010: You Can Call Me Zum

[Sierra]

<Kotono> Sore, battered, tired and beaten, the heroes are lead deeper into the devil encampment. The gray expanses of Hades lead to this - an empty space in the camp. Here is just empty space, save for one thing. The air around you seems so much less gray ahead - you can see fire reds and creeping blacks and sickening greens. Color! Even Morana looks mildly less grayscale as you approach!  The barbazu
<Kotono> that lead you here gestures with its saw-wooth glaive, "Go."
* Fiora nods her aknowledgement of the devil's instruction and leads the way, her papers for use of the portal in hand, ready to be presented on the other side.
* Aleira walks forward with no hesitation!
* Iris follows behind Fiora.
<Kotono> Stepping into the portal is like stepping into life. Hellish colors surround you, the gray of Hades vanishing like an ill-remembere-sickness. You have a sensation of rushing ahead and up, bodies becoming heavier and iron, inflexible. When it passes yo ufind yourself in another encampment on hard metal ground - and there are colors! Silvers and gunmetal grays and brown and the red eyes of the
<Kotono> barbazu who has his glaive out, pointed at Fiora's throat! "IDENTIFY YOURSELVES!" It snarls in Common.
<Fiora> "Fiora Gauss, my company purchased passage through the portal from the encampment on the other side," she replies calmly, holding out the papers already in hand for his examination.
<Kotono> The papers are snatched out as the hunched devil reads them. The smell of sweat and shit wafts off the creature, greenish drool coming from the corner of its mouth as it reads. "Fine." It says, thrusting the papers into Fiora's chest. "You are to be escorted out safely." Seconds later nine barbazu come forth, "They will escort you out."
* Fiora takes the papers back and nods politely, "
<Fiora> Of course. Everyone, stay formed up." And she leads the way following the new devils.
* Aleira follows quietly, stepping smartly!
* Morana makes a noise almost like a quiet "Harumph!" as she falls in line with Fiora and the others.
* Iris sniffs in minor irritation. One would think creatures so concerned with order would have some association with proper hygiene as well.
<Kotono> The party is escorted along. Through a diabolical camp you are lead, and as you are? A steady, constant, hammering clanging is heard. It seems to come from all around and yet above - a sky black as night, lit only by faintly glowing cubes above. They are of varying size and distance, from barely visible to looming over head like entire islands. They drift in the sky, seeming to endlessly meet
<Kotono> in ear-rattling clashes.
<Fiora> "And somehow," Fiora quietly quips, "it will STILL be easier to get a decent night's rest here then Hades."
* Aleira nods agreement.
<Iris> "Hmph," Iris says under her breath. "Either way, it is fortunate I require little in the way of sleep."
<Kotono> It is perhaps an hour of walking until you reach the end of the encampment. Ahead of you is a vast plane of metal, smooth save for holes and pits torn about. The barbazu turn back and without a word leave the party be.
* Iris pauses and focuses her will upon discerning the direction of any possible shards on their current plane.
* Fiora sighs, turning to the party, "I hate to say this, and I know we're short on rest...but I want to move on a bit further before camping."
<Iris> "I cannot blame you at all," Iris says. "One wishes the infernal overlords would introduce their charges to soap, among other common courtesies."
* Aleira nods. "I quite agree. The further away we are, the better."
* Fiora continues dragging herself along stubbornly, having the more tired of them in the cart while those still in good condition walk, at least another hour from the infernal camp.
<Morana> "The longer we move away from Hades, the better I seem to feel," Morana says. "I will keep walking."
<Kotono> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 62."12 [1d100=62]
<Kotono> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 12."12 [1d100=12]
<Kotono> OOC: Con checks, all.
<Iris> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Iris rolls 1d20+3 and gets 21."12 [1d20=18]
<Fiora> roll 1d20+2 no paladin collapsing
* Hatbot --> "Fiora rolls 1d20+2 no paladin collapsing and gets 15."12 [1d20=13]
<Iris> roll 1d20+4 this is for Hamish
* Hatbot --> "Iris rolls 1d20+4 this is for Hamish and gets 20."12 [1d20=16]
<Kotono> OOC: Someone do me a favor and roll for Iddy'n'Yuth's PCs?
<Kotono> OOC: Thanks Iris.
<Iris> roll 1d20+2 I forget what bonus Endurange grants?
