The Long Road of the Mage King (Game Thread)

Gash grunts, "Go ahead Dog, give them the shards."

Dog's muscled frame has just been quietly shaking, and he's pulled out the shards, holding them in his large hands. He makes a movement during the exchange, when the priest is not budging at all, that looks as though he's decided to shatter them into powder, growling as he does so... but then he goes still and the growl stops.

He looks around, seeing they're in a town full of beings that can easily throw around dangerous magic in a labyrinth -- they likely have other defenses. He looks again at the priest and the statue, realizing that things could get a lot worse before they get better. Stones' words begin to register on his face and he blinks a few times and his shoulders relax just a bit. He extends his hand, with three unbroken shards in a row resting on his palm, toward the priest.

"Here. We can be reasonable. Now it's your turn. You know about the child. Where is she, and where is her mother. You'll tell us now, neighbor."

"We can be reasonable, and we can also be... unreasonable."

The priest takes the shards and breaks them in half, watching them disintegrate in his hands. He points to the temple. "You may find the child in the temple. Her abductor has already left Taur, but we have been caring for her until you arrived."

Dog starts walking toward the temple's entrance. "Walk with me, neighbor. I am an unknown guest to your colleagues, and this is your home. I do not know the way," and he attempts to try to gently place his hand on the priest's shoulder or back to encourage him to walk beside him. He's not grappling or trying to threaten at all -- he's trying to be friendly.

• If the priest accompanies him, he will continue talking. "So tell me more about her abductor, and how she has been, and where her mother is. We care deeply for both of them. Also tell me more about the rights that completing the Trial confers."
• If the priest does not walk with him, he'll break contact without aggression, turn, and walk backwards toward the temple, holding his hands up, saying "have it your way then, I was only being neighborly."

With or without the priest, Dog walks right to the entrance of the temple, looking for Gentoa, for any sign of Neventi, and for any traps or dangers along the way (perception: 4). He's not spending any extra time -- this is just looking as he's walking.

Gash follows as calmly as possible trying to follow Dogear's lead

The priest does not follow, gently shrugging off the goliath's touch. "You will find what you seek easily enough."

Indeed, immediately in the foyer of the temple they find Gentoa, sitting on the ornate marble floor drawing on a slate with a piece of chalk. She is accompanied by an elderly minotaur woman who is sitting in a chair and watching the girl draw. Gentoa looks up as they enter and her face brightens. She jumps up and rushes over to Dog and Gash and Keyrie and Tock, making her respective animals sounds for each of them as she rushes into Dog's arms.

(Everyone is now level 6!)

The minute Dog sees Genny he rushes to her, dropping to his knees and wrapping her in a big hug, doing his best puppy dog impression that's made her giggle so often in the past. In the moment, he's completely forgotten about the angry questions he had for Genny's captors, and instead asks her about what she was drawing, as the others greet her.

After a minute or two he looks up at the minotaur woman and says. "She appears safe, and if I have you to thank for that, I thank you. But she is alone, and was not when we last saw her. What happened? Who brought her here and why, and why is she alone? I am Dog, and we've been traveling with her and her mother for a long time. Who are you, and why are we all here?"

The old minotaur woman speaks in a surprising, gruff tenor. "Good day to you too, boy," she says as she pulls out a large pipe crafted from some kind of bone. She begins tamping some red crushed leaves into it. "The girl's mother is safe. Jaleinni is escorting her to the negotiations in Masa. If you are the capable protectors you appear to be, you will escort the girl to her mother there."

The old woman lights her pipe with a snap of her fingers and takes a long draw on it. She blows out a long, smooth plume of pink smoke. "If you have any more questions, see the High Priest." She points with her pipe towards a set of ornate doors that must lead to private chambers.

The old woman stands and hobbles out of the temple, patting Gentoa on the head as she passes her by.

Keyrie has been tense ever since they teleported away. Seeing Genny she relaxes slightly, "Its good to see you well little one, how are you, would you show me your drawing?" Keyrie listens intently even if what she says doesn't make sense and moves to distract Genny by playing with her and Myon together, making sure that Myon is playing with her very gently.

