"Well, it could have been worse. I know you got hurt, Ginro, but the majority of that was not Elthana's doing. And if Nivara could have killed Elthana when she took control of her, then we would be in a whole lot more trouble right now", Vin interjects.
"The question now is, where do we go from here. Can you help Elthana now you know what she is dealing with, Ginro?"
"your apology is understood and accepted" Ginro begins looking at the state Elthana finds herself in, before he turns attention to Vin, "your minimising the severity of the situation in contrast to what could have been is noted but does not diminish the severity of the current situation and the possibility that it could repeat. Surely if this is a long and drawn out plan of Nivara's, why would she take a pawn off her board? There is high risk that this happens again, maybe for a longer period, this makes Elthana dangerous, makes your group a serious risk and means that effectively for our own safety we the people of thaeir should keep our attack plans and strategies away from any of you, I think that's what she wants, and with a show of her hand she has just back us into a corner in that regard.
I have agreed with shenoh to host you on my isle for the time being, offered you respite, food, rest, tried to solve your problems and assist with figuring out what exactly is going on, the blueprints for the box we designed is within my pocket dimension waiting for your arrival whilst we attempt to solve your rest problem and each of you have at least been offered a very rare item to assist with your journey.
For all that trouble I am attacked, my safe room compromised, monsters who seem to eat the very crystal that this isle and every other isle in this realm is made from are released, and still you ask me for help? I quite agree that Elthana needs assistance to sever her soul bond with Nivara and this isle is likely your best chance of doing that, but even so it will be difficult. A compromise must first be met, whilst I gather the people I need to for Elthana's issue, you will all, under escort, gather these monsters, once that is done I will gather you in the pocket dimension where you will rest and go over the blueprints." The creeping frustration in Ginro's voice seems to have calmed as he formulates a plan, but in his intonations this is apparently not a request but a demand.
"Mori made it clear that Nivara wants Elthana dead so she can complete her plan to become a god or whatever it is she thinks will happen. So I stand by my assessment, but I do acknowledge your point, and your help is appreciated", Vin says as sincerely as he can.
"Our role in coming to you and Shenoh has been to expose Nivara and try to unite the whole of Thaeir against her. We do have a vested interest in stopping her, that is true, but that doesn't necessarily mean we have to be part of your war plans. You might be right that keeping things separate will give Nivara multiple fronts to worry about. If you and Shenoh are willing to recruit the other Djinn to the cause, and unite with those from the Broken Isles and maybe Ömertyr can recruit his giant kin, then there is no reason for our involvement in your war. Not directly anyway", he suggests.
"That frees us up to find other ways to stop Nivara", he concludes.
"For now, I am willing to accept your compromise in order to get the additional help you offer, even though I would feel better capable with a bit of rest. That will need to wait I guess".
Muir sighs loudly. Sam caused this mess and now he is being forced to clean it up. When will the insults he has to bare over and over stop. "Yes of course, let me help clean up the mess Sam has caused. There is nothing I would enjoy more than cleaning the mess of a member of this group. While we are at it perhaps we can continue to not confide in each other." Muir seemingly having enough of them continues with his tired tantrum "I very much look forward to stopping these monsters from the earth realm even though I have told Sam about his trinket being a portal just like the other trinkets...but again I am ignored. Let's continue to clean up mess after mess and ignore the ongoings of our world, oh but we wouldn't know what's happening in our world because there was NO note although Goodall wonders why I haven't been in my tree house lately......So please yes escort us to find these rock monsters, throw us in a pocket dimension where we can act like there's nothing wrong and continue hiding everything....."
Elthana is surprised how easily her apology is accepted and is grateful for it. As he goes on, she can't help but agree with the man, his logic is sound. She hates, HATES being in this position. She continues to sit on the floor, feeling like a child as things are discussed.
"She knows we are getting ready to attack, she feels we will be there in a couple of days and is preparing for it. Not sure what that means, but she has told her death knights to prepare. Keeping me isolated makes sense, I completely understand and agree with it, as much as I despise the situation. Ginro, I thank you for all of your hospitality and honestly your forgiveness as I don't feel I deserve it. I know I wasn't the one that attacked you, but because of me... you were almost killed." she hangs her head still not able to come to grips with it all.