* Hatbot --> "Iris rolls 1d20+2 I forget what bonus Endurange grants? and gets 5."12 [1d20=3]
<Kotono> OOC: Not enough to save that.
<Morana> roll d20+3 Morana
* Hatbot --> "Morana rolls d20+3 Morana and gets 20."12 [d20=17]
<Aleira> roll 1d20+2 con
* Hatbot --> "Aleira rolls 1d20+2 con and gets 5."12 [1d20=3]
<Kotono> roll 1d6 nonlethal to Thyan, your knight friend and Aleira plus you're fatigued
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6 nonlethal to Thyan, your knight friend and Aleira plus you're fatigued and gets 5."12 [1d6=5]
<Kotono> You stumble on another hour. The party's vitality ebbs and ebbs. Thyan is dragging, Aleira slumped over as you proceed on. But you're a ways away from the devil camp now, your only company the metal plains and the clanging in the sky above.
<Fiora> (OOC: Since Fiora's the only one in any shape to this, should I roll Survival to find a decent place to camp?)
<Kotono> OOC: Sure.
* Aleira is near to collapsion. "Dear gods, can we *rest*? I'm about to fall asleep on my feet."
<Fiora> roll 1d20+3 survival
* Hatbot --> "Fiora rolls 1d20+3 survival and gets 17."12 [1d20=14]
<Kotono> You find a small crack in the metal plains. It empties into a small, 5ft deep recess. It's not much, but it's the only cover in the immediate area. Finding anything else would take more travel.
* Fiora decides that will do, and calls the group to a halt, having the others in any shape to do so make the camp while she fishes the angel's gem out of her bag.
* Aleira fair dives into her bedroll, ignoring the hard ground beneath while wearily observing Fiora's actions. "I wonder what he'll do once he's free?"
<Kotono> On checking, you don't feel any shards on Acheron at all.
<Fiora> "So," Fiora addressed the angel, "is this gem prison of yours something that can be broken by a solid smack? Or will we have to find something that can break a diamond?"
<Kotono> "I do not know for certain," It admits, "Strike it as hard as you can."
<Morana> "Let us rest first," Morana suggests. "We don't know that unleashing it might not attract the devils, or something else, and we're in no shape to really fight anything."
* Thyan watches Fiora and the diamond tiredly, sagging against the side of the ditch.
* Aleira can barely keep her eyes open, but struggles to focus on the conversation!
* Thyan nods at Morana, pulling out a waterskin and downing a long gulp before passing it to her.
<Kotono> The diamond glows white, "I have been here for centuries," it says, sounding pained - no, desperate. "I ask of you to free me before something happens that could ruin this chance. Please, hesitate no more."
<Aleira> "Let the poor dear out." Aleira sleepily offers.
* Morana frowns, the wisdom damage from Hades perhaps clouding her better judgement, as she motions Fiora to pass the crystal. "Give it here, I'll smash it," she grunts.
* Fiora takes a deep breath, then sets the gem on the ground, "I can only hope this doesn't attract undue attention...if my arm even has the strength right now." Drawing Skyrose, Fiora steadies herself for a moment...then strikes at the diamond with all her force, her blade glowing faintly blue as she swings, "Life is short...bury, STEADY SWORD!"
<Kotono> OOC: Damage roll.
<Morana> "Or you can just slash it, sure, that works too," Morana says as she pulls her hand immediately back.
<Fiora> roll 1d8+4 (+6 if the gem counts as Evil, Fiora is smiting)
* Hatbot --> "Fiora rolls 1d8+4 (+6 if the gem counts as Evil, Fiora is smiting) and gets 7."12 [1d8=3]
<Kotono> Fiora strikes the diamond - and her blade doesn't even scratch the hard gemstone.
* Thyan stares at the gem blankly.
<Thyan> "Well. Can't say that doesn't fit our luck so far."
<Fiora> "Hah," Fiora laughs, "we'll have to try something else then. But for now...I'm sorry, we need to rest before we have the strength or time to try anything else."
<Iris> "If anyone else wishes to try, I can briefly enhance their strength," Iris offers. "Failing that, I could try magic?"
<Kotono> "...I understand," It finally says, "An adamantine weapon would serve better."
<Thyan> "And where would we get one of those? A devil lord?"
<Fiora> "We'll see what we can find," Fiora promises, then puts the diamond up in her bag for the night.
