After receiving no reply to his message to Muir, Vin is concerned by what they will find in the pack. He also isn’t keen to see the result of what he saw previously through Neferox’s senses.
And so he hangs back, allowing Elthana to go into the pack and see for herself what has happened. She hadn’t seemed to really react to what he had told her, and she needed to take it in before Sam was brought back.
Noting that no guard came into the pack with them, upon seeing Muir, she runs to him. "What.. what happened to you? What did they do to you?" She frowns and looks between Vin and Muir, "This can't be because of Sam..." She looks around for his clothes as she kneels beside him.
Vin breathes a sigh of relief as Elthana starts to speak to Muir, but when she looks through the door to him questioning whether Sam had been the cause of whatever she was seeing, he merely sighs and nods.
He lifts his foot as if to take the first step into the pack, but freezes. The memory of what he saw through Neferox's eyes coming unbidden to his mind again.
"I...can't", he mutters and turns his back on the pack, standing just outside the door facing away.
Muir opens his eyes "Ah you came...I was worried you would be captured like Sam....They took all of my things except some clothes.....I...I can't dress myself...." Muir lifts his arms to show his dangling hand on one side and missing fingers on the other. "Yes Elthana this was done by Sam. He didn't like my questions. I asked about the Musk and Gates War and how Jimmy took credit for the Druids accomplishments in the war gaining favor with the council while prolonging us getting on the council. He didn't like that. I didn't believe his simpleton act. He dodged questions and gave non answers then got angry as he does when he does not want to answer. It's an act I said and questioned the integrity of this group who hold secret after secret. I offered him a snack thinking maybe he was hungry and that was why he as irritable. He then accused me of being an imposter. I allowed Nef to sniff me who seemingly agreed it was me. I then tried to change the subject to a more cheery one to which he agreed and I asked about Molly...I said to him you've spoken fondly of her and now she's aiding you in the fight. I haven't heard much about her only your love for her. What did she do when she was alive? Did you have any kids? Did she die tragically from a disease or something else? I've never experienced love....not parental or intimate....He accused me of not being Muir again!" Muir pauses, closes his eyes, and takes a breath "I became angry and said something I regret about the group....How I will work on these mysteries on my own since the trust has waned and keep it to myself since that seems to be the group's modus operandi....I regret saying it but my anger got the best of me. He demanded I resign and leave....Where was I to go? Outside the pack and wonder the realm of Thaeir while he stood in his doorway with his maul? No, I said I would sit in silence. He then had his animals surround me...the others watched on as the rat ate at me. I asked him to stop, asked him permission to cast a spell and he ignored me but instead stood there and watched this happen to me. What was I to do? I tried not to do anything more to offend. I asked him to stop, asled how could I prove to him it was me, but he ignored me and continued to have the rat gnaw through my limbs....Vin tried to intercede and convince him to stop but he wouldn't. I didn't touch his rat just hoped he would call the rat attack off....instead it ate me to death. He gave me some life back after he dragged me here and bound and gagged me. He untied me because Molly told him to but left me here to rot. The only thing I could do was to hide when they came.....I transformed into a flea and stayed here.....they took all of my belongings...I cannot heal myself or do anything but sit here, naked with chewed off limbs. Without magical healing I will be a cripple."
Tears fill Elthana's eyes as she kneels next to her friend and listens to his ramblings. She is scared what this means for him, Sam and the rest of the group. With a lump in her throat, "Maybe he thought you were an imposter as he thought you knew I was the one that killed Molly. Honestly I thought you already knew that." She reaches forward to one of his arms and casts cure wounds giving him 6 hp. "I know that's not a lot, but I'm just learning this new skill. I hope it helps."
A finger reappears with Elthana’s healing….the middle one on the hand that’s not severed “Thank you my dear. I did not know you killed his wife. What a sad tale I’m sure. I won’t ask about it…..He thought I was a imposter throughout the questions I asked. Perhaps I’ve changed since the tree but I am still me. Excuse me Vin could you lend a hand and get me dressed. It’s a bit cold and I can’t do it myself. Elthana you may need to help a tiny bit too….Im sorry I won’t be much help”
Vin sighs and turns around to see Muir's condition, his eyes glistening as he takes it in. Fortunately it was not as bad in some ways as last he saw. In others though, worse.