Dog listens, while Keyrie and Gentoa play. (OOC: did she answer either question about what she was drawing?) He tries to recall if he has heard of Jaleinni and looks at his mental atlas to see what he knows about Masa. (History: 18)

"Want to jump on my shoulders, Genny? I think I've grown a bit taller these last few days and you might be able to see farther than usual."

If she wants to, he'll help her up onto his shoulders and stand tall, and if the others are game, he'll walk slowly to the doors. Along the way, he'll quietly say, "How are you, dear one? Were they kind? Do you know where mum is? We tried very very hard to find you both, and I'm sorry it took so long. We missed you!"

A bit louder, he'll say: "I want to introduce you to two new friends we made along the way. Stones is the one who looks like a kitty -- he likes music. Bulwark is the one who looks like a toy soldier made by a blacksmith's shop -- he talks funny and is very strong. Have you made new friends?"

He's dreading having to answer the inevitable question about FeyTok, and is secretly relieved that he forgot to bring the body with him through the exit portal.

(Feel free to impose details I leave out like the drawing, if you think of something fitting or funny.)

Masa, Dog recalls is one of the largest trading hubs in central Alcion. It sits upon a major river as well as the Long Road and is less than a week's ride or sail to many major ports and cities, including the capital. It is a center for wealth, opportunity, wares, travel, entertainment, as well as criminal enterprise. It is easily twice as far away as he has already traveled along the Road, however.

Dog and the rest leave Gentoa's slate with eight crudely drawn stick figures of varying heights on the ground. They walk to the ornate door as Dog questions Gentoa. "Good. Yah," she says. "Mama. Woof woof!" 

The doors open before they get to them. A large, elderly minotaur has thrown them open. He is dressed in long ornate black robes with blood red fringe and gold filigree. A tall square hat sits on his head of the same color scheme and pattern. He wields a scepter in his left hand. "Xyrna!" he yells with a booming baritone. "Oh. Never mind. Welcome trial-goers. I see you have been reunited with the child. Please, join me in the main hall. There will be room enough for us there."

The High Priest leads them into the main hall of the temple where rows of over-sized benches sit facing a pulpit. The High Priest walks casually up and takes his place on the pulpit, gesturing the others to sit on the benches. "As Xyrna has no doubt told you, Gentoa's mother has been escorted to Masa," he says with a stern, commanding voice. "Representatives of the Heavens and the Hells are congregating there to parley. Both sides have agreed to leave the child in your care and request you make haste to the negotiations. You will not be pursued or even approached if you stick  to  this  course. Your presence is not strictly required, but the child's mother was subpoenaed to be present while they seek peace and no doubt she and the child wish to be reunited. The mother's input will likely be crucial to success. My understanding is that the meetings begin in less than a tenday. Thus, I turn over the care of the child to you. We make our town available to you for whatever we can provide at a reasonable price. When you are ready to leave, we have a portal that we can open to a location near to the Long Road just west of Hergantenus. If you have any further questions, I shall do my best to answer them."

Tock speaks up for the first time, lowering the hood of his cloak, "Who took them away from us and here? Why was this course of action better than just talking to us?"

"My friend here asks good questions. I have a few more. I'd like to know if you, and Baphomet, have taken a side in this. What do you want for the child, and why?

• Why did you not just meet us outside your labyrinth with Genny, and save us the peril of the Trial, which claimed the life of a dear friend and worthy protector?
• Who specifically subpoenaed Nev?
• Why could Genny not have come with Nev?
• Who is giving you understanding of these meetings, and what can you tell us about what you're asking us to walk into?
• Can the hosts of heaven and hell track us, Genny, or Nev?
• Can you control where the portal drops us on the road? We have a means of teleporting many places, but it would help to have some guidance, or an item that was recently in Masa.

I'd also like to know what you think of all of this in general - the prophecy, the fight, all of it. And if you could tell us more about what makes Taur special? What should we see and do here before leaving?"

"Better for whom?" the high priest says. He leaves the question hanging unanswered. "It was the Archmage Jalienni who transported them here. He is bringing the mother to the negotiations as we speak."

The priest gives a thin smile in response to the barrage of questions. "You'd best ask the gods themselves for many of those answers. I only know what is given to me through the messengers of Baphomet. He wants what the angels want: a warrior raised to fight on the side they think is right."

