Mary smiles at Jorin, spreading her hands as the cards gather themselves and float away behind her. “Some say fate is what we make of it. Some say tellings are fakery so vague any can interpret what they wish. Some,” she pauses, “Some say the cards tells us exactly what is. Perhaps it is your vision that is clouded.”
There is a moment of portentous stillness, then Mortimer stretches, presenting his butt to Jorin. Mary takes a drink of the wine she ordered. Her food remains barely touched.
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ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Maybe, he concedes, this monastery might be dedicated to Ioun, but it could just as easily be a Zhentarim hideout
Drusk adds that it could be both, as odd as that would be.
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Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Feldspar's eyes narrow, but she doesn't physically react to this new broadside from Mary. Or fate. Or both.
"Swords, pins, or cat claws?"she says, corner of mouth quirking briefly in an almost smile, or something else. "And if the heart has already been pierced, and pinned? My heart has already been pierced, and pinned. Maybe I'll do the piercing, in order to pin it."She blinks. "I have no more idea what the reading meant than your cat does. Maybe less. Perhaps it's just a reminder not to get in too deep with anyone. Are you going to eat that?"she says, pointing to Mary's untouched plate.
She is fairly quiet for the rest of the evening, though not impolite.
DM, I'd like to request that at some point during the day Hildi asked Mary to describe Garret.
Hildigrim is happy to answer the soldiers' questions — more to keep the conversation going than to guide it. It is in these circumstances that he is most able to guard his tongue. He's here to learn, not to teach. He smiles at Drusk's addition to the conversation. Taking out his journal, the halfling asks about the Barrier Peaks, Daoine Gloine, and Garret (giving a description).
(Garret, at least as described by Mary, is not in attendance, nor have the soldiers seen him, here or on the Long Road.)
If there are no more questions or actions, the party retires for the night. Nothing untoward happens overnight to wake you. In the morning you gather in the common room to break your fast. As you do, one of last night's soldiers comes in. You can see out front that a Whaterdahvian patrol is getting ready to ride out, another having come in this morning. The soldier makes a beeline for Hildi. "You're in luck*," he says. "Patrol just came in from Waterdeep, and one of the soldiers says word is your pink tiefling been seen with some of the Gray Hand. Scuttlebutt is that they were taking a ship north in the next few days." He shrugs. "Lucky you asked last night, eh?"
He heads back out, putting on his helmet, and the patrol rides out north. The tired and dusty riders of the patrol that just came in don't enter the inn, heading away (probably to the barracks).
Mary purses her lips at the news. Mortimer has a hissing/sneezing/scratching fit for about thirty seconds, leaving the table where he was sitting a little worse for wear.
"Well," the tiefling says. "We should be on our way."
* Hildigrim is canonically lucky
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Mary (not in game log, but if she was part of the campaign you could all look at her character sheet...): 16 Mortimer (same): 16
Mary glances over at Spar as she stands. "Make yourselves ready, we are leaving." She sweeps upstairs to her room, but Mortimer stays behind to watch you all. She will return shortly with her small number of items, attend to the tab, and head outside as one of the Sleeping Dragon's staff scurries out the back door (presumably to get your horses). Mortimer still stays to watch you all, leaving only when you all do.
(Last chance to do something before leaving Rassalantar.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Spar frowns, wondering why Mary looked at her in particular when she gave that instruction, and stands quickly, preparing herself and her pack for departure.
Two lines of concern appear between Hildi's eyebrows. He blinks, his brown eyes looking up and through the soldier's face rather than at it. The halfling's lips silently form the words "the Grey Hand". As the soldier turns to leave, the halfling shakes himself and says a distracted "Thank you," before looking over at Mary. The tiefling and her cat are clearly upset about the news. Indubitably!
“So we are trying to beat Garret to our destination?” Spar asks Hildi, in a low voice.
"It appears as such," Hildi responds sotto voce while continuing to frown at their guide.
"Make yourselves ready, we are leaving."
As Mary disappears up the stairs, Hildigrim raises his voice to address the others. "We know very little about this Garret, but if he's being escorted by the Blackstaff's own guard ... " He trails off and shakes his head. "Hainard's hairy toes," he says gravely.
After Mary pays the tab and heads for the front door, Hildi catches up to her, his little legs struggling to stay in step. "The Cartophile mentioned that it was a remote possibility that Force Grey may be sent on the same quest. Perhaps we should know a little more about this Garret and his relationship with the Blackstaff. We have actually met her. Vajra." He says the name, attempting to sound important, but he immediately regrets the arrogance. He frowns again, mentally berating himself. Why does he care if Mary thinks he's important?
