The Forgotten Wish

Comedy appears to stare for a while at the Tabaxi, as if debating. It's impossible to get a read on him, of course. What with his face being a mask that doesn't even seem to have any actual peeping holes, just that static smile. But, after short deliberation.

"Ah, what the hell. I accept, dearest Slick Rick," the creature says, and whatever mental block the party seemed to hold, lifts in an instant. Though it does lean in just the slightest bit more.

"Though I hope for your sake, whatever you say next... It best be at least very very funny!"

And with that gone, attention seems to turn toward Nuria as she holds her own spiel, and while some can most definitely relate, without a doubt she is the only one who had seen more than anything else on this strange event. All could collaborate the story of the strange events on the ship. How it managed to sail out all the way close to shore despite the terrible damage, a storm that had never existed, how many of the crew had gone mad. Nobody seemed to truly know what had happened, and could only theorize and put together the strange events of that day. It had been only Nuria who had heard the music on that ship, and for one brief instant, had almost fallen under the same spell as the sailors that were driven mad. They never got time to investigate much further, for they had only just tied up the last of the sailors who had gone mad.

From there, even if only Nuria had heard the music on the boat, it seemed she was not the only one that had been in its grasp. None had admitted it at the time, but she was not the only one to have such a strange dream, or was it a nightmare, the music box calling out to some of the group to the point of causing bad rest. It did seem that Nuria was alone in just the extent of how much she got to see. Comedy listening very intently as she finishes up.

"...I see. How very, very interesting!"

"And now, this music box. It is lost, at the bottom of the ocean? After you must have been so close to getting it?"

"Oh... That's funny! So very, very funny!"

"Well, a deal is a deal, and you have certainly earned your one question miss. For all others, if you believe there is things you can add, do say! But I presume the story shall remain largely the same for all. As for you," Comedy says, and now turns back toward Asimi.

"For you, to keep my end of the deal... If you choose to rest here when one day you turn to stone, I shall ferry you to the promised land then, just like the others! That suffices to the terms, does it not?" it speaks, though Asimi feels her gut twist in response. Her memory remains fuzzy, no doubt because of all of the dreams Comedy has been forcing upon her. But she feels that while, technically it might, it none the less feels like a betrayal.

As Asimi stood there and listened to the tale told by Nuria she had felt no need to interject one way or another, following along with the strange tale that the others gathered here seemed to have gone through. It was only at Comedy's last words towards her that the woman's jaw went slack before tightening in barely contained rage, "What!? This isn't-" She started but then halted herself, momentarily overtaken by a strong desire to lash out at the perceived betrayal the emotion was just as rapidly beaten down by a wave of guilt that caused her to look down to the floor in shame.

But she couldn't just let this stand even if it wasn't her place to question it, looking back up to Comedy she spoke again, "My lord, forgive my boldness! But this is no closer to help with this "wasting" than when you first spoke to me," The elf tried to keep her voice steady but there was still a tinge of anger and desperation to it, "What of the other building you showed me? What is the importance of that place?" Was she truly doomed to turn to stone like these statues? This couldn't just be the end of it.

Comedy's gaze remains fixed upon Asimi. Or at least, one can presume that is what is happening, with the mask fixed in her direction.

"Is that your one question, my dearest messenger?"

The bluntness of the question was enough to give her pause. She seemed almost uncertain with herself, retreating into her fragmented thoughts for any grasp of what she should do instead. Yet, nothing came.

Seeing no further options Asimi nodded her head, "...Yes."

When a few moments of silence happen, Oren will add his little bit more.  "Yes, I too was on the ship, and saw all of the odd happenings.  So much that could not be explained...Unless there really is magic."   He takes a deep breath and reddens a bit, "I, too, had the restless dreams that night.  I didn't know what to make of it, and was embarrassed.  I told no one about that until today.   Yes.  The box was lost as far as I can tell.   And also, from the bit that people pieced together, Some thought that the ship was from...in the past?  another time?  That it should not have been in the harbor when it was."    He shrugs, "If that makes any sense."

Oren explains his own experience, agreeing that at least part of Nuria's strange account must be true. And adding in the forgotten tidbit that there was something about time not being as it should be. After speaking a bit with his comrades, the realization comes out that the people on the boat claimed they had only been en route for a week before they'd end up at port. But the trip from their original port is one that takes, on average, three weeks. A week should be impossible even in ideal sailing conditions.

And as Oren gives his answer, and earns his one question, Comedy answers Asimi after a suitably long dramatic pause.

