031.1 Janson and Simmer

[Corwin]

[20:29] <Kotono> ---
[20:31] <Kotono> As the people talk and settle, Josa listens in. "Very well then. Aaeru and Sylvie, get going to that church. The exact details and your bodyguard will be discussed there."
[20:32] <Aaeru> "Alright!" Aaeru responds eagerly, and takes Sylvie's hand. "We're off, then. Good luck with your jobs, guys!"
[20:32] <Janson> "You too," Janson wishes the blondes well in their work.
[20:32] <Kotono> "Good luck!" Sylvie calls as they go off!
[20:34] <Kotono> Once they're gone, Josa turns to Janson. "You'll go find that cat? I want you all to work in pairs this time, so..." He ponders briefly, before pointing at Simmer. "Go with Janson."
[20:36] <Janson> "It'll be fun, really," Janson tries to cheer up the surely disappointed dryad. "Where do we find Ms Windee?" he then asks the boss.
[20:36] <Kotono> Simmer comes right on over, "I guess I can't burn the cat, but maybe we an burn something," she says with a light shrug.
[20:38] <Kotono> "She's staying on 20 Applewood Drive in the New City." Josa explains. "She seemed rather distressed over it; she's an older woman. That cat sounds like her surrogate child the way she talked about it. It was all 'Oh, my poor beloved cat' and other such airy sentiments," Josa raises his voice ever so slightly, slipping into a woman's tone withs urprising ease.
[20:40] <Janson> "No fear, we'll get her cat back," Janson asserts, thumping a fist into his palm. "Come on, Simmer. Why don't you tell me about the Inferno on the way there?"
[20:43] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[20:43] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 4." [1d100=4]
[20:45] <Kotono> With that the two take off to the city! As you go along, "The Inferno is incredible!" Simmer gushes, "There's these streams of lava that hug the walls, great controlled bonfires, everything going deeper and deeper! There's places where pure magic keep the sea at bay, barely an inch between boiling magma and cool, salty green sea water! Oh, it's so hot down there too, so lovely. There's all these
[20:45] <Kotono> fire creatures - mephits - that dance around and regulate the smaller flames, while fire elementals swim in the lava flows and keep them organized! Then there's the controller wizards and the Kossuthians!"
[20:47] <Janson> "Were they all friendly to you?" Janson asks, smiling at her happiness. She should have met Falis's standards, at least.
[20:51] <Kotono> "The elementals, well, they aren't very emotional at all. Now, the mephits are a lot of fun! The controllers are nice." Into the New City you go. A few people give Simmer long looks, though no one immediately makes anything of her. As you wall the well kept and straight streets, "The Kossuthians are the best! If it's fire they love it. Plus they're all about trials by fire and setting things
[20:51] <Kotono> ablaze!"
[20:54] <Janson> "It sounds like you've really gotten comfortable with your connection to fire. Did it help, seeing all those other beings that have the same connection?" Janson asks, occasionally looking at signs to identify the street they want but keeping most of his attention on Simmer.
[20:57] <Kotono> You find it as Simmer replies, "I guess. It's just so easy when there's fire, and..." she shuffles, "I'm out of the cycle and the forest. I barely have time to think about it, all these nwe things. It's overwhelming! I knew every part of my grove down to the blades of grass. Now..."
[20:59] * Janson nods understandingly. She's been well distracted by events, so he wonders how much she's really grieved for what she's lost. "What was your grove like? What kind of tree was yours?" he prods, honestly curious but also thinking it might do her good to speak of her life now left behind.
[21:03] <Kotono> As she talks you come up to 20 Applewood Drive. It's a large house, three stories and with a lawn. A few cats lie about on it, soaking up the sun. "It was..." Simmer starts, "It was beautiful. It wasn't so thickly forested there, so there were patches of grass around the trees. A small brook cut through it, full of fish. Squirrels and deer lived about it and pixies liked to visit." Her voice
[21:03] <Kotono> becomes farther away, "My tree...it was a good oak, a good oak. A big, tall oak..."
[21:09] <Janson> "It sounds lovely... I wish I'd found it when I was exploring the forest before I left Aralla," Janson smiles at the picture she paints with her words.
[21:11] <Kotono> Simmer pauses, saying not a word. She looks off at nothing in particular, "Yeah."
