Muir pops the knob onto the tree and twists, Gewyn sees a door which opens up and then Muir walks inside closing it behind him. Though Ginro and Sam do not see this happen. Instead an odd blur and Muir disappearing with no sign of the door at all. Ginro frowns, "he do that a lot? How long is he gonna be?" He asks though with Sam busy and Gewyn playing it doesn't seem that his questions are directed to anyone in particular.
Gewyn sees that the Chwinga that was with him seems busy with the price of food that Elthana gifted it, though it doesn't eat it, it doesn't seem to have a mouth with which to eat at all, instead it buried the chunk of ration and steps towards grey and does a little wiggling dance.
Sam finds the Xorns, now both sleeping peacefully, their bellies full after their rampage. The rest of this lab is large, different sections for different vegetation, some large fungus is growing in the walls with markers indicating the speed of growth. Everything seems to encircle the central tree. The humidity in here makes Sam's brow sweat a little and as he wipes it off he catches glimpses of the more hesitant Chwingas in the branches high above him, peeking curiously but staying at distance.
Sam waves as the other Chwinga and makes faces at them and makes little sparks with Minor Illusion or little balls of dirt or such with Mold Earth, but Sam doesn't go out of his way to coax or urge the others into play. Best way to make a shy creature take off is to get too forward with it, so Sam keeps his distance and acknowledges but doesn't push.
"Define a lot?" Sam responds with a shrug. "He's done it before but it's not exactly common..."
((Is what Sam sees different from previous times? I believe Sam has seen Muir use the tree door thing at least once, and I think he saw a door?))
"hm... Looks like a dimensional pocket, high level stuff, he get that from your plane?" Ginro calls over to Sam just trying to keep the conversation going. The Djiin walks over to where Gewyn is playing and takes a seat in the dirt, he places the orb in front of both of them and the dancing chwinga "you play beautifully, the little ones surely appreciate it" he points up to the branches of the red tree over head and Gewyn can see the small oval faces of the Chwingas hiding in the branches, some of them swaying, dancing and clapping their tiny hands along.
"Doesn't normally look like that," Sam calls back to Ginro, still looking at the tree Muir entered and wondering about that. "Usually there's a door he opens and walks through..." Sam puzzles on this for a couple of moments but, assuming Ginro drops the topic, so does Sam.
After a bit Sam looks around the room and picks out what seems a cozy spot. "You all mind if I stretch out a bit and relax?" Sam asks the Chwinga. If the little guy doesn't seem to mind then Sam calls out much the same to Ginro even as he's rolling out his bedroll.
"Is it fine for me to go in now too?" Gewyn asks. "I don't feel connected from out here." He gestures at the orb. Much as I'd love to keep playing for my little audience here, I want to be near at hand should my friend need me."
"of course" Ginro responds to Gewyn, gesturing the orb in front of them both.
As Gewyn puts his instrument away and touches the orb he disappears much in the same way as the others had.
Ginro picks up the orb and strolls on over to Sam, leaning against the tree and watching as the half-orc prepares his bed, "it is quite comfortable in here for sleeping, the humidity does mean you'll likely wake up sweaty though. Just a friendly warning. It does strike me as odd though. You don't entirely trust in the process that we have set up for the orb, regardless of testing at your request, but you are trusting enough in it that you'd subject your group to it... This tells me that you either trust the process will bring them back to you, or you simply don't care if they come back... The Chwingas react to callousness and carelessness as much as they do care and good intention. Their interest and comfort around you seems to indicate that you do care, you care about a lot of things, including if something happens to your group..." He sighs and sits, looking over the orb in his hand that contains everyone inside but Sam and Muir. "I believe we may have gotten off on the wrong foot Sam."
Sam watches Ginro as the Djinn talks at him and Sam can't decide if they are soft headed or just trying to be manipulative. Either way, it just drives his distrust that much deeper. And with that Sam tries to think over his time in this room and see if he can remember a Chwinga ever deliberately approaching Ginro or not. Or if there's any near him now. (Perception 20)
"Sorry, pal, but I didn't subject them to anything. They chose. They get to do that for themselves," Sam explains. "As for the rest - Who and what I trust or care about - that is all what they call 'nunya' and as such I'll not be discussing it."
With that said, Sam continues preparing his bedroll then pulls his Quandrix Primer out of his bag so he can lay back and read for a while. Studying it won't get him another summoning of a familiar until he gets a long rest in but the intention is more to show Ginro that he is done with him than it is to actually gain any benefits from it.
