confusing, but I think I understand, Akiin from this realm had one of my bones stolen and you don't like him, and then gave that bone to Sergor of your realm? Who you also don't like, who then made an island float with the bone and called it a lode stone, which you also don't like? And now you need more to keep the island from killing a bunch of people. Sounds reasonable. Though like I said I gotta have most of my bones here otherwise they stop acting as an anchor to keep me here suppressing the shadowfell.
Hey I have an idea though, if you can get the old stone back to me Its like I won't be losing anything right? Same amount of bones just one missing huh, unless you need more, but like my hand bones over there are like a bunch of little bones so you could probably take two of them. Well... I suppose they're little to me, hah! Look they're like the size of your head aaaaaaahahahaha ooohhhhhh I've been alone for too long, makes you go a little barmy in the brain waves and everything you said after the thing... Y'know the questions thingy, I've forgotten it already" he heavy breathes a bit whilst chuckling, even though it seems that this voice is not using air to make sound but the precise rubbing and nanging of miniscule crystals, he beams a wide smile and eventually regains his composure
"But! If you're taking my bones and you're such big great heroes I have a favour to ask along with the return of my other bone, the one that doesn't work any more. I wanna talk to that girl there but I also want answers from you all as a group who have been travelling outside of this prison. Yes?
I wanna know why my mom killed me?
I wanna know why that girl there isn't dead, like geez you shadow elves don't have that long of a life span or has something changes in the shadowfell that's effecting you all out here?
Also what is the state of the isle? The communities here? my senses only extend to this place and I've been keeping the residual lightning at bay so I've not seen what's been going on and I've not had visitors in maybe a few hundred years, are my dragonkind still having a hard time?"
Lumithor looks over to Vin and listens surprised at such a small and scrawny humanoid creating the booming sounds needed to speak the giant language, (though vin Is not making such noises, lumithor doesn't know that) "strike a cord? Respectfully little guy I'm glad you're all here! Look at this place! Aside from the shrine to the great raven queen and the door over there with a bunch of evils trapped inside occupying my queen's throne, there's literally nothing in here, it's soo boring! Hey by the way what is your fluffy friend there, I've never seen an animal like that and it smells funny, right?"
As Muir approaches and says his piece lumithor laughs awkwardly and gives both Sam and vin a pleading side eye, "hey uhhh what did they say? What's 'yusss eyearm yoor' ? You were right about his nose, that thing is.... Wow hah!"
The crystal face talks for a while, a booming and aggressive voice, and as the group who do not understand listen, they realise that the dragon is actually enjoying himself, he seems to also be rambling as much as Sam is and even laughs a few times exchanging amused glances toward the rest of the group as he addresses Sam, and then vin, and finally looking to Muir the dragon face stops in some confusion, says something to Sam and vin and ends the statement with a nod to Muir whilst repeating back to him in common mimicry "yuss eyearm yoor'" and then laughing uproariously.
Serafina struggles to keep up with the giant language and is physically straining to translate what she can hear in her head, she turns her back on the dragon face and mutters to the group, "he isn't doing so well mentally as he was in life, I fear so many centuries of isolation takes its toll..."
(Sam's persuasion roll with advantage due to vin's help brough him a NAT 20+5, then +3 from Muir's guidance total 28 persuasion!)
Vin waits patiently as Lumithor speaks to Sam, reiterating the details of the request for help and speaking of his isolation. He pays particular attention to Lumithor's terms for obtaining a new lodestone, and waits for an opportunity to pass them on.
When Lumithor turns to him though, he knows he must respond first.
"If we can relieve you of your boredom even for a short time, then I am glad. And this is Neferox, she is my most trusted friend and companion, although she comes from somewhere very different to myself. It is that other place that you are likely smelling. Anyway, I will bring our companions up to speed with your request whilst Sam answers your other questions. You seem to speak the same language, literally and figuratively. One question though. Will you allow us to take the bone first, because as Sam mentioned, we do not have long before the catastrophe happens?", he says to Lumithor with a smile, although all can understand his words.