<Kotono> OOC: Going to do any healing or anything of note before rest, guys?
<Fiora> OOC: Fiora will use her Lesser Restore on Morana, then doesn't seem like we have any HP damage that needs healing(that won't heal from rest)
<Iris> OOC: we're in pretty good shape, other than Morana's attribute damage
<Fiora> roll 1d4+3 wis healing for Morana
* Hatbot --> "Fiora rolls 1d4+3 wis healing for Morana and gets 7."12 [1d4=4]
<Kotono> OOC: Okay. Don't restore HP from rest until I say so. Going to keep watch?
<Thyan> OOC: I'll take watch when I can. Ring should let that be in 3 hours?
<Morana> OOC: I'll use a TU to heal the others.
<Fiora> OOC: Fiora will keep first watch while those with Sustenance rings sleep, then wake them up once they get thier couple hours needed.
<Iris> OOC: Sure, I have such a ring, can take a later watch
<Morana> roll d6 heal others with TU
* Hatbot --> "Morana rolls d6 heal others with TU and gets 3."12 [d6=3]
<Kotono> OOC: Okay.
<Kotono> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 68."12 [1d100=68]
<Kotono> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 15."12 [1d100=15]
<Kotono> The night passes without incident. Despite the clanging above, raw fatigue takes you to dreamland and fruitful slumber. Come the next morning, over breakfast, "Thank you," Sir Crel takes a moment to nod at everyone, "I owe you much. I intend to follow my own path home now, but I promised a reward."
<Iris> "Know you a safe way off this plane?" Iris asks. "We ourselves have no immediate business here but to leave."
* Fiora looks up from writing in her journal, and smiles at Sir Crel, "Well we could hardly leave someone stranded on Hades. But...ah," she chuckles, "Iris beat me to the question it seems."
* Thyan stretches, working the kinks and last of the fatigue off..
<Kotono> "Unfortunately, I do not. My reward is monetary." Four items are placed out - a sack of coins, a folded cloth with several small lumps hidden within, a set of silver earrings and a bloodstained pendant of iron. "Battle trophies," he says, "I can't tell you an exact value, but within that cloth are black opals and onyx taken from a necromancer. They should be worth good coin."
* Morana stretches and smiles feeling cheerful once more. "Aaah, the wonders of a good night's rest..." she mutters.
<Thyan> "Aye, I'm eager to get somewhere.. Safe.. for a day or two. At the least."
* Thyan looks over the items.
* Iris examines the items for anything radiating a magical signature. They did come from a necromancer, after all.
<Kotono> Nothing magical.
<Thyan> "Great gifts indeed for someone so hard on their luck. I thank you, Sir Knight."
* Aleira awakens, blinking sleepily as she watches Sir Crel bid them goodbye. "Aw, I'm gonna miss you big guy."
<Kotono> "With this, I bid you good fortune," Crel says, "I hope you find what you seek."
<Fiora> "Well," FIora frowns a bit, "If you're sure you can make it by yourself from here, then I won't stop you. Be careful out there."
<Iris> A simple nod and a "Farewell" is all Iris requires in the way of parting ceremonies.
* Thyan nods at the knight with a grin and a twirl of the mustache.
<Morana> "Want me to try smashing the crystal open now?" Morana offers Fiora. "I was just going to try smashing it into a hard rock, or some such, maybe blunt damage may do more than the sharpness of your blade, Lady Gauss."
<Iris> "Allow me to enchant you before making the attempt?" Iris offers.
* Fiora nods, and fishes the diamond out for Morana, "Be my guest. I was hoping the magic of the blade might help...as well as a sacred strike to free a holy prisoner. But it seems that wasn't to be the case."
* Thyan leans on his bow with a grin to watch Morana, convinced that whatever happens will be a show of some sort, at the least.
<Morana> "Sure," Morana says to Iris before taking the diamond off Fiora's hand.
* Iris bestows Morana with supernatural strength! (OOC: Bull's Strength, +4 STR)
* Morana pauses, and looks to Aleira. "Might I borrow your dream shard for the attempt, Aleira? I will return it afterwards, but every bit might help," she asks.
* Aleira blinks, now more fully awake. "Uh, sure. Anything you need. We need to help this poor soul find freedom." Aleira reaches *into* herself someone, drawing out the crystal!
* Aleira then hands it to Morana!