"And that is your prerogative... Though interesting you say, Their choice..." Ginro says thoughtfully. "From that I could only assume that the consequences of their choice is on their heads right? Fine by you, not your problem. Even if you could do something to prevent a bad thing from happening? Their problem. Their fault. Their choice." Ginro stands up from leaning on the tree and moves away slightly over to one of the Chwingas, crouching down, back to Sam, cooing at their little dance.
“What’s your goal, eh?” He asks. “You say we got off on the wrong foot and then stay here butting your nose where it doesn’t belong. You say your plan is tested and safe yet you try to hang the possible repercussions over my head. What are you really up to? Really want? Be out with it or be gone…”
"time dilation. Your bodies running slower than those from my realm and your group being the ones who have personal ties to Nivara, I am a man of calculations Sam. When was the last time you fully rested? Hm?
See, it doesn't actually matter if you trust me or not, but if this entire realm is going to put trust in you to keep those in this orb safe whilst you go toe to toe with Nivara, then is it not my duty to make sure that you're at least not falling asleep on your feet whilst you do it?
I had reports from shenoh... As much as she is frustrated by you, she sees the benefit the group gains from having you, I personally just think that your personality reminded her too much of herself. But that's besides the point. I have a duty to the people of this realm, and to vox. That duty includes offering you all I can, an item, a solution, information. But you'd refuse and out all of that in danger for what? Because you trust your instincts?" His back still turned he goes quiet, realising that he has started rambling a tangent filled monologue again and gives Sam time to answer and digest.
“You’re worried we won’t save your realm?” Sam sums up as only he can. “Then maybe don’t rely on outsiders and save your own damn selves. ‘Cause let me tell you, fully rested or not, you and yours aren’t my priority. The well being of your reality here? Incidental at best.”
“But anyway… You think I should disregard my instincts? Because you say so? I’m sure that makes sense to you but to me?” Sam scoffs. “Imagine I told you to ignore what you’ve lived a lifetime trusting in. Would you?”
"...and what did your instincts tell you when Nivara took control of Elthana's body and attacked me? Your instincts have proven not only fallible but malleable, easy to manipulate. From the report on you and you actions on shenoh, they've also proven highly irrational and volatile... I'm asking you to get some decent sleep Sam, help yourself think more clearly. Ömertyr is looking after your dog. Your friends are about to get as much rest as they need in a fraction of the time it would take them to get the same out here... You lose nothing by joining them"
“You suggest my instincts can be manipulated? But that itself is an attempt to manipulate them,” Sam points out. “Isn’t there a war on? Don’t you have something more important to be doing than pestering me?”
Muir speaks up quietly “Sam, I plan on going in to rest. I would be happy if you came as well. Not that my happiness means anything but Elthana does need you at your tip to shape, fully rested, aware, and the strongest you can be. If not for yourself perhaps for her you enter?”
Sam gives a bit of a start when Muir speaks up, not having been aware of his presence. "Oh! Uh... Well... As touched as I am by your concern, I think the wisest course is for me to wait outside. At the very least for this first actual use of this... pocket rest. If we are these people's only hope it makes no sense to risk us all at once. If there are no hiccups then perhaps I shall join you all next time... But for now I am sufficiently rested, sufficiently wary... And I have a book to read," Sam says, waving his Primer absently to show the truth of the matter.
"But tell me... How was the tree? And why did it look different when you entered this time?"
“The tree was fine. It looked different because I didn’t want anyone to follow me in. I needed time to think about what’s gone on here. I understand what I must do now. I apologize Sam for my line of questioning.
I met Goodall and she brought News. She said things are going slowly there, she’s acting as the messenger between us and the council, she told them a version of events which does not reveal Elthana's situation in regards to Nivara but they do know that we are all doing vital work for the sake of our realm. On to other things Hirsi, the young Druid who came with us to Hokum to help has reported to in and said the cleric's of Hermes are on the march and the cavalcade have sent out troops to parlay, they should meet in trundlesten in around four days time.”
Sam looks at Muir skeptically as he explains. He takes it in for a moment and then shrugs. (Decent enough response no matter the result of an insight check.)
"Not sure I agree that this is vital for our realm. I think we may be best off just finding a way to re-close all the damn portals for good. But I don't suppose I get to make those decisions,' Sam says. "On the march, you say? From Hokum? Towards Trundlestein?"
“From Lyvander. They have mind controlled Gore at Hokum so no one knows what’s happening there. Goodall would like to talk to us about the mind controlled fruit we found to gather information about it….”
"And just how did you meet Goodall?" Sam asks. "You all go to the same tree dimension when you do that or something?"
"Anyway I would think you know as much about it as any of us. I certainly didn't learn anything new about it despite all my extensive research into it."