"Lumithor is happy for us to have a replacement for our lodestone, but there are conditions", he says lowering his voice and turning to the rest of the group. "The most pressing of which, I suppose, is the return of the original bone that was stolen. We should request that immediately, because I don't know how long it will take". He waits to make sure someone starts to write a note to that effect to put into the bag.
He then continues, "He also wants answers to some more questions, a lot of which revolve around Elthana. And some about the state of the outside world and how his draconic kin fare, which I am sure Serafina and Griff can explain. He speaks Auran and Draconic as well as Primordial, which should help that. He also wants to know why his mother struck him down".
Lumithor smiles and responds to vin's question before Sam can begin answering.
"Of course! Let's see, take Uhhh, that one there and the one next to it. You'll be returning the other right after yes?"
The head swings around and points two bones out within the hand of the dragons skeleton, each about 1.5-2ft in diameter. Large enough to replace the one within the treasury and also small enough that they'll fit in the bag without breaking it.
Serafina gives vin a nod, telling the group "I'll fill him in on topside progress and politics when I get chance" she then waits for Sam to be done with his conversation before starting.
Muir excitedly says with his ears flapping speaking to Vin more and Sam less "Oh I would be happy to tell him everything he wants to know. I can give him all of my theories that seem to be true the more we find out....How exciting....Oh" He turns to Elthana "Perhaps we should send a message that we need the old bone back. It is a matter of interplanar importance to get that bone back. We cannot have the shadowfell leak into this world because then they are a step away from ours....It is imperative that Sergor understands this and returns the bone. If he does not that will add more suspicion to his already undead uhhh self...."
As Lumithor shifts around a bit after Sam finishes speaking, Sam's stomach sinks to the floor. I screwed up, he thinks. Said something wrong. Said too much. Not enough. Definitely didn't explain things well... We're going to have to fight...
"Ha... Hallucination?" Sam responds quietly, shocked that he's not alrighty fighting for their lives. "Um... no. No, sir..." But Sam realized he himself had rambled on, perhaps it was best he shut up and let the face of the dragon have it's turn...
"Muir is your one for answers, though I warn he'll have as many questions right back..." Sam cannot help but sneak in.
When Lumithor is indeed done Sam smiles and gives them a bit of a bow and says "A moment please, I need to pass that all on..."
"Vin. Vin!" Sam calls out, switching to common. "You and Elthana work on exchanging the bones. NOW. Get that done before anything changes their mind, eh? Will also maybe help to keep Elthana too busy to be under it's direct gaze..."
That done, Sam thinks about what else was said... "Muir... Muir! Lumithor has questions. We'll try to take those carefully as we don't want me screwing up winging it, yes? I know you'll have questions in return. Let's keep it a slow and organized back and forth... But first..."
"Serafina! Lumithor is lonely! It is hurting them, the loneliness... This is your god or protector or I dunno the exact term but what the hell?? Think up some kind of visitation structure or something... Companions and such to visit and talk to him and keep him grounded. You all should already have been on this. Seriously!" Sam calls over to her. He really is shocked that such a being would be left alone to grow so lonely they hallucinate...
"I'm sorry, how should I address you?" Sam says turning back to the face of Lumithor and switching back to Giant. "Lumithor? Great one? Protector? I'm... Well, not used to dealing with being such as yourself..."
After a pause to let them answer Sam explains that he has a couple of them working on the bone exchange. "I cannot express how happy and relieved and thankful we are that you have granted us such a boon. And we shall be sure everyone back home knows of your kindness. I imagine Sergor will try to take all the credit but no, I pledge to you, we will let them know that it is you they have to thank..."
"And I am urging Serafina there to deal with your lack of companionship and information from the outside world. I am suggesting she get volunteers to come here regularly to talk with you, to answer your questions, to be here for you. I can only imagine they were too reverent of you to want to impose on you... But if it is company you wish, I will do my best to press the importance of it upon them. I myself... Well we're not very comparable, me and you, I suppose.... Very little alike... But I know loneliness as well... But I found something a while back. A pouch... This pouch..." Sam says as he takes his rust colored pouch and holds it up. "It can help with the loneliness..."
