029. "Is it a friendly troll?"

[Corwin]

[19:47] <Kobreakfast> ----
[19:49] <Kobreakfast> The sun has set. The way ahead is dim, save for the light the party provides and shafts of moonlight cascading down through the forest canopy. But at last you can see Aralla ahead! Wayland's head buzzes and burns, his lungs congested and chest aching. Simmer hums along, playing with a burning twig in the meanwhile.  As you come closer Holly steps out from behind a tree, bow and arrow raised and
[19:49] <Kobreakfast> lowered moments later. "You're back!"
[19:50] <Aaeru> "And we really need a good healer for Wayland!" Aaeru exclaims, happy to see that they've reached civilization once more. "He's turning green! He's not supposed to do that!"
[19:52] * Wayland mumbles, "Yes...blue is much better."
[19:52] <Janson> "He got infected by another air elemental," Janson provides in case that helps with the diagnosis.
[19:53] <Kobreakfast> "Elder Vanessa can help," Turning and starting to lead the party on, "She's waiting for you to return. Come with me!"
[19:53] <Aaeru> "You would think that would only make him bluer, wouldn't you?" Aaeru mutters thoughtfully, all too ready to follow their guide back to the elder that can heal Wayland.
[19:54] <Andria> Andrea follows, continually checking that Wayland doesn't trip and fall on his face because he's dizzy and nauseated.
[19:55] <Kotono> Up and in you go, back up the tall multistory house. There Vanessa awaits, "The oracles and visions spoke of success, and thus did the earth whisper it," She greets them, "You have done well...but your friend is ill?"
[19:56] <Aaeru> "A strange air elemental... thing... bit him. He's been this way ever since! We tried to heal him, but...." Aaeru shrugs helplessly.
[19:56] <Wayland> "Naah, I'm fine. Great, in fact." Wayland coughs up a ball of mucous.
[19:56] <Janson> "A green air elemental got slime into his wounds when it clawed him," Janson provides his explanation again. "Grithalek said they went mad from being underground and near the ley line nexus."
[19:58] <Kotono> Vanessa apparoaches, taking out a sprig of holly. She taps it to Wayland's shoulders and then his chest, "Oh Earthmother, from the core of all that is, let the wisdom of your healing be known to us! Wash away this injury forever more!" Immediately WAyland feels better, the mucus drying up and his chest clearing!
[19:59] <Aaeru> "Oh my!" Aaeru exclaims. "That was so impressive! Can you teach me how to do that, please? Or is it the holly? Maybe it was the holly?"
[19:59] * Wayland blinks and stands up straight, taking a deep breath. "Aaah, that's much better. Thanks."
[20:01] <Kotono> "It's a spell known as cure disease," Vanessa lets the holly fall away, as it crumbles to dust. "As a follower of Ilmater, such should be in your grasp or close to it. Though if you wish to stay and partake of Jannath's wisdom..." After that she looks to Wayland, "There were slight disturbances of forest fires and unusual heat, but they have passed, as have the vortexes. The animals grow calm,
[20:01] <Kotono> the forest returns to it's true self."
[20:02] <Janson> "It was a wizard hoping to channel all the ley lines into himself to gain power. But it blew up and killed him," Janson explains brightly, finding it rather exciting. "We reversed what he'd started and set everything back to normal."
[20:02] <Wayland> "Wonderful to hear. It looks like there was a mage that caused this. Got a bit full of himself and tried to control the elements."
[20:02] <Aaeru> "That's because we found the notes of the wizard who tried to mess with the ley lines and fixed it," Aaeru informs her. "In fact, Janson was very important in that ritual! Central, really!"
[20:04] * Janson blushes at Aaeru's effervescent praise. "We all did our part," he offers politely, although he does hope his skills will get some recognition here in the village.
[20:04] <Kotono> "Is that so?" With a hint of a smile at all of it, "He has paid for his folly then, and the earth endures. Janson was the key...curious and curiouser. How did you do it?"
[20:04] <Wayland> "Come off it, Janson. Without you, we'd be dead."