"Of course, Muir. It is a shame the ring I gave you was lost with your fingers", he says as he enters the room. "Where are your clothes?", he asks and if told will gather them and help Muir get dressed.
"I understand you want to find an excuse for what happened, but this was horrific, Elthana. Even if there is some dispute regarding Muir, doing this is not the act of a sane person. If we are talking imposters, I would have said the Sam I know was incapable of this extreme butchery. And in the knowledge that we would abandon the mission if he continued as well, which is what I told him through Neferox. I fear that a part of Sam was lost to that amulet", he says, not at all happy that Elthana was looking for excuses. Especially after exploding at him for merely suggesting a course of action.
Muir points with his one finger and answers Vin before he speaks to Elthana
"Sam stripped me naked and left my things there. The guards took everything. My staff, doorknob, map...everything that allows me to cast spells.....I could conjure a new map to help me cast spells but it would take an hour. I don't know if that's an hour here or an hour back home. Either way it takes time we do not have."
"I... I know it's awful. I just.." she hangs her head and a tear falls on her legs. As Vin goes to retrieve the clothes and seeing that her little spell at least did some good, she tries again and gives him 5 hp. "I'm afraid that's all I have until I rest again."
She then helps Muir dress. "We don't have time? Where do we go from here?" She tries to collect herself and is obviously struggling. "They.. the guards, currently think I'm Mori, one of their advisors. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to keep up the ruse, it was close there for a moment."
Muir smiles at Elthana "There, there...I am fine....I appreciate the healing. Thank you both for dressing me. You still have the bag yes? Perhaps ask Hog if he can find Mori in our plane. Goodall can aid him if she is not busy with Hirsi."Muir hopes Hirsi made it and was not captured or worse "If they can find Mori then we can assume that the Mori here is more than likely Nivarra or an agent of Nivarra. A war is coming, not just here but in our realm as well. We will need an army and Shenoh's will come in." Muir pauses "Handy...."He looks at the other 2 as chuckles "Sorry a little levity...We all need to be in that room with Shenoh. Gewyn's guile can only take him so far. We should go to the meeting....You can tell the guards outside that you knew there was one more person and that we are to be brought to Shenoh now. There's no sense prolonging this. We are in the right. We have to show Shenoh what we know, keep nothing from her. Let her scry and see the truth. We must be honest......I don't see any other way. We need this army." Muir tired takes a breath and then tries to stand with his newly healed feet
"Are you sure you cannot heal? Do you really need your things to cast all your spells?", he enquires a little unsure. "He doesn't require a focus for all his spells, but druids might be different. "My magic may be different to yours, but I don't need a focus for all my spells"
"As for Mori, we know the Mori here looks like Elthana. We are pretty certain she is Nivara, because we know Nivara is here. What I am not so certain about is what Ômetyr might say. He knows who Nivara is and what she looks like, and who Elthana is", he says with a frown.
"I do agree we need to be there at the meeting. Nivara can't have control of Shenoh if she needs to play the role of Mori, an advisor. If we can break that alliance we will be in a much better position. And if not, well we are pretty much screwed anyway, having to rely on Ömetyr and Gewyn returning and Shenoh not asking her million soldiers to take us down or bring us in".
Muir looks at Vin about to say something and stops in his tracks...."Oh how silly of me....As long as it's verbal I don't need my staff or map. Ha Ha What a dunce!"With that Muir casts Aura of Vitality on himself every 6 seconds 10 times. "I blame the loss of blood and limbs on my forgetfulness. I guess you both did not have to dress me afterall. Well we can all share in the laugh of that awkward moment yes?" Muir a little embarrassed says with a chuckle.
The wounds heal up fully, the fingers on his eaten hand form once more though bony and dessicated, it'll take a long rest at some point to regain proper function in them, as for the limp wrist and chewed tendons they seem to be reconnected and, though aching slightly, fully functional.
A curious head pokes through the door, as a couple of guards dutifully investigate the noises.