The priest stares hard at Dog as he speaks next. "Both sides will seek every advantage until the battle is won, make no mistake. And the time you all spent battling in the trial, with impressive results I might add, gave Baphomet and his ilk the advantage of time. I am sorry for your loss. I have lost friends in the Trial as well. They too were unworthy of Taur. But your friend's death, plainly put, served a political end."

The priest pauses, but sees in the Goliath's face a need for more answers. "Ah, yes, the child. Sadly, our protection of the child was deemed...to favor one side. So we were told we could protect the child only until you arrived. I dare say that I fully hoped you would not. But we are commanded to relinquish the child to your care, which we have done. It is not in our best interest to do more than we would for any worthy visitor to Taur now. You have our hospitality but we have no reason to believe that helping you benefits Baphomet. So our hospitality shall have to suffice."

The high priest looks to the figure of Baphomet standing atop the altar behind him. His eyes and face soften. "The gods forgot about the Minotaur long ago. We are the Lost ones, our prayers unheeded. Until Baphomet. He and He alone watches out for us. If the aasimar child is important to Baphomet, I will do all I am commanded for His gain. That is what I think of the fight between heavens and hells."

Tock exhales slowly, then has an idea and as quietly as possible changes the exhalation into a quick syllable and it seems like the high priest just let out a laaaarge fart. (casting Thaumaturgy to throw the sound behind the priest).

He then says in his normal voice, "So where are the wares? We need to restock and get going as quickly as possible."

“Unworthy? He was a great warrior who put his life on the line to save others. He was the most worthy warrior I know. And I would appreciate if you spoke of our fallen with the respect he deserves and the respect he commanded during life. Do not besmirch the name of Feytock”

The high priest gives Gash a sad, sympathetic smile, then turns his attention to Tock. "Of course. We have master craftsmen of all types in Taur. Our most popular inn and tavern is The Mountain Oasis run by Sark. He has an excellent vegetable stew. Tarak, our local blacksmith, runs The Iron Horn. If you need steel weapons, he has them. Our bowyer is Grest, who runs The Heart and Target. The noble Haliani is our armorer at The Band and Buckle. She can accommodate any size, I assure you. We have a fine enchanter, Bolaz, at The Crystal Maze. Lagazi has potions at Fortune's Cauldron. And everything else you can find at the Crate and Table, run by Ferlienni."

(Shopping in Taur: You can see if a common or uncommon item is available by rolling a d10. On a 1, it is not available. On a 2 or 3, it can be made within two days. Anything else, it is right there in the store. Uncommon items will be less than 1000 gold, typically around 300 gold. Common items will be less than 200 gold, typically about 50 gold. If you want a rare item, you might be able to afford some that require attunement or have limited use, either per day or are consumable. Roll a d10. On a 1-3, it is not available. On a 4-6, it is available within 2 days. Anything else, it is right there in the store. I will give prices for all items when you post what you want. Here is the link to search magical items: https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items)

(From Dog's earlier 19 religion roll on Baphomet, did he recall whether Bael and he are allies?)

Dog nods when the high priest answers his many questions. He's not satisfied, but he knows he's not going to get very much from him. When Gash brings up FeyTok again, Dog tries to pivot the concern back to the priest. "Could we at least have his body returned to us so that we can properly memorialize him? I never talked about religion with him but it seems wrong to just leave him in there to turn to bones in a labyrinth."

He looks at the rest of the party to see if anyone else has questions.

After any exchanges are done, he asks again about Taur, if the priest has not already answered Tock. "What provisions can we purchase here? I don't believe we'll be staying long but since we did go through so much to get into this place, I don't want to leave without seeing it, even if briefly. We left our horses and carriage in a town nearby the entrance to the labyrinth -- are we close to it so that we could get them back? Or could you arrange for them to be sent down the road to where your portal will take us? And is there anyone else in town that you would recommend we speak with? I am sorry the gods forgot the minotaurs -- I never will. You all seem... different than I would expect for the reputation your people and your god have in the wider world and as you've seen, I'm a curious sort of fellow, and I'm not too stupid to realize there's a lot I don't know. I'm open to learning anything I can."

The priest nods. "You will exit Taur near the Long Road. Retrieving your mounts will be easy. As for your comrade, yes, we can retrieve his body for you. You can find it here at the temple by this evening."