033. "You're back, meddling air-spirit?"

[Corwin]

[19:56] <Kotono> So equipped with Alchemist's Fire, the party heads to the Paskan Grove. Wayland, Janson, Aaeru, Sylvie, Silver and Balyss are all there, as well as two others. One is a small man, arms crossed. He wears a breastplate engraved with a silver crescent moon, gazing at the grove ahead. Another is a man dressed in a robe of the softest blue wool, gray bearded and sitting ont he ground. In his lap is
[19:56] <Kotono> a simple long quarterstaff.
[19:58] * Janson remembers Balyss but not the other two. "Hey, Balyss. This is Sylvie and Silver, they're both coming along to help get Andrea back," he provides introductions for the two who haven't met her before. "Who're your friends?" he asks, hoping for reciprocation.
[19:58] <Wayland> "I've brought my companions, Noel and Branna as well."
[19:59] <Kotono> "Yeah," Noel mutters, "What the hell is this about fey and fey worlds now?"
[20:00] <Kotono> The short man turns his attention to them, "Palasu," he says, "Lunatic Shooting Star. The graybeard's Klaus, he's a wizard."
[20:00] <Janson> "Yeah, I... I didn't explain it so well since I didn't get it all," Janson blushes and glances at both Aaeru and Silver who seemed dissatisfied with his earlier explanations.
[20:01] <Wayland> "I'll go over it again for everyone's benefit, then."
[20:01] <Aaeru> "Great!"
[20:02] <Kotono> "Yeah," Looking at the paling night, as darkness slowly begins to relent towards dawn, "Wouldn't hurt."
[20:03] * Janson looks utterly appalled as he notices dawn coming. Oh Jannath have they been up that long? He wants to go to bed...
[20:08] <Wayland> Wayland quickly explains the situation. "Any questions?"
[20:09] <Aaeru> "They're evil?" Aaeru asks, pointing at Silver.
[20:10] <Janson> "Mmm... not a question, but, I figure it needs saying," Janson represses a yawn and straightens up. "Fey can be hard to fight - they can bewitch you, they can blind you, they can trap you in webs of illusion, or charm you into loving them... but all of that we can fix. Killing's a lot harder to undo, unless Ilmater's got your back. But unless they're all like Silver, they're not likely to kill
[20:10] <Janson> us or Andrea unless we open that door first, so lets try and avoid that?"
[20:11] <Kotono> Silver shrugs, "Pixies are usually good-hearted. Most of them are probably dears...probably." She amends that, "Unless they're Unseelie Pixie, then it's best if..." A longer stop as Silver smirks, even while she shivers. "Let's hope for your sakes they aren't."
[20:11] * Aaeru gives Janson a thumbs up sign, not showing any signs of lingering tiredness herself. "Of course!"
[20:12] <Kotono> "So we don't go in and fight indiscriminately," Klaus stands up, dusting off his knees. "Assuming this portal exists. I've been studying the Grove the last hour and I've detected nothing supernatural."
[20:12] <Janson> "Well, lets just do what you guys did last time and see if it works?" Janson suggests, looking between the two extraplanar-descended beings.
[20:12] * Wayland looks at Janson for a long moment before nodding slowly. "You're probably right, Janson. Much as I would like to kill them all, it probably wouldn't be wise or even remotely good." He looks over at Klaus and sighs. "I was afraid of that. We should get over there."
[20:14] <Kotono> "Yeah," Branna takes a few steps forward towards it, "So if we ain't killing them, how will we deal with them?"
[20:15] <Janson> "Reason, intimidation, disabling magic, beating unconscious... work your way up," Janson shrugs and starts entering the grove himself.
[20:17] <Kotono> "Good advice," Palasu says, "Practical. Boring, but practical."
[20:17] <Kotono> OOC: Everyone besides Wayland make a charisma check?
[20:17] <Kotono> roll 1d20-1 Noel
[20:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-1 Noel and gets 2." [1d20=3]
[20:17] <Kotono> roll 1d20-1 Branna
[20:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-1 Branna and gets 18." [1d20=19]
[20:17] <Janson> "Yeah, well our friend's in there. Excitement can take a back seat to getting her home safely," Janson counters.
[20:17] <Janson> roll 1d20+2
[20:17] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+2 and gets 8." [1d20=6]
[20:17] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+5
[20:17] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+5 and gets 13." [1d20=8]
[20:17] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3 Sylvie
[20:17] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 Sylvie and gets 8." [1d20=5]
[20:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+1 Palasu
[20:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 Palasu and gets 9." [1d20=8]
[20:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+1 Klaus
[20:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 Klaus and gets 17." [1d20=16]
[20:19] <Kotono> Branna scowls, "Hear that?" he looks about, "Sounds like laughing."
[20:20] <Aaeru> "Ooh!" Aaeru exclaims. "I'm invited!"
[20:20] <Janson> "Can't hear anything..." Janson frowns and looks around for any source...
[20:21] * Aaeru tries taking a few steps ahead!
[20:22] * Wayland grabs Aaeru by the shoulder. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. What do you mean by invited?"
[20:23] <Aaeru> "To... go? Where we want to?" she asks back in confusion.
[20:25] <Kotono> As the party advances you can all hear it. Tinkling laughter, sprightly and happy. Silver scowls, "Pixies," she says aloud, "A-" Abruptly her words fizzle as reality seems to rewrite itself! For a moment everything grows squiggly, twisting, moving! You now stand in sunlight. Above the sun shines in a purple sky. You stand surrounded by hedges, a single passage leading on. The hedges are tall,
[20:25] <Kotono> going up 15 feet high.
[20:25] <Wayland> "How exactly were you invited? I didn't hear anything." Wayland frowns.
[20:26] * Aaeru frowns as well. "Maybe you weren't invited?"
[20:26] <Janson> "But we're all here," Janson points out, looking to confirm all are present and correct.
[20:27] <Aaeru> "Right!" Thusly diverted, Aaeru starts heading down the inviting passage.
[20:27] <Wayland> "I'd be stunned if they wanted me back, Aaeru." Wayland nods at Janson.
[20:31] <Kotono> As Noel and Branna look around and gape, Klaus takes a quick look. "Indeed, this does appear to be a supernatural realm," he says, "Curiouser."
[20:32] <Janson> roll 1d20+10 knowledge nature for realm traits I can figure out from looking around?
[20:32] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+10 knowledge nature for realm traits I can figure out from looking around? and gets 29." [1d20=19]
[20:34] <Janson> "This is a primal realm alright," Janson kneels down a moment to sift through the soil in his fingers. "Silver and I should find our magic here stronger, along with any earth magic anyone else has," he concludes, straightening up and sticking close to Sylvie as they advance.
[20:34] <Kotono> Meanwhile Balyss points ahead, "We kept walking ahead last time," she says.
[20:34] <Kotono> Sylvie whistles low, "This was just outside Balmuria?"
[20:34] * Aaeru is certainly walking ahead!
[20:35] * Wayland nods. "We need to stay paired up, at least. No one goes off on their own." Wayland says as he keeps pace with Aaeru.
[20:35] <Janson> "I'd been meaning to check it out myself for a while," the redhead admits. "Not like this, though... hope Andrea's alright."
[20:36] <Kotono> "Yes," Sylvie agrees as you walk ahead. As you do...OOC: Everyone but Silver, Aaeru and Janson needs to make will saves.
[20:36] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3
[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 and gets 19." [1d20=16]
[20:37] <Kotono> roll 1d20 Noel
[20:37] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 Noel and gets 12." [1d20=12]
[20:37] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2 Branna
[20:37] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Branna and gets 13." [1d20=11]
[20:37] <Wayland> roll 1d20+7
[20:37] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+7 and gets 18." [1d20=11]
[20:37] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7 Balyss
[20:37] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+7 Balyss and gets 11." [1d20=4]
[20:37] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4 Palasu
[20:37] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+4 Palasu and gets 8." [1d20=4]
[20:37] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6 Klaus
[20:37] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 Klaus and gets 9." [1d20=3]
[20:40] <Kotono> As the party walks ahead, a faint mist seems to spring up from the air itself. You hear laughter for a moment as Noel, Branna, Balyss, Palasu and Klaus all seem to fade away!
[20:41] <Aaeru> "They were just there!" Aaeru exclaims, pointing at the spot Noel and Branna had occupied. "They were there! And now they're not!"
[20:41] <Kotono> Sylvie at least manages to sharply look up, shaking her head back and forth. She stops walking abruptly, "Entirely wrong, like..." she mutters, looking to Janson.
[20:42] <Wayland> "What? Hey!" Wayland cries.
[20:44] <Janson> "Hey!" Janson calls and walks up to the pixies, "Where did you take our friends?" Not that he really knows them enough to call them friends...
[20:47] <Kotono> Laughter is heard again as they flutter about, appearing. Pixies, a few dozen of them. "Sister," One lands on Aaeru's shoulder, "Thank you for bringing another Prince!" Another flutters in front of Janson, "Ooooh, a pact! Big boy," she giggles, "Wanna go dance and learn from me?" Yet more eye Wayland, arms crossed.
[20:47] <Aaeru> "You're welcome," Aaeru automatically responds, looking at the pixie on her shoulder with curiousity.
[20:47] <Kotono> Silver takes a moment to clear her throat, "We're here for a friend," she says, "Before you start planning a revel, listen to them."
[20:49] <Wayland> "We're not here to help you." Wayland eyes the pixie on Aaeru's shoulder. We're here to get our friend back."
[20:49] <Aaeru> "Where is Andrea?" Aaeru asks.