"Mm, yes, remote," Mary mutters. Then she stops and turns to face Hildi. "It is nigh impossible that Force Grey has been dispatched to find Kwalish's artifacts. For one, they are scattered, and second, those of them in Waterdeep will stay to ward against the Walking Statues... walking."She seems annoyed at having had to say walking twice. "Now, members of the Gray Hands on the other... hand," her brows furrow, "More likely, as they are merely apprentices to Force Grey. And why on the Material Plane do they spell them differently!!" She throws up her hands, and apparently no longer talking to Hildigrim, turns and fastens her bags to her horse, which has just been brought out.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Hildigrim stops. His eyes drop to the ground and his mouth opens and closes a few times as he replays what Mary just said, trying to find anything of value in it. He finally looks up as she is mounting her horse. He raises a finger as if to continue their — Was it even a conversation? — but catches out of the corner of his eye his pony being led toward him. Exhaling noisily through his nose, Hildi frowns and moves to take control of the small horse. He fastens his bag to the saddle and throws a leg over it. "Do you anticipate they will they outstrip us?" he calls to the tiefling.
Mary turns her horse deftly to look at Hildi. She actually winks at him. "I have it on good authority that there will be unseasonal squalls along the coast this next tenday. Good thing we did not choose to go by ship."Then she wheels her horse and is ready to go.
(The rest of you follow?)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Hildigrim furrows his brow once again, then raises them. As the tiefling takes off, he urges his pony forward after quickly glancing around. After they have left the settlement, Hildi summons Volo. The tiny owl appears in mid-air a little to Hildi's right and flaps madly to stop from falling too far. He takes off into the air at Hildi's telepathic prompting, and takes a position about 20 feet above the group, circling and watching for anything of note in front of or behind them on the road.
Mary smiles at Jorin, spreading her hands as the cards gather themselves and float away behind her. “Some say fate is what we make of it. Some say tellings are fakery so vague any can interpret what they wish. Some,” she pauses, “Some say the cards tells us exactly what is. Perhaps it is your vision that is clouded.”
There is a moment of portentous stillness, then Mortimer stretches, presenting his butt to Jorin. Mary takes a drink of the wine she ordered. Her food remains barely touched.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Drusk adds that it could be both, as odd as that would be.
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Feldspar's eyes narrow, but she doesn't physically react to this new broadside from Mary. Or fate. Or both.
"Swords, pins, or cat claws?" she says, corner of mouth quirking briefly in an almost smile, or something else. "And if the heart has already been pierced, and pinned? My heart has already been pierced, and pinned. Maybe I'll do the piercing, in order to pin it." She blinks. "I have no more idea what the reading meant than your cat does. Maybe less. Perhaps it's just a reminder not to get in too deep with anyone. Are you going to eat that?" she says, pointing to Mary's untouched plate.
She is fairly quiet for the rest of the evening, though not impolite.
Mary and Mortimer both look at the plate, then she slowly pushes it toward Feldspar. Neither seem interested.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
DM, I'd like to request that at some point during the day Hildi asked Mary to describe Garret.
Hildigrim is happy to answer the soldiers' questions — more to keep the conversation going than to guide it. It is in these circumstances that he is most able to guard his tongue. He's here to learn, not to teach. He smiles at Drusk's addition to the conversation. Taking out his journal, the halfling asks about the Barrier Peaks, Daoine Gloine, and Garret (giving a description).
(Amusingly, both the following image and the earlier one of Mary are from the same published adventure.)
Mary will have described Garret as “an obnoxious, pink skinned tiefling with gaudy taste and a grating sense of humor.”
Somehow, you get this out of that:
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
(Garret, at least as described by Mary, is not in attendance, nor have the soldiers seen him, here or on the Long Road.)
If there are no more questions or actions, the party retires for the night. Nothing untoward happens overnight to wake you. In the morning you gather in the common room to break your fast. As you do, one of last night's soldiers comes in. You can see out front that a Whaterdahvian patrol is getting ready to ride out, another having come in this morning. The soldier makes a beeline for Hildi. "You're in luck*," he says. "Patrol just came in from Waterdeep, and one of the soldiers says word is your pink tiefling been seen with some of the Gray Hand. Scuttlebutt is that they were taking a ship north in the next few days." He shrugs. "Lucky you asked last night, eh?"
