Seldom Spring

Ebokk follows Jambiya downstairs, mumbling to Maldorn that he would send Tairdai up to make sure he has everything he wants and needs to care for Anafrey. He does just that as they enter the sitting room. The maid immediately heads upstairs to assist Maldorn in any way she can without emotionally or physically getting in the way.

Jambiya, you run back into the office, but the winged lizard is not in sight. You look around for a bit, but still can't find it. When you return to the sitting room, Skadoula smiles at you and asks, "Dragon?"

The goblin girls sits back on her chair, a little disconsolate. "Oh, just a little dragon, sort of like, not quite a dragon, that we met on the island. We've... we've touched minds, sort of, I think it talks in pictures and feelings. Anyway, it told me it was lonely, that it had lost its family, and I invited it to come with us because I have a lot of family," she looks over shyly at Erric. "And I could share, and it's been sort of with us ever since, on the ship, and here in Waterdeep. It came through the window when I was calling out for help, and said it wanted to help me, but then I lost track of it in all the dying and pulling and, well. All the emotions of it all."

She looks down at the floor. "I only just remembered it, and well, it's gone. I'm afraid maybe it doesn't think I love it anymore..." She looks up, probably surprising herself with the word, and her feelings for the dragon.

Erric's face brightens into a large smile when Jambiya returns and presents herself so regally.

"Jambiya! Skadoula can see more of time than most people. That's how she found us. You. I think? I don't really understand. Maybe you could explain it better with the lady of the hour present? Also she says we don't need Sune's Kiss for 'Frey. She's strengthened her so she can fight off the flail for now, but it won't last. You two have a lot to talk about, with your mother, so I'm happy to leave if you want privacy, but if so, call me back in if you want to talk about how to fix Anafrey for good."

He has gone right back to his pint, and has completely forgotten that his hands are covered in Anafrey's blood. His heart is still racing and he's only now caught his breath.

Tairdai arrives at the room to see Maldorn still working on the huntress’ wounds. He welcomes her help with the task at hand and excuses himself whenever the treatment requires Anafrey’s armor to be shifted or removed. He may go behind a door or wall, but he never goes far.

Once his friend is clean and wrapped up, he asks Tairdai to look over her and makes use of the washbasin himself. Assuming he can do so in some privacy, the old ranger cleans himself as best as the available supplies allow him and counts himself lucky that all his most recent wounds are healing nicely (no damage since the island).

Jambiya looks at her hands, and seems to notice for the first time that she, too, has Anafrey's blood on her. She starts, but then faces the dwarf lady squarely. "When I was wrestling with the... the Flindbar, I heard it telling me to stop, but I also heard another voice, a woman's voice, urging me to keep fighting." She swallows. "Was that... was that my mother?"

Skadoula makes a "Hmmm" face. "Perhaps. My precognition of this day has been very narrow. I knew when I would arrive, and that you would be here, and that your friend was in danger, but not much else." She smiles. "And as for your little dragon friend, I wouldn't fret. Animals can understand intentions far better than many more intelligent creatures. And they can be very forgiving."

Skadoula finally looks over at Mrs. Lockforge. "Esmet, how are you feeling?"

Ebokk's mother jerks a little at being addressed. Her eyes waver in their sockets, but she recovers and looks at her son. "It is good ... to finally know."

Ebokk moves over to sit next to his mother, placing his hands on hers. "I knew there must be a good reason why he didn't come home. He would never willingly abandon us."

Esmet's eyes start to sparkle. "Well, yes. I suppose he was very reliable." She pats her son's hand before standing. "I'm tired, so I will retire to my chambers." She looks around the room, giving uncertain looks at Erric and Jambiya before leaving the sitting room without saying another word.

Ebokk watches his mother leave, then deflates a little.

"Worry not," Skadoula says to him "Give her some time. It's hard to forgive someone who you've been holding a grudge against for so long."

Skadoula smiles at Erric and Jambiya. "Do you think that gray-haired fellow will be coming back down soon? Or should I just explain to you what must be done, and you can fill him in tomorrow when you explain it to Anafrey as well?"

Upstairs, Mrs. Lockforge sticks her head into Anafrey's room and addresses Tairdai, quietly asking her to try to clean up Oskir's office. Tairdai says she won't rest so long as anything is out of place.

Before Esmet Lockforge leaves, can Erric interact with her briefly?

As she gets up, he also stands, etiquette slowly returning to him, or at least the understanding that etiquette is a thing that people pay attention to. He reaches out his hand to shake hers, then, seeing it covered in blood, retracts it quickly and puts both of them behind his back. "Mrs. Lockforge. My name is Erric Hillfall. I'm guessing you've picked up on the fact that Ebokk hired us to find Oksir's beard ring and we found a lot more. I'm sorry we were introduced to each other amid such chaos, and I'm also sorry about the damage to your home. I hope that the value of knowing more about your husband, and the safe return of your son, is greater. I would shake your hand, but, well, I need to wash them. Where is there a sink I could use?"

(He'll go and wash his hands, and return, offering to go get Maldorn if he hears the need of it.)