[20:52] <Janson> "I was just about to dance before I had to come here because of you kidnapping Andrea, actually," Janson returns tiredly, managing a momentary smile for Sylvie. "And now you're kidnapping more people. What's this all about?"
[20:52] <Kotono> "Oh!" A pixie smiles guilelessly at Aaeru, "Princess Andrea is playing by the Phoenix Egg and helping out!" Wayland gets scathing glares all the while, "What is HE doing here? I heard he hit a nymph! What sort of demon hits a nymph?!"
[20:54] <Wayland> "I'll hit her again if she doesn't keep the hell away from me, too." Wayland growls.
[20:54] <Janson> "What about Balyss, Palasu, and Klaus? Where are they, now?" Janson presses before getting to Andrea.
[20:54] * Aaeru honestly has no idea, since the pixies are the ones bringing people over or sending them away. She just focuses on what she can understand. "Umm, Phoenix Egg?"
[20:54] <Kotono> Sylvie smiles back before rubbing her eyes.
[20:56] <Kotono> The pixies all glower at Wayland, "Why don't you go away?" They say back as one. Meanwhile Silver rubs her head slowly, "Sisters," she snaps, "LISTEN to me. Odds are the nymph got out of hand and needed a good smack. Probably. Look, the point is that we need Andrea and our other friends back. Do you have a leader, a boss, anything like that?"
[20:59] <Kotono> The pixies all just GLARE at Wayland, while one says, "The Phoenix Keeper. You want to meet him?"
[20:59] <Wayland> "No, I'm quite fond of it here. All the nymphs I could ever want to hit."
[21:00] <Aaeru> Phoenix Egg. Phoenix Keeper. "Sure!"
[21:00] <Janson> "If you guys can't tell us what happened to our friends and he can, then yeah, lets go with that," Janson agrees.
[21:01] <Kotono> "Aren't you just a brute," Sylvie mutters, giving Wayland and Silver long looks. She shakes her head, as meanwhile it happens at once. Dozens - no - hundreds of pixies come flying through the hedges! They appear under each of you, lifting you up off the ground in combined efforts! "Okay," The pixies agree!
[21:02] <Janson> "Just don't drop Wayland even if he is feisty," Janson asks the pixies nicely. "He's only like that because he's worried about Andrea."
[21:03] * Aaeru frowns slightly. "Are you sure?" she whispers to Janson dubiously.
[21:03] * Wayland eyes the pixies dangerously.
[21:04] <Janson> "Just go with it!" Janson whispers back quickly.
[21:17] <Kotono> Sylvie eeps as all of you rise up, then zip on ahead! In the distance you can see it now - a vast pink egg sits on a giant pedestool. You fly onward towards it, a great swarm of pixies dancing and singing around it. The song of the pixies drowns lower as you approach. Before the egg stands an elf. He is ten feet tall, hair honeysuckle and baby's breath. His skin is a pale green with tinges of
[21:17] <Kotono> yellow. He wears great leaves twisted into clothing, a crown of hummingbirds atop his head.
[21:18] <Janson> roll 1d20+10 nature to id him if he's a kind of fey?
[21:18] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+10 nature to id him if he's a kind of fey? and gets 14." [1d20=4]
[21:19] * Aaeru just enjoys her chance to fly~
[21:20] * Janson feels somewhat ill at ease by having dozens of tiny hands grabbing him all over to propel him through the air, and looks forward to landing, looking for any signs of Andrea after a glance over the tall elf ahead.
[21:21] <Kotono> roll 1d20+11
[21:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+11 and gets 25." [1d20=14]
[21:22] <Kotono> "Fellows, sisters, brothers," he says, "I see this foolish brute," A scathing, cold look at Wayland, "Has worthy friends."
[21:23] <Aaeru> "Hi!" Aaeru chirps, looking about and finally peering around the egg. "Where is Andrea?"
[21:24] <Wayland> "Indeed, traitor-elf. Where is our friend?" Wayland glares.
[21:25] * Janson quietly palms his face as he dismounts the pixies.
[21:27] <Kotono> The Phoenix Keeper extends a hand out. Flying down from above is a single pixie. It resembles Andrea deeply, a happy smile on her face. The pixie rests in his hand, curling up into a ball. "The Phoenix is the natural symbol of the cycle of life, death and rebirth. The avatar of these forces. Andrea Redfall died before the Phoenix of her own voilition, being reborn as a fey. The pixies in turn
[21:27] <Kotono> will aid the rebirth of the Phoenix, ensuring the natural order continues."
[21:28] <Aaeru> "She's dead?!" Aaeru gasps.
[21:28] * Janson chokes at this blunt summation. "Sh-she died?! How? How could you possibly have talked her into that?!" he demands.
[21:28] * Wayland stares in mute horror at the miniature Andrea.
[21:29] <Kotono> "Not like you think," Silver takes a very long breath and rubs her temple, "The Phoenix is a symbol of life, death and REBIRTH." The last has heavy emphasis, "Death is not the end for the Phoenix or those it blesses, but only another leg in the endless cycle."
[21:30] <Janson> "So when the phoenix hatches Andrea gets reborn? As what, a baby?" Janson asks, still not liking this. "Or will it actually bring her back completely, from the ashes or whatever?"
[21:30] <Aaeru> "Ashes?"
[21:31] <Janson> "Phoenix rising from the ashes. Old saying," Janson waves it off, not inclined to explain right now.
[21:32] <Kotono> "She is a fey now," The Phoenix Keeper smiles, "As the humans and the elves reject the flow of nature, some of them return to the fold. To think, the elves have turned away, yet now humans willingly become part of the cycle." The Phoenix Keeper shakes with unuttered laughter, "It's perfect."
[21:33] <Aaeru> "So if she's not... dead-dead, can she... unbecome?" Aaeru asks, thoroughly confused by this point.
[21:33] <Wayland> "This..." Wayland shakes his head. "I..."
[21:33] <Janson> "Oh... just shut up about that!" Janson suddenly snaps. "I'm sick and tired about hearing how elves are so natural and perfect and humans aren't. We get nature! We're part of it! But I don't care about that right now - I want to know how to get Andrea back!"
[21:37] <Kotono> "You don't." With a thinner smile, "She is needed to ensure the timely rebirth of the Phoenix. Rejoice, she has become greater than she was. So will other humans who wander here."
[21:39] <Wayland> "I'm going to kill you all, starting with YOU!" Wayland snarls, lunging at the giant elf!
[21:39] <Aaeru> "But this is wrong!" Aaeru protests.
[21:39] <Janson> "No, I'm not going to accept that," Janson shakes his head. "The phoenix will be reborn when it's ready - that's the natural way to do it. By harvesting people and forcing them to - shit!" Janson's diatribe is cut off by Wayland's attack.
[21:39] <Kotono> OOC: Roll init.
[21:40] <Janson> roll 1d20+4
[21:40] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+4 and gets 19." [1d20=15]
[21:40] <Kotono> "Shit," Sylvie seconds, dropping into a fighting stance!
[21:40] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+2
[21:40] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+2 and gets 20." [1d20=18]
[21:40] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6 Sylvie
[21:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 Sylvie and gets 13." [1d20=7]
[21:40] <Wayland> roll 1d20+3
[21:40] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+3 and gets 6." [1d20=3]
[21:40] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 Silver
[21:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 Silver and gets 27." [1d20=19]
[21:40] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 Keeper
[21:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 Keeper and gets 21." [1d20=13]
[21:41] * Kotono changes topic to 'Silver(27)>Phoenix Keeper(21)>Aaeru(20)>Janson(19)>Sylvie(13)>Wayland(6)'
[21:43] <Kotono> "Fuck.' Silver growls, "Idiots and overcompensating elves! I am TIRED of overcompensating elves!" She begins to chant, air gusting around her! At the same time the Phoenix Keeper utters a single word, seeming to waver in place! At the same time it's back explodes out, butterfly wings emerging! It ascends up 15 feet straight up, arms open wide, "You think you have a chance to defeat me in my
[21:43] <Kotono> realm?" OOC: Aaeru.
[21:44] <Aaeru> "Sparkles!" Aaeru exclaims, jerking her hands towards the flying butterfly elf.
[21:44] <Aaeru> OOC: Glitterdust
[21:44] <Kotono> OOC: Will, right?
[21:44] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8
[21:44] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 and gets 21." [1d20=13]
[21:45] <Aaeru> OOC: dc15, I can't say this was unexpected
[21:45] <Kotono> The glitter covers the Phoenix Keeper all over, making him shine like gold! At the same time he shields his eyes from the clash of light! OOC: Janson, go.
[21:45] * Merc-school is now known as Merc
[21:45] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Merc
[21:46] <Janson> "I don't see a phoenix nest here, I see a chicken-coop!" Janson summarises the gist of the argument he was trying to make before Wayland started lunging, holding back any attack for the moment in case tempers cool now that the tall guy is out of punching range. If he starts casting anything, though, he'll get an eldritch blast to the face!
[21:46] <Janson> OOC: readied for if keeper casts
[21:58] <Kotono> OOC: Okay. Sylvie.
[21:59] <Kotono> Sylvie comes up besides Janson, on the ready! "Aren't fey about freedom and life? What's the hell is the point of this?!" OOC: Wayland.
[22:01] * Wayland swings right at the big elf!
[22:01] <Wayland> roll 1d20+8
[22:01] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+8 and gets 12." [1d20=4]
[22:03] <Kotono> OOC: He's 15 feet up, you'd need to make a jump check to get in swinging range.