"The other place I have shown you, is where what remains of my body rests."

"Which is why I stand here before you all today, in the form of a mere puppet."

SLICK RICK raises his hands and clenches his fists in delight.

Opening them he quickly says,

"Rick will make it worth Comedy's giving Rick's name back to Rick! Rick knows that the box wasn't destroyed or lost at the bottom of the sea most gracious Comedy! The box was taken by the tiefling -"

He draws it out for effect,

"Pandora! Pandora has the box and Rick knows that Pandora snuck away."

Rick looks to Comedy for approval, not wanting to lose his name again.

Comedy's response seems to stun Asimi for a moment, any aggression in the woman's posture melting away as instead a look of confusion overtakes her face. The implications of what he said hitting her far beyond the immediate here and now of it, almost like a core part of her she couldn't process had a knife driven through it.

"That... can't be," She mumbled before shaking her head. She had to ask another question. This couldn't just be it, surely there was some reason he saw fit to show it to her? "Then why show it to me? What do you wish for me to do?"

Comedy stares in Rick's direction, as he responds after a few moments of processing this information.

"And this Tiefling... It wouldn't happen to be the same Tiefling your comrades already died? Unless she's a very good actor. Oh, that'd be funny!"

"Now, however, that name."

"Pandora..."

"...Means absolutely nothing to me!"

Rick seems out of the weeds for now, though Comedy is clearly awaiting his response, still. Only briefly turning toward Asimi... As a loud buzzer echoes through the hall, startling everyone with its brief intensity.

"I am sorry, dearest messenger! But you have already used up your one question."

Rick shrugs at Comedy's question but tries not to edge away.

"Rick never met Pandora nor did Rick see Pandora's box.  Rick only got information from one of Pandora's co-passengers. Rick also got information that Pandora wasn't found."

Rick explains his reasoning,

"If Rick was Pandora and if Rick knew that people were looking for Rick and Rick's box, Rick would sneak and make people think Rick was dead and Rick's box was gone."

Rick relishes in his name.

Watching Rick get his name back from this person, or creature, or...god? , Oren can't help but wonder just how powerful it is.   And how crafty.  He must watch what he says.

Oren notices Comedy pauses before saying he doesn't know the name of Pandora....Hmmm.   Perception: 13   Can he tell it is lying, maybe?

He moves closer to the others, "This is not a question to you, Comedy, this if for Asimi only.   'How do you know this person?   He seems very powerful....magic??  How did  you meet him?""

He does look over to Comedy, but holds his special question for now.   He goes over to stand right by Nuria and says to her and Breldo, "My mother always told me I was good at thinking things through before making decisions.  I have found that to be helpful in many times, but now we need to make sure we do that.  There is no rush here, let us use our questions wisely."

And with that comment, he does not yet ask his question.  He will see what else unfolds.

Flinching at the sudden noise Asimi opens her mouth to speak again but halts herself upon seeing Comedy's attention shift elsewhere. Angered, but unable to get much more out of it, she had resigned herself to remaining quiet until Comedy decided to speak with her again when Oren instead asked his question to her. Giving him a sidelong glance the woman did nevertheless begin to answer him, "He came to me within my dreams around three weeks ago. His instructions eventually led me here..." She briefly explained before turning her attention back to Comedy, the thought did cross her how oddly perfect all of this seemed but she decided against vocalizing it.

Sylvera stands with her arms crossed and one finger furiously tapping her elbow. This situation is growing fishier and fishier, and she's not sure what to make of it. The sudden return of the cat's name to her memory only makes her mood worse, as this seemingly confirms Comedy's claims that magic was (and maybe is) real. Yet when the creature mentions that what they see now is nothing more than a puppet, her mood shifts slightly. Could it be that all of this is some sort of well engineered trickery? If his body is in another room, could he be conducting this from elsewhere? The thought burns in her mind for a moment as she tries to come up with a logical answer to everything that's going on. Unfortunately, nothing is coming to mind. Perhaps there is a part of her that doesn't want to make sense of it, seeing how Comedy could have the answers she's looking for--but to admit that is to admit that magic exists. 

This leaves her with the issue of a question. She doesn't like this game, but she has to figure out a way to get the most out of this creature as she can. That means trying to think of the best possible question... one that would yield the most useful answer. To simply ask what the wasting is, or if it could be cured, or what the cure is, seems to be useless. From what she understands, Comedy's cure would be to simply wait for him to ferry them all to the promise land. Whatever that means. 