[20:05] <Aaeru> "We all had our parts," Aaeru agrees. "I'm sure it wouldn't have worked without either of us. But that doesn't make your role any less central. Your village should really honor you in some way for saving it from destruction, like what was going to happen if we simply walked away."
[20:06] <Janson> "We're a team, we wouldn't have even got to the lake if not for everyone," Janson tells Wayland, not wanting to get big headed. Turning to the deceptive looking elder, "I had the other four take on stations representing the primal elements, and used them as focuses for drawing the core power out of the unstable nexus and back into the ley lines."
[20:08] <Kotono> "Hmm..." Vanessa murmurs as she listens, "A celebration feast is in order. But night has fallen, go and rest. Tomorrow we will see."
[20:09] <Janson> "Do you guys all have places to stay?" Janson asks his companions, not knowing if they made follow-up arrangements with wherever they slept on the earlier stopover.
[20:09] <Aaeru> "Can I stay at your place?" Aaeru asks Janson.
[20:09] <Wayland> "I'll see if I can find a spot. I'll be fine now. Thank you all for helping me back." Wayland grins.
[20:10] * Janson considers telling Aaeru that it'll be a little bit cramped and not as nice as a place she might stay in back in Balmuria... but then recalls she sleeps in a cave. "Yeah, we can find room for you," he smiles at the blonde.
[20:10] <Aaeru> "I'm fine with a yard, or maybe a garden," Aaeru informs him. "It would be helpful, since I wouldn't need to trouble anyone at this late hour."
[20:13] <Kotono> A long, restful sleep heals the party. Wayland finds his wounds are now mending normally and a good breakfast goes further towards recovery.  That morning you meet with Vanessa once more. "Did all ofyou sleep well? Any lingering signs of disease?"
[20:14] <Aaeru> "Quite well!" Aaeru brightly reports. "Unless Wayland picked up a new disease since you cured him, I'm sure we're all fine on that front, too!"
[20:14] <Wayland> "I slept well enough. No signs as far as I can tell. I should be fine, I think." Wayland smiles at Vanessa.
[20:14] * Janson nods, having slept nicely enough, and looks over at Wayland to ensure his complexion remains as deathly blue as ever!
[20:17] <Kotono> WAyland is as blue as the sky! "At the noon highsun we will have a feast in celebration of the restoration of the ley lines. All of you are invited as guests of honor."
[20:18] <Wayland> "Sounds like just what we need right now." Wayland nods.
[20:19] * Janson does love a good feast! "I'll need to find something good to wear. Hope mom hasn't thrown my old clothes out..." he muses thoughtfully.
[20:27] <Kotono> Noon approaches. The center of the village is replete with laid blankets, great piles of fresh food laid about a checkboard of colors. All the village gathers, so many beautiful women and a few m en in the back. Of them all Elder Vanessa stands in the center, the party before her. She takes a moment to clear her throat, "All who follow the voice of Jannath, listen well!" In the background one
[20:27] <Kotono> can hear drums, slow and rhythmic. "The ley-lines have been set in order once more!" A cheer sounds, Vanessa waiting for it to pass.
[20:29] * Janson starts to cheer with everyone else, just caught up in the moment, but quickly remembers he's an active participant and not a bystander to these events and so halts his expressiveness.
[20:34] <Kotono> Once the cheer is passed, "We have these travelers to thank, and with them, one of our own." The cheer is slightly less this time, all eyes on the group. "Let it be known that they saved the ley-lines through their own skill! Aaeru of Ilmater, Andrea Redfall, Wayland of Air and Wind, Simmer of the forest and fire, and Janson, our own."
[20:34] * Wayland waves as his name is called!
[20:35] * Aaeru smiles at the many beautiful women and the handful of beautiful men!
[20:35] <Andria> Andrea does the same, smiling at the people of Aralla.
[20:35] * Janson smiles back at what few friends he has, and anyone else who doesn't look at him as either a figure of suspicion or a near-worthless waste.
