The Forgotten Wish

Nuria remains silent even as the creature nods it's approval to her words. She want's to ask her question, but what should she ask? She glances at Breldo as the halfling speaks up, and looks between him and the three elves. She's not entirely sure if she understands what's going on with this whole wasting thing, but this creature.... Even as Breldo voices his disbelief, once again blaming drugs for the strange happenings, she's still not convinced that what Comedy is saying is false...even though she doesn't want to believe it. Everyone has been quick to blame drugs or something else for everything they've seen, but she knows she wasn't high on anything when on that ship. Yet she still heard the music, and now it's come to light that they all had similar dreams after the ordeal. How is that not magic? She shivers.

She's only vaguely aware of Breldo stepping closer to her as she tries to make up her mind. The question on her mind feels so selfish after hearing what the three elves will be going through. However, Comedy knew of that day. She doesn't know how he knows, but he somehow does, and his words earlier....he made it sound as if the others in her village were right. Is she really cursed? Did she deserve to be thrown to the streets?

Once things calm down a bit, so she won't get talked over, she stutters, "Y-you made it sound like you knew what happened that day. A-at the orphanage. Did I really....was I the..." She grabs her hair again trying to force herself to speak, "What...how...please, tell me what really happened, with the f-fire."

Right after she finishes she immediately shrinks behind Breldo as much as she can, she both desperately wants the answer to this but dreads it as well. However she still feels like her question is insignificant, when compared to all she's heard about the elves' plight.

Breldo, even after everything that happened so far, is clearly not impressed. Even Pallen who is (rightfully) pissed in this moment, seems to sober up a bit when Breldo suggests just leaving. It fills him with even more conflict... Though it is evident the option of "leaving" at least is not one he's considering.

"Breldo, I... I can't. This isn't right, but, to just give up, I... I don't know."

And immediately, everyone around him tries to get him to calm down, clearly worried about pissing off Comedy, and making a lot of non funny things happen. Lucky for everyone's sake, judging by Comedy's laugh, he finds the insolence more funny than insulting.

"Oh, worry not. Why would I be upset about your friend simply getting ahead of the curve?" it speaks, with a soft snicker.

"After all, what will you all do, when today ends and you return home? Will you tell all about what you've seen and heard? Of course not! You'd be considered insane at best. A charlatan at worst!"

"No, you'd just go home and lie. And with magic already gone again, there'd be no way to prove something happened, nor will something strange happen again. Things will return as they've always been to this cold, dead world. And then, should you have the grace of living a long life... Maybe one day you will look back at this moment, and wonder there just like your friend. Maybe I did spray some weird toxin in this room? All of you so open to suggestion, it takes but mere suggestion for you to see the strangest things?"

There's another laugh from the creature, as Pallen bites his lip. And then, turns toward Breldo.

"If you aren't going to use your question, with everything it's done so far... Ask if... No, ask what it has done with those kids."

Nuria for her own part, holds a "selfish" question, at least from her own view. But it is one Comedy seems glad to answer. If apprehensively, for reasons it immediately divulges.

"Ah. I suppose I should start by saying I do not actually know for certain what happened that night. I merely made an educated guess! An educated guess on things I can see, and do know, and judging by your response I was likely correct. But to know for certain, I cannot."

"What I do know is that you have dragons blood in your veins. Mere traces of it, from far, far back in your lineage, but that is enough to allow you innate access to magic. In theory! With there being no magic left, you trying would be like a fish trying to swim when there is no ocean."

"But what I expect happened is, back when you were young, just the tiniest flareup of magic happened. And your body, yet volatile with this dragons blood, reacted unintentionally to it. It used to be a common thing back in the day, but people knew to be aware of it then. And so, you caused an unintentional spark, and the rest is history."

"Of course, that is but my theory, based on the ironies of fate. It is just as likely your dragons blood only helped protect you from this fire! Or that nothing of the kind happened, and it was merely circumstance."

"I hope that answers your question, at least to the best I can."

Breldo humors his employer, turning to 'Comedy' to ask, "The kids in the local village, if they've been coming here to you, what have you done to them?"