[22:04] <Wayland> OOC: He's up? Crap, didn't see that.
[22:04] <Wayland> OOC: Strike that then
[22:04] <Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[22:05] <Wayland> OOC: Hey, how far are we from the egg?
[22:05] <Aaeru> "Forcing people is wrong!" Aaeru calls up to the floating giant elf. "Laughing about it is wrong, too! You should stop and apologize!"
[22:06] <Kotono> OOC: Say 30 feet away and a ways up. The pedestal's pretty big, though you could get to it and climb up if you wanted.
[22:07] * Wayland palms a bottle of Alchemist's Fire and throws it at the flying elf!
[22:08] <Kotono> OOC: Ranged touch attack.
[22:08] <Wayland> roll 1d20+7
[22:08] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+7 and gets 12." [1d20=5]
[22:10] <Kotono> The flask is thrown...and misses! It archs and hits against the pedestal, breaking apart! The flames lick at the pedestal, but don't seem to immediately burn it down or any such! OOC: Silver.
[22:11] <Kotono> "Got it!" Silver says, "Now get down here and LISTEN!" She calls, as a glob of honey  appears in the air! In a torrent it falls right down over the Phoenix Keeper!
[22:11] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4
[22:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+4 and gets 12." [1d20=8]
[22:12] <Kotono> But the honey-blob is evaded, landing in a wet thwump on the ground below! It oozes about, stickily! The Keeper looks down with a haughty contempt, "Fire against the Phoenix?" HIs hand extends out as he intones a few arcane words, eyes on Wayland! OOC: Janson, you were holding?
[22:13] * Kotono changes topic to 'Silver(27)>Janson=Phoenix Keeper(21)>Aaeru(20)>Sylvie(13)>Wayland(6)'
[22:14] <Janson> Even though Wayland probably deserves it, Janson launches an eldritch blast up at the phoenix keeper while sticking close to Sylvie! "Can we all just calm down and talk this out?!"
[22:14] <Janson> roll 1d20+6
[22:14] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+6 and gets 26." [1d20=20]
[22:14] <Janson> roll 1d20+6 crit check
[22:14] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+6 crit check and gets 23." [1d20=17]
[22:14] <Kotono> OOC: d100.
[22:14] <Janson> roll 1d100
[22:14] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d100 and gets 15." [1d100=15]
[22:15] <Kotono> Janson fires...but with a ripple the Phoenix Keeper vanishes in and out of sight! A moment later a ball of fire erupts from it's hand, exploding around Wayland in a fiery inferno! OOC: Ref.
[22:15] <Wayland> roll 1d20+8 with Evasion
[22:15] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+8 with Evasion and gets 23." [1d20=15]
[22:16] <Kotono> With a quick movement Wayland leaps up, evading the powerful, fiery blast that detonates around him like a contained apocalypse! For a moment he is hidden by smoke...then it fades, showing him unburnt! OOC: Aaeru.
[22:18] * Aaeru directs her magics inwards this time around, growing as large as the elf! She takes several steps forward afterwards, just close enough to grab his foot should he try to fly away somewhere on his wings. "You're wrong," she states firmly, looking up at him. "You should free everyone!"
[22:21] <Kotono> Sylvie stays in position, guarding Janson! Meanwhile the Phoenix KEeper looks down to Aaeru, "It's only fitting that the humans offer thier own up, for what they've done to Pallanth," The ten foot tall elf retorts, "This is justice in the cycle of life!" OOC: Wayland.
[22:21] <Aaeru> "I didn't do anything! I never even visited it!" Aaeru protests. "You're just making it up!"
[22:29] * Wayland pulls a bullet from his belt pouch, packs it into his sling, and lets fly at the Keeper!
[22:29] <Wayland> roll 1d20+7
[22:29] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+7 and gets 23." [1d20=16]
[22:29] <Kotono> OOC: d100.
[22:29] <Wayland> roll 1d100
[22:29] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d100 and gets 26." [1d100=26]
[22:30] <Kotono> Wayland fires true, but again the Phoenix Keeper blinks! The shot passes through, the Keeper reappearing a split second later! Meanwhile Silver keeps chanting, another honey-blob falling from above!
[22:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4
[22:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+4 and gets 5." [1d20=1]
[22:31] <Kotono> But this one misses completely, splattering and getting gooey honey all over the party's clothes as it splatters! OOC: Janson and the Keeper are up.
[22:32] <Janson> "Oh, so now it's not a happy opportunity, it's a punishment for us evil humans? You sanctimonious hypocrite!" Janson calls up irately at the keeper, shifting around a bit to get a clear shot away from Aaeru and letting fly a blast of amber eldritch force, bolstered by the fey realm!
[22:32] <Janson> roll 1d20+6
[22:32] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+6 and gets 9." [1d20=3]
[22:34] <Kotono> roll 1d20+11 casting defensively, he ain't no fool.
[22:34] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+11 casting defensively, he ain't no fool. and gets 24." [1d20=13]
[22:34] <Kotono> Janson fires off a quick shot, but the Phoenix Keeper evades neatly! At the same time he gestures, golden dust bursting around Sylvie and Janson! OOC: Will, you two.
[22:35] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3
[22:35] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 and gets 21." [1d20=18]
[22:36] <Janson> roll 1d20+6
[22:36] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+6 and gets 13." [1d20=7]
[22:36] * Kotono changes topic to 'Silver(27)>Janson(Blind 7 rounds)=Phoenix Keeper(21)>Aaeru(20)>Sylvie(13)>Wayland(6)'
[22:37] <Kotono> Golden dust burst around the two! They are covered, Sylvie squinting and rubbing her eyes clean! At the same time Janson is caught dead on, eyes overwhelmed by the golden flakes! OOC: Aaeru, go.
[22:37] <Janson> "Ahh! My eyes!" Janson cries out, hands going to cover them as he staggers back!
[22:37] * Aaeru lunges for the elf's feet, seeking to latch onto them and drag him down to earth!
[22:37] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+6 grapple1
[22:37] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+6 grapple1 and gets 21." [1d20=15]
[22:38] <Kotono> OOC: Hit. D100 to make contact.
[22:38] <Aaeru> roll 1d100
[22:38] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d100 and gets 86." [1d100=86]
[22:38] <Kotono> OOC: Success. Opposed grapple.
[22:38] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+13
[22:38] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+13 and gets 19." [1d20=6]
[22:39] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[22:39] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 24." [1d20=18]
[22:39] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+6 grapple2
[22:39] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+6 grapple2 and gets 15." [1d20=9]
[22:39] <Kotono> OOC: Hit, d100.
[22:39] <Aaeru> roll 1d100
[22:39] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d100 and gets 99." [1d100=99]
[22:39] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+13
[22:39] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+13 and gets 18." [1d20=5]
[22:39] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[22:39] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 7." [1d20=1]
[22:40] <Aaeru> OOC: swift action to activate strength devotion
[22:40] <Kotono> OOC: Okay.
[22:40] <Aaeru> roll 1d8+6 grapple damage, nonlethal
[22:40] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d8+6 grapple damage, nonlethal and gets 12." [1d8=6]
[22:42] <Kotono> Aaeru gets a good grip on his leg, starting to yank him down! Sylvie watches this, on the ready to pounce while keeping a guard on the blinded Janson! OOC: Wayland.
[22:43] <Wayland> Wayland gathers himself and waits for the Keeper to hit the ground!
[22:43] <Aaeru> "You're just bullying people!" Aaeru insists, keeping a firm grip on the not-elf for all she's worth.
[22:44] <Kotono> Silver grins, chanting! A blob of honey hovers int he air, ready to fall but not quite yet! OOC: Janson and the Keeper are up. Go Janson.
[22:44] <Janson> "I can't see anything..." Janson complains, blinking and rubbing his eyes.
[22:45] <Kotono> roll 1d20+11 concentration
[22:45] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+11 concentration and gets 16." [1d20=5]
[22:46] <Kotono> The Phoenix Keeper tries to concentrate, but nothing happens! "Pixies!" He calls as he struggles, magic dissipating around him, "Get ready!" OOC: Aaeru, go.
[22:46] * Aaeru shifts her grip to the fey's knee, pulling on it suddenly to bend the leg backwards and lock the joint altogether!
[22:46] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+13 grapple to pin him
[22:46] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+13 grapple to pin him and gets 22." [1d20=9]
[22:48] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[22:48] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 14." [1d20=8]
[22:49] * Aaeru then swiftly applies her elbow into the fey's back, driving him down to eat dirt!
[22:49] <Kotono> With that sudden move the fey is knocked down into the dirt, hitting terra firma with a devastating impact! OOC: Wayland, you were holding to thump him?
[22:49] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+13+4 grapple to move him, preventing him from speaking since he's pinned
[22:49] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+13+4 grapple to move him, preventing him from speaking since he's pinned and gets 34." [1d20=17]
[22:49] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6 irrelevant roll
[22:49] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 irrelevant roll and gets 26." [1d20=20]
[22:50] * Wayland moves for a solid thumping!
[22:50] <Wayland> roll 1d20+8
[22:50] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+8 and gets 26." [1d20=18]
[22:51] <Kotono> OOC: Hit. D100.
[22:52] <Wayland> roll 1d100
[22:52] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d100 and gets 20." [1d100=20]
[22:53] <Kotono> Wayland's fist somehow passes right through the Phoenix Keeper! AT the same time Sylvie closes in, fist slamming down!