[20:39] <Kotono> The looks back at the rest of the party are kind and approving. Meanwhile, the look sat Janson are a mix. His family cheers for him, some other sclap. Yet others look on with curious suspicion or softening gazes. "Each of them risked their lives, and Janson honored our village by performing the ritual to save the ley-lines. Let us all celebrate this, by Jannath!" Vanessa calls.
[20:42] * Janson puffs up a bit as he's singled out for praise. "I just put to use the same teachings I learned here," he calls for everyone to hear. Admittedly he learned some of them from reading gnomish books, but he often did his reading at home so it still counts as much as eavesdropping on the girls' lessons.
[20:43] <Andria> Andrea joins in on clapping for Janson as he's given focus.
[20:44] <Kotono> There's a few more smiles at that, then clapping. Once that wave passes, everyone settles into the feast!
[20:44] * Wayland applauds in kind and settles in to eat!
[20:45] * Janson sticks close to his friends from Balmuria (and Simmer) as he eats the lovely spread on offer. It's likely better for everyone that way.
[20:45] <Aaeru> "Jannath sent us over to the golden lake, and Jannath picked us for the journey," Aaeru says as the feast starts. "Everything else aside, Jannath firmly believed we all had to go there, and we had to be at that lake to save this village and the forests around it, for hundreds of miles in every direction! We might be gone by the evening, headed to Balmuria, but I would very much want you all to remember that Jannath picked Janson and sent him over to save Aralla."
[20:47] * Janson blushes at Aaeru making her point. "You don't need to make such a fuss," he mumbles embarrassedly, not wanting to rub people's faces in his manliness.
[20:48] <Kotono> Aaeru's words get yet more attention, and from the crowd, "It is true," Annabelle says, "The oracle did speak of Janson and his friends. Man or not, he has not done poorly."
[20:51] <Kotono> There are a few more murmurs as the feast is tucked into. "So what if he's a man," Simmer mutters, eyeing them, "What's all that about, anyway, Janson?"
[20:52] * Wayland perks up and listens in, intrigued in how the village gender system works!
[20:52] <Janson> "Well, women are closer to nature - I thought that would be obvious especially to you," Janson blinks at Simmer. "There aren't any male dryads or male nymphs, for example."
[20:53] <Aaeru> "I never really thought of it that way," Aaeru muses. "But it does make sense that we're more inclined for it. That still shouldn't outright stop Jannath from favoring any male who she thinks is worthy, though."
[20:54] <Janson> "Well that's up to her, not me. There's no higher authority than Jannath, and she's called the Earth Mother for a reason," Janson shrugs.
[20:55] <Kotono> "That's not q uite true," Simmer murmurs, "A dryad can have a male child...it's not a dryad. It'll be the father's race with fey blood."
[20:55] <Aaeru> "Like Wayland?"
[20:55] * Janson then nods to Simmer. "Yeah, I might have a dryad or a satyr or something in my family tree, actually. It's the source of my own magic."
[20:55] <Wayland> "I suppose so, though the process may be different for elementals."
[20:56] <Aaeru> "How does 'the process' work for elementals, anyway?"
[20:57] <Wayland> "I don't know, and I'm not sure I want to."
[20:57] * Janson turns interestedly to Wayland. "The earth and air elementals we saw didn't look as compatible with humans as say Simmer is," he agrees.
[20:57] <Kotono> As people feast and play, "Well, I suppose I could....with a fire elemental now," Simmer plays with a bit of food, "But how could a normal woman do that?"
[20:58] <Wayland> "I've no idea at all."
[20:58] <Andria> "Probably hire a powerful wizard to do some magic, I guess?" Andrea suggests.
[20:58] * Aaeru glances at Simmer. "How would you do it? You're not really changed on the outside, from what I can see."
[20:59] <Janson> "How do elementals breed even among themselves? They must have their own seed equivalent... it probably wouldn't be polite to ask, though," Janson muses, scratching his stubble-strewn chin.
[21:01] <Wayland> "Again, I've no idea. Maybe they just form out of their element?"
[21:01] <Kotono> "A normal woman would burn," Simmer says, "They have their ways?" OOC: If any of you are really curious you could make K:P here.
