Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

You are all through the portal, back in Sigil, in the alleyway. But...the door to the closet is still open, and the portal to the cave is still open. But, with Lionel repeatedly attempting the code word, eventually there is an abrupt shimmer and you're all left facing the back of a small closet again...the portal having closed. The imminent threat seems to have passed.

     Whistling innocently, Ketch rearranged the closet.  Mostly stacking up brooms and mops and such against the back wall… as if that will help.

"Meepo not know how help book-creature now." Meepo speaks up as the entrance/portal closes. "Wizard no be in place, but lives still, or else book no be enchanted." He looks pained as he glances back to the portal. "Meepo suppose need go back, after resting, and see about dragon once more. Dragon prepare for that, so Meepo think be even harder next time..."

"Yes, but we can prepare as well now." Judging by the tone, Lionel saw the mage-search as his personal life-quest now. "Fog, water, lightning. Anything that helps with that. Would be nice to get the dragon out of his lair too..." He thought a bit. "I do not understand one thing - how long the beast was there to turn the place into his personal lair? Not that that matter much, but for how long the wizard has been gone?"

The genie book was covered in dust in an old book shop.  It's been some time. More than enough for a dragon to make an abandoned workshop into his lair. 

Mordekai takes the group back to your "home"....the Whole Note Inn. Wet, a bit cold, and crusty with salt water and smelling of the sea the group takes time to change out of wet socks and damp underclothes before sitting down for a nice meal in the downstairs dining room.

Poached Stirge Eggs and a Goat Filet in Strawberry Sauce. A lovely almond bread with sherry cheese on the side is rather delicious. 

Feeling rather beaten up, and still a bit dull in the head from the thunder and lightning...the group heads off to get a bit of rest. The morning comes without a disturbance and you find yourselves, once again, enjoying a pastry breakfast in the cramped dining room. Etain has seemingly found you once again and you spot him sitting outside, his legs swinging under him as he sits on a gate talking to two other touts. 

As he reaches for his second pastry of the morning, sleep providing some clarity as is often the case, Mordekai says, "The genie doesn't know about the dragon.  We should tell the genie there's a dragon in the old wizard's workshop, and see if that changes things.  Also, is it possible the genie can help us with the dragon at all?  We're in this new strange city, and it occurs to me that we could find some temporary allies.  The genie would be the obvious first option."

     Ketch engages Etain and asks him what the news of the street is.  "Has there been any big happens overnight?  Anything dramatic?  Any rumors or such about dragons?" Ketch asks.  He hopes Etain thinks he is off his nutter asking such questions...

     Otherwise Ketch replenishes himself by gorging himself on pastries and bacons and all the delicacies at offer at the Inn.

((Going to have to spend some time re-choosing spells for Ketch.  It's been forever since I updated what he was preparing and it's not helping...))

Etain raises an eyebrow, "Big happenings eh? Well, you are askin the guy with his ear to tha street!  Etain knows, Etain hears!! Lets see....dragons?  Well...dragons don't much like Sigil. Or maybe Sigil don't like dragons. You know, they're all tryin to make a lair and stuff, and horde treasure, and the Lady, well, she's just like, nope..no way ya giant lizard.  I mean, they're around sometimes, but they don't stay too long. Anyway, no giant lizard stories, but...I did hear about some monk crew who broke into the private estate of Lord Vashlin, one of the top Ciphers in town, and stole something that's on the hush hush. Also, a Tiefling named Chasrra broke through the Doomguard lines at the Trioptic Nic'epona and managed to teleport away. However, given the teleportation keys are only know to a handful of dignitaries, and she ain't one of them, she's now wanted.  Oh, and I also heard that Moskin Faz of the Bronze Bezants lenders group was abducted by a person of the demonic heritage apparently, if you can believe it, for outstanding debts yet unpaid.  That's irony right there."   He looks at Ketch as if he expects Ketch to understand everything he just said.