[22:53] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7 (+4 cunning insight)
[22:53] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+7 (+4 cunning insight) and gets 23." [1d20=16]
[22:53] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:53] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 58." [1d100=58]
[22:54] <Kotono> roll 1d6+1
[22:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6+1 and gets 2." [1d6=1]
[22:54] * Kotono changes topic to 'Silver(27)>Janson(Blind 7 rounds)=Phoenix Keeper(21)>Aaeru=Sylvie=Wayland(6)'
[22:55] <Kotono> As Sylvie manages a grazing thump on his hand, the Phoenix Keeper snarls! "Mmmmmf! Mmmmf fffffmmm grrrmfffm!"
[22:56] <Kotono> Silver holds the honeyblob up, holding position! OOC: Janson, you're up.
[22:56] * Kotono changes topic to 'Silver(27)>Janson(Blind 5 rounds)=Phoenix Keeper(21)>Aaeru=Sylvie=Wayland(6)'
[22:57] * Janson assumes from the noises that they're winning, so waits for his sight to return. But if he hears an unknown voice casting a spell he'll shoot in that direction!
[22:59] <Kotono> The Phoenix Keeper struggles, trying to escape the pin! OOC: Opposed grapple.
[22:59] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[22:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 14." [1d20=8]
[22:59] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+13
[22:59] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+13 and gets 30." [1d20=17]
[23:00] <Kotono> But he's held tight, unable to move! OOC: Aaeru/Sylvie/Wayland, go.
[23:00] <Aaeru> Still keeping one arm locking his knees in place, Aaeru reaches with the heel of her other palm to apply ever-increasing pressure on the fey-elf's neck, over and over again, to try and get him to black out. Once he has been properly tied up, they can surely settle everything with the pixies who were so obviously lead astray by this villain!
[23:00] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+13 grapple1
[23:00] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+13 grapple2
[23:00] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+13 grapple1 and gets 17." [1d20=4]
[23:00] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+13 grapple2 and gets 25." [1d20=12]
[23:02] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[23:02] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[23:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 13." [1d20=7]
[23:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 13." [1d20=7]
[23:02] <Aaeru> roll 1d8+6 nonlethal
[23:02] <Aaeru> roll 1d8+6 nonlethal
[23:02] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d8+6 nonlethal and gets 10." [1d8=4]
[23:02] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d8+6 nonlethal and gets 13." [1d8=7]
[23:02] <Kotono> The Phoenix Keeper is pounded hard, tugged and pulled about! He struggles weakly in Aaeru's grasp! OOC: He's still up, Wayland, if youw anna go.
[23:03] <Wayland> Rearing back, Wayland moves to drop a crushing blow to the back of the Keeper's head!
[23:03] <Wayland> roll 1d20+8
[23:03] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+8 and gets 12." [1d20=4]
[23:04] <Kotono> At the asme time Sylvie throws a flurry of two blows out!
[23:04] <Kotono> roll 1d20+1
[23:04] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 and gets 5." [1d20=4]
[23:05] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5 (+4 cunning insight, 0/2 points left)
[23:05] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 (+4 cunning insight, 0/2 points left) and gets 17." [1d20=12]
[23:05] <Kotono> roll 1d10
[23:05] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d10 and gets 8." [1d10=8]
[23:05] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[23:05] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 72." [1d100=72]
[23:05] <Kotono> roll 1d6+1
[23:05] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6+1 and gets 7." [1d6=6]
[23:05] <Kotono> WHAM! With a quick lunge she goes right for his forehead, landing a solid thump there! That's finally too much, the Phoenix Keeper going limp in Aaeru's arms! OOC: Free act.
[23:06] <Janson> "Are we winning?" Janson asks hopefully, looking around with sightless eyes.
[23:06] * Aaeru nods in satisfaction. "This is a win for justice!"
[23:06] <Kotono> Sylvie exhales for a moment. "Whew." She rubs her hand, as meanwhile? Above one can note teh pixies all looking down, all of them. So many of them, starting to descend.
[23:07] <Wayland> "Not yet, it's not." Wayland says. "We still have to find a way to fix Andrea."
[23:07] <Aaeru> Still keeping her arm around the fey-elf's neck in case he is faking it, Aaeru asks the descending pixies, "Can we talk to someone else? This one hated humans!"
[23:09] <Kotono> The pixies buzz in the air, saying not a word. They stare in visible shock and anger for a little time, before a feminine voice speaks from behind the party, "You're back, meddling air-spirit?"
[23:10] * Janson turns to the sound of that voice, an eldritch blast ready in case of hostile magic!
[23:10] * Aaeru looks behind her!
[23:11] * Wayland turns to look!
[23:12] <Kotono> A gorgeous woman stands there, unclad. A nymph, a familiar one Wayland has punched before! Her arms are crossed, "What do yo uwant here, to come in and assault the Phoenix Keeper?"
[23:12] <Kotono> "How about our friend, honey?" Silver mutters low in her throat, the last word invokedl ike a curse, "We want Andrea back."
[23:13] <Wayland> "Not to mention the others you have enslaved." Wayland growls. "Or do I need to hit you again?"
[23:13] <Janson> "We want our friend back! We want you to stop treating this phoenix like a hen in a coop! Jannath curse you, you're more farmers than druids!" Janson calls in response to the voice that he cannot put a face to thanks to his blindness.
[23:13] <Aaeru> "He said humans helped, but then he just got all angry and wanted to punish humans!" Aaeru says, letting go of the fey-elf and standing up. She crosses her own arms over her chest, stepping on the downed fey's back to keep him in place. "That's wrong! You have to stop!"
[23:17] <Kotono> The nymph's gaze is cold as iron, "Is it? The Keeper told me about how humans had corrupted the elves, turning them into humans with pointy ears! If some humans pay and help the cycle of nature, I'd say that's just desserts."
[23:17] <Aaeru> "Then you shouldn't lie and trick people! Stop asking for help like you mean it!"
[23:18] <Janson> "To hell with you and to hell with your elf racism!" Janson yells furiously. "I don't give a damn about elves, and neither should you! They live on the other side of the world and have nothing to do with this. And I'm damned sure there are humans who get nature a hell of a lot more than elves do, so don't put their problems on us!"
[23:19] <Kotono> Sylvie's eyes go wide at Janson, saying nothing else.
[23:20] <Wayland> Wayland starts to say something, but is shocked into silence by Janson.
[23:22] <Janson> Since everyone's falling awkwardly silent, Janson keeps on going. "You're *killing* people over some crazed idea that we're somehow responsible for what happens to another species that lives thousands of miles away! Can't you see how insane this is?"
[23:22] <Kotono> The nymph's gaze is colder yet as she meets Janson's clearing eyes, the dust finally working it's course through them. "If it's gone so far that the humans are closer to nature than the elves, both courts help us." In a frosty tone of voice, "A trade then. We give you Andrea back, your friends diverted find their way home and we never darken the step of the Paskan Grove again." At those last
[23:22] <Kotono> words the nymph's eyes narrow, "Killing? I see a lot of alive, happy pixies."
[23:23] <Wayland> "You're not really helping your case here, girl."
[23:23] <Aaeru> This seems to be the part where they force the fey into letting people go, so Aaeru isn't about to be left out. "No!" she responds to the nymph's offer. "Turn all the humans back and leave, or we'll turn your keeper into a human with pointy ears. See how you like it!"
[23:23] <Janson> Even though he can see now, Janson's too annoyed to be put off by the nymph's femininity. "So you're happy when a fungal bloom takes over a once thriving grove, choking out the trees that were already there?" he asks, invoking the nature metaphors that Jannath likes so much.
[23:24] <Wayland> "I'd actually prefer to turn the Keeper into paste, but I doubt you'll all let me do that." Wayland remarks.
[23:24] * Aaeru ignores such murderous whisperings for now, glaring at the nymph.
[23:24] <Kotono> "You can't." With a suddenly smug smile, "The Keeper was noble and brave enough to face you alone. I'm not...and what are the odds? A thousand to five? Two thousand to five?" she gestures up at the sky, "And that's nothing like that, human!" That gets another chill glance to Janson.
[23:25] <Aaeru> "It wasn't noble! He just floated there and called us names!"
[23:26] <Wayland> "And taunted us with the memory of our corrupted friend."
[23:27] <Janson> "We didn't even come here to fight," Janson mutters before raising his voice. "And convince me it's not. You've killed one thing and grown another in its place - some people might say that the fungus is good and enjoy having it around, but does that make wiping out the grove right? How is killing someone to reshape them into a pixie any different? Especially a pixie that's enslaved to you and
[23:27] <Janson> your keeper friend?"
[23:28] <Aaeru> "We'll never leave if you keep slaves!" Aaeru pitches in. "And even if you win, we're not alone! Others will stop you! They will keep trying, until they do!"
[23:28] <Kotono> "Enslaved? The pixies love it here. If they weren't getting bows and arrows ready, you could ask them that yourself," WIth a haughty smirk back, "I didn't come here to get into a philsophical argument. You have terms that let you escape intact. Take them or..."
[23:29] <Aaeru> "Janson," Aaeru asks their expert on all things natural, taking her eyes off the nymph. "Can we free them if we break the egg?"
[23:30] <Janson> "They weren't given any choice!" Janson retorts. "You can't even defend your position - you're so wrapped up in this agricultural fantasy of farming the phoenix instead of letting nature take its course, and you'll cull anything that gets in its way... I don't know about humans and elves, but I know civilisation and nature. And this isn't natural."
[23:30] <Janson> roll 1d20+10 nature, can we?
[23:30] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+10 nature, can we? and gets 17." [1d20=7]
[23:32] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Sylvie will try too, she's curious.