Finally she turns to Muir. "I've had enough. Sam was poisoned by Nivara's words and yet you blame him for everything. And this constant needling of us not confiding in each other! I am not hiding anything from you!! Not that I am aware of! So will you just stop? Or just come out and say what you're really thinking? And I have told you what I have read from Goodall! No note?? Of course there isn't a note to give you! I wrote her back, how else would I without sending the note back with my words upon it??" Tears start flowing again in her exasperation.
"Sam wasn't poisoned by Nivara's words. She told him what he wanted to hear. Validated his own thoughts. First Shenoh and now Ginro, he has been looking for an excuse to do what he did", Vin mutters quietly after having listened to Muir and Elthana.
Muir hears Elthana and turns red with anger. He then hears the wise words of Vin and becomes even angrier because Vin is right. "Vin has it quite right. Nivarra poisoning Sam....Did she poison him to sick his animals on me as he stood in the doorway with his maul? So you are telling me that Sam attacked me because of Nivarra? Well this is the first I am hearing about this.....and here we are with 3 rock monsters on the loose destroying our gracious host's building and isle. Another clean up job because of the misguided use of a portal trinket by a obstinate "common man" who takes no responsibility for any of his actions but expects everyone to clean up after those actions.....oh but he expects us to take responsibility for our own actions how he sees those actions of course.... He can trick you all into thinking he is a fool but he knows exactly what he is doing. And I am only hearing about a note from Goodall and one sent back to her by you now that is also something new is it not? Such dysfunction.....Shall we go then? Seems Vin, Gewyn and I will have to go and fix this while you wait here and figure out how to not get yourself killed or the rest of us it seems. As I said before.....you are not ready for this as Morris said but again I am ignored" Muir tired, angry, and frustrated waits to be escorted to deal with the rock monsters.
Elthana visibly deflates. The anger flowing out of her as fast as it came on as she looks at her friend. In a soft voice she responds, "I was only referring to the attack on Ginro. The rest... the rest is on him. I won't deny that. I won't apologize for that. I won't apologize for him."
She lifts her knees to her chest and wraps her arms around them in a protective manor and looks down. "You're only hearing about the note now as I got it when I was alone in my room for rest. I.. I just now got a chance to tell you, I couldn't before, I didn't have control of my body." She buries her face against her knees as the weight of the situation becomes more than she can handle after Nivara.
The wall of force around Gino drops as he picks a sending stone out of his pouch and says a few words in auran into it. As the debate amongst the group wages on he picks up the ki blade that began the whole ordeal and sheaths it loosely at his belt, before calling over the din, "STOP!" Before returning to his usual calm demeanour, minus the smile "regardless of manipulations, regardless of things that have happened in the past, Nivara is targeting this group and wants you at each others throats, that much is plain to see, for some reason she regards you all being together as a threat, perhaps it is to isolate Elthana, make her feel alone with no one else to turn to, making her easier to coerce into finishing this ritual or whatever. The point is this bickering over semantics is playing into Nivara's hands.
Now I know, this doesn't make the issues in your group just go away and of course having one member acting contrary to the ideals of every other member is suffocating and frustrating, but putting those frustrations before the obvious suffering of Elthana here and the damage Nivara is willing to do to, your group, to this realm and every other realm after that? Is that not simple egocentricity?"
In the adjoining archive Sam finds the monster chewing on the shelves, items and trinkets spill out over the floor and as he enters the Xorn's one eye goes wide and it phases through the shelves and deeper in, clattering and knocking things over as it retreats to continue eating.
Each set of shelves in this room are floor to ceiling and set long ways against the back wall, the only way around them being a small walk way between the opposite end of the shelves and the glass wall through which professor Hu watches Sam's progress while wringing his feathered hands nervously. Sam looks up and down and sees the shelves can be moved along grooves in the ground if he needs to open the gap between the shelve stacks to get more room. Hu points deeper into the archive, through the glass directing Sam around two sets of shelves.
"Gold?" Sam calls out in Orcish much as one would call out "Treat?" to an errant puppy. At the same time he holds out in an extended hand the pouch of 10 gold he recovered back in the worker's room where he found the coffins. "Want Gold?"