Meepo opens the book and calls for the book-creature. He continues eating as the others pepper the entity with their questions and information.

A few people take note of a tiny genie appearing in mid air, hovering over an open book....but...most people in the small restaurant give a raised eyebrow at most. 

Gazre-Azam hovers there, "Well, as I said before, I can not use any of my powers. While imprisoned in this book, all I can really do is offer you advice. Obviously there was no dragon living in Zikran's workshop in the past. That must mean he hasn't been there in some time. But...he is still alive, and I bet if there is a clue to his current whereabouts, it's within his workshop."

 Lionel only nodded - of course the clue could be found only there! Although... "You worked for that wizard for some time, quite some time. You were aware of the city around too. Have not you seen any guests visiting your master? Those that also were the citizens of Sigil?" The paladin did not try to accuse the genie of hiding information and was all for a straightforward return to the cave and killing - yes, by now he wanted the dragon dead - the stubborn beast, but his hot-headedness was not blind rage. It's nice to have options.

Criminal News of the day left Lionel disinterested (neither names nor places rung any bells) - he listened it but absentmindedly while eating and waiting for the noise to die out, then he asked. "Etain, you said once you can find anyone. Well, here is your chance. A wizard, that lived by that address and disappeared some time ago. And/or all the information about that house - changing hands, people who used to visit it, people who live around - the longer the better. THis sort of things."

     Ketch nods thanks to Etain but also finds nothing he said useful.  Besides that the city is apparently more than ready to push back any dragon incursion.  Which was helpful...

     Looking at the tiny genie from the book, Ketch asks if perhaps Zikran has other places.  "A regular home. A tower.  Wizards like towers, don't they?  Surely if the wizard left you have to have some idea where he may have gone?  A friend?"

     Though no matter the answer, Ketch expected they would have to go through the dragon eventually.

The genie responds to the questions, "Well, Zikran was primarily focused on making elemental style magic. Specifically he was trying to create a floating fortress. Perhaps...if we left that cave of his, and looked around in the sky? Seems like a long shot though. As for people from Sigil, yes.  Hmmm.  Yes.  Zikran didn't have many friends, and he guarded his secrets jealously, but he did occasionally have a couple guests. There was this wizard named Laffa." 

Etain shook his head to Lionel, "No no no, I said I know people.  Not that I could find anyone. Etain would never say such a thing. You asked before bout findin a wizard.  I...... did you say Laffa?  Hunh.  Wuddya know.  I DO know a guy named Laffa. He IS a wizard. You want I should show you the way?"

"See? Possible after all. Yes, take us to Laffa. But before we go there, what do you know about that wizard?" Lionel looked at the little genie "Same question to you, little one."

Meepo listens with half his attention as he eats. he is still enjoying food, and likely going to get a bit big in the middle if he doesn't start being a bit more careful of what he eats.

Both Gazre-azam and Etaine start speaking at the same time...and then stop, then start...then stop. The Gazre-Azam puts a finger up, and clears his throat, and says, "Laffa and Zikran were not friends. Laffa came to his workshop as more of a ..... competitor? It was shortly after then that Zikran stopped opening my book and I wasn't found until young Meepo here found me."

Etaine waits for a moment, ensuring the pause is the end of the sentence, then says, "Well, I dunno bout all that. Laffa is a drunk and a poor excuse for a wizard. I heard he used to be great but somethin happened and now he just hires himself out as a planar wizard escort, but...a piss poor one that can't do much beyond huck a few magical missiles."

"Curious. Sounds like a rivalry gone wrong." Lionel drummed his fingers on the table and looked at Ketch. "Care for some drunken competition? Looks like we can make that wizard talking with a few pints of bear, but he might need a company." He looked at Etaine again. "All right, where did you say he lives? Or can  be found at least?" 