[21:02] <Andria> roll d20+0 eh, why not give it a shot.
[21:02] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+0 eh, why not give it a shot. and gets 9." [d20=9]
[21:05] <Janson> "Say, Simmer, what are you going to do now?" Janson asks the pyro-dryad. "We're going to go back to Balmuria. I don't know if you'd be comfortable in the city, but maybe it'd be better than the forest, now? Do you have any ideas?"
[21:06] <Aaeru> "You'll need to wear clothing in the city. They have rules about that, regrettable," Aaeru adds, likewise interested in her answer.
[21:06] <Janson> "They do?" Janson blinks. He had no idea!
[21:06] * Aaeru nods. "I was warned about this."
[21:07] <Kotono> "Well..." Simmer considers, "You all aren't bad and...well, can I burn clothing? Clothing burns, right?"
[21:07] <Andria> "That'll get expensive if you keep buying and burning clothing," Andrea points out.
[21:08] <Janson> "Weird. Most everyone here wears clothes," he gestures at the various beautiful but garbed women, "But there aren't any rules for it. We sometimes get visited by the more wild daughters who refuse even those trappings of civilisation. Maybe you can just coat yourself in soot or ash so it looks like clothes?" he suggests to Simmer.
[21:08] <Aaeru> "Magical clothing doesn't burn. Maybe there's special clothing that's not magical and cheap enough, too?"
[21:09] * Aaeru snaps her fingers. "Ash and soot could work, but they're so dirty! What about paint?"
[21:09] <Andria> "Paint would flake off after a while, wouldn't it?"
[21:10] <Janson> "Oh, body paint can be really nice," Janson nods enthusiastically. "Or tattoos. I don't know how well your skin would take them, but maybe there's an alternative for wood?"
[21:10] <Kotono> "Well, whatever works," Simmer says at last, "How far it is to Balmuria?"
[21:11] <Janson> "About five or six days walk I'd say," Janson shrugs.
[21:11] <Aaeru> "Might be slower with a troll in tow."
[21:11] <Wayland> "Oh yeah! The troll!"
[21:17] <Kotono> "The troll has been prepared," Vanessa says.
[21:18] * Wayland nods and goes back to his food.
[21:18] <Janson> "Is it a friendly troll?" Janson asks hopefully.
[21:20] <Wayland> "They come friendly?"
[21:20] <Aaeru> "They do if you have Simmer on your side?"
[21:20] <Kotono> "He is not immediately hostile and he is restrained," Vanessa explains, "The best one can hope for with a troll."
[21:21] * Janson nods, figuring as much. "Well, we can worry about him when we leave. Still plenty more to eat, for now!"
[21:22] <Andria> "I hope you didn't have much trouble getting him for us. Thanks again for the help with that," Andrea says.
[21:27] <Kotono> Another night p asses, the feast fading into memory. The next morning you meet with Vanessa at the edge of town. With her is  great green troll, eight feet tall and slouched. It's arms and legs are restrained with manacles, a flat, harsh look at the party, but not outwardly aggressive. It's claws are covered in cloth, hidden.
[21:29] <Janson> "Hey, there," Janson greets the troll. "Don't worry, we're not going to hurt you or anything. And you'll probably like it way more with the man we're taking you to than you did with the giants, trust me."
[21:30] <Aaeru> "The troll can understand you?" Aaeru whispers to Janson.
[21:30] <Kotono> The troll glares at Janson with furious, straining eyes, yet does not do a thing. "Good fortune ahead," Vanessa says, "May Jannath guide you."
[21:31] <Janson> "I'm... not sure, actually," Janson admits to Aeru. "Thank you, elder, for everything," he smiles sincerely to the woman who stood up for him before her fellow sisters. "Lets get going, then?"
[21:31] <Andria> "Sure. You say bye to your family and all that?" Andrea asks.
[21:32] <Janson> "Already did before I got here," Janson nods to Andrea, hefting his pack. "I'm all set."