Mrs. Lockforge listens to Erric silently, her face a mixture of distraction and polite attendance. When the halfling asks about a sink, she nods toward the door you've seen Tairdai use at the far end of the sitting room. "Through there is the dining room, and beyond that is the kitchen. If you'll excuse me." And she sweeps up the hallway.

Erric, it is as Mrs. Lockforge said: You walk through the door into a dining room the size of Oskir's office. A huge dining table with enough seats to accommodate a small army dominates the room. You walk around that and through a door on the other side of the room and find yourself in a generous kitchen. You wash your hands and then return to the sitting room.

To keep things moving, we'll say you go upstairs to fetch Maldorn. Is Maldorn obliged to accompany Erric downstairs?

When Erric enters the room, he sees a clean Maldorn finishing to put his gear back on. He nods at the halfling and kindly requests of Tairdai: "She is clean and her wounds are dressed. You need only to observe her and tend to her until our conversation downstairs is concluded. If anything happens, come and fetch me and the others."

Maldorn follows Erric downstairs. The first thing he does upon arriving at the living room is to tell Jambiya that Anafrey is under Tairdai's care for now and that she is all clean and bound. 

Jambiya nods her thanks to Maldorn. While the boys were away, she sun-dapple-sparkled her hands clean (Prestidigitation again).

Skadoula finishes her tea and then adjusts her robes, smoothing them out. She appears to be in no hurry, despite the four sets of impatient eyes watching her. Finally, she looks around at each, her face full of pleasantness bordering on delight. "Children, your friend is in trouble. I have only encountered a presence such as Flindbar a couple times in my long years. I'm not sure how they come to be nor how they might be destroyed. Or if they might be destroyed. But I do know they can be contained. Shackled. I have done so temporarily with Flindbar. As her body's primary host, Anafrey will be able to control herself, but Flindbar is still in there. She will hear him, feel him, and may even be influenced by him. I'm not sure exactly how this will change her personality or even her motivations. At times, she will find it hard to distinguish between her own thoughts and memories, and those of Flindbar. It would do you well to not fight Flindbar, but try to befriend him. Where his desires line up with your own, embrace them. He is used to being in control, and this new ... arrangement will be frustrating. And when Flindbar is frustrated, Anafrey will also be frustrated." She pauses to give anyone who has questions a chance to ask them.

"But, how do we get him out? My friend is in there," Jambiya says, her concern momentarily overwhelming her need for Skadoula to answer her questions about her mother...

“And do you think the Flindbar’s grip on her would drop if she dies? Would this not be the perfect use for Sune’s Kiss, to revive Anafrey and be rid of the Flindbar?”

“Maybe that’s a choice Icy should make, no?” Maldorn says looking at Erric. “It sounds like we’ll have her partially back, so why not listen to her take on the magical potion once she wakes up?”

"The question is, will it be her when she's partially back? Maybe that's a question for Skadoula. Also, we're talking about letting her die and bringing her back. That's a lot to ask of someone. Maybe you're right, Maldorn."

"We can always keep Sune's Kiss as a last resort, if it comes to that," Jambiya says. Looking back to the dwarf sage, she asks. "Is there... some sort of quest, or some even wiser person we can ask?"

When the three adventurers stop and look at the old she-dwarf, she smiles back at them. "Your strong love and concern for your friend is apparent. It is no wonder I was drawn in. I will try to answer your questions." She looks at Jambiya. "Your friend is in there. And so is Flindbar. A mind is not so full of someone that it cannot find room for another. The problem comes when one is strong enough to completely hide the other. That is what Flindbar meant to do. But I propose that there is a way to help keep that from happening. I do not know of a way to remove Flindbar from your friend." She looks at Erric. "It might be that should Anafrey truly die, that Flindbar would release her. Then again, he might not. That is quite a gamble," she says, almost looking serious. She looks at Maldorn, her smile returning. "Anafrey will not be partially back. She will be all there. The difference will be that Flindbar will be there also. Your friend will most likely be different because of his influence, not because part of her is missing." She adjusts her posture, sitting back and placing her hands — one on top of the other — in her lap and looks at Jambiya. "You asked if there was a quest. That is exactly what you must do. There is a cave in the Sword Mountains near the edge of the Kryptgarden Forest. My vision sometimes strays to this place because of magic contained there. I can give you directions, though I have never made the journey myself. I feel the magic must be contained with something that can be brought out. If you can bring me that item, I am certain I can use it to permanently strengthen Anafrey so that she can remain in control of her own mind. The temporary binding I have placed on Flindbar should last long enough for you to make the journey. Though," she says, looking at Ebokk, "it would be helpful if some horses and ponies could be made available to speed up their travel."

Ebokk swallows. "I'll see what I can do," he says noncommittally.

Jambiya smiles at the idea of a pony.

Maldorn looks at Ebokk a bit disappointed at the tone of his response: "Perhaps you got a lust for adventuring now, Master Ebokk. Would you like to join the Seldom Spring crew on another adventure? Not as our benefactor this time, but a fellow explorer."

Ebokk looks at Maldorn with wide eyes. "Me? Join you?" He shakes his head a little, now looking bashful. "I'm not — I mean, I'm just a researcher, really."