She side-eyes Oren as he says they should not rush and instead use their questions wisely. That's what she intends to do, however she's struggling since she already knows what she wants to ask. Perhaps these peasants have more to think about considering their reasons for helping Pallen were different than hers. Not to mention it sounds like they've had a run in with some sort of magic already. She doesn't have any such experiences to draw from. All she knows is that she's running out of funding and needs something to show for her efforts as fast as she can. With the all these thoughts swirling in her head, it is just so hard to think of how best to phrase her question. So, the best thing she can think of to ask is, "How can I find the cure for the wasting?" Hopefully that yields something useful.

Comedy doesn't respond for a moment, the mask just looking at Rick's direction unflinching... And then, it bursts out laughing.

"Oh yes! You would have made a fine knight, in another time," it muses, and with that seems satisfied. It turns toward Oren, Asimi, and Sylvera for a moment, but seeing how the former two do not ask any question of it, ignores them for now. Oren for his part tries to gauge the creature, but... It's really hard to try and gauge anything from it when it has no face, you know? And despite that, it somehow still manages to convey enough charisma that if it told you the sky was green, you might be inclined to go outside and check. It sounded at least like he intentionally played those few sentences mostly as a gag, rather than anything actually important.

And then, Sylvera, after thinking as long as she can, asks her own question. There's another laugh, if but a brief one this time.

"My, what a loaded question! And such a risky one, too. If I don't know enough, that question would net you nothing! And on the other hand, what answer I could give might very well just be nonsense to you!" it says, and stops, apparently thinking for how best to respond. Or just maybe it is looking for a way to escape the question because it sounds almost reluctant to continue.

"...I suppose you'd have to start with finding the ones who are responsible for creating the wasting in the first place," it starts, gloved hand caught under the "chin" of its mask, before it drops that hand to the side.

"So that would include me."

To that specific comment, Pallen seems to snap out of his own trance again for a moment... Enraged.

"You... You did this? You brought this curse upon all of us? And then you claim to want to help us?! What for?! Is this some sick game for you?!" 

Comedy seems to pause for a second, but its answer remains as jovial as usual.

"Oh, it's not like it is something we took joy from. If anything, I felt very, very sorry about it! Why else would I have so foolishly made a promise for it to ruin most of the fun I could have forevermore?"

"...But ultimately, I cannot feel TOO sorry about it. After all, it is the sins of the people of this world that forced our hand."

"And despite how much time has passed, sinners you yet all remain."

"Now, that was technically multiple questions, but I'll let it slide!"

Breldo snorts in disgust. 

"A bunch of sailors high as kites on some sort of drug, pushed to violence in their inebriation... I'd challenge anyone not to sleep uneasily after seeing the desperation in their drug addled eyes."

"Sir," he says, turning to Pallen. "I know we undertook to bring you here to your final rest, but we certainly can't leave you here with this madman, even... even once things run their course, I'd be uneasy with it... just because he hasn't defaced any of the stat- err... residents? Doesn't mean he won't be drawing mustaches and phalluses on them once we leave. I know it's a family tradition, but... if you can find your wife, perhaps we can take her with us and find you both a more suitable place to rest that doesn't have squatters camping out and talking nonsense."

Rick winces at Breldo's words and looks back to him pleadingly.

"Rick thinks Breldo might take Breldo's conversation elsewhere?"

"Why? I don't know why you're all coddling this charlatan, nodding along like he's talking anything close to sense. I imagine he'd make a better living telling fortunes on a street corner somewhere than lurking in a dead city, scaring folks. I'd not place a copper in his hat if he was busking at an inn."

((Breldo's 9 Charisma is showing.))

Rick's eye dart over to Comedy and then back to Breldo,

"Rick thinks Breldo forgot that Master Comedy took Rick's name and the memory of Rick's name from everyone, Breldo included?"

Rick is nearly pleading,

"Rick wouldn't wish something like that on Breldo!"

Rick is spooked.

After Rick’s very wise comment (OMG) , Oren can only nod in agreement. As he is standing near Breldo he reaches up and puts a comforting hand up in his shoulder and gived him two pats. “The lad is right. Lots is going on here.  A lot we don’t understand.  And much power. Relax.  This isn’t a sword fight.  Not one we want to have at least. Ok??”  
He hopes to calm down and quiet down Breldo for a bit.  

"Probably some sort of fumes in there that affect memory or something...", Breldo grumbles under his breath, but nods at Oren and takes a protective step closer to Nuria, still glaring at the strange figure with distrust.