Muir stands able to hold himself up now with the magical healing, but the pain still lingers. His hands have somehow lost a finger on each leaving him with 8 fingers instead of 10(canonically now has 4 fingers on each which before I thought Loxodons had 5). Muir says to Elthana and Vin "Oh well that's something I will have to get used to...." As he waves his 8 fingers in the air. "Do you see something around here I could use as a cane or a crutch? Although I am fixed up the pain and total usage is still not healed. I think only rest will enable that to happen."Muir notices the guards poking their heads in "Oh Mori, seems your friends have poked their heads inside"
Before the guard pokes his head in, "Yes, Vin is right, my Mori does not look like me, so we know this has to do with Nivara, nothing from home. But if we must go meet with Shenoh, we must." What Sam had let his animals do to Muir still hangs heavy with Elthana and she doesn't say much else.
When the guard arrives, she nods to Muir and turns to them, "We have the one I was looking for. We are ready to meet with Shenoh now, do you have a way to assist him in getting there?" referring to Muir as Elthana is assuming she'll ride with Vin again and doesn't want to change anything up to help arise suspicion.
"Remember they are returning Sam here", Vin reminds Elthana. "We don't want to miss him. Whatever has happened, we need each other now more than ever. And Muir needs his belongings too".
As they leave the pack, Elthana looks around as though she expects to see someone. Not seeing Sam, she glowers at the aarokocra, "Where is the green one I sent you to get? I require all three of these people. Is he on his way?"
Then pointing to the loxodon, "His belongings were taken from him, return them to him now."
As the four of you assemble outside, vin feels a pair of familiar eyes on the back of his neck as Neferox still hides up on top of the pack.
The Aarakocran looks confused and gulps a little, he nods to another guard who heads off to retrieve some kind of walking aid for Muir and in the meantime the aarakocra responds, "M-Mori, you requested the green one be taken to a specific cell, and so he's quite a while away and has been for some time. I'm afraid it'll take those we have sent time to fly there, retrieve the green one and the items that were taken and then return. Though if you wish to head them off we would gladly escort you should you need."
Vin doesn't look around, he feels comforted by Neferox's presence physically and mentally.
"Mori requested it?", he says to the guard. "I thought you reported directly to Shenoh, who requested our presence? It seems odd you switch between them now you are faced with Mori. As if your allegiance is fluid".
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After receiving no reply to his message to Muir, Vin is concerned by what they will find in the pack. He also isn’t keen to see the result of what he saw previously through Neferox’s senses.
And so he hangs back, allowing Elthana to go into the pack and see for herself what has happened. She hadn’t seemed to really react to what he had told her, and she needed to take it in before Sam was brought back.
Noting that no guard came into the pack with them, upon seeing Muir, she runs to him. "What.. what happened to you? What did they do to you?" She frowns and looks between Vin and Muir, "This can't be because of Sam..." She looks around for his clothes as she kneels beside him.
Vin breathes a sigh of relief as Elthana starts to speak to Muir, but when she looks through the door to him questioning whether Sam had been the cause of whatever she was seeing, he merely sighs and nods.
He lifts his foot as if to take the first step into the pack, but freezes. The memory of what he saw through Neferox's eyes coming unbidden to his mind again.
"I...can't", he mutters and turns his back on the pack, standing just outside the door facing away.
Muir opens his eyes "Ah you came...I was worried you would be captured like Sam....They took all of my things except some clothes.....I...I can't dress myself...." Muir lifts his arms to show his dangling hand on one side and missing fingers on the other. "Yes Elthana this was done by Sam. He didn't like my questions. I asked about the Musk and Gates War and how Jimmy took credit for the Druids accomplishments in the war gaining favor with the council while prolonging us getting on the council. He didn't like that. I didn't believe his simpleton act. He dodged questions and gave non answers then got angry as he does when he does not want to answer. It's an act I said and questioned the integrity of this group who hold secret after secret. I offered him a snack thinking maybe he was hungry and that was why he as irritable. He then accused me of being an imposter. I allowed Nef to sniff me who seemingly agreed it was me. I then tried to change the subject to a more cheery one to which he agreed and I asked about Molly...I said to him you've spoken fondly of her and now she's aiding you in the fight. I haven't heard much about her only your love for her. What did she do when she was alive? Did you have any kids? Did she die tragically from a disease or something else? I've never experienced love....not parental or intimate....He accused me of not being Muir again!" Muir pauses, closes his eyes, and takes a breath "I became angry and said something I regret about the group....How I will work on these mysteries on my own since the trust has waned and keep it to myself since that seems to be the group's modus operandi....I regret saying it but my anger got the best of me. He demanded I resign and leave....Where was I to go? Outside the pack and wonder the realm of Thaeir while he stood in his doorway with his maul? No, I said I would sit in silence. He then had his animals surround me...the others watched on as the rat ate at me. I asked him to stop, asked him permission to cast a spell and he ignored me but instead stood there and watched this happen to me. What was I to do? I tried not to do anything more to offend. I asked him to stop, asled how could I prove to him it was me, but he ignored me and continued to have the rat gnaw through my limbs....Vin tried to intercede and convince him to stop but he wouldn't. I didn't touch his rat just hoped he would call the rat attack off....instead it ate me to death. He gave me some life back after he dragged me here and bound and gagged me. He untied me because Molly told him to but left me here to rot. The only thing I could do was to hide when they came.....I transformed into a flea and stayed here.....they took all of my belongings...I cannot heal myself or do anything but sit here, naked with chewed off limbs. Without magical healing I will be a cripple."