[21:14] * Janson pauses as well, figuring Ms Windee can wait a few more minutes. "It's okay to miss it... I know you talk about burning everything a lot, but if the world has a place like your old grove and a place like the Inferno both in it, I'm sure your heart's big enough for both as well," he suggests gently.
[21:14] <Kotono> "So what?" Simmer abruptly snaps, "It's all burned away."
[21:18] <Janson> "It has," Janson nods, not flinching at her reaction, "But go back there ten years from now and the ash will have nourished new life to bloom. A century and it might have a new tall oak, rising high up over grass and squirrels and deer. Maybe a nice little pond from the earth-pit that's there now, even. That's the cycle, isn't it? Would you want to burn all that away to keep it from happening?"
[21:18] <Janson> he asks carefully.
[21:21] <Kotono> "Maybe." It's all the answer Simmer gives, looking around, "Where's this applewood place?"
[21:23] <Janson> Baby steps... well, how many people can play therapist to a fey anyway? Still, he can't help but try, even if pushing more right now is probably pointless. She has enough to think over. "It's right here," he gestures at the cat-strewn garden, opening the gate and heading in to knock on the door.
[21:26] <Kotono> The knocking gets attention soon enough. The door opens, a youngish man in the uniform of a city guard. His mail clinks as he looks the two over, "Yes?"
[21:28] <Janson> "Oh, hello," Janson is initially surprised to find a guardsman here but doesn't let it deter him long. "My name's Janson and this is Simmer, we're from Whimsical Sweets to see Ms Windee about a missing cat?" he explains pleasantly.
[21:29] <Kotono> "Oh. That's my aunt." He ruefully smiles at that, "She's in the back garden," he comes out, "I'll walk you around."
[21:30] <Janson> "Thanks," Janson smiles and follows along. "Seems like she has a lot of cats to go around, though," he glances at the other felines sunning themselves.
[21:36] <Kotono> "Yeah, she has about 10 of them. Knows their names by heart, but Zero's special. He's the cat her husband gave her."  He leads you around. The back is a garden of bushes and roses, fragrant. Sitting on a rocking swing is an older owman. She wears a black dress, a cane resting at her side.
[21:38] <Janson> "Lovely roses," Janson inhales happily of the floral aroma as they near the black-clad woman. "Ms Windee?" he begins, "My name's Janson and this is Simmer, we're here from Whimsical Sweets about your missing cat?"
[21:42] <Kotono> "Oh!" Immediately she looks up, "You're here about dear Zero?" Her voice is slow but steady, "Thank you so much for coming! Natil, go get them some tea!" she shooes the guardsman off, "My dear Zero has vanished!"
[21:43] <Janson> "Simmer and I are both experts when it comes to animals, so if Zero's to be found, we'll be the ones to do it," Janson reassures her. "To start with, when and where did you last see him?"
[21:45] <Kotono> "About a week ago," Sniffling and bowing her head, "He always comes by in the morning for milk. He never came back for the evening, since he spends the evening asleep on my lap."
[21:47] <Janson> That's a while, but too early to give up hope yet! "Josa mentioned that you were from Purinn, how long have you been in Balmuria? Sometimes when animals are relocated they go back to the place they consider home, so that's one possibility."
[21:55] <Kotono> "About five years," A soft murmur, "This is home to Zero. He knows that...I'm afraid something terrible happened to him!"
[21:58] <Janson> "After five years he wouldn't suddenly decide to go back to Purinn, no," Janson agrees. "But please don't be alarmed, I'm sure whether he's lost or been mistakenly adopted by someone else, we'll find him for you," he reassures, wanting to keep her from dreading the worst. "What did Zero look like?"

[Corwin]

[21:35] <Kotono> "He's a black cat, all black," Ms. Windee says, "He has a collar with a bell on it."
[21:37] * Janson nods. "Do you know of any places he tended to spend time during the day?" he asks, rounding things out.
[21:38] <Kotono> "Oh, he wandered about. Sometimes he brought back birds or mice...." Ms. Windee sighs long, "It's so adorable, he'd lay them at my feet. So I think he took to the alleys, the roofs and the fields.""
[21:40] <Janson> "Okay, I'll start by asking around and see from there - I have a few ideas of my own," Janson says to hopefully buoy her confidence. "Rest assured, if there's any trace of Zero, we'll find him!"