Sam looks to Hu and follows his directions to an extent... But Sam isn't yet approaching the monster but rather just trying to get it's attention and hopefully get it focused on the gold instead of the random crap it is currently eating. Again, like dealing with a puppy - Sam is afraid that approaching it will just make it run further away and instead hopes to gain it's interest and get it to follow him by feeding it treats and promising more. "Lots of Gold. This way. Hurry, others eating your share!" He says this loud enough to be heard but in a soft, gentle, hopefully soothing tone.
If the monster (Xorn?) starts approaching at all, Sam slides the bag of ten gold towards it, hoping to have it stop somewhere in the middle between himself and the creature. If they approach or eat the gold or whatever, Sam immediately pulls out a handful of coins from his own pouch to try to lure it even closer...
((I don't want to get too far ahead of things here in case you want some rolls and/or in case the monster doesn't respond... But basic plan is to lure this creature out, back towards the hole, and prompt it down or shove it down to the level with the others to try to deal with them all at once.))
Scooby, meanwhile, is staying with Prof Hu for the time being. Sam doesn't want the mastiff scaring off the monster but wants them close to hopefully get behind the monster if Sam can lure it out of that room...
Ratatouille is off doing their Ratatouille things wherever it may currently be...
Vin looks across to Ginro and back to Elthana and sighs.
"I know how it looks and sounds, but there are some deep issues at play here, and trust has been shattered. It may be what Nivara wants, that we are disjointed and separated, but at this point staying together is doing more to aid her cause. It may be egocentric, as you call it, but we don't function as a group right now. If we are to help Elthana, and stop Nivara, we may need to accept that".
He wanders over and places a hand on Elthana's shoulder, and looks to Muir. "Elthana is dealing with a lot right now, and even if it is barely, she is keeping it together. Stopping Nivara from the killing blow on Ginro shows she has the fight in her. I know the bag and the messages from home are important to you, but she deserves some slack. Can we focus on one thing at a time, and work to help her, and stop Nivara? Time is running slower back home, so you aren't missing as much. I know Morris gave us the warning, and logically we should listen, but sometimes logic isn't the answer. The time to stand up to Nivara is now, with the whole of Thaeir rising up. If we leave and the Thaeirans fail because of it, we have gained nothing and she has potentially doubled the size of her undead army for when she comes through the portal to our plane".
He looks to the vault room where Sam went, "Sam is a different issue. He is a strong ally, but if he can't see that what he did was wrong, and continues all his passive aggressive baiting and blaming everyone around him instead of taking accountability, then he is just holding us back. Perhaps he and Ömertyr should go and enlist the giants. He seems to have affinity with them. That would leave the rest of us to do the more diplomatic stuff".
Sam hears a little bit of yelping from the monster as he shakes his bag of gold, calling out to it in orcish, Sam gets a muffled response "gol'? GOLLL" the monster shuffles it's way around the corner approaching Sam, but sticking out of its mouth is a black battle axe which seems to have cut into the side of the elementals mouth slightly. The monster approaches without hostility, but the sharpness of its teeth combined with a battle axe lolling around makes the situation more stabby than initially anticipated. Hi puts his feathered hands on his head in disbelief watching the proceedings like someone would watch a car crash happening in front of them in slow motion.
"I would have you gather these beasts and clean up, in the time it will take for the test to be done" Ginro answers Muir. "Whether you think it fair or no, you are still guests on my isle and have requested things from me. These things will be delivered once you complete the task I have asked." He listens to vins words carefully and takes a thoughtful moment "perhaps you are right, some things are truly unforgivable and made doubly so by the rejection of facts... I was given only second hand information from shenoh but she seemed like at one point she was ready to dispose of your dysfunctional member. I will speak to Ömertyr, have him inform me why he assisted Nivara and Sam in attacking me and translate your proposal to him.
When we find a function or a reaction that doesn't work with the component parts that should achieve a certain goal, we go back to the beginning and see where things went wrong, we trial hypotheses, adjust measurements and compromise on methods until a perfect balance is found. If your group is not functioning find the route, trial, adjust and compromise. Only then can you say without doubt, that the group can no longer function."