He heads back out, putting on his helmet, and the patrol rides out north. The tired and dusty riders of the patrol that just came in don't enter the inn, heading away (probably to the barracks).
Mary purses her lips at the news. Mortimer has a hissing/sneezing/scratching fit for about thirty seconds, leaving the table where he was sitting a little worse for wear.
"Well," the tiefling says. "We should be on our way."
* Hildigrim is canonically lucky
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
“So we are trying to beat Garret to our destination?” Spar asks Hildi, in a low voice.
Mary (not in game log, but if she was part of the campaign you could all look at her character sheet...): 16
Mortimer (same): 16
Mary glances over at Spar as she stands. "Make yourselves ready, we are leaving." She sweeps upstairs to her room, but Mortimer stays behind to watch you all. She will return shortly with her small number of items, attend to the tab, and head outside as one of the Sleeping Dragon's staff scurries out the back door (presumably to get your horses). Mortimer still stays to watch you all, leaving only when you all do.
(Last chance to do something before leaving Rassalantar.)
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Spar frowns, wondering why Mary looked at her in particular when she gave that instruction, and stands quickly, preparing herself and her pack for departure.
Two lines of concern appear between Hildi's eyebrows. He blinks, his brown eyes looking up and through the soldier's face rather than at it. The halfling's lips silently form the words "the Grey Hand". As the soldier turns to leave, the halfling shakes himself and says a distracted "Thank you," before looking over at Mary. The tiefling and her cat are clearly upset about the news. Indubitably!
“So we are trying to beat Garret to our destination?” Spar asks Hildi, in a low voice.
"It appears as such," Hildi responds sotto voce while continuing to frown at their guide.
"Make yourselves ready, we are leaving."
As Mary disappears up the stairs, Hildigrim raises his voice to address the others. "We know very little about this Garret, but if he's being escorted by the Blackstaff's own guard ... " He trails off and shakes his head. "Hainard's hairy toes," he says gravely.
After Mary pays the tab and heads for the front door, Hildi catches up to her, his little legs struggling to stay in step. "The Cartophile mentioned that it was a remote possibility that Force Grey may be sent on the same quest. Perhaps we should know a little more about this Garret and his relationship with the Blackstaff. We have actually met her. Vajra." He says the name, attempting to sound important, but he immediately regrets the arrogance. He frowns again, mentally berating himself. Why does he care if Mary thinks he's important?
"Mm, yes, remote," Mary mutters. Then she stops and turns to face Hildi. "It is nigh impossible that Force Grey has been dispatched to find Kwalish's artifacts. For one, they are scattered, and second, those of them in Waterdeep will stay to ward against the Walking Statues... walking." She seems annoyed at having had to say walking twice. "Now, members of the Gray Hands on the other... hand," her brows furrow, "More likely, as they are merely apprentices to Force Grey. And why on the Material Plane do they spell them differently!!" She throws up her hands, and apparently no longer talking to Hildigrim, turns and fastens her bags to her horse, which has just been brought out.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
Hildigrim stops. His eyes drop to the ground and his mouth opens and closes a few times as he replays what Mary just said, trying to find anything of value in it. He finally looks up as she is mounting her horse. He raises a finger as if to continue their — Was it even a conversation? — but catches out of the corner of his eye his pony being led toward him. Exhaling noisily through his nose, Hildi frowns and moves to take control of the small horse. He fastens his bag to the saddle and throws a leg over it. "Do you anticipate they will they outstrip us?" he calls to the tiefling.
Mary turns her horse deftly to look at Hildi. She actually winks at him. "I have it on good authority that there will be unseasonal squalls along the coast this next tenday. Good thing we did not choose to go by ship." Then she wheels her horse and is ready to go.
(The rest of you follow?)
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. I love it so.
(Yo ho, off we go.)
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Hildigrim furrows his brow once again, then raises them. As the tiefling takes off, he urges his pony forward after quickly glancing around. After they have left the settlement, Hildi summons Volo. The tiny owl appears in mid-air a little to Hildi's right and flaps madly to stop from falling too far. He takes off into the air at Hildi's telepathic prompting, and takes a position about 20 feet above the group, circling and watching for anything of note in front of or behind them on the road.
Jorin follows, staying near Hildigrim in the marching order in case the halfling needs to use Volo's sight instead of his own for any reason.
Feldspar joins in following, though she spends some time catching up with Reese, asking if anything interesting happened in the stable with Doxie.
Her eyes, however, do stay focused on her surroundings and she isn't muttering to herself as much.