Sam reaches into the pouch and pulls out a fuzzy ball of fur. This too he holds out for Lumithor to see. He then drops it to the ground and allows it to grow... Grow into Molly the Giant Goat. Sam chuckles as she wriggles and struggles a moment before growing free and shaking herself into full size. "I never know which I am going to get. Sometimes it is Molly here, sometimes it is Órga the lion or Barnaby the bear or... Well, you understand. They're not the absolute best companions in that I cannot speak to them... Well, I can speak to them but they can't really speak back. But sometimes also that is even better maybe? They have meant the world to me since I found the bag but..." Sam pauses here and gathers himself...
"But I can leave the cave. I have the other members of my party.... I... I think I want you to have the pouch. A token of thanks and appreciation. A way to ensure that you can always have companionship when lonely..." Sam steps for a bit towards the face and reverentially lays the rust colored bag down. "Ummm... Would you have a way to pull them out of the bag??"
((Will leave some space here for Lumithor to respond to this, yadda yadda...))
"Here is Muir though... He will answer your questions. I will translate... What would you like answered first?" And with that Sam summons Muir to his side and lays a hand on his shoulder and turns and whispers what he just said to Lumithor to Muir and then waits to play translator...
((Do we want to assume Sam is playing translator and just let Muir and Lumithor interact directly? Actually having me repeat everything will surely slow the pace down. lol...))
After realizing the dragon was not going to be easy to understand, Gewyn takes out his pipes and plays one single note. With his right hand, he makes a pinching motion in the air, and slowly twists. The pitch of his note inexplicably lowers. He tweaks around with the pitch for a second until apparently it is just right, and then he shakes his earlobe and looks up to the dragon to listen.
"My, he is far friendlier than most dragons or skeletons I've heard of. Sam, I can understand him, but I alas cannot speak back. Can you ask him for me if he likes music?" Then Gewyn walks over to the two indicated bones and begins inspecting them, preparing to remove one of them.
(Comprehend languages)
"Oh! Hey! You can understand this now? Then great, you can help keep everyone else in the loop about what is being discussed!" Sam happily replies... And he does indeed, once he can fit it in, ask the Face of Lum if it enjoys music...
"Already on it, Sam", Vin responds, realising Gewyn also understands Lumithor and is also collecting the bones. He moves to get closer to Elthana so he can speak without being overheard by Lumithor or ideally Serafina either.
"Lumithor has agreed to let us send the bones before the original is returned. Are you certain once Sergor has what he needs, that he will honour the agreement we made? Or should we tell him we need the original back first?", he whispers. "You know him best, it should be your call, but I don't want to be forced into breaking the agreement".
Elthana is taken aback at the demeanor of the giant dragon. It first makes her smile, but then that crumbles knowing what Nivara had done to him and she is positive it is because of her creator that this dragon was struck down by his mother.
As soon as she hears of the exchange, she starts writing on the paper to Sergor before the others even start on the bones.
She only nods to Vin's words as he whispers to her.
After receving Sergor's message she responds to Vin in a whisper, "We can't. We need the original to slow the descent, if he sent it back now, the Treasury would crash. They are ready for the new bones once we have them." Her expression is telling Vin to go get them so she can send them to Sergor, she doesn't want to get any closer to the dragon face.
With Sam translating for Muir, Elthana writing letters and overseeing vin and Gewyn's extraction of the bones. Gewyn finds a palm sized shard of bone that breaks off as the lodestones are retrieved, and seeing that Lumithor's attention is elsewhere pockets it.
Serafina looks a little taken back at the suggestion it it her fault that lumithor us being left alone, "he's not always like this, though it was many years since I met him, in my training as a youth I crossed the lightning fields as a test and delivered an offering to the shrine" she points over to the tower Griff is standing upon.. "when I met him before he valued his isolation as a dedication to his duty. I shall bring his request up with the council in our return, perhaps we can make some kind of covered path across the fields for safe passage."