Ginro waits for any response before turning to Ömertyr, who's ears perked up as he heard his name, and the two begin speaking in giant. Ömertyr seems ashamed of his actions regardless, and whilst the two talk quickly there are a few instances of the name Sam and glances over to the half orc behind the glass trying to coax the monster.
A moment after a cloaked soldier with shenoh's marking upon their pauldron walks in through the large vault door follows by a groggy and hungover looking Ingram. Ingram rubs his eyes and gives the group a wave before taking in the scene and waking himself up with shock, a bloodied Ginro, holes in the floor, a massive tree crashed through the ceiling, broken and half eaten tables, and the group looking tired and stressed with remnants of tears still glistening on Elthana's cheeks, "what the hells happened here?" He questions a little louder than he meant to, and to no one on particular.
Muir appreciating VIN’s logic and rational demeanor plays the devils advocate. “Indeed….Here we are dealing with this but to play the devils advocate…. maybe she shouldn’t be here. Sometimes the right decision is the hardest to make….Can either of you suggest that in her state her being here is more helpful than being safe and protected from Nivarra back home? If you think she’s more helpful here then I will drop it and do everything in my power to keep her alive.”
Muir turns his attention to Ginro “Then we will go help Sam and hope for the best”
"if Nivara has been waiting for Elthana to cone to her, what would happen should Elthana turn tail and run? Elthana, do you have any insight when you have been 'melding' with her or in speaking to Mori?" Ginro asks trying to bring Elthana into the conversation instead of talking about her as though she isn't listening
Gewyn watches the deliberations, choosing to let people true feeling vent so he could understand what he is dealing with before he speaks. Finally, he says, "In regards to Sam, we can talk and bicker and accuse all we want, but it does no good. What it comes down to is whether he needs to go or whether he needs to stay. I do not believe he will change, so conversation that doesn't move us towards one of those two choices does us little good. And while we talk, he is off solving a problem. So..." He takes a heavy breathe. "While he is not the easiest to work with, I believe he is still useful."
He walks over to Muir, puts both hands on is shoulders and looks him in the eye. "That is NOT to say he is forgiven for what he did to you. I am sorry for what you went through. It sounds horrible, and I believe you." Spyro flies in a quick spiral above his head while he talks. "And I am sorry, Vin, for the way he talks to you. He treats you like a child when your words carry wisdom he doesn't want to hear. But if we need to find a way to move forward."
"From here on out, I take responsibility. If he causes harm, I will do my best to prevent it. What I can't prevent, I will make right." He looks at Ginro. "And that doesn't just go for us. If there are amends to be made to others, I take responsibility. Though I believe this betrayal of your generosity and help lies squarely at Nivara's feet."
Finally, he turns to Elthana, empathy in his eyes. "And lastly, Elthana. I am so, so sorry for everything happening to you right now." He lets the apology linger for a moment before he continues. "I don't know how to make it stop. How to take away the fear of what Nivara could do to you or through you. But I could... try something. Perhaps. Later when we have some time. Maybe it would at least give us some awareness of if and when Nivara tries to intrude again. We'll can talk about it later."
"Gold, yes..." Sam says encouragingly. "Much gold...."
"Come get gold... come on... Gold here... More gold here..." Sam continues coaxing, slowly walking back towards the door and eventually towards the hole. If the monster falters a bit then Sam tosses some gold into it's mouth to remind it of why it is following Sam. This continues until Sam feels it's close enough to the hole that it could be grappled and pulled down into it in one move. Or until it goes after something besides Sam...
Vin looks to both Muir and then Gewyn and responds to their points about Elthana going home and Sam splitting from the rest of the group, “I have given my honest opinion about these subjects already. I think Elthana should stay in Thaeir, we have no way to know if that is the right choice but it is what I think. And Sam needs to leave the rest of the group if he is not going to change, which he seems incapable of doing. You have taken responsibility for him before, when we were with Shenoh. It is an empty promise I am afraid, Gewyn. He is solving the problem he caused, by the way, so don’t pretend he is being righteous here. He is useful, I agree, which is why I suggested he and Ömertyr recruit the giants”.
Muir sighs, puts the bag away and waits.