[21:41] <Kotono> "Oh thank you young man," she smiles now, "Please, bring Zero home."
[21:43] <Janson> "We'll do our very best," Janson promises, departing now to go back around to the front of the house. There's a handful of hopefully helpful witnesses right there, after all! Addressing the sunbathing felines, he starts off with Zero's fellows. "Hello, have any of you seen Zero lately? He's the solid black cat that lives here with your owner?"
[21:47] <Kotono> Simmer follows along, "A lost cat? Aren't cats quite good at living on their own? The feral cats in the forest are."
[21:48] <Kotono> One of the cats is a black and white kitty, sunbathing and purring. Opening it's eyes, "Goes to the bad place." It's purring stops as if it's chest was stilled, "The dark place."
[21:49] <Janson> "They are, but pets are creatures of habit - if a pixie visited your grove every week for a year and then suddenly stopped wouldn't you be worried?" Janson asks, before frowning and kneeling next to the black and white cat. "Has Zero been to the dark place before?" he asks quietly.
[21:50] <Kotono> "Likes to hunt there," The kitty rolls onto it's stomach and up, "It's scary. Bad."
[21:51] <Janson> "What makes it scary?" Janson asks, wondering if it's the same place he'd already guessed.
[21:55] <Kotono> "It's bad there. Makes fur crawl. Bad things there."
[21:57] <Janson> "What sort of bad things? Dogs? People?" Janson presses a bit for details before getting into the location.
[21:57] <Kotono> "Things...feel things. Things that aren't seen." The cat arches it's back up.
[21:59] <Janson> "Where is it? Is it that way?" Janson points to the Western Reaches, "A grove of trees?"
[22:01] <Kotono> "No. Broken place. Other way," It shivers and steps back.
[22:03] <Janson> His theory was wrong! But that does leave another place that could fit the bill... "The place that's all burnt down inbetween all the other buildings?" he points vaguely in the direction of Torm's old temple.
[22:03] <Kotono> "Yes," The cat answers, "Bad place."
[22:04] * Janson nods. "Thank you," he scratches behind the feline's ears. "You're a good cat. We'll go look for your friend," he gets up and turns to Simmer. "Good news for you, we're going to visit a place that's been burnt to the ground."
[22:06] <Kotono> "Ooooh," Simmer immediately brightens up, "Where's it at?"
[22:08] <Janson> "If we follow the Southeast road back to the old city and then double back to the Southwest about half way we should get there. I've passed it a few times but never looked closely - stories talk about it being a former temple to an evil god that was destroyed years ago," Janson explains as he sets off. "According to the cat I just talked to, invisible bad things stalk there."
[22:11] <Kotono> Walking long and around you return to the New City. The street of the temple is a quiet one, subdued. The temple grounds are an empty, broken field, with remnants of a building's foundation surviving. These are overgrown with stunted weeds.
[22:13] * Janson steps lightly onto the shattered field, starting to slowly pick over the remaining masonry and weeds for any signs of a cat or anything that could be suspicious...
[22:14] <Kotono> OOC: Make as pot check?
[22:14] <Janson> roll 1d20+8
[22:14] <Rei-chan> Janson rolled : 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=1 ]{9}
[22:15] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Simmer's around and not blind.
[22:15] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+9 Simmer's around and not blind. --> [ 1d20=3 ]{12}
[22:18] <Kotono> The air of the ruins is cooler, the sun brighter above but feeling farther away. The streets nearby are empty, save for a single old man. He watches from the other side, leaning heavily on an old cane. A heavy beard hangs down, his eyes mostly hidden by loose, wrinkled flesh. In the broken ruins you look around, but don't see much of anything.
[22:21] <Janson> "Hmm... no other animals here either. That's odd - why would Zero come here to hunt if there was nothing to hunt?" Janson murmurs, confused. "Doesn't seem to be any sort of underground level either," he thumps his heel on the ground. "Maybe they filled it in?" Somewhat surprised and disappointed by how things have gone so far, he looks for any magic in the area mostly on a whim. Well, magic
[22:21] <Janson> besides the Mythal, which painfully reminds him of its presence the moment he tries.
[22:23] <Kotono> There is no magic, as...