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Muir pops the knob onto the tree and twists, Gewyn sees a door which opens up and then Muir walks inside closing it behind him. Though Ginro and Sam do not see this happen. Instead an odd blur and Muir disappearing with no sign of the door at all. Ginro frowns, "he do that a lot? How long is he gonna be?" He asks though with Sam busy and Gewyn playing it doesn't seem that his questions are directed to anyone in particular.
Gewyn sees that the Chwinga that was with him seems busy with the price of food that Elthana gifted it, though it doesn't eat it, it doesn't seem to have a mouth with which to eat at all, instead it buried the chunk of ration and steps towards grey and does a little wiggling dance.
Sam finds the Xorns, now both sleeping peacefully, their bellies full after their rampage. The rest of this lab is large, different sections for different vegetation, some large fungus is growing in the walls with markers indicating the speed of growth. Everything seems to encircle the central tree. The humidity in here makes Sam's brow sweat a little and as he wipes it off he catches glimpses of the more hesitant Chwingas in the branches high above him, peeking curiously but staying at distance.
Sam waves as the other Chwinga and makes faces at them and makes little sparks with Minor Illusion or little balls of dirt or such with Mold Earth, but Sam doesn't go out of his way to coax or urge the others into play. Best way to make a shy creature take off is to get too forward with it, so Sam keeps his distance and acknowledges but doesn't push.
"Define a lot?" Sam responds with a shrug. "He's done it before but it's not exactly common..."
((Is what Sam sees different from previous times? I believe Sam has seen Muir use the tree door thing at least once, and I think he saw a door?))
"hm... Looks like a dimensional pocket, high level stuff, he get that from your plane?" Ginro calls over to Sam just trying to keep the conversation going. The Djiin walks over to where Gewyn is playing and takes a seat in the dirt, he places the orb in front of both of them and the dancing chwinga "you play beautifully, the little ones surely appreciate it" he points up to the branches of the red tree over head and Gewyn can see the small oval faces of the Chwingas hiding in the branches, some of them swaying, dancing and clapping their tiny hands along.
"Doesn't normally look like that," Sam calls back to Ginro, still looking at the tree Muir entered and wondering about that. "Usually there's a door he opens and walks through..." Sam puzzles on this for a couple of moments but, assuming Ginro drops the topic, so does Sam.
After a bit Sam looks around the room and picks out what seems a cozy spot. "You all mind if I stretch out a bit and relax?" Sam asks the Chwinga. If the little guy doesn't seem to mind then Sam calls out much the same to Ginro even as he's rolling out his bedroll.
"Is it fine for me to go in now too?" Gewyn asks. "I don't feel connected from out here." He gestures at the orb. Much as I'd love to keep playing for my little audience here, I want to be near at hand should my friend need me."
"of course" Ginro responds to Gewyn, gesturing the orb in front of them both.
As Gewyn puts his instrument away and touches the orb he disappears much in the same way as the others had.
Ginro picks up the orb and strolls on over to Sam, leaning against the tree and watching as the half-orc prepares his bed, "it is quite comfortable in here for sleeping, the humidity does mean you'll likely wake up sweaty though. Just a friendly warning. It does strike me as odd though. You don't entirely trust in the process that we have set up for the orb, regardless of testing at your request, but you are trusting enough in it that you'd subject your group to it... This tells me that you either trust the process will bring them back to you, or you simply don't care if they come back... The Chwingas react to callousness and carelessness as much as they do care and good intention. Their interest and comfort around you seems to indicate that you do care, you care about a lot of things, including if something happens to your group..." He sighs and sits, looking over the orb in his hand that contains everyone inside but Sam and Muir. "I believe we may have gotten off on the wrong foot Sam."
Sam watches Ginro as the Djinn talks at him and Sam can't decide if they are soft headed or just trying to be manipulative. Either way, it just drives his distrust that much deeper. And with that Sam tries to think over his time in this room and see if he can remember a Chwinga ever deliberately approaching Ginro or not. Or if there's any near him now. (Perception 20)
"Sorry, pal, but I didn't subject them to anything. They chose. They get to do that for themselves," Sam explains. "As for the rest - Who and what I trust or care about - that is all what they call 'nunya' and as such I'll not be discussing it."
With that said, Sam continues preparing his bedroll then pulls his Quandrix Primer out of his bag so he can lay back and read for a while. Studying it won't get him another summoning of a familiar until he gets a long rest in but the intention is more to show Ginro that he is done with him than it is to actually gain any benefits from it.
"And that is your prerogative... Though interesting you say, Their choice..." Ginro says thoughtfully. "From that I could only assume that the consequences of their choice is on their heads right? Fine by you, not your problem. Even if you could do something to prevent a bad thing from happening? Their problem. Their fault. Their choice." Ginro stands up from leaning on the tree and moves away slightly over to one of the Chwingas, crouching down, back to Sam, cooing at their little dance.