"Well, it could have been worse. I know you got hurt, Ginro, but the majority of that was not Elthana's doing. And if Nivara could have killed Elthana when she took control of her, then we would be in a whole lot more trouble right now", Vin interjects.
"The question now is, where do we go from here. Can you help Elthana now you know what she is dealing with, Ginro?"
"your apology is understood and accepted" Ginro begins looking at the state Elthana finds herself in, before he turns attention to Vin, "your minimising the severity of the situation in contrast to what could have been is noted but does not diminish the severity of the current situation and the possibility that it could repeat. Surely if this is a long and drawn out plan of Nivara's, why would she take a pawn off her board? There is high risk that this happens again, maybe for a longer period, this makes Elthana dangerous, makes your group a serious risk and means that effectively for our own safety we the people of thaeir should keep our attack plans and strategies away from any of you, I think that's what she wants, and with a show of her hand she has just back us into a corner in that regard.
I have agreed with shenoh to host you on my isle for the time being, offered you respite, food, rest, tried to solve your problems and assist with figuring out what exactly is going on, the blueprints for the box we designed is within my pocket dimension waiting for your arrival whilst we attempt to solve your rest problem and each of you have at least been offered a very rare item to assist with your journey.
For all that trouble I am attacked, my safe room compromised, monsters who seem to eat the very crystal that this isle and every other isle in this realm is made from are released, and still you ask me for help? I quite agree that Elthana needs assistance to sever her soul bond with Nivara and this isle is likely your best chance of doing that, but even so it will be difficult. A compromise must first be met, whilst I gather the people I need to for Elthana's issue, you will all, under escort, gather these monsters, once that is done I will gather you in the pocket dimension where you will rest and go over the blueprints." The creeping frustration in Ginro's voice seems to have calmed as he formulates a plan, but in his intonations this is apparently not a request but a demand.
"Mori made it clear that Nivara wants Elthana dead so she can complete her plan to become a god or whatever it is she thinks will happen. So I stand by my assessment, but I do acknowledge your point, and your help is appreciated", Vin says as sincerely as he can.
"Our role in coming to you and Shenoh has been to expose Nivara and try to unite the whole of Thaeir against her. We do have a vested interest in stopping her, that is true, but that doesn't necessarily mean we have to be part of your war plans. You might be right that keeping things separate will give Nivara multiple fronts to worry about. If you and Shenoh are willing to recruit the other Djinn to the cause, and unite with those from the Broken Isles and maybe Ömertyr can recruit his giant kin, then there is no reason for our involvement in your war. Not directly anyway", he suggests.
"That frees us up to find other ways to stop Nivara", he concludes.
"For now, I am willing to accept your compromise in order to get the additional help you offer, even though I would feel better capable with a bit of rest. That will need to wait I guess".
Muir sighs loudly. Sam caused this mess and now he is being forced to clean it up. When will the insults he has to bare over and over stop. "Yes of course, let me help clean up the mess Sam has caused. There is nothing I would enjoy more than cleaning the mess of a member of this group. While we are at it perhaps we can continue to not confide in each other." Muir seemingly having enough of them continues with his tired tantrum "I very much look forward to stopping these monsters from the earth realm even though I have told Sam about his trinket being a portal just like the other trinkets...but again I am ignored. Let's continue to clean up mess after mess and ignore the ongoings of our world, oh but we wouldn't know what's happening in our world because there was NO note although Goodall wonders why I haven't been in my tree house lately......So please yes escort us to find these rock monsters, throw us in a pocket dimension where we can act like there's nothing wrong and continue hiding everything....."
Elthana is surprised how easily her apology is accepted and is grateful for it. As he goes on, she can't help but agree with the man, his logic is sound. She hates, HATES being in this position. She continues to sit on the floor, feeling like a child as things are discussed.
"She knows we are getting ready to attack, she feels we will be there in a couple of days and is preparing for it. Not sure what that means, but she has told her death knights to prepare. Keeping me isolated makes sense, I completely understand and agree with it, as much as I despise the situation. Ginro, I thank you for all of your hospitality and honestly your forgiveness as I don't feel I deserve it. I know I wasn't the one that attacked you, but because of me... you were almost killed." she hangs her head still not able to come to grips with it all.