[21:33] <Kotono> Thus the party begins to head away. Just a little past Vanessa, the troll following...Holly steps out from behind a tree. She pauses, her bow and arrow not drawn. "Brother."
[21:34] <Aaeru> They really should stop meeting like this, Aaeru muses, looking at Janson and then his sister curiously. Didn't he mention saying his goodbyes already?
[21:35] * Janson peels off from the party and approaches his sister. "What is it, Holly?" he asks, looking down at the deceptively smaller girl.
[21:37] <Kotono> Holly comes over and gives Janson a hug. "I wanted to say goodbye, that's all. And.." She looks over to Wayland when she says this, "You'll visit again some time?"
[21:38] <Wayland> "I don't see why we can't come back sometime. Who knows? It seems as though every few days we leave the city on some trek or another."
[21:38] * Janson hugs Holly back. "Sure, ah... sometime," he replies awkwardly as they part, sensing her interest is elsewhere. Just as well, he's not that keen on returning.
[21:40] <Kotono> That gets a smile as Holly nods and then scampers back behidn the trees!
[21:40] * Janson gives his sister a little wave as he resumes marching with the rest.
[21:41] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[21:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 35." [1d100=35]
[21:41] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[21:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 54." [1d100=54]
[21:41] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[21:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 10." [1d100=10]
[21:43] <Kotono> Nearly a week of travel passes without any difficult incident. The troll is violent and snappish, but restrained. It doesn't seem to much care what any of the party says, simply going along. At last, near noon, the city of Balmuria is before you once more! Simmer slows down and stares, staring at the great expanses. At the bay in the distance and the masts of the ship, the buildings, the rising
[21:43] <Kotono> grand fortress of Highwatch. "Those..."
[21:44] <Janson> "Quite a sight, isn't it?" Janson grins at Simmer, remember his own reaction the first time he walked this road not so very long ago. "It's even better inside."
[21:44] <Aaeru> "But we have to meet our client outside," Aaeru muses. "Who'll go collect him?"
[21:45] <Janson> "I'll get him?" Janson offers. He's the fastest walker anyway.
[21:55] <Kotono> Janson returns with the greasy, whip thin man. He takes one good look at thet roll, up down and over. "Impressive," he says, "Got some friends with the cage ready on the other side of town. He's safe to walk over?"
[21:55] <Andria> "He hasn't caused any trouble along the way," Andrea says.
[21:56] <Aaeru> "Very angry, though!"
[21:56] <Janson> "He's a good troll," Janson nods happily.
[21:56] <Wayland> "Yes extremely so.
[21:57] <Kotono> The man takes out a bag of coins, "500 marks, as promised." He tosses the bag to Aaeru. "It's heavy."
[21:58] * Aaeru catches it reflexively.
[21:58] <Janson> "As I recall, it was 3,500 marks," Janson corrects the man amiably.
[22:00] <Kotono> A few more sacks are taken out, given over as well. "Pleasure doing business with Whimisical Sweets," he offers a hand out.
[22:01] <Janson> "And to you!" Janson drops his back in his backpack, adjusting it to bear the extra weight before shaking his hand. "Lets go take our friend to meet your friends?"
[22:02] * Aaeru makes a mental note to ask Janson if it's so common to try and give people less money for a completed job that they can still smile and act like nothing is wrong afterwards.
[22:02] <Kotono> Once he's gone Simmer looks to the city, "So..." she looks on, "Let's go see what's ahead?"
[22:03] <Janson> "We'll go to Whimsical Sweets first. You can meet Silver and Sylvie and Josa - maybe even use your fire to help bake cookies!" Janson suggests enthusiastically.
[22:04] <Aaeru> "Wayland might also ask you to burn Silver at some point, but you shouldn't," Aaeru helpfully warns Simmer.
[22:04] * Wayland glares mildly at Aaeru.
[22:04] <Janson> "She's a pixie anyway, so you two should get on well," Janson is all smiles as they re-enter civilisation.
[22:05] <Aaeru> "Good point." Aaeru nods at Janson. "Simmer, you really shouldn't burn anything Silver tells you to, either."