Tears fill Elthana's eyes as she kneels next to her friend and listens to his ramblings. She is scared what this means for him, Sam and the rest of the group. With a lump in her throat, "Maybe he thought you were an imposter as he thought you knew I was the one that killed Molly. Honestly I thought you already knew that." She reaches forward to one of his arms and casts cure wounds giving him 6 hp. "I know that's not a lot, but I'm just learning this new skill. I hope it helps."
A finger reappears with Elthana’s healing….the middle one on the hand that’s not severed “Thank you my dear. I did not know you killed his wife. What a sad tale I’m sure. I won’t ask about it…..He thought I was a imposter throughout the questions I asked. Perhaps I’ve changed since the tree but I am still me. Excuse me Vin could you lend a hand and get me dressed. It’s a bit cold and I can’t do it myself. Elthana you may need to help a tiny bit too….Im sorry I won’t be much help”
Vin sighs and turns around to see Muir's condition, his eyes glistening as he takes it in. Fortunately it was not as bad in some ways as last he saw. In others though, worse.
"Of course, Muir. It is a shame the ring I gave you was lost with your fingers", he says as he enters the room. "Where are your clothes?", he asks and if told will gather them and help Muir get dressed.
"I understand you want to find an excuse for what happened, but this was horrific, Elthana. Even if there is some dispute regarding Muir, doing this is not the act of a sane person. If we are talking imposters, I would have said the Sam I know was incapable of this extreme butchery. And in the knowledge that we would abandon the mission if he continued as well, which is what I told him through Neferox. I fear that a part of Sam was lost to that amulet", he says, not at all happy that Elthana was looking for excuses. Especially after exploding at him for merely suggesting a course of action.
Muir points with his one finger and answers Vin before he speaks to Elthana
"Sam stripped me naked and left my things there. The guards took everything. My staff, doorknob, map...everything that allows me to cast spells.....I could conjure a new map to help me cast spells but it would take an hour. I don't know if that's an hour here or an hour back home. Either way it takes time we do not have."
Sam, not being present, does not comment or react.
"I... I know it's awful. I just.." she hangs her head and a tear falls on her legs. As Vin goes to retrieve the clothes and seeing that her little spell at least did some good, she tries again and gives him 5 hp. "I'm afraid that's all I have until I rest again."
She then helps Muir dress. "We don't have time? Where do we go from here?" She tries to collect herself and is obviously struggling. "They.. the guards, currently think I'm Mori, one of their advisors. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to keep up the ruse, it was close there for a moment."
Muir smiles at Elthana "There, there...I am fine....I appreciate the healing. Thank you both for dressing me. You still have the bag yes? Perhaps ask Hog if he can find Mori in our plane. Goodall can aid him if she is not busy with Hirsi." Muir hopes Hirsi made it and was not captured or worse "If they can find Mori then we can assume that the Mori here is more than likely Nivarra or an agent of Nivarra. A war is coming, not just here but in our realm as well. We will need an army and Shenoh's will come in." Muir pauses "Handy...." He looks at the other 2 as chuckles "Sorry a little levity...We all need to be in that room with Shenoh. Gewyn's guile can only take him so far. We should go to the meeting....You can tell the guards outside that you knew there was one more person and that we are to be brought to Shenoh now. There's no sense prolonging this. We are in the right. We have to show Shenoh what we know, keep nothing from her. Let her scry and see the truth. We must be honest......I don't see any other way. We need this army." Muir tired takes a breath and then tries to stand with his newly healed feet
Vin smiles at Muir in response to his thanks.