Sam rolls his eyes.
“What’s your goal, eh?” He asks. “You say we got off on the wrong foot and then stay here butting your nose where it doesn’t belong. You say your plan is tested and safe yet you try to hang the possible repercussions over my head. What are you really up to? Really want? Be out with it or be gone…”
"time dilation. Your bodies running slower than those from my realm and your group being the ones who have personal ties to Nivara, I am a man of calculations Sam. When was the last time you fully rested? Hm?
See, it doesn't actually matter if you trust me or not, but if this entire realm is going to put trust in you to keep those in this orb safe whilst you go toe to toe with Nivara, then is it not my duty to make sure that you're at least not falling asleep on your feet whilst you do it?
I had reports from shenoh... As much as she is frustrated by you, she sees the benefit the group gains from having you, I personally just think that your personality reminded her too much of herself. But that's besides the point. I have a duty to the people of this realm, and to vox. That duty includes offering you all I can, an item, a solution, information. But you'd refuse and out all of that in danger for what? Because you trust your instincts?" His back still turned he goes quiet, realising that he has started rambling a tangent filled monologue again and gives Sam time to answer and digest.
“You’re worried we won’t save your realm?” Sam sums up as only he can. “Then maybe don’t rely on outsiders and save your own damn selves. ‘Cause let me tell you, fully rested or not, you and yours aren’t my priority. The well being of your reality here? Incidental at best.”
“But anyway… You think I should disregard my instincts? Because you say so? I’m sure that makes sense to you but to me?” Sam scoffs. “Imagine I told you to ignore what you’ve lived a lifetime trusting in. Would you?”
Muir had left the tree just as Sam began talking. Figuring it best to say nothing, Muir stands quietly leaning against the tree listening.
"...and what did your instincts tell you when Nivara took control of Elthana's body and attacked me? Your instincts have proven not only fallible but malleable, easy to manipulate. From the report on you and you actions on shenoh, they've also proven highly irrational and volatile... I'm asking you to get some decent sleep Sam, help yourself think more clearly. Ömertyr is looking after your dog. Your friends are about to get as much rest as they need in a fraction of the time it would take them to get the same out here... You lose nothing by joining them"
“You suggest my instincts can be manipulated? But that itself is an attempt to manipulate them,” Sam points out. “Isn’t there a war on? Don’t you have something more important to be doing than pestering me?”
Muir speaks up quietly “Sam, I plan on going in to rest. I would be happy if you came as well. Not that my happiness means anything but Elthana does need you at your tip to shape, fully rested, aware, and the strongest you can be. If not for yourself perhaps for her you enter?”
Sam gives a bit of a start when Muir speaks up, not having been aware of his presence. "Oh! Uh... Well... As touched as I am by your concern, I think the wisest course is for me to wait outside. At the very least for this first actual use of this... pocket rest. If we are these people's only hope it makes no sense to risk us all at once. If there are no hiccups then perhaps I shall join you all next time... But for now I am sufficiently rested, sufficiently wary... And I have a book to read," Sam says, waving his Primer absently to show the truth of the matter.
"But tell me... How was the tree? And why did it look different when you entered this time?"
“The tree was fine. It looked different because I didn’t want anyone to follow me in. I needed time to think about what’s gone on here. I understand what I must do now. I apologize Sam for my line of questioning.
I met Goodall and she brought News. She said
things are going slowly there, she’s acting as the messenger between us and the council, she told them a version of events which does not reveal Elthana's situation in regards to Nivara but they do know that we are all doing vital work for the sake of our realm.
On to other things Hirsi, the young Druid who came with us to Hokum to help has reported to in and said the cleric's of Hermes are on the march and the cavalcade have sent out troops to parlay, they should meet in trundlesten in around four days time.”
Sam looks at Muir skeptically as he explains. He takes it in for a moment and then shrugs. (Decent enough response no matter the result of an insight check.)
"Not sure I agree that this is vital for our realm. I think we may be best off just finding a way to re-close all the damn portals for good. But I don't suppose I get to make those decisions,' Sam says. "On the march, you say? From Hokum? Towards Trundlestein?"
“From Lyvander. They have mind controlled Gore at Hokum so no one knows what’s happening there. Goodall would like to talk to us about the mind controlled fruit we found to gather information about it….”
"And just how did you meet Goodall?" Sam asks. "You all go to the same tree dimension when you do that or something?"
"Anyway I would think you know as much about it as any of us. I certainly didn't learn anything new about it despite all my extensive research into it."