<Morana> "Thank you," Morana says as she takes the shard for herself and then raising the crystal, slams it down on a nearby rock with righteous power! (OOC: going to expend 1 use of righteous fury for +3 damage)
<Morana> ooc: treat as unarmed damage?
<Kotono> OOC: Okay. Yes. Are you trained in unarmed strikes, by the way?
<Morana> ooc: nope!
<Kotono> OOC: Damage.
<Morana> roll d3+13
* Hatbot --> "Morana rolls d3+13 and gets 15."12 [d3=2]
<Kotono> Morana slams down!  There are cracks - no, two! The crack of the gemstone and the crack of the bones in Morana's hand, as hard meets hard and both break! (More)
<Kotono> roll 2d8+4 (damage due to broken hand and more after this)
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d8+4 (damage due to broken hand and more after this) and gets 10."12 [2d8=4, 2]
<Kotono> As pain turns Morana's world red, the diamond cracks! Light spills out from it as the prison dissipates away! In a flash of light it stands before you - a seven foot fall figure of pure light and wings, vaguely humanoid. It is too glorious to look at - your senses reel as the clang above goes silent. The world around you is consumed by glorious light, exultation surging within you even as tears
<Kotono> spill from your overwhelmed eyes.
* Thyan squints, holding one hand up to block as much of the light as he can, the other gripping his bow, as ready as can be in the circumstances.
* Morana winces. "Well...I did it, right?" Morana offers as she draws back her hand and heals it almost as quickly as the damage spreads while her eyes focus on the creature. (OOC: spending LoH to heal, staying at full)
* Iris blinks rapidly, shields her eyes and averts her gaze to take in only the corona surrounding this luminous figure.
<Morana> roll d20+8 K:P so -is- it an angel?
* Hatbot --> "Morana rolls d20+8 K:P so -is- it an angel?  and gets 13."12 [d20=5]
* Aleira cries out in surprise, throwing her hands up to shield her eyes!
<Thyan> rolls d20+11 K:P same thing
* Hatbot --> "Thyan rolls d20+11 K:P same thing and gets 30."12 [d20=19]
* Fiora smiles widely, then carefully...opens up her journal and starts to tear a page out, careful not to let her tears hit the paper.
<Kotono> "Free..." The figure speaks in a voice that sings with joy, like notes of a glorious hymn. "Free!" Laughter of utter joy spreads, "Free! My friends, I owe you a boon. Before that - I am being called home. I can take you with me to the plane of Elysium, but know well that in its perfection that it holds its own dangers to mortals."
* Thyan looks at the others.
<Thyan> "Moving on up?"
* Fiora nods, "Well, there are no shards here. And if Elysium holds none either, I'm sure we'll have no trouble finding someone to guide us to a portal out." As she speaks she finishes tearing out the page, folding it neatly and waiting for the right moment to offer it.
<Iris> "Of course," Iris says, sounding mildly shaken by this unusual burst of sheer joy. "I do not detect that our goal lies on this plane and would be pleased to leave it behind us. We would oterhwise be left quite aimless here."
<Aleira> "I'm all in favor of getting the heck outta here!" Aleira chirps, ready to be safe for the first time in days!
<Morana> "Visiting a place such as Elysium can only be a boon to us after the dreadful experience that was Hades," Morana says with a snort, signaling her approval.
<Kotono> In that instant, the reality around you folds like paper. You fly up on wings of light, into everlasting glory...! Then, as your eyes clear, you stand in a valley. A gentle, warm valley at noon. The sky above is blue. So blue as to capture your eyes, a blue th esky until now could only dream to be. You stand on emerald green grass, soft beneath your feet. Ahead a babbling brook runs through the
<Kotono> valley. The air is completely sweet and pure, smelling of memories of halcyon summer days long past.  Before you is the angel, "Welcome to paradise," he says in a gentle voice, "Speak of the boon you desire."
* Aleira timidly asks, "Uhm, are we allowed only one group boon? Or are individual boons too greedy, you think?"
* Iris frowns a little, despite the beauty resplendent around her. "I feel faintly as though my head were full of cotton," she complains quietly.
<Morana> "If I had to ask for anything, it would be that the effects of a plane could not affect me as Hades' had. That would be extremely useful when visiting other hazardous planes as well, I think," Morana muses out loud.