[23:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Sylvie will try too, she's curious. and gets 15." [1d20=6]
[23:32] <Janson> "I doubt it," Janson shakes his head. "Pixies have nothing to do with phoenix eggs. It's just something weird these two made up, I think."
[23:33] <Aaeru> "So... the pixies aren't helping it grow?" she asks, now confused. "It's really just some punishment?"

[Corwin]

[20:36] <Kotono> "You're wrong," The nymph retorts, "The Phoenix Keeper says that pixies are integral to the Phoenix being successfully and properly reborn."
[20:36] <Aaeru> "Why?"
[20:37] <Janson> "I'm sure he says lots of things," Janson scowls over at the comatose giant elf. "Don't make them true."
[20:39] <Kotono> "Can you prove what you say?" The nymph lets it hang for just a moment, a cold smirk coming after, "I doubt it very much."
[20:39] <Aaeru> "Can you?" Aaeru asks just a bit peevishly at the way the nymph avoids explaining anything properly.
[20:42] <Janson> "Two thousand pixies, you said?" Janson asks back. "I bet that's more pixies than live in the whole of Merdlain! If phoenixes really needed that many of them all clustered into one place, there'd be no pixies anywhere except from around eggs. And how long have you been at it? Has there been any change to the egg in the time since you started killing people and turning them into pixies?"
[20:49] <Kotono> "Not yet...which is why we need more," The nymph's eyes narrow. "Not the point, though."
[20:49] <Aaeru> "So what's the point?" Aaeru exclaims. "How many fake pixies do you need?"
[20:50] <Janson> "That's absurd!" Janson throws up his hands in despair. "It's like saying that if a flower isn't growing you just need to put more pebbles around it - if it isn't growing clearly more pebbles are needed! It's a phoenix! It needs fire, not fairies!"
[20:54] <Kotono> The nymph glowers, "The Phoenix Keeper has told me that the pixies are needed for the phoenix!" She takes a longer breath, looking away, "...ask him." Her voice drops to quietness, "He's the one that convinced me."
[20:55] <Aaeru> It seems they are getting closer to answers, so Aaeru takes her foot off the Keeper, reaches down to drag him to his feet and tries to slap him awake.
[20:55] <Janson> "He wasn't very convincing when we asked him a minute ago. Just ranted about how it was a good way to teach humans a lesson for ruining elves," Janson grumbles, nonetheless looking over at the two giants.
[20:55] <Aaeru> OOC: I have LoH up to 6hp, I'll use it by 1hp increments
[20:57] <Kotono> OOC: 3used.
[20:57] <Kotono> At this touch the Phoenix Keeper stirs. His face is bruised up, body beaten. His eyes crack open slowly, "What...?"
[20:58] <Aaeru> "Why did you lie to everyone?" Aaeru asks him, shaking the Keeper as he startles awake.
[21:02] <Kotono> Slowly the Keeper seems to recover, coughing a few times. "Do..do you think I'll cooperate and tell you everything now?" His glower is hazy, "Why should I tell you anything?"
[21:03] * Aaeru considers punching the Keeper and eyes the purpling bruises on his face thoughtfully.
[21:04] * Wayland reaches over and absently gives one of the Keeper's wings a tug.
[21:04] <Janson> "Your friend said you convinced her that pixies were important for the phoenix," Janson calls over. "But to us you just ranted about how humans are to blame for anything that goes wrong with elves and we can make up for it by dying and becoming pixies. I doubt that was the explanation you gave her..."
[21:05] <Kotono> Sylvie comes and takes the other wing, "Y'know, I remember having pressed butterfly wings. You get a few, pull them off and put them inside a book. Say Janson, do we have any ten feet tall books?"
[21:07] * Wayland nods at Sylvie. "Elves don't need wings anyhow. I think we'd be doing him a favor by removing them. Slowly, so he doesn't forget."
[21:07] <Aaeru> "This is horrible!" Aaeru exclaims. "I can't let you torture him! I will kill him first!"
[21:07] <Wayland> "You're right, Aaeru. We should kill him." Wayland nods.
[21:07] * Janson winces at that prospect, it going a bit farther than he'd like. "Maybe the temple of Mystra has something like that... but I think they're magic wings considering they only appeared when he flew. It wouldn't be like dewinging an insect or fairy."
[21:08] <Aaeru> "It may be the only way to save him," Aaeru agrees solemnly.
[21:08] * Wayland pats the elf on the head. "Don't worry, it'll be quick and painless. Probably. Unless Janson misses. He's having eyesight trouble, you know."
[21:09] <Janson> "Can we stay on topic, please?" Janson asks with a glance up at all the pixies hovering above who could still choose to attack at any moment.
[21:10] <Kotono> "Too bad," Sylvie murmurs. Meanwhile the Phoenix Keeper glowers as he's held, "I'm liberating the humans..." The Phoenix Keeper coughs, "They corrupted beautiful Pallanth, turning the elves away. Kingdoms? Cities? King? The elves are nothing more than long lived humans! They've lost the way...and it's all humanity's fault! With the Phoenix Egg's power of rebirth, having the humans be reborn as
[21:10] <Kotono> fey..."
[21:10] * Aaeru gasps. "That's a terrible reason! You should be ashamed!"
[21:11] <Wayland> "So this is revenge for a slight against elf-kind that you made up? Have you even been to Pallanth recently? They barely tolerate humans."
[21:11] <Janson> "There we go!" Janson claps his hands and turns to the nymph. "He doesn't give a damn about the phoenix, he's trapping it as an egg. It'll never hatch as long as he has any say in it, it's powers harnessed to harvest humans and turn us into fey. Forgetful fey who don't know anything except from serving you two," his eyes narrow at that last part.
[21:14] <Kotono> "All the elf nobles care about is keeping the fey at bay," The Phoenix Keeper struggles, "Instead of embracing our heritage. The influence of the Baronies has corrupted them," He wiggles slightly, his body giving out before any progress is made.
[21:15] <Janson> "So you're making an army to overthrow them?"
[21:15] <Aaeru> "I don't care," Aaeru decides out loud. "Free everyone. Right now." She shakes the fey-elf some for good measure.
[21:16] <Wayland> "Then take that up with the elves, you fool! Humans have nothing to do with it. The elves discovered law. If you don't like it, leave or try to bring about change the right way! There's no honor in this." Wayland shakes his head.
[21:22] <Kotono> The Phoenix Keeper looks in defiance once...before slumping down. "I could have the pixies fire," he says, "Yet the arrows would find me as well, this close. Very well. I will free the humans, sending them back to their proper places."
[21:25] <Janson> "What about the egg?" Janson asks, looking to the nymph as he naturally assumes the female to be in charge. She put up a better showing than the keeper did, anyway. "I don't trust him with it, not after this. But we know a dryad who was consumed in flames and reborn - if anyone can nurture a phoenix egg properly, it would be her."
[21:26] <Kotono> "I'm..." The Keeper is the one that answers, "Going to give you the Egg. Take the humans and go...humans like you have no business deciding anything about the Egg!"
[21:27] <Aaeru> "Is he giving it or isn't he?" Aaeru whispers to Sylvie, leaning over the Keeper's shoulder.
[21:28] <Kotono> Sylvie shrugs, "He's still a little loopy, I'm thinking."
[21:28] <Kotono> The Keeper scowls, "I'm NOT going to give you the Egg!"
[21:28] <Aaeru> "Will you give it to Simmer?" Aaeru asks, following up on Janson's suggestion.
[21:29] <Janson> "You're no mother!" Janson turns on the keeper with a scowl of his own. "Jannath would curse me if I left this egg in your care after the way you've mistreated it! It's not a weapon for you to use in your war on Pallanth!"
[21:31] <Kotono> The Keeper glares up at them, "...do I have a choice?"
[21:32] <Aaeru> "I don't think so," Aaeru admits, after giving it a bit of thought. "Are you freeing everyone now?"
[21:33] <Kotono> "I need to rise and go to the Egg," he says at last.
[21:33] * Aaeru glances at Janson and the nymph for confirmation.
[21:33] <Janson> "The only choice is to end this with some grace and dignity or not," Janson adds. "You were given the care of a most precious gift, and you squandered it with your own selfishness. Accept that, and maybe one day you'll deserve nature's blessings again."
[21:36] <Kotono> The nymph nods back, eyes and face a neutral mask.
[21:36] <Aaeru> It sounds alright, then! Aaeru helps the fey-elf get to the pedestal.
[21:39] <Kotono> The fey goes to the pedestal! On touching it a bright light comes from the Phoenix Egg! Points of light form, pixies flashing into them and soaring off! As they do, before you she appears! A pixie flutters down and turns white. Andrea lies on the ground there, dazed. Her equipment and armor is littered about around her.
[21:39] * Aaeru blinks.
[21:41] * Aaeru kneels by Andrea and takes her hand, trying to restore her vitality!
[21:42] * Janson sighs in relief, but stays on guard in case of any treachery. "Now... the egg. Did you find it here originally or was it moved here from another place?"
[21:42] <Kotono> Sylvie goes over, kneeling next to Andrea. "You okay?" she asks, "You in there?"
[21:43] <Andria> Andrea blinks, looking surprised. "Huzziwhatnow? Where'd you guys come from?" she asks, feeling dazed.
[21:43] <Aaeru> "We saved you!"
[21:45] <Andria> "Saved me from what?" Andrea asks, looking confused. "Last I recall was talking to that elf and then being...happy?"
[21:45] <Kotono> "I found it here," The Keeper says concisely.
