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"As promised, ten Potions of Neutralize Nyenna. They'll act as a normal neutralize poison potion, but also grant immunity to the Nyenna vapor for about a week."
Octessa sat on the velvet chair that Lithonian normally lay claim to at night, hand outstretched, holding ten small crystal vials. The vials contained a brackish liquid, dull green, unlike the normal bright green expected for neutralize poison.
Taking the potions, Keichi spoke "Perfect, thank you. I knew the wizards of Zem tower would want a solution to such a strange toxin, but this is quite prompt- and generous."
Keichi handed the potions to Rigby, who began dividing them up amongst the spell casters, whose magical senses the "Nyenna Vapor" would instantly and temporarily dull, should they be exposed to it again, with the bulk handed to Ash, who opened up the bag of holding and carefully stored it in a spice cabinet that was modifed to hold such vials.
Viztria landed on the armrest of the chair, and curled into Octessa's lap. Octessa began petting her.
Morgrim's hand went through his beard, seeking breadcrumbs that he had cleared off during dinner, some time ago. "So, what else can you tell us about this arcane disturbance? And what might we expect to find there?"
"And why don't you come?" joined Alenka.
"I have other obligations here, but not for much longer. The disturbance started two weeks ago- Ko-mo, a wujen, happened upon it. He observed a soft blue flash from a distance, and as he got closer he noticed some confused wildlife. He cast Detect Magic and watched from quite a distance, but could sense very strong abjuration magic. He didn't like the effect it had on a deer, however, and refused to go closer, instead Sending to an old friend. It's a few days east of Lo, or you might become familiar with this painting- it's Ko-mo's home village, perhaps a day north of the disturbance. As to what you will find- I doubt this is the working of a single spell, and the area is sufficiently remote and of poor strategic signifigance, so I doubt it is any form of military action. A mad necromancer, a malfunctioning artifact? It really could be anything."
"Master, why does she always pet the scaled one?" Monty hypersonically whistled. Morgrim's lip curled up in the smallest of smiles.
"Now, we finally have some time- can you give me the highlights of your adventures in Voriph?
I spent some time in a gem, bodiless and without sensation, trying to figure exactly how I was slain in my own city, until such time as you rescued me. Very unfortunate, but easily relayed."
Careful, we shouldn't tell her too much Ribgy broadcasted to the group.
No, tell her lots of things. Make sure it takes a long time. Make up things if you run out of things. Viztria telepathically spoke to the group, her communication much slower than standard, her eyes closed as she curled up in the wizardesses' lap.
Alenka began. "We began by teleporting into the docks at Tura. A pleasant place, and we were met by Rixs' little brother, Breffen, who guided us to a meeting with a disguised silver dragon and a local head of the resistance. They trusted us and sent us via airship to Fen.
On the airship we met where we met Mayella Fmeth, an accomplished mistress of disguise."
"She's also dating Rixs.", Keichi observed.
"Who's Rixs?" Octessa, confused, asked.
"Let me go in order! Once in Fen we met Maexxan, the leader of the resistance, in the basement of an bar- a reasonably classy place. We offered our help, but were jumped by a bunch of oddly dressed Voriphans, with mostly untrained people dressed as soldiers."
"Err, I think those were soldiers." Rigby added. "I think they thought they were going to have an easier time than they did."
"Well, in fairness" Keichi mused "We did let them run away, so that's pretty easy on them."
Alenka continued "We defeated them quickly, accepting the surrender of Meliwafl, a cleric of Miryanna, and Roaxon, a psychic warrior with VERY striking green eyes- but we knew we couldn't stay. We had seen the Copper Eagle do a long lap around the floating city just minutes before, so it was clear that we had to leave or hide. Maexxan had a different hiding place in mind"
We couldn't be scryed on right? Voriphan agent by the door? Morgrim thought at the group.
"That place was pretty secure, and they are still using it. The resistance had a plan but we didn't know it yet, so we stayed low- it was to attack the airship. But instead we got invited to a ball- well, more than that, from some Voriphan... noble? Highly placed person in any event.[/i]
"We also saw a fountain of a fantastic city, miraculously detailed." All present looked at Ash. "It was called 'The Mother City', and it was centrally located. Very important to the Voriphans. Do you know anything about that?"
Octessa scowled. "Mother City?" She paused.
"Probably based on their story of how their ancestory came to Caligo? Not much is known of the Early Times. Most is forgotten, and it doesn't seem to be on accident. I would guess that on whatever world was destroyed or lost, they had a capital city, their mother city, and that is how it is portrayed today. Their existing cities are grandiose enough, but none so much larger than the others that it would qualify, but exactly what our or theirs ancestors had so very long ago is more buried than documented.
And Lithonian- your people live for generations of ours. Is it true that all who were alive at the time lost their memory willfully? Might not some have recorded the truth? Under your tallest trees, written in the leaves, or even hidden from the rest of the people?"
Ash paused. This was not a very polite line of inquiry, but it was an appropriate answer.
"Yes, that is possible."
"Well, we had to ask around first, but we decided that the ball was safe- the High General would, if he acted against us, likely invoke a civil war. Apparently they take their parties seriously there. This one was being held by Avi Sshreshan, heiress of House Threshan."
"Heiress of pixiegasms, you mean." Morgrim interrupted.