<Kotono> "You may ask for one - for one or for many. I warn you to use wisdom and not listen to the gilded strings of greed." After a moment, "Iris, that means your heart harbors some shadow of evil within it. While you are here, seek to better your ways."
* Fiora basks in the feel of the plane for a long moment, before opening her eyes and sighing happily, "All I would ask for is aid in our quest, myself. Or perhaps a better way of finding portals, so we don't have to rely on locals in less then savory planes."
<Morana> "Finding portals would be almost as useful as a way to survive the effects of a plane," Morana says with a short nod.
<Kotono> "Consult amid yourselves," The angel commands, "When you all have decided, speak to me once more."
<Iris> "I cannot speak for the others," Iris says aloud, pointedly igoring dignifying any suggestion of personal faults on her part, "but beyond the immediate needs of our quest, my only interest is knowledge. I echo Fiora's request, as it satisfies both."
<Morana> "Does anybody have any other suggestions before immunity or protection from planar effects, or Fiora's planar portal sense idea?"
<Thyan> "I would say the Planar Portal sense would be most useful..."
* Iris shakes her head. "Fiora's suggestion strikes me as most advantageous."
* Aleira hesistates before suggesting, "I feel that I could definitely benefit from some extra training. I dunno about you guys, but I think that if an angel requested that some hot shot master of martial arts on this plane train me, I could stand to learn a *lot*."
* Iris addresses Aleira. "If you ask for a referral, I have little doubt you may find yourself obliged anyway. It is a comapritively minor request, after all, requiring no special exertion."
* Fiora nods, "Most likely, yes."
* Aleira scratches her chin thoughtfully. "I suppose so. Maybe he'll consider it a request and not a boon."
<Morana> "I think planar attunement is more advantageous, it would mean a way to survive in planes such as Fire or Water as well, though I don't know if spells for planar attunement are more difficult than those of locating portals," Morana muses out loud.
<Iris> "Navigation has been very difficult thus far," Iris says. "I look forward to not relying on the whims of yugoloths and night hags to find our way abroad."
* Morana looks to Iris for her opinion on that matter.
<Aleira> "If I have to choose, I think that having a way to find a portal would be much more useful than attunement. I mean, at least we'd never be stuck on one?"
<Morana> "Well, as you as caster are most likely to master such spells, I will defer to your expertise and agree to portal sensing."
* Iris nods. "This is my preference, yes."
* Morana is still uncertain, and therefore decides to check if any shards can be found in Elysium, while someone else makes that boon request.
* Fiora nods, "Alright. I suppose I'll go make the request then?"
<Morana> While she's at it, Morana also passes the shard back to Aleira!
* Aleira takes the shard back.
<Iris> "Go ahead," Iris agrees.
* Fiora walks over to the angel, "We've come to an agreement on...well, some way to find portals on our own. It would be a great help in our quest."
<Kotono> Morana senses a shard towards the left side of the valley and beyond. "It is done," The angel says regally, as magic floods the party! A moment later it is gone in glorious light, leaving the party be. (Loot post.)
<Iris> Iris immediately performs an experiment to test their boon, concentrating!
<Morana> "Thank you, you have been most gracious. If I may ask...What's in that direction, do you know?" Morana asks the angel while gesturing in the general direction she feels the shard.
* Aleira raises her hand quickly! "Uh, Mr. Angel, sir. I don't have a boon, but can I make a request?"
<Kotono> There is a portal to the northeast (left side of the valley and behind you).
<Kotono> Unfortunately the angel is already gone - off to see his long lost love, perhaps.
<Fiora> "....Well," Fiora sighs, looking down to the paper in her hand, "I didn't expect it to be that fast, or I'd have offered him this sooner. But I guess I can't blame him for being so eager to leave."
* Fiora tucks the paper back into her journal with a shrug.
* Thyan shakes his head, trying to focus on the nearest portal.. then grining like a loon and twirlling his mustache.
<Iris> "If I may ask, what was it you wished to offer him?" Iris asks Fiora.
<Thyan> "This boon will indeed make continuing my journys much more pleasant."
* Aleira sighs, sad that she didn't speak fast enough.
* Fiora smiles, a sad one even in the glory of Elysium, "It was a poem I wrote in Hades, a...love poem of sorts, as a gift for his lady. Partly because I was moved by what they'd been through..." then her smile turns to a wry one, "and partly just to spite that place by making something of beauty from it whether it liked it or not."