Lumithor accepts Sam's compliments with a smile and watches Sam pull the fuzzy ball from the bag, staring wide eyed at Molly the goat who grows from it. "This is a strange creature, I feel the compulsion to eat it even though I no longer have a stomach, what does it do? It cannot speak you say? It is very odd. Um I don't believe I would have the dexterity to pull them from the bag but I am glad for the offer. Perhaps I can ask something else of you...
But first the questions yes!? What has become of Vox Tontritor my mother, why did she do what she did? Knowing that duty binds me here and that my presence is required to keep the Gates shut on the orders of the raven queen, it should have been obvious that my spirit would remain to carry out my duty as unfinished business. Was I not doing my job properly whilst alive?" As Lumithor speaks everyone hears what he says through Sam's translation into common.
"That makes sense, I feel a little dim now, I should have expected that", Vin replies quietly.
He looks across to where Gewyn is, by the skeletal remains of Lumithor, and calls across, "Time is ticking Gewyn, we need those bones now please. Or do you need help carrying?", he says, realising the bones Lumithor pointed out might be quite heavy. In which case, Sam is really the best person for this job, but unfortunately he is occupied. He rushes over to Gewyn, trying to keep an ear open to the conversation between Lumithor, Sam and Muir.
Muir without hesitation begins to explain the situation after Sam translates "You see we do not believe it was your mother who struck you down, at least not purposefully. We think she was either captured, tricked/used, or killed....She would know exactly that, you would still be bound, but if she was tricked to believe that you were dead, perhaps she was trying to save the realm by prevenint the shadow realm from crossing over. You were doing your job and still are, but it is our belief that she has been captured, tricked or is dead by an evil being....Perhaps you could tell us what happened that day...The story goes you had a visitor and shortly after you were struck down and the island destroyed."
After giving an answer Muir turns to Vin and Elthana "What did Sergor say? Are they returning the bone? Lumithor said we could take 2 bones if we returned the 1...2 should do the trick no?"
Hmm, so no mind powers with which to move things, good good, thinks Sam as Lumithor turns down the offer of the bag due to lack of able to draw the fuzzballs out. "They're an animal. They do animal things... But they're friendlier to most animals. You can pet or hug or play with them too..." Sam responds. "And talk to them. They can't respond in kind but still, sometimes it is nice to have someone to talk to."
"Of course, I would do anything I can for you," Sam answers before starting in again on the translating and absently patting Molly companionably.
In the translating from Muir to Face Sam throws in a few words of sympathy when he tells the undead dragon God thing that we think it was his mom who deaded him. It's Mother's Day, one should have some tact with that kind of information!
Elthana smiles at Vin's response, "Don't worry, I didn't get to that conclusion right away either. But yeah, sure is obvious when pointed out."
Elthana grimaces as she reads Sergor's last note, "Well... the time it will take to install the new one and then dislodge the old one, it will take 30 min to an hour. Which I suppose is reasonable, but that's 2 to 4 hours here. I think we need to explain that to Lumithor."
"ah animals, I remember those!" Lumithor responds to Sam energetically. As Sam translates Muir's news, softening the blow a little, Lumithor's expression sours slightly, "I wondered what became of her, the isles are all out of odds. Bit you said the long nose one isn't sure, which means she could be alive, still holding the isles together somewhat yes? Do they... Do the other isles still think I betrayed my duties?"
"Griff?" Sam calls to try to summon them over. "Griff, they have a question I think perhaps you are best equipped to answer... They want to know if the people from the other isles still think they betrayed their duties. So... What do you say?"
Griff nods from atop the shrine, not wanting to get any closer. "Story is being that he was tempted by true immortality by Nectyran. This after becoming jealous of his own mother and the Djiini granted immortality by their natural places in the realms, and so he attempted to open the gate to make a deal with Nectyran. But before he could do it he was struck down. As I am understanding it, this is word from Vox Tontritor herself." Griff speaks in his broken common, not wanting the dragon to understand him and instead leaving the intricacies of what to translate to Sam.