[21:45] <Aaeru> "He killed you and turned you into a pixie! A stupid one!"
[21:46] <Kotono> "You feeling alright," Sylvie says, "We're going to get out of here, so don't worry about it."
[21:47] <Janson> "Then one of us should go and find Simmer so she can come here, and see if she's willing to become the phoenix's mother," he turns to the nymph, "Can you open the way?"
[21:48] <Aaeru> Shrinking down to her proper size, Aaeru makes her way to Wayland. "Now that it's all better, you should apologize." She gestures at the nymph. "Tell her that you're sorry."
[21:48] <Kotono> "You'll find the path back with ease," The Phoenix Keeper says, "Just walk the way you came."
[21:49] <Wayland> "I should?" Wayland looks at Aaeru, incredulous.
[21:50] <Aaeru> "She was tricked! And you hit her!" Aaeru puts her hands on her hips. "It was wrong!"
[21:50] <Andria> Andrea eeps as she realizes just how light she feels and notices all her equipment about, dashing to pick up the pieces and putting it back on.
[21:50] * Janson goes up to the pixie that they brought here with them. "Silver, you're quickest of all of us. Can you go and get Simmer and bring her here? By now she'll probably have left the Furnace and made her way to Whimsical Sweets, but if she's not, you can find her..." he then proceeds to detail where the entrance to the Furnace that Simmer uses is.
[21:51] <Kotono> "Sure," Silver says, "This entire thing is so daftly stupid that I'd love to." She shakes her head, "Nature doesn't need a fey-elf spreading it. It takes care of itself. Hells, you sound like you read just enough nature lore to get it all wrong." She then flies off.
[21:52] <Wayland> "I'll apologize as soon as the rest of our missing companions are returned to us." Wayland glares at the nymph.
[21:53] <Aaeru> "Sure!" Aaeru smiles at the nymph. "Can you help?"
[21:54] <Kotono> "They're wandering and finding their way back," The Keeper glares icily, "They're safe."
[21:54] * Janson smiles and waves after the surly pixie, before he goes over to where Andrea is putting her armour back on, said efforts preventing any attempts at hugging her. So he just settles for smiling, "You've no idea how good it is to see you again after all this, Andrea. I thought you might be gone forever..."
[21:54] <Kotono> "It could've been worse...but she said she had fun," Sylvie's smile is a little wistful, "I guess being some free spirit fey wouldn't be that bad a life."
[21:55] <Kotono> The nymph just glares at Wayland, "It's not needed," she says shortly, going over to the Keeper.
[21:56] <Wayland> "Good, 'cause I'm not sorry." Wayland says.
[21:57] * Aaeru steps away from Wayland awkwardly.
[21:58] <Kotono> The nymph doesn't reply. She goes to the Keeper, and...SMACK! Her hand hits his cheek like a thundercrack, "I let you take me away from the forest for THIS? All your sweet and high talk and it's not needed?"
[21:58] <Wayland> "Forget it, I need to get out of this place as soon as possible. Bloody fey. I-" Wayland start's to rant, but stops seeing the unfolding drama.
[21:58] <Andria> "I'm still not sure what's going on...last I recall was trying to help the phoenix egg with hatching," Andrea admits to Janson, as she puts on her boots. "What is going on exactly? When'd you guys get here?"
[21:59] <Aaeru> Though she normally wouldn't approve, Aaeru is quite happy to see the nymph slap the Keeper rather than stay together with him for some misguided reason!
[21:59] <Janson> "He lied, you weren't actually helping with the hatching," Janson whispers to Andrea, also watching the drama. "He was turning humans into fairies to make into some sort of army to overthrow Pallanth with... I always try to stick up for fey, but for tonight I can't help but understand Wayland's feelings."
[22:00] <Kotono> The Keeper starts to speak, but the nymph cuts him off, "I'm returning to the forest. If you were a real Keeper and were needed, you wouldn't have lost." She turns and stomps off without another word.
[22:00] <Kotono> That gets her to stop abruptly, "The fey are fine. It seems this half-blood should never have obtained our blessings," she adds.
[22:01] * Aaeru waves after the nymph as she stomps off, smiling again.
[22:02] <Janson> "Glad to hear it!" Janson calls after her. "Just remember that elves don't have a monopoly on nature. Plenty of us humans live in harmony with it."

[Corwin]

[20:31] <Kotono> "Yeah," Sylvie adds, and in a lower voice, "So what do we do with the Keeper now?"
[20:32] <Aaeru> "He was kidnapping people, so he should go to jail?" Aaeru suggests, drifting over.
[20:33] <Janson> "Why don't we let Andrea decide, on behalf of all the victims?" Janson suggests, keeping a wary eye on the giant elf once the nymph has departed.
[20:34] <Kotono> "That makes poetic sense," Sylvie says, "Andrea?" The nymph has stalked away, while the Keeper rubs his head and starts to get up.
[20:38] <Andria> Andrea pauses as she thinks about it. "Well, I hadn't really -felt- like something bad had happened, so it's kind of hard to judge someone for it..." she says hesitantly after a while. "I mean, from what you've told me, yeah, not a nice thing he did, and for all the wrong reasons, but..." It's a little hard to explain, but it had been a rather happy experience for all that it was freaky in hindsight.
[20:40] <Aaeru> "He could do it again," Aaeru mentions, frowning. "Well, not with the egg. But kidnap people!"
[20:40] <Janson> "Well, I guess we have foiled his evil plans and could just let him go..." Janson muses, before calling over, "Hey! You!" at the Keeper.
[20:41] <Kotono> The Keeper has at last risen, flapping just off the ground. "What?" he asks, cold.
[20:41] <Andria> "Well, I'd ask if he was going to do it again, but I'm probably not a good judge of people lying considering I trusted that this whole thing," she says as she motions around them looking sheepish "...all this was for something -good-, so, uhm yeah."
[20:42] * Aaeru blinks. "It was?"
[20:42] <Janson> "What are you going to do once we kick you out of here?" Janson calls back, quite unaffected by any coldness.
[20:45] <Kotono> "Return home," he says, "There are places I must go."
[20:45] <Janson> "Works for me," Janson shrugs to the others, not objecting to that plan of him going a few thousand miles away.
[20:48] <Kotono> Sylvie looks to Janson and then shrugs, "I don't mind. I think locking him up won't work so well. How do you lock up a magical fey?"
[20:49] * Aaeru frowns.
[21:01] * Wayland looks at the big elf warily. "Where exactly are you headed, then?"
[21:03] <Aaeru> "I still think we should take him to Balmuria," Aaeru says somewhat uncertainly. "He lied to everyone, didn't he? Why are we believing him he will go away?"
[21:06] <Kotono> "Pallanth," He answers after a moment or two, "Back to my home."
[21:10] <Wayland> "I'm not so sure I want you going back to Pallanth just to cause trouble."
[21:10] * Janson sits down and leans against Sylvie, stifling a yawn. "Hope we figure it out soon and then Simmer gets here, I just want to sleep," he mutters quietly.
[21:12] <Kotono> The Keeper starts to fly up, "You may have won, but..." He simply starts to fly up and up, "I'm going home."
[21:12] <Kotono> Sylvie does likewise, rubbing her eyes, "Been a long night."
[21:13] <Janson> "An' don't come back!" Janson calls after him. "And when the elves ask who kicked you out, you tell 'em it was Whimsical Sweets!" he adds, brightening a bit. "Pity none of the people we rescued got to hear who it was that did it," he adds more quietly.
[21:14] <Wayland> "I'm sure they're grateful anyway, Janson."
[21:14] <Aaeru> "They would if we took him back to the Guard...." Aaeru says sadly, staring at the slowly-fleeing fey.
[21:14] <Kotono> With no immediate pursuit, the Phoenix Keeper takes off into the air and hurries away! "Now..." Sylvie says around a yawn, "Hope Simmer and Silver get back soon."
[21:15] <Andria> "So... how was the rest of the party?" Andrea asks while they wait.
[21:16] <Janson> "Oh, we had a great time," Janson gives Andrea a sleepy smile. "Didn't we, Sylvie? We gambled our lives on Tymora's graces and came out ahead!"
[21:16] <Aaeru> "Neve wanted to go, so I didn't really get to see much of it," Aaeru admits.
[21:18] <Kotono> "Mmmm..." Sylvie just smiles and yawns. She starts to doze as the conversation wraps around them...as they chat away, Silver returns. Simmer is in tow, with big wide eyes as she looks around.
[21:20] * Janson waves to the dryad with his arm opposite Sylvie so as not to jostle the dozing blonde. "Simmer! Glad you could make it! You know much about phoenixes?"
[21:22] <Kotono> "They're fiery?" Simmer asks back, "I heard what's going on. So what do you want me to do?"
[21:23] <Aaeru> "Make one?"
[21:24] <Janson> "We figured you have a lot in common with a phoenix... why don't you try touching the egg and see if anything happens? That seems how the Keeper worked his magic," Janson suggests. "If that doesn't work I guess we'll need a big bonfire, so you win either way."
[21:26] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5
[21:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 and gets 11." [1d20=6]
[21:26] <Kotono> Simmer goes up to the egg and touches it! A few sparks fly from her hand as she does, before she lets it drop away. "I felt warm for a few moments, but nothing else."
[21:26] <Aaeru> "Umm... try with both hands?" Aaeru suggests.
[21:29] <Janson> "Or try hugging it," Janson adds helpfully.
[21:29] <Kotono> Simmer puts both hands on! A few more sparks fly but nothing else obvious happens. "Tsh." With a click of her tongue, "I'm outside the cycle of nature. Why would a phoenix react to me?"