Etain shrugs, "He hangs out in the marketward in a trashy place called the Yawning Rat. I can take you there. Though, it's morning. Not the best time for drunks, or...maybe the best time?...Who knows. Ready to go?" 

Finishing up the delicious breakfast you find yourselves following Etain once again through the strange city streets of Sigil. A full on demon all muscles wings and claws walks by arguing with a Githzerai in shiny metal armor. A red haired warrior with black eyes follows silently behind them, watchful, it's blank dark eyes impossible to identify what it watches. Then a strange creature....a human male...but bald with massive muscles and pointed ears, wearing a tattered loin cloth and sporting a sword made of white bone wanders past.  

Mordekai at one point wanders past a side street and does a double take. He...thought the saw...a woman...in bronze robes, with deep glaring yellow eyes....and what looked like blue blades sprouting from all around her head. But as he looks again, he sees only an elf crouched next to a garbage bin digging around inside. A frown wrinkles his brow as they continue. 

Eventually you arrive at a run down part of the market ward. A board with the image of a rat, its mouth wide open in a bored yawn hangs over the door. Inside is a run down tavern that could exist almost anywhere. Poorly lit, smelling of stale beer and old alcohol and filled with a few barely moving dark figures. Etain walks directly up to the bar tender and has a quiet conversation with him, before heading back to the group.  "He said he hasn't seen Laffa today yet...but...the way he said yet, sounds like he's expecting to see him eventually. We waiting I suppose?  We'll be expected to get drinks, I"ll go get a round we can .....not drink."  He makes a head shaking conspiratory motion, and mouths "DO NOT DRINK."   He holds a hand out for a coin, "A gold should do fine."  With a wink he goes off to get a round.

The group finds a table that is...rather disgusting. Their feet make a ripping sound with each step, the sticky surface covered in all sorts of unpleasant things. You're glad the low light doesn't let you see the details. Except for Mordekai, whose vision lets him see each disgusting bit of vomit, blood, or other dried crusty liquid.  Meepo finds himself intentionally NOT looking for lost things in this place. He's liable to get a disease touching anything in here. 

Do anything particular while you wait? 

     "It is possible that something occurred between Laffa and Zikran that cause the latter to disappear and the former to tumble into despair?" Ketch suggested to Lionel on their walk to this new bar.  "A fight gone bad?  A magical mishap?  Or perhaps unrelated entirely..." 

     At the bar, Ketch largely ignored the dirt and grime but did sniff the drink suspiciously.  "Just bad or dangerous?" he asks Etain and then takes an experimental sip even as the kid answers.

     Assuming the sip doesn't kill him, Ketch will waste some time ritually casting first Detect Poison and Disease and then, if needed, Purify Food and Drink at their table.

Etain, "Oh...i mean...probably just bad? Probably?" 

Alcohol detects as poison, but the aura is unmistakable.  A quick check and Ketch figures that aside from the alcohol, there's a bit of disease around the glass...which...is clearly not washed now that he looks at it.  Nothing that will kill him probably. Which...you know what that means. It'll just make him stronger. Purifying it will eliminate the alcohol, so....with a shrug, it just goes straight down the hatch.  

Ulthan lifts up his glass.  There appears to be a bone of some type...with a bit of something still sticking to it...in the bottom of his glass...shining through the weak amber. 

The group hangs out for a couple of hours. At some point a tout comes into the bar and Etaine and the girl have a brief chat, before Etaine motions for her to wait and comes walking over to the table. "Uh...hi there.  So...I have some bad news, and some great news. Which would you like?  Ok, doesn't matter."  He pointedly looks at Meepo, "So...there someone in town looking for a bronze kobold wizard with an ice staff...probably a necromancer. Uh..from the sounds of it, a half-elf dude with red hair. That's...maybe the bad news? Good news is, my friend Liza over there is willing to look the other way, as a professional courtesy to me....for just ten gold. Otherwise, she was going to go collect the reward, which apparently is a hundred gold."