"SHE IS A VERY NICE LADY" Rigby pronounced, glaring at them. "Besides, someone has to make sure that the good Voriphans are rewarded for their not-badness. That's something we pixies take very seriously"
vemmwyyy ssmmmrsslyyyy a mostly unconscious Viztria added to the noospace.
"Small, umm, dalliances aside, the Sthreshan Ball had a wide variety of odd folks there. They had the dueling spaces, which we mostly avoided for fear of an accident. We met a Remlock there, Xex, a strange being who seemed to be able to injest alchohol, and mostly seemed to focus on doing exactly that." We met Mishaawn, an elven priestess of Miryanna, who seemed to enjoy our company but who we didn't exactly trust. She seemed very interested at the possibility that Vix-Thur was under mental control from some external force."
Keichi added "She asked me if I would risk my life on such an accusation. When I said no, she seemed distracted again. Miryanna has a following there, but presumably making such an accusation and being incorrect- or being correct but unable to prove it- would cost us our lives, or her priesthood theirs?"
"I think a priest or priestess of Miryanna isn't going to be very truthful unless his or her life is on the line, and even then, only to avoid such duress." Octessa mused. "But still, a possible ally. It would be ideal if this problem could be resolved inside Voriph."
"Oh, I think there's not much chance of that." Morgrim murmured.
With all eyes on him, he spoke.
"What? The resistance didn't even have the ability to take out a small squad of well trained warriors and mages without our aid. It's clear that anyone with any real power is either under control of the High General, distracted, or subverted. He's obviously evil, but you heard and saw the captured psion- there's no way he thinks cavorting with demons and trading floatstones to Umbra will do anything but maybe destroy Caligo, but he's more concerned with his own fortune and maybe that of his family. The resistance are the only ones willing to act, and it's clear that for now they don't have anyone of great might on their side. Or they wouldn't have to import us from clear across the world. Cowards who lie to themselves and hide, that's the entirely of what we saw outside of the resistance."
"Well, the high placed houses do WANT to act." Ribgy added.
The brief aside completed, Alenka continued
"We also saw a strange wizard, one we had seen before- at the world fair, in fact. He was drunk, and answered questions partially only. Once he sobered up a bit, he grew a bit nervous around us, for fear of telling us something he shouldn't. An ally, but not one to rely on.
Overall, the ball didn't answer many questions- it told us that the High General wasn't very trusted, and that he hates us, and that he knows we still have the soul of his son. Once that was over, we acted on Rixs plan of hiding in a box or in a Rope Trick, all of which was to take place in a large cargo crate that was to be loaded into the Copper Eagle. We just moved in and out to avoid detection, and for next time we do that, I have this."
Alenka quickly produced a deck of expertly crafted cards. "We won't be nearly as bored, or have to practice weapons all day in an extradimensional space.
Once in the main crate, we found a bunch of those soul-gems in there- that was where you were kept. You were going to be traded to the Umbrans in exchange for who knows what. You were marked as having knowlege of Arcatan defenses."
"I do wonder what necromancy they have to interrogate trapped souls." Octessa said. "With that sort of trick, it would explain a lot of their historical attacks being so devastating at the start of any of their attacks on sunlit realms."
"We had a fight, and that was where Caleb was taken. The warehouse was raided by the resistance as cover- we defeated many of their elite soldiers, a sorceror, and a physically controlled Umbran barbarian. Upon freeing the barbarian, Caleb was suddenly under control of an unseen force- we later determined it was that flapabout cunt Orchid, whose magical helm apparently can compell.."
"No, It's a FINE manner to describe her."
Rigby looked surprised "Oh, I never said it wasn't. You just seemed to get along with her in the past."
"The past where she didn't kidnap our friend, right? Once everyone was there we hid in the selected box, and eventually were loaded onto the Copper Eagle. From there, we waited several days, until the airship was in contact with the Umbrans. We were hoping to intercept something we could use to prove to the rest of Voriph that the High General was corrupt, but sadly one of his minions grabbed the bag of 'demon seeds' and ran away. We killed some of the others, and told the hidden resistance member what had transpired- then we left."
Keichi interjected "The resistance members had some explosives set around the boat, and those damaged it and may have destroyed it- but the airship was also under attack from metallic dragons. How did the dragons know about it? We know they are at least somewhat allied with the resistance, as Twixs is a silver dragon, but why risk plants on a boat that was going to be destroyed by dragons- why not at least tell Maexxan?"
Morgrim responded "Well, dragons might not trust them enough. We don't even know how the dragons found them in the dark of a night that never ends, over a vast ocean at the lip of the world. That airship is certainly secured against scrying. The metallics must have known of the location of the meeting ahead of time. It's also possible Maexxan didn't tell his metallic dragon allies that he even had resistance fighters on the boat as regulars."
"So that pretty much brings us current. We already told you about the demon seeds, and the captured Psion you were there for."
Octessa gestured to Rigby, who very carefully moved the sleeping Viztria to a small bed prepared for her. She produced a small flask. "Bluefruit cider from the north coast. She'll like it." Rigby took the flask and smelled it- fruity, and soft.
Octessa looked up towards Monty "Don't worry, next time I'll have something for you too."
"Perhaps a powerful magical item!" Monty keened, inaudible to all but Morgrim.
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