Zorg's Lost Souls III

Mulligan

G'Reg listens and nods, this idiot doesn't understand, and the anime not knowing what is being said between Mulligan and the captive starts to talk to him again. "Things will go pear shaped whether you want it to or not, the fact of the matter right now is that Kelek and your band are sitting on riches that you cannot use, I could help you get at them but not for free, until that point Kelek is going to run out of payment to solve his problems, then who will lay your loyalty at the feet of?"

In reply Mulligan mentally counters with:

Barria tries her hardest to keep up with the conversation, but there are a lot of new names and roles and puppets that are people and... she starts to lose it all.  Then as G'Reg goes well... G'Reg, and then Mulligan starts chatting with him, her mind starts to wander.

As the others converse with the creepy little guy, Barria turns back towards the lake... wishing for the unicorn to come back.  She almost wonders if they should just let this guy go so that Lamore would return.  At least... she hopes she will return.

Zarak seems to be lost in thought for a moment, apparently contemplating Greginald's words. Then finally he seems to make a decision. Perhaps the gnome's persuasiveness paid off after all!

All right then. You're smart, like Kelek. Maybe smarter. Them hags could do with bein' taken down a peg or two. And who knows, maybe they'll have something' worth lootin', right?

He pauses a moment... licks his lips... glances at Mulligan again... and then continues:

That Will kid... he lives in a tree with a bunch of other kids. A tree that walks around. I saw 'em when I was trying to find a way into this lake, but round the far side, just past that second hill you can see, to the left of the clump of spruces. Sure, I seen the reward posters, but Kelek's bounty on the horn was bigger, so... I left 'em be... makin' a mental note for later. But that's cool... you can find 'im and hand 'im in if you want.

Zarak wriggles again to get comfortable, looking around at everyone in the group as he continuous to expound what he knows.

The palace... well, that's where folk go to get their wishes granted, or somethin'. Anyone that was there at the time got frozen. Some more folk been arrivin' since, but they're just waitin'... they don't know what's goin' on. Dunno much else. Fairy queen. Big pet owl in another room. Like real big. Lotsa rooms. Big garden. He shrugs again. I'd have cased the joint more if I'd had time.

Then looking at Greginald again, he asks:

That enough for ya?

     Mulligan confiscates the wooden replica horn, handing it over to Barria for safe keeping, then nods to Zarak and the rest of the group that it is good enough for him.  Mentally he provides the Orcling the best directions he can to find Nibs and again stresses not to harm the guy but there's a virtual pond of gold coins littered around him for the taking.  

     The crazy coot tells some wild stories to try to dissuade you but my own pouches are proof enough that it's easy pickings.

     Mulligan then pantomimes to the group that they may as well let their hostage go unless anyone else has more questions...

Barria tucks the wooden replica horn away and starts dreaming about this beautiful palace full of frozen people.  "What a strange idea.  But where is Kelek?" she for one didn't want to run into this brutal, manipulating man.  As she thinks this, she looks down at G'Reg and smirks, one is enough.

She shrugs towards Mulligan.  She's fine with letting the creature go, sooner rather than later really, as she is really hoping the unicorn will come back once he is gone.

With everyone apparently in agreement, Mulligan nods to Zarak to indicate that he is free to go, and Rowan unties his bonds.

Kelek's stayin' at the castle, he explains to Barria, rubbing his wrists which are now free of the ropes. He won't go nowhere else until he gets that staff.

The little orc doesn't bother to stay and exchange any further pleasantries... whatever passed between him and Mulligan, it certainly made the assassin keen to get going. With hardly a sound, Zarak slips away across the grass and into the trees.

The group take some time to wait patiently, hoping Lamorna the unicorn might return... but there is no sign of the magical creature.... just the perfect serene stillness of the pristine lake. Much like the grove of the tree-maiden, this domain seems to avoid the heavy ageing decay that lays on the rest of the forest of Thither, resisting the influence of the Hag of Regrets.

Now it seems there is a choice. If the encounter with Zarak qualifies as a completion to their fey directions, and if they trust the word of an assassin, then they could make directly for Will's tree on the other side of the lake. Alternatively, they could continue the previous plan and seek for Grandfather Gum.

(A reminder of Nib's directions)

Hmm. Directions. Nibs says as he resumes his knitting and looks to Barria. Well... Locations in this place... they don't seem to stay put, So feyfolk don't give directions by landmarks. Now, Will's tree? Let me remember... To find that what wishes to stay lost... Go to a place none can go but one... Visit the invisible... Speak to the living remains of the dead... And prevent a happy ending. Yes, I think that's it! But of course it might not be in that order. Hehe, that's fey logic for ya.

Greg makes no move to stop the sneak their as he skulls away, instead he is yet again in his own head, thinking... Then out loud. "Iggwilv must be wrapped up in this somehow. And that makes the hags all the more dangerous. I don't know why but if that assassin is right then Zybilna had care of Iggwilv's cauldron. Now the lot is trapped in some powerful Dunamancy... But why!? Why would she leave the most powerful magic item known to Zybilna's care? The thought of a moving domicile now feels all the more ominous too. I hope to the gods that it is in fact a tree and not some house with legs disguised as one."

     Mulligan drops the telepathic link with the assassin and re-forms the Group Chat with the others.  That's two psionic energy dice used total so far...  This link lasts for two hours. (sigh) I'm just spending a third point now to re-new it when it fails which gives it another... two hours.  (sigh sigh) Ok, so 4 hours and I'm sure I'll be renewing it after that.  lol

     Once the Chat is back up Mulligan explains his deal with the others.  He explains since Zarak reached out to him and was so obviously more interested in coin than anything else, that he would use Neb and his curse against the assassin.  That is what Nebs said was true, and if Zarak did what Zarak would inevitably do, then his taking of coins would curse him right alongside Nebs.

     I do feel a bit bad foisting such bad company upon Nebs.  He didn't really seem that bad a chap, actually.  But ensuring the unicorn and their horn was safe from that little orcling seemed worth it.  After all, it's not me spending eternity with him.

Barria sighs as she looks out over the lake, no unicorn in sight.  She almost got to ride one!!  The thrill... the joy... ugh.  Maybe she'll run into Lamore again at some point.  She was going to guard her mate's horn with her life.

Turning back to the others, "Alright then, let's trek around this lake and see if we can find this tree Will is in.  If we can't find him that way, we can go back to the shadow of the mountain.  Just that since we're here... let's see what we can find."

Rowan nods along with Barria and then starts humming to himself as they make their way around the lake looking for any treehouses or trees that might be suitable for homes.