"Well, I can't say for the others, but I would certainly be one to tell the story.  It is, after all, my job to tell unbelievable tales and make people, if just for a moment, believe in it.  I must say that I'm curious, though, if there is a way to briefly bring such powerful magics back, there must be some way to, with a bit more deliberacy, restore things properly."

There is a very curt laugh as Breldo asks his question.

"Well, if that is your question in particular... Then I assure you, no kids have come to this place right here!"

After which it turns to Khond, a bit more blunt.

"Ah, as the act of an bard, you may get away with people thinking it's just a fun story. But no one would believe you still," it says, but the mask keeps gazing in his direction. Was that final bit of his statement supposed to be his question?

Breldo grits his teeth at the infuriating figure, and heads back towards the other room, looking about for something that might tell him more about this place.

Rick relaxes on seeing Breldo leave the room.

"Of course none would believe me, other than children.  Though, few would believe centaurs are real, so if I were just to tell them of you then maybe my own existence would be convincing enough." 

((Khond's not really thinking he's got any question to ask, since he had nothing to add to the events.  If Comedy will take that as a question then it might as well be his, he has no others.))

Oren is still thinking of the wording of his question, but he is waiting to see what the answer is for Khond's question.  

Sylvera's eyes narrow when she receives her answer. Seems she's struck a cord with whatever sort of creature this is. But then again, if he truly is to be held responsible for the wasting, then why should she care? Part of her wants to walk over and attempt to wring Comedy's neck, but seems how he's so tall she would likely just make a fool of herself. 

"The sins of the people forced your hand? By that I assume you mean those who once lived longer lives than others. Otherwise why would the wasting not affect everyone in some way? Or perhaps it is the fault of those who created the wasting that magic disappeared, and the wasting is merely a result of that." She eyes Comedy, trying to provoke more of an answer without 'crossing the line' and asking more than her own share. 

She looks to Breldo, "Even if this...Comedy is lying about magic, perhaps humoring him could provide useful information... if he truly is being honest about his involvement in the wasting. I doubt he can do much harm to us if this truly is just some illusion." She gestures briefly at Comedy's towering form. "I am happy to provide more questions if you yourself have nothing to ask." Might as well put the offer out there, so she can play by the rules but also get as much information as she can. 

She purses her lips as the conversations continue, and Comedy spouts some nonsense about Nuria having dragons' blood. Hah, as if such a timid person could have ties to a fearsome creature like a dragon. Pure foolishness. But still, this is the closest she's gotten to answers during her search for the last few years. 

"What is the purpose of this conversation anyways?" She asks absently, looking to Asimi rather than Comedy even though the question is more for him. "If there is no magic, and the wasting cannot be cured, then why even make an appearance here? If he is promise sworn to us, then why play such foolish games and not simply tell us what we must do to reverse this accursed sickness?" She eyes Asimi for a moment before asking a question solely directed at her, "Where did you come from anyway? What place do you call home?"

Asimi had been largely silent as the conversations and questions continued on. Having been denied any further chances of her own and stuck processing emotions she couldn't quite pin down. A part of her bristled at the obvious indignation of others being afforded more questions than she, just as much as she wanted to snap at the others for disrespecting Comedy... Even if the being didn't seem bothered by it she still felt he deserved some kind of reverence, in spite of the obvious backstabbing the elf had received.

Lost in her own brooding she only perked up again once Sylvera addressed her directly. Looking towards the other elf blankly a word entered her mind upon processing her question, "Kemsari. I come from Kemsari," Though she said it plainly the word itself almost seemed foreign on her tongue. 

Nuria gives a short nod, then falls completely silent after Comedy answers her question. Though she's switched from grabbing her hair to hugging herself and holding her bow to her chest. Half of her believes Comedy, while the other half is still in denial hoping that Sylvera and Breldo are right about this all being foolishness.

((Rick know where Kemsari is?))

Khond shakes his head to Sylvera's first thought on the wasting, "No, no, we centaurs can fall prey to the Wasting too, you know?  It stops us from living as long as even a human."