<Iris> "Ah," Iris says, immediately disinterested.
<Kotono> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 99."12 [1d100=99]
<Kotono> roll 1d100 subtables
* Thyan looks at Fiora a little oddly.
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 subtables and gets 43."12 [1d100=43]
<Thyan> "So! Onward then, or shall we try to find a place to bed down for a day or two?"
* Fiora raises an eyebrow at Thyan, but lets the odd look go, simply replying, "Onward, yes. I think even normal travel here will refresh us."
<Iris> "I do not recommend lingering here longer than we must," Iris says. "Pleasant though it may be, the plane is prone to making permanent residents of its visitors." (OOC: I'm assuming this would be basic knowledge taking ten on a check would get me, taking ten being a thing I shall do for knowledge checks so Hat can't make me ignorant of common knowledge)
<Kotono> The party heads out of the valley. The ground is soft and agreeable - you don't have to struggle at all. It's like an easy morning walk, barely the remotest bit of effort. Your spirits rise (despite the guilt Hamish and Iris feel, which festers within) as you proceed on. The plains ahead are beautiful and dotted with single trees and occasional groves of them. After a few hours of travel, you
<Kotono> happen on one such grove. While you can't see within, you can see a distinctly golden gleam from inside.
* Thyan raises an eyebrow.
<Thyan> "Want me to check it out before we all walk into something we don't want to. Again?"
<Fiora> "Shall we investigate?" Fiora looks back at the others, clearly feeling no fear in this place.
* Iris acquires an expression of constant irritation as they travel, lightened only slightly by the presence of something to be curious about. "Why not?"
* Aleira shrugs, a smile on her face. "What Iris said."
* Thyan nods.
<Thyan> "Alright. Give me a few minutes."
* Thyan heads out, trying to keep in the shadows of the trees..
<Kotono> OOC: Hide/MS, Thyan.
<Thyan> roll d20+17 Hide
* Hatbot --> "Thyan rolls d20+17 Hide and gets 27."12 [d20=10]
<Thyan> roll d20+13 MS
* Hatbot --> "Thyan rolls d20+13 MS and gets 26."12 [d20=13]
<Kotono> roll 1d20+44
<Kotono> roll 1d20+44
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+44 and gets 62."12 [1d20=18]
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+44 and gets 49."12 [1d20=5]
<Kotono> Within the grove...strangely, it's bigger within. Here is a vast open space ringed by endless trees. Lying within it is a creature of myth and legend - a dragon! It is huge - as to Hamish's wagon as an the wagon is to an ant. A head far bigger than Thyan is looking right at Thyan - and yet for all the fierceness of it, Thyan does not feel a lick of fear. "Greetings, child. Would you care to
<Kotono> listen to this old dragon remember the past?" The dragon's entire body gleams like pure gold, eyes nothing but pools of molten gold, as if coming from the richest hoard imaginable.
* Thyan eyes the dragon, awe struck.
<Thyan> "..I.. I would.. but.. I.. can you.. give me a few moments?"
<Kotono> "Certainly, child." It speaks in kindly tones - that of a doting grandfather. "But may I ask why you came into my grove in the first place?"
<Thyan> "I.. er.. was curious? I'm...new to this plane and wasn't sure what this place was."
<Kotono> "A wise precaution," The dragon says, "Go bring your friends. I'd love to meet them."
* Thyan stares at the dragon, eyes still wide and silently takes a few steps back, disappearing and returning to the others.
<Thyan> "So. Um. Dragon. Gold dragon. Wants us to come back and listen to him."
* Fiora blinks, "Ah...well, we can pass an hour or so, I think?" Fiora looks at the others, "Good a time for lunch as any, really."
* Aleira shrugs. "Gramps always used to tell me stories about dragons. Now I'll actually get to see one!"
* Aleira doesn't wait for the others, but skips like a little girl into the grove!
<Iris> "If you all wish," Iris says, following the others.
* Fiora follows along into the grove!
* Thyan eyes the rest, shakes his head, and follows.
<Kotono> In the grove you find the dragon - absolutely massive, resting it's head near as you enter, on the soft grass. Before you is a picnic spread, the smells of food stirring gentle, gnawing hunger within all of you. "I didn't mean to overhear, but I'm still sharp of hearing in my old age. You look travel worn and tired. How about you eat and tell me about your journies?"