[21:30] * Aaeru looks at Silver next.
[21:31] <Kotono> "I could try," Silver shrugs, going over to the egg and putting her hands on it!
[21:31] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3
[21:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 and gets 20." [1d20=17]
[21:32] <Janson> "You're perfect for it, though!" Janson insists. "You were consumed by flames and then reborn in them - that's what the phoenix is all about, isn't it?" Still, he watches as Silver tries to prove her maternal credentials.
[21:36] <Kotono> For a moment, nothing happens. Silver then goes ramrod straight, the air above you catching afire! From horizon to horizon the sky burns, flames hot as Lathander and bright white.
[21:36] <Kotono> Simmer immediately perks up, gazing at the sky with wide, happy eyes and a spreading grin.
[21:37] * Aaeru stares alternatingly at Silver and the fire in utter fascination!
[21:38] * Janson decides to nudge Sylvie. She surely wouldn't want to miss seeing this! "Does this mean it'll become a candy phoenix?" he whispers, staring in awe at the elemental fury unleashed.
[21:42] <Kotono> Sylvie stirs and stares, not even able to reply! As the sky above burns, cracks run up and down the egg! Vast buffeting waves of heat wash over the party, the cracks growing bigger! Then, after a snapping crack, the egg shatters! It's cry echos to the heavens and beyond, a great winged bird of fire before you. It is so large that it's left wing reaches out of sight, it's right wing going too
[21:42] <Kotono> far to see in the opposite direction. It's body is titanic, covered in feathers of dancing flame.
[21:43] * Aaeru waves slowly.
[21:43] * Janson mouths the name of his goddess but no sound comes out, craning his neck upwards at the impossibly large flaming avian. He suspects that the 'Keeper' is lucky he left when he did...
[21:47] <Kotono> It's voice is a whisper of soft, crackling flame in your ears. "...Thank you. I was at last freed not long ago, but with injuries I could not overcome. I became an egg to regrow, but the Phoenix Keeper stumbled to me. He prevented my rebirth, using my powers to his own misguided ends. I need no others to be reborn...Silver merely stirred me from the lethargy that the Phoenix Keeper's misuse had
[21:47] <Kotono> forced on me."
[21:48] <Aaeru> "Good job!" Aaeru exclaims in approval. If Silver were a real person and not a tiny murderous fairy, she would pat her on the back!
[21:48] <Wayland> "We were all to happy to beat the snot out of him for you!" Wayland cheers.
[21:49] <Janson> "What happens now?" Janson asks, wondering just what a phoenix actually does with its time - he had no idea they were so huge!
[21:49] <Kotono> Silver simply stares up, jaw slack and not a sound coming out.
[21:51] <Kotono> "Long has the world been denied to me, a cold and locked place. With my freedom and now rebirth, the cycles again continue." The Phoenix speaks to each of you at once, "Much has changed in the past millenia, yet the cycle of life is unmistakeable."
[21:52] * Aaeru gapes at the casual dropping of eons. "Wow, you're old," she can't help but voice.
[21:58] <Janson> "What will this change, then?" Janson asks, "Will everyone be reborn, or...?" he isn't quite sure, it's rather beyond his usual understanding of things.
[22:00] <Kotono> "I am." The great bird of fire says with a note of amusement, "For now, nothing that you will see. I must go to the west, a temple of flame within the jungle. It calls to me." It begins to fly up. As it does, a single feather falls from it's wings, landing at the feet of the party. It's as large as a greatsword, crackling with flames. Resting on the tip of it is a droplet of what looks to be
[22:00] <Kotono> blood. "A gift for your bravery."
[22:01] <Aaeru> Since the nice phoenix is flying off, Aaeru waves at it again to send it off with a smile!
[22:02] <Janson> That'll surely look great in the window of Whimsical Sweets! "Good luck on your journey!"
[22:05] <Kotono> Up and off the great bird flies, the sky turning aflame as it soars away! The flames last as it fades out of sight, then the sky goes dark. The warmth begins to fade from this place, a creeping dusk taking over. Sylvie rubs her eyes and yawns, "I don't...believe that." she finally says, "...but we did it? Let's go home and celebrate and sleep, preferably sleep."
[22:07] <Janson> "Yeah," Janson nods and stands up, helping Sylvie as well. "Congratulations on becoming a mother, Silver!" he grins over at the pixie.
[22:07] <Kotono> Silver watches the bird go, before flopping over in a dead faint.
[22:08] <Aaeru> "My!"
[22:09] <Wayland> "Hah!" Wayland barks.
[22:10] <Janson> roll 1d20+11 spellcraft
[22:10] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+11 spellcraft and gets 13." [1d20=2]
[22:12] <Kotono> Home. You have hazy memories of seeing Noel, Branna and the Lunatics. You remember slipping home and...sleep. Everyone rests up and recovers, a day passing as merciful rest comes. Early the next morning Whimisical Sweets gathers again. Sylvie is there, sitting at the table. Silver is there, lying on thet able with a faraway look. Next to her is the Phoenix Feather, a bottle full of fiery red
[22:12] <Kotono> blood besides it. Josa sits, "Ah, I have heard well of your trip into the matters of the fey," he greets, "I see you all did well."
[22:13] <Aaeru> "Andrea's not dead anymore, and the nymph isn't being tricked, and the phoenix flew away to a temple of fire!" Aaeru happily reports. "It's a success!"
[22:13] <Janson> "We did the name of Whimsical Sweets proud!" Janson agrees with a grin as he goes to lean against the counter.
[22:14] * Wayland nods along with Aaeru.
[22:15] <Andria> "I was never dead! Just in a different state of existance!" Andrea exclaims, clarifying things. "Wayland still keeps that dubious honor to himself!"
[22:15] <Kotono> "Excellent! This feather and it's blood are a prize as well," Josa goes on, "Truly so, I was impressed! Andrea! Pick up that feather by the quill," he says, "Hold it in your hand."
[22:15] <Kotono> "Very dubious," Sylvie agrees, "Let's all agree that it's Wayland's honor and his alone."
[22:15] <Andria> Andrea blinks but does as told, grabbing the feather. "Alright?"
[22:15] <Aaeru> "Are you sure? He said...." Aaeru trails off, pouting. "Ah! He was lying. He was a big liar!"
[22:16] <Wayland> "Who was lying?"
[22:16] <Aaeru> "The fey-elf."
[22:17] <Kotono> The feather feels heavy and well balanced in Andrea's hand. Almost like her falchion. AS she holds it, fire dances along it's length. "That feather," Josa says, "Can cut as well as a blade. I know a little bit of weaponsplay, and that feather feels like a well honed weapon."
[22:17] <Wayland> "Oh, well there's a big surprise."
[22:17] <Janson> "Nobody will ever suspect the danger when you brandish a feather at them!" Janson laughs, "They'll think you want to tickle them!"
[22:18] <Aaeru> "Or set them on fire," Aaeru points out.
[22:18] <Andria> Andrea blinks again and waves the feather in a pattern, testing the feel of it as a weapon.
[22:20] <Andria> "Okay, that's pretty neat," Andrea admits.
[22:20] <Wayland> "That is rather intimidating." Wayland nods.
[22:22] <Kotono> Andrea tests the feather! It slices through the air with ease, the flames crackling! It's as good as her sword...no, better. As Andrea tests it, Josa takes the bottle of blood, "Further, the blood of the Phoenix is a magical substance in it's own right. If drunk, the punches, claws or other innate weapons of the imbiber will burn just like the Phoenix."
[22:22] <Janson> "Has a nice ring to it, though, doesn't it?" Janson smiles at Andrea.
[22:22] <Aaeru> "And it's pretty," Aaeru echoes. "The sparkles and the crackling are very nice!"
[22:23] <Wayland> "Is it permanent?" Wayland asks Josa.
[22:24] <Andria> "I wonder if this requires some sort of special sheath or what," Andrea muses.
[22:24] <Kotono> "I believe so," Josa says, "It's fresh and concentrated." Gently tapping the glass with one fat finger, "It would benefit any of you who fight unarmed. Considering we have an absolute glut of such people..." A look at Wayland, Aaeru and then Sylvie, "It's use is obvious."
[22:25] <Aaeru> "Can you try your sheath?" Aaeru asks Andrea with a shrug. "It's a magic feather, isn't it?"
[22:26] <Andria> Andrea shrugs and takes her old sword out and sets it on the ground as she tries it. Hopefully it doesn't burn it! That wouldn't be nice!
[22:27] <Kotono> The sheath is able to hold Andrea's new blade. The feather slides right on in...and seconds later the sheath falls apart, cut in twain.
[22:28] <Aaeru> "Huh."
[22:28] <Wayland> "Well."
[22:28] <Andria> "Ack! Now I'm going to need two!" Andrea exclaims, even if part of her feels kind of giddy at the sharpness of the feather.
[22:29] <Janson> "That could be dangerous," Janson nods sagely at the sheath-splitting going on.
[22:38] <Kotono> "It could be, but what a weapon," Sylvie marvels, "That's impressive as hell!"

[Corwin]

[19:59] <Kotono> "Indeed," Josa says deeply. He claps his hands together twice, "Now then, on other business," Going right on, "Have all of you recovered from the Lunatic revel and the ordeal after?"
[20:00] * Aaeru had nothing to really recover from, and shrugs.
[20:00] <Janson> "I'd do it all again in a minute!" Janson replies brightly. "Yeah, that means I'm recovered," he then clarifies more sedately.