Finally she turns to Muir. "I've had enough. Sam was poisoned by Nivara's words and yet you blame him for everything. And this constant needling of us not confiding in each other! I am not hiding anything from you!! Not that I am aware of! So will you just stop? Or just come out and say what you're really thinking? And I have told you what I have read from Goodall! No note?? Of course there isn't a note to give you! I wrote her back, how else would I without sending the note back with my words upon it??" Tears start flowing again in her exasperation.
"Sam wasn't poisoned by Nivara's words. She told him what he wanted to hear. Validated his own thoughts. First Shenoh and now Ginro, he has been looking for an excuse to do what he did", Vin mutters quietly after having listened to Muir and Elthana.
Muir hears Elthana and turns red with anger. He then hears the wise words of Vin and becomes even angrier because Vin is right. "Vin has it quite right. Nivarra poisoning Sam....Did she poison him to sick his animals on me as he stood in the doorway with his maul? So you are telling me that Sam attacked me because of Nivarra? Well this is the first I am hearing about this.....and here we are with 3 rock monsters on the loose destroying our gracious host's building and isle. Another clean up job because of the misguided use of a portal trinket by a obstinate "common man" who takes no responsibility for any of his actions but expects everyone to clean up after those actions.....oh but he expects us to take responsibility for our own actions how he sees those actions of course.... He can trick you all into thinking he is a fool but he knows exactly what he is doing. And I am only hearing about a note from Goodall and one sent back to her by you now that is also something new is it not? Such dysfunction.....Shall we go then? Seems Vin, Gewyn and I will have to go and fix this while you wait here and figure out how to not get yourself killed or the rest of us it seems. As I said before.....you are not ready for this as Morris said but again I am ignored" Muir tired, angry, and frustrated waits to be escorted to deal with the rock monsters.
Elthana visibly deflates. The anger flowing out of her as fast as it came on as she looks at her friend. In a soft voice she responds, "I was only referring to the attack on Ginro. The rest... the rest is on him. I won't deny that. I won't apologize for that. I won't apologize for him."
She lifts her knees to her chest and wraps her arms around them in a protective manor and looks down. "You're only hearing about the note now as I got it when I was alone in my room for rest. I.. I just now got a chance to tell you, I couldn't before, I didn't have control of my body." She buries her face against her knees as the weight of the situation becomes more than she can handle after Nivara.
The wall of force around Gino drops as he picks a sending stone out of his pouch and says a few words in auran into it. As the debate amongst the group wages on he picks up the ki blade that began the whole ordeal and sheaths it loosely at his belt, before calling over the din, "STOP!" Before returning to his usual calm demeanour, minus the smile "regardless of manipulations, regardless of things that have happened in the past, Nivara is targeting this group and wants you at each others throats, that much is plain to see, for some reason she regards you all being together as a threat, perhaps it is to isolate Elthana, make her feel alone with no one else to turn to, making her easier to coerce into finishing this ritual or whatever. The point is this bickering over semantics is playing into Nivara's hands.
Now I know, this doesn't make the issues in your group just go away and of course having one member acting contrary to the ideals of every other member is suffocating and frustrating, but putting those frustrations before the obvious suffering of Elthana here and the damage Nivara is willing to do to, your group, to this realm and every other realm after that? Is that not simple egocentricity?"
In the adjoining archive Sam finds the monster chewing on the shelves, items and trinkets spill out over the floor and as he enters the Xorn's one eye goes wide and it phases through the shelves and deeper in, clattering and knocking things over as it retreats to continue eating.
Each set of shelves in this room are floor to ceiling and set long ways against the back wall, the only way around them being a small walk way between the opposite end of the shelves and the glass wall through which professor Hu watches Sam's progress while wringing his feathered hands nervously. Sam looks up and down and sees the shelves can be moved along grooves in the ground if he needs to open the gap between the shelve stacks to get more room. Hu points deeper into the archive, through the glass directing Sam around two sets of shelves.
Muir drops it and tries to center himself to get through this and leave this realm "What would you have us do?"
"Gold?" Sam calls out in Orcish much as one would call out "Treat?" to an errant puppy. At the same time he holds out in an extended hand the pouch of 10 gold he recovered back in the worker's room where he found the coffins. "Want Gold?"