((History: 12))

“Yes I know,” Sylvera says to Khond. “That’s what I was getting at. All of us races that once had the longest lives now find them cut short, while those like humans are unaffected.” 

To Asimi she nods, “I see, and you traveled here because of some… vision from Comedy?”

(im guessing she knows where Kemsari is but I’ll roll if needed) 

Breldo is irritatedly poking around in the neighboring room, but keeping an ear out in case things pop off.

Investigation: 22

Breldo leaves the room in a huff, turning back to the other big room across the entranceway. Pallen only briefly mutters the question if no one is going to comment Comedy blatantly avoided the question. There is clearly a lot to explore in this place, but if they are all as creepy as this dining hall seating only a bunch of statues, it probably won't be too pleasant a something. From here he could either go up or down, or go across the dining hall toward the back of the building. A quick cursory investigation reveals nothing of interest in this room.

(I will probably give you a chance to get a general overview of what is throughout the entire building if you want to investigate anything in particular closer, after the whole Comedy bit has been resolved.)

Rick thinks for a moment. He's heard about Kemsari in passing. But not a lot, really. It's a smaller forest village somewhere outside of "human" lands, so... It's anywhere from a week to over a month of travel away? He doesn't know the exact location. Sylvera is pretty much in the same boat, as it's not really in her domain.

And while these things happen, Comedy and his present company continue their funny dealings. After a moment of silent parlay, Comedy taking Khond's previous statement as a question. All while ignoring Sylvera asking her questions more directly. His occasional glancing betrays that maybe there are things he wants to comment on.

...But his inherent nonanswering betrays he's also not going to just answer questions. At the very least, not until everyone has asked their one free question, so he does not accidentally give away "freebies". Or perhaps just not for free at all. 

Asimi at least feels like a "proper cure" is more in lines with the implications of what she was promised. Comedy's dreams bringing her here promised a way to make sure she would not need to suffer from it; a promise she can be helped after the fact rings hollow.

"Can magic be restored?"

Comedy pauses. A gloved hand raises up to where its chin should be, but instead rests at the bottom of its mask, as if thinking.

"...Maybe. To an extent, perhaps. I doubt magic could ever be restored to its former glory. At the very least the world won't be."

"Now. Two questions left, yes? Not that I want to interrupt your hopes of really thinking this one through, but I should say, the magic I used in this place is steadily running out. And if it does, I'll still owe you your question... But it will be a lot harder to ask it! Hahahahaha-"

Asimi nods her head at Sylvera's question, "Yes, around three weeks ago he began appearing in my dreams. I followed the instructions within them and ended up here. There isn't much more to it than that," She began to explain again, her gaze slowly looking over those still within the room before pausing on Nuria for a moment. Studying the timid woman briefly before her attention returned to Sylvera, "From my understanding your journeys have been far stranger than mine."

She made to continue but paused herself as Comedy spoke up, the implications in his words ringing clear in her ears, "I would suggest you begin taking this more seriously. Unless we find ourselves out of options." Asimi instead said to the other elf bitterly.

Sylvera puts a finger to her chin in thought as Asimi explains that Comedy was appearing in her dreams. The thought sounded preposterous, but... well considering they are currently trying to find a cure for a sickness that turns would-be long lived races to stone, she can't really afford to not consider the possible existence of magic in the past. She notices Asimi's look at Nuria, and says in response, "Whatever strange things they have encountered, I have seen no such thing."

She too pauses as Comedy begins speaking again, noting that her words at least sparked the desire to answer her questions. If he wants to answer, it seems foolish to withhold his words... or his defense considering he confessed to helping create the wasting, but it seems he's intent on keeping up this game. To Asimi she says, "I'm taking this as seriously as I can. And what do you mean out of options? As far as I'm concerned we ran out of options long ago. I've been grasping at straws for the past year or so, trying to find anything that could point me to a cure for this accursed disease. I'm far from running out of places to look, but I never had any leads to go on in the first place... at least not until now." She eyes Comedy again, then realizes that a couple of her companions have vacated the room. 

"If they do not wish to ask questions, then answer some of mine before you run out of time," she says--clearly growing irritated.