[20:01] <Aaeru> "We could in a month," Aaeru offers, perking up.
[20:01] * Wayland eyes Janson. "I wouldn't say I'd do it again if I had to. I'd rather not see others get turned into fey."
[20:01] <Kotono> "Likewise," Sylvie says, "You know what's the worst thing in the world? Being up so late that your hangover hits you before you can fall asleep." She pauses to rub her temple, "It's like being between a red dragon and a balor, only with more headaches."
[20:02] <Wayland> "You should consider sobriety." Wayland grins.
[20:02] <Aaeru> "Or not drinking so much," Aaeru helpfully adds.
[20:03] <Janson> "If we'd brought some booze into the maze with us it could've solved that problem, though," Janson opines. "Bit of hair of the dog!"
[20:04] <Aaeru> "There were dogs there?"
[20:04] <Wayland> "I doubt that diminishing ourselves further with alcohol would have helped."
[20:05] <Janson> "Turn of phrase," Janson just shakes his head to Aaeru. "But how about Silver?" he then asks Josa. "She's still looking a bit overwhelmed. Never seen her so quiet!"
[20:06] <Andria> "Well, she is a mother now!" Andrea chips in.
[20:07] <Kotono> Sylvie doesn't say anything, just shaking her head.
[20:07] <Kotono> Silver does perk up at that, "I am NOT a mother!" Crossing her arms and reddening, "I just helped the Phoenix wake up!"
[20:08] <Aaeru> "Yes," Aaeru agrees, nodding firmly. "Silver is just a midwife."
[20:09] <Kotono> "Good, good, good," Smoothly going on from that, Josa claps his hands together, "I must confess that I'm quite pleased with your performances. Quite pleased, quite pleased," Going on from just that, "All of you have performed to expectations with one minor exception. Alas, ooze candies were not to be this time."
[20:11] * Janson frowns a bit and wishes he'd kept his mouth shut about the ooze, then he too would have the glorious rank of 'performed to expectations' heaped upon him as well.
[20:11] <Wayland> "Wait, ooze candies?"
[20:12] <Janson> "There was an ooze at the ruins of Torm's temple," Janson explains. "But a creepy old guy chased me and Simmer away when we tried to catch it."
[20:13] <Wayland> "You left the ooze alive?"
[20:13] <Aaeru> "Ooze is alive?"
[20:14] <Wayland> "You know what I mean."
[20:14] <Aaeru> "No?"
[20:14] <Wayland> "Ambulatory."
[20:14] <Kotono> "Ah yes, oozes lack intelligence, but they can be alive," Sylvie speaks up, "Occasionally the Guard has to deal with one around the city. They're dangerous."
[20:14] <Aaeru> "I really don't."
[20:15] <Wayland> "Alive as in moving around and causing trouble."
[20:15] <Janson> "It's not our job to kill everything that crosses our path," Janson huffs. "Besides, we *would* have killed it and made it into delicious candy if not for that creepy Torm guy telling us to get off his land."
[20:16] <Aaeru> "Was it moving around and causing trouble?" Aaeru promptly asks Janson.
[20:16] <Janson> "Only around the desecrated temple, but that might be part of why the Triad has old men with poor social skills running around telling people to stay the hell away from it?" Janson shrugs. "Just seemed way more trouble than it was worth to make a fuss."
[20:17] <Aaeru> "It sounds just fine, then," Aaeru says. "People are warned to stay away so it's alright!"
[20:20] <Kotono> "Moving on," Josa says, "Come tomorrow more tasks will be posted and the supply closet refilled," h e goes on, "You all have today for leisure after this." A beat, "Two things. First of all, the Phoenix Blood." He looks to Wayland, Aaerua nd then Sylvie. "Do any of you want it?"
[20:21] * Aaeru looks at Wayland and Sylvie, naturally.
[20:21] * Wayland points at Aaeru.
[20:24] <Kotono> Sylvie shrugs, "I wouldn't mind setting things on fire, but let Aaeru have it if she wants it." With a fond look at her, "Besides, when I hit my inspiration it's like I hit so much harder."
[20:26] * Aaeru looks confused at somehow being Sylvie's inspiration, but voices, "Setting things on fire sounds very nice."
[20:26] <Wayland> "For justice!"
[20:26] <Janson> "Just ask Simmer," Janson nods brightly.
[20:27] <Kotono> Josa takes a moment and profoundly sighs, "At least greed isn't a failing here." He puts the bottle down on the table, "Well, it's here for whomever wants it amid you three."
[20:29] <Aaeru> "Of course," Aaeru agrees with Wayland and Janson. "Setting things on fire for bad reasons wouldn't be very nice."
[20:31] <Kotono> "Naturally," Sylvie says. "I wonder if it's fun anyway?"
[20:32] <Aaeru> "I think so," Aaeru confides in her. "But in a bad way."
[20:34] <Kotono> "Second of all, payment," Josa cuts in then. He withdraws several bags of coins, giving one to everyone. "Fourty marks each."
[20:35] * Aaeru brightens up at the coins, and prods Sylvie's shoulder slightly. "This just reminded me of something! Do you have a moment?"
[20:35] <Kotono> "Hm? Yes?" Sylvie tucks the coins away, "What is it?"
[20:35] <Janson> "Ahh... it's not as much as we got for the Sharran or the troll, but regular income is nice," Janson smiles as he hefts his bag.
[20:36] <Andria> "Thanks, Josa," Andrea says as she takes her bag with a smile. "Guess I know what this money goes to first, a nice -durable- sheath."
[20:36] <Aaeru> "You're smart," Aaeru states. "I want people to donate lots of money to orphans. I'm sure you know how to do that! It could be a party, like the Lunatic party. Except people give us money for the orphans."
[20:39] <Kotono> "Yes, this is simply a baseline salary. It does seem the main profit is in the job returns," Josa says, "Well then, dismissed. Go, we'll meet again tomorrow."
[20:39] <Kotono> "Let me think about it," Sylvie says, half lcosing her eyes, "Ways to get people to donate a lot of money..."
[20:40] <Janson> Since Sylvie's busy with Aaeru, Janson holds off on asking her out again and just gives everyone a cheerful wave. "Think I'm going to buy myself some new shoes," he opines, whistling as he heads out.
[20:41] <Aaeru> "If there are temples that do that," Aaeru adds, "we could work together! I mean, I think I can get money. Some money. But it wouldn't do much if it's just there, I think."
[20:46] <Kotono> "Sure," Sylvie says, "Let me read up on it."
[20:56] <Kotono> The next morning has the four return to Whimisical Sweets. Josa is there, sitting down and waiting. Besides him is Balyss, smiling to each as they enter. "Morning!" she greets.
[20:57] <Aaeru> "Good morning!" Aaeru returns brightly.
[20:58] <Wayland> "Good morning, Balys, Josa." Wayland nods.
[20:58] <Janson> While Balyss isn't quite as good as Sylvie to look at when showing up for work, she's still not half bad in Janson's opinion. "Morning. Woke up with a sweet tooth, today?" he asks the aasimar.
[21:00] <Kotono> "Not quite." With a pleasant enough nod to all of them, "All of you are up to dangerous work, aren't you?"
[21:00] <Aaeru> "Sure?"
[21:00] <Janson> "Yeah... pity we got seperated in that maze or you'd have gotten quite a show," Janson puts a diplomatic spin on her getting sadly lost and leaving them to do all the work.
[21:00] <Andria> "Except for relationship work, yes!" Andrea says, nodding as she speaks.
[21:00] <Wayland> "It often seems like we can't help but be involved, yes."
[21:05] <Kotono> "I need three companions to come with me to Quintal Barony. Recently an adventuring party stumbled on a forgotten keep there, one that had Selunite symbols. The catch is that it looks to be haunted by the undead - there were signs of infestation and an encounter with skeletons before the adventurers retreated."
[21:05] <Aaeru> "Oooh!" Aaeru raises her hand, practically jumping in place. "Those are evil! I'll go!"
[21:05] <Janson> "That sounds exciting - count me in!" Janson doesn't need to hear any more!
[21:07] <Andria> "An undead menace? Count me in. Those abominations won't know what hit 'em!" Andrea says, also volunteering.
[21:08] * Wayland blinks at the excitement. "Well, if you don't mind a fourth, I'd love to join you. Otherwise, I'm sure my companions will be more than sufficient."
[21:10] <Kotono> "Well..." Balyss considers it for a few moments, "If all four of you want to come, why not?" she says at last, "Have any of you fought undead before?"
[21:11] <Janson> "Well, you'd probably be better against undead than me... I work better against the living," Janson looks at Wayland. "If you want to go then you'd probably be more helpful than me, and the job's most important."
[21:12] <Andria> "I've not actually fought any undead before, but some of my training covered them briefly," Andrea admits to Balyss.
[21:12] <Wayland> "I'm happy to go, Janson, but you should go too. Experience fighting the undead could be valuable in the future."
[21:12] <Aaeru> "Not yet," Aaeru responds to Balyss. "Do you need experience? Because if it's fighting evil, I'll learn quickly!"
[21:13] <Janson> "She said three," Janson steps back from the group. "We should do what suits the customer best, not what suits us best. You guys should tear through the undead easy, and there might be some other jobs I'm more suited to."
[21:14] * Wayland frowns but nods.
[21:16] <Kotono> Listening to this, "Alright then," she says, "We'll be leaving tomorrow morning, early. Be ready then." she says, "We'll meet at Moonholm."
[21:18] <Andria> "We'll see you then, Balyss," Andrea agrees to be there.