* Aleira happily plops down right next to the dragon. "You know, gramps used to tell me stories about your guys. I'm Aleira!" She stares up wide-eyed into the dragon's eyes. "What's your name?"
<Morana> "I'd rather forget our most recent journey," Morana says apologetically. Pausing, she looks over the food and looks almost hopefully at the dragon. "Is this for us?"
* Thyan watches the dragon, but crouches against a tree.
<Kotono> "It is," It laughs - a rumbling sound that shakes the earth. "I am Xilgilannaulstrusfilazum. You can call me Zum."
* Iris sits down to lunch, setting her iguana down on the ground for its share. Her familiar immediatelyw addles towards the lizard a thousand times its size and hisses a challenge, until Iris snaps at it to be quiet and eat its lunch. "Our recent journey took us across Hades," she says to the dragon. "No doubt this alone demonstrates how refreshing this hospitality proves."
<Morana> "..." Morana starts to say something, before changing her mind and nodding. "Zum it is then. Thank you for the food."
<Thyan> "Our journey has been long and.. unplesant. We've been thrown from one plane to the next, fought a Mind Flayer, Devils, and a Night Hag. I'll admit to being a bit wary of new planes now."
<Aleira> "That's actually a pretty cool name!" Aleira affectionately pats the dragon's forepaw. "Sorry if I'm awfully familiar with you, but I just like dragons! I can't help it!"
* Fiora smiles at the spread, "Well, this is certainly a step up from the bland travellers fare which is all I seem to be able to make with my magic. My thanks."
<Kotono> "It's fine," Chuckling again, "I can assure you that you're safe in this grove...but hm. I can see the experience and trials you have been through on your faces. Why, if you stay a few days, I can help all of you improve from it!"
* Aleira raises an eyebrow. "How do you mean? Can you teach me Dragon-fu or something?"
* Morana snorts in the middle of a bite and coughs as she slaps her chest, throwing Aleira a dirty look for making her laugh.
<Iris> "I cannot speak for others, but my personal wish would be not to dally and delay completion of our quest," Iris says. "Though of course I do appreciate this moment's respite."
<Kotono> "I can help you turn your experiences into progress," It says, "If you can sparea  few days to stay here."
* Aleira ponders a moment before turning to her comrades. "I think we should listen to Zum. Gramps always said that good, wise dragons are rare and you should always take their advice when it's offered."
<Fiora> "I...would appriciate that, speaking for myself." Fiora says, then looks to the others, "But Iris has said it's dangerous for mortals to remain in this paradise too long."
<Thyan> "That's... awfully generous of you. We appreciate it greatly. Most dragons are so welcoming, from what I hear."
<Kotono> "You can be, but not in three days," The dragon replies, "There's nothing to fear about that."
<Iris> "What specifically do you propose?" Iris asks.
* Fiora nods, "Then...I'm for it. As is Aleira, clearly. Lady Sunfang, Thyan?"
<Kotono> "Training all of you," The dragon replies, "With what you've been through, you should be able to make strides forward."
<Morana> "Training is always to be welcomed."
* Iris raises an eyebrow. "I have always found books an acceptable method for obtaining personal advancement."
<Thyan> "I agree. A few days of rest will be welcome."
<Morana> "I wouldn't call training 'rest', Sir Aldcar," Morana says with a laugh.
<Fiora> "I'm sure a dragon of his age could give you some pointers on getting past the innate magical resistance everything we run into seems to have," Fiora points out to Iris.
<Thyan> "Compared to the last few days, non-lethal training will be very restful."
<Iris> "Perhaps," Iris concedes.
* Aleira pumps her fists in the air a few times! "I haven't been through the wringer since Gramps and Big Bro put me through the Twirling Rings of Death!"
<Aleira> "Lead on, Zum!" Aleira cheerfully proclaims.
<Fiora> "Which clearly had signifigantly less death then advertised," Fiora teases Aleira.
* Aleira smirks. "I'd like to see *you* try it sometime. Those metal rings were sharp and on *fire*."
<Fiora> "I didn't say it wasn't difficult," Fiora counters, "just that there couldn't have been that much death. You are still here, after all."
<Kotono> "Good. Now..." From there three days pass in a blur of stories and pointers, as...
<Kotono> ---LEVEL UP!---