Sam looks to Hu and follows his directions to an extent... But Sam isn't yet approaching the monster but rather just trying to get it's attention and hopefully get it focused on the gold instead of the random crap it is currently eating. Again, like dealing with a puppy - Sam is afraid that approaching it will just make it run further away and instead hopes to gain it's interest and get it to follow him by feeding it treats and promising more. "Lots of Gold. This way. Hurry, others eating your share!" He says this loud enough to be heard but in a soft, gentle, hopefully soothing tone.
If the monster (Xorn?) starts approaching at all, Sam slides the bag of ten gold towards it, hoping to have it stop somewhere in the middle between himself and the creature. If they approach or eat the gold or whatever, Sam immediately pulls out a handful of coins from his own pouch to try to lure it even closer...
((I don't want to get too far ahead of things here in case you want some rolls and/or in case the monster doesn't respond... But basic plan is to lure this creature out, back towards the hole, and prompt it down or shove it down to the level with the others to try to deal with them all at once.))
Scooby, meanwhile, is staying with Prof Hu for the time being. Sam doesn't want the mastiff scaring off the monster but wants them close to hopefully get behind the monster if Sam can lure it out of that room...
Ratatouille is off doing their Ratatouille things wherever it may currently be...
Vin looks across to Ginro and back to Elthana and sighs.
"I know how it looks and sounds, but there are some deep issues at play here, and trust has been shattered. It may be what Nivara wants, that we are disjointed and separated, but at this point staying together is doing more to aid her cause. It may be egocentric, as you call it, but we don't function as a group right now. If we are to help Elthana, and stop Nivara, we may need to accept that".
He wanders over and places a hand on Elthana's shoulder, and looks to Muir. "Elthana is dealing with a lot right now, and even if it is barely, she is keeping it together. Stopping Nivara from the killing blow on Ginro shows she has the fight in her. I know the bag and the messages from home are important to you, but she deserves some slack. Can we focus on one thing at a time, and work to help her, and stop Nivara? Time is running slower back home, so you aren't missing as much. I know Morris gave us the warning, and logically we should listen, but sometimes logic isn't the answer. The time to stand up to Nivara is now, with the whole of Thaeir rising up. If we leave and the Thaeirans fail because of it, we have gained nothing and she has potentially doubled the size of her undead army for when she comes through the portal to our plane".
He looks to the vault room where Sam went, "Sam is a different issue. He is a strong ally, but if he can't see that what he did was wrong, and continues all his passive aggressive baiting and blaming everyone around him instead of taking accountability, then he is just holding us back. Perhaps he and Ömertyr should go and enlist the giants. He seems to have affinity with them. That would leave the rest of us to do the more diplomatic stuff".
Sam hears a little bit of yelping from the monster as he shakes his bag of gold, calling out to it in orcish, Sam gets a muffled response "gol'? GOLLL" the monster shuffles it's way around the corner approaching Sam, but sticking out of its mouth is a black battle axe which seems to have cut into the side of the elementals mouth slightly. The monster approaches without hostility, but the sharpness of its teeth combined with a battle axe lolling around makes the situation more stabby than initially anticipated. Hi puts his feathered hands on his head in disbelief watching the proceedings like someone would watch a car crash happening in front of them in slow motion.
"I would have you gather these beasts and clean up, in the time it will take for the test to be done" Ginro answers Muir. "Whether you think it fair or no, you are still guests on my isle and have requested things from me. These things will be delivered once you complete the task I have asked." He listens to vins words carefully and takes a thoughtful moment "perhaps you are right, some things are truly unforgivable and made doubly so by the rejection of facts... I was given only second hand information from shenoh but she seemed like at one point she was ready to dispose of your dysfunctional member. I will speak to Ömertyr, have him inform me why he assisted Nivara and Sam in attacking me and translate your proposal to him.
When we find a function or a reaction that doesn't work with the component parts that should achieve a certain goal, we go back to the beginning and see where things went wrong, we trial hypotheses, adjust measurements and compromise on methods until a perfect balance is found. If your group is not functioning find the route, trial, adjust and compromise. Only then can you say without doubt, that the group can no longer function."