"Are you sure you cannot heal? Do you really need your things to cast all your spells?", he enquires a little unsure. "He doesn't require a focus for all his spells, but druids might be different. "My magic may be different to yours, but I don't need a focus for all my spells"
"As for Mori, we know the Mori here looks like Elthana. We are pretty certain she is Nivara, because we know Nivara is here. What I am not so certain about is what Ômetyr might say. He knows who Nivara is and what she looks like, and who Elthana is", he says with a frown.
"I do agree we need to be there at the meeting. Nivara can't have control of Shenoh if she needs to play the role of Mori, an advisor. If we can break that alliance we will be in a much better position. And if not, well we are pretty much screwed anyway, having to rely on Ömetyr and Gewyn returning and Shenoh not asking her million soldiers to take us down or bring us in".
Muir looks at Vin about to say something and stops in his tracks...."Oh how silly of me....As long as it's verbal I don't need my staff or map. Ha Ha What a dunce!" With that Muir casts Aura of Vitality on himself every 6 seconds 10 times. "I blame the loss of blood and limbs on my forgetfulness. I guess you both did not have to dress me afterall. Well we can all share in the laugh of that awkward moment yes?" Muir a little embarrassed says with a chuckle.
The wounds heal up fully, the fingers on his eaten hand form once more though bony and dessicated, it'll take a long rest at some point to regain proper function in them, as for the limp wrist and chewed tendons they seem to be reconnected and, though aching slightly, fully functional.
A curious head pokes through the door, as a couple of guards dutifully investigate the noises.
Muir stands able to hold himself up now with the magical healing, but the pain still lingers. His hands have somehow lost a finger on each leaving him with 8 fingers instead of 10(canonically now has 4 fingers on each which before I thought Loxodons had 5). Muir says to Elthana and Vin "Oh well that's something I will have to get used to...." As he waves his 8 fingers in the air. "Do you see something around here I could use as a cane or a crutch? Although I am fixed up the pain and total usage is still not healed. I think only rest will enable that to happen." Muir notices the guards poking their heads in "Oh Mori, seems your friends have poked their heads inside"
Before the guard pokes his head in, "Yes, Vin is right, my Mori does not look like me, so we know this has to do with Nivara, nothing from home. But if we must go meet with Shenoh, we must." What Sam had let his animals do to Muir still hangs heavy with Elthana and she doesn't say much else.
When the guard arrives, she nods to Muir and turns to them, "We have the one I was looking for. We are ready to meet with Shenoh now, do you have a way to assist him in getting there?" referring to Muir as Elthana is assuming she'll ride with Vin again and doesn't want to change anything up to help arise suspicion.
"Remember they are returning Sam here", Vin reminds Elthana. "We don't want to miss him. Whatever has happened, we need each other now more than ever. And Muir needs his belongings too".
As they leave the pack, Elthana looks around as though she expects to see someone. Not seeing Sam, she glowers at the aarokocra, "Where is the green one I sent you to get? I require all three of these people. Is he on his way?"
Then pointing to the loxodon, "His belongings were taken from him, return them to him now."
As the four of you assemble outside, vin feels a pair of familiar eyes on the back of his neck as Neferox still hides up on top of the pack.
The Aarakocran looks confused and gulps a little, he nods to another guard who heads off to retrieve some kind of walking aid for Muir and in the meantime the aarakocra responds, "M-Mori, you requested the green one be taken to a specific cell, and so he's quite a while away and has been for some time. I'm afraid it'll take those we have sent time to fly there, retrieve the green one and the items that were taken and then return. Though if you wish to head them off we would gladly escort you should you need."
Vin doesn't look around, he feels comforted by Neferox's presence physically and mentally.
"Mori requested it?", he says to the guard. "I thought you reported directly to Shenoh, who requested our presence? It seems odd you switch between them now you are faced with Mori. As if your allegiance is fluid".