Killilli’s Dragon Heist

Cico pulls out the gemstone. Looking at it, he can clearly see that the iron gates inside the gem perfectly match those on the wall.

The moment his fingers touch the gate, a flash of light fills the room. The gem clatters to the floor and where Cico once stood there is nothing but empty space.

"Umm... Was that 'sposed to happen?", Lyss asks.

"Hope so... To freedom!"

Aldrik picks up the gem, and mimics what Cico did. 

Lyss will look to Kerri for an approving head nod (or exasperated hand wave) before following suit.

Another flash, and Aldrik too has disappeared 

Aimee scrambles to be next, yelling,

"Next! Me next!"

She shoves in the gem with glee.

"Some of these riddles just don't make sense at all.... None of us entered life grasping jewels and iron... but what works works. Maybe there is some after effect we have yet to visually confirm."

Edvord looks to the space where Verklarung would have been standing next to him. Despite his carefree words earlier, anyone left in the room swears that the see a bit of water in his eyes. The mage picks up the gem and grabs the gate.

"This is a horrible idea," Kerri says reluctantly, following after everyone else last.

As Kerri grasps the iron bars, the light flashes one final time. She feels the gem slip through her hand, as if it were incorporeal. The sound of it hitting the floor is drowned out by a harsh plucking of lute strings squeaky off key crooning. There is only one musician in the land to make music this bad… 

You all find yourself dazzled and disoriented in the middle of the Yawning Portal. You see the familiar signs of a night coming to a close. A group of drunken louts playfully pretending to shove eachother into the well to the Undermountain, Bonnie rushed off her feet ferrying drinks, Yagra consoling a handsome half-elf, and of course, the awful wailing of Threestrings in the corner. 

Heavy tankards slam down on the bar “It’s on the house, cause I don’t wanna know.” Dernan’s gruff voice barks.

(Advance to level 3)

Aldrik gladly picks up the tankard. "Well, we survived. Let's not do that again, yeah?"

He looks to the girls, his brother, and to Cico. "Though as a team we do have quite complimentary skills. We could certainly make something of that..." 

((Yay! Lyss will go arcane trickster.))

"Let's go Aimee, Lyss," Kerri says, turning to leave the bar.

"Not going to celebrate? Fair enough. But we have a prickly issue with our new... horse... To settle out. So perhaps we will come by the inn on the morrow, yeah?" Aldrik asks.

"I dont know," Kerri says. "Is your brother going to be a rude impertinent..." she trails off as she looks at the girls. "I have an odd feeling you're going to show up regardless of my answer, so do as you wish."

"I'll be right back!"

Lyss runs to where Threestrings is playing.

"Aimee and I had adventures and almost died! We'll tell you about it another time, gotta go sleep now."

She drops a couple copper in his collection (but actually slips him 2 gold, unseen by him).

Sleight of Hand: 25

"Okay, ready to go!" She takes Kerri by the hand and waves to their friends.

Cico looks around the Yawning Portal main room, almost frowns, but not quite.

"That was," Cico says then pauses before continuing, "unexpected."

He looks over at Kerri whisking the girls away.

Cico starts to open his mouth to call after them but instead he closes his eyes, his thumb rubbing quickly against the nail of his index finger.

"It is very loud in here," Cico finally says. "I can not stay."

He looks at the two brothers and nods a farewell.

"I may rest on the stairs to their inn," he says gesturing after Kerri and the girls.

Aimee waves to Kerri as she rushes along with Lyss to Threestrings and adds,

"Yep! I used to have eyebrows and this rash is super itchy! I was this close," She makes a tiny space between her fingers, "from showing up here naked! Anyhow see you soon!"

She gives him a big hug and follows Lyss back to Kerri. On seeing that Cico isn't following She points back at the elf and tells Kerri,

"I need him to show me a mountain, orders from...a secret person! Cico, come on! You can sleep in the room next to mine! I cleaned it myself! Hurry, Kerri is in a rush!"

She waves to Gernan and anyone else she knows or thinks she might know on the way out.

((I'll check on the level up and get back to you Killi.))

"It is likely to be quite dirty then still," Cico says to Aimee as he moves to join them.

He pauses for a moment, thinking back to something Master Treewhirl said. Many times.

"Thank you comes first, then add their name" Cico repeats to himself. Then he takes a breath. Looks down at Aimee, bends slightly to be at eye level. "Thank you, Aimee."

As the girls and Cico leave, Aldrik shrugs, and takes two more of the tankards.

He tosses the moontouched rapier onto the table, clattering and glowing in front of Edvord.

"That's more your style, Eddie. Don't say I never get you anything." He pauses. "Figure that gets me some slack from forgetting your 25th and 26th birthdays. Finally!"