Ginro waits for any response before turning to Ömertyr, who's ears perked up as he heard his name, and the two begin speaking in giant. Ömertyr seems ashamed of his actions regardless, and whilst the two talk quickly there are a few instances of the name Sam and glances over to the half orc behind the glass trying to coax the monster.
A moment after a cloaked soldier with shenoh's marking upon their pauldron walks in through the large vault door follows by a groggy and hungover looking Ingram. Ingram rubs his eyes and gives the group a wave before taking in the scene and waking himself up with shock, a bloodied Ginro, holes in the floor, a massive tree crashed through the ceiling, broken and half eaten tables, and the group looking tired and stressed with remnants of tears still glistening on Elthana's cheeks, "what the hells happened here?" He questions a little louder than he meant to, and to no one on particular.
Muir appreciating VIN’s logic and rational demeanor plays the devils advocate. “Indeed….Here we are dealing with this but to play the devils advocate…. maybe she shouldn’t be here. Sometimes the right decision is the hardest to make….Can either of you suggest that in her state her being here is more helpful than being safe and protected from Nivarra back home? If you think she’s more helpful here then I will drop it and do everything in my power to keep her alive.”
Muir turns his attention to Ginro “Then we will go help Sam and hope for the best”
"if Nivara has been waiting for Elthana to cone to her, what would happen should Elthana turn tail and run? Elthana, do you have any insight when you have been 'melding' with her or in speaking to Mori?" Ginro asks trying to bring Elthana into the conversation instead of talking about her as though she isn't listening
Gewyn watches the deliberations, choosing to let people true feeling vent so he could understand what he is dealing with before he speaks. Finally, he says, "In regards to Sam, we can talk and bicker and accuse all we want, but it does no good. What it comes down to is whether he needs to go or whether he needs to stay. I do not believe he will change, so conversation that doesn't move us towards one of those two choices does us little good. And while we talk, he is off solving a problem. So..." He takes a heavy breathe. "While he is not the easiest to work with, I believe he is still useful."
He walks over to Muir, puts both hands on is shoulders and looks him in the eye. "That is NOT to say he is forgiven for what he did to you. I am sorry for what you went through. It sounds horrible, and I believe you." Spyro flies in a quick spiral above his head while he talks. "And I am sorry, Vin, for the way he talks to you. He treats you like a child when your words carry wisdom he doesn't want to hear. But if we need to find a way to move forward."
"From here on out, I take responsibility. If he causes harm, I will do my best to prevent it. What I can't prevent, I will make right." He looks at Ginro. "And that doesn't just go for us. If there are amends to be made to others, I take responsibility. Though I believe this betrayal of your generosity and help lies squarely at Nivara's feet."
Finally, he turns to Elthana, empathy in his eyes. "And lastly, Elthana. I am so, so sorry for everything happening to you right now." He lets the apology linger for a moment before he continues. "I don't know how to make it stop. How to take away the fear of what Nivara could do to you or through you. But I could... try something. Perhaps. Later when we have some time. Maybe it would at least give us some awareness of if and when Nivara tries to intrude again. We'll can talk about it later."
"Gold, yes..." Sam says encouragingly. "Much gold...."
"Come get gold... come on... Gold here... More gold here..." Sam continues coaxing, slowly walking back towards the door and eventually towards the hole. If the monster falters a bit then Sam tosses some gold into it's mouth to remind it of why it is following Sam. This continues until Sam feels it's close enough to the hole that it could be grappled and pulled down into it in one move. Or until it goes after something besides Sam...
Vin looks to both Muir and then Gewyn and responds to their points about Elthana going home and Sam splitting from the rest of the group, “I have given my honest opinion about these subjects already. I think Elthana should stay in Thaeir, we have no way to know if that is the right choice but it is what I think. And Sam needs to leave the rest of the group if he is not going to change, which he seems incapable of doing. You have taken responsibility for him before, when we were with Shenoh. It is an empty promise I am afraid, Gewyn. He is solving the problem he caused, by the way, so don’t pretend he is being righteous here. He is useful, I agree, which is why I suggested he and Ömertyr recruit the giants”.
Muir nods and waits to see what Elthana and Gewyn think should happen