[22:23] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4
[22:23] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+4 --> [ 1d20=19 ]{23}
[22:24] <Kotono> roll 1d6+1+1d6
[22:24] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d6+1+1d6 --> [ 1d6=5 1d6=3 ]{9}
[22:24] <Kotono> OOC: 4 damage, 1 from physical and 3 from ???. She has DR 5/cold iron which isn't bypassed.
[22:25] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4
[22:25] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+4 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{17}
[22:25] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2 Simmer grapple
[22:25] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+2 Simmer grapple --> [ 1d20=20 ]{22}
[22:26] <Kotono> "Aaaagh!" Simmer stumbles forward and past Janson, her back ankle hissing! Gray slime drips off her ankle, "Behind us!"
[22:26] <Janson> "What the-" Janson turns in alarm at the sudden fracas, looking first at her ankle and then around the area behind her!
[22:30] <Kotono> OOC: Roll init.
[22:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[22:30] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+6 --> [ 1d20=4 ]{10}
[22:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20-5
[22:30] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20-5 --> [ 1d20=1 ]{-4}
[22:30] <Janson> roll 1d20+3
[22:30] <Rei-chan> Janson rolled : 1d20+3 --> [ 1d20=8 ]{11}
[22:31] * Kotono changes topic to 'Janson(11)>Simmer(10)>???(-4)'
[22:32] <Kotono> Turning, Janson can see it oozing o n the ground. A slurping slime, slithering along towards you. It's transparent gray and barely noticable, constantly shifting amid shapes and flows. Some parts of it crumble into jelly trails, while others shift around into tiny shapes! OOC: You can roll K:D here if you have it.
[22:33] <Janson> roll 1d20+5 I do!
[22:33] <Rei-chan> Janson rolled : 1d20+5 I do! --> [ 1d20=7 ]{12}
[22:36] <Janson> "Keep away and don't let it grab you!" Janson tells Simmer, backing off thirty feet and firing a blast of orange-hued magical energy at the shifting ooze!
[22:36] <Janson> roll 1d20+1 hate for shooting into melee
[22:36] <Rei-chan> Janson rolled : 1d20+1 hate for shooting into melee --> [ 1d20=6 ]{7}
[22:36] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[22:36] <Janson> roll 2d6 hah
[22:36] <Rei-chan> Janson rolled : 2d6 hah --> [ 2d6=7 ]{7}
[22:37] <Kotono> The orange fey energy arches into the ooze! Part of it splinters back as Simmer withdraws back 5 feet, hands opening up! "Eat fire!" she snaps as she hops on one foot, "That hurt!"
[22:37] <Kotono> roll 4d4 it gets a ref save
[22:37] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 4d4 it gets a ref save --> [ 4d4=11 ]{11}
[22:37] <Kotono> roll 1d20-4
[22:37] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20-4 --> [ 1d20=4 ]{0}
[22:39] <Kotono> Crackling flames gush out over the ooze! Parts of it hiss and steam, the grass around it smouldering but not truly catching fire, seeming to burn away easily without spreading the fire. The ooze slithers backwards behind a bit of rubble, out of sight! OOC: Go Janson.
[22:40] * Janson circles around the rubble to regain sight of the ooze while keeping his distance...
[22:41] <Kotono> Janson circles around! On the other side of the rubble Janson sees...not much of anything. No sign of the ooze at all. Simmer stumbles back and to the side, peering at nothing! OOC: Free act.
[22:42] <Janson> "Where did it go... are you alright?" Janson decides Simmer's welfare is more important than pursuing the ooze right now. "Do you want to go get healed at an intact temple before we try and hunt the ooze?"
[22:43] <Kotono> Simmer winces and tests her ankle, putting weight on it. She takes a few steps, "Stings more than anything else. What was that?"
[22:44] <Janson> "A gray ooze... I don't think it was normal, though. The way it was shifting seemed odd." Accepting Simmer's word that she's okay, he goes to poke around where the ooze vanished. There must be a hole or something!
[22:45] <Kotono> Looking about, Janson finds a small hole in the ground. It's maybe a few inches wide. Looking at it, he can see a slimey residue clinging to it.
[22:47] <Janson> "Hmm... looks like it went down here," Janson refrains from poking the hole, expecting the residue to still be acidic. "I think it's most likely that Zero was eaten by the slime, but lets look around more? If nothing else we should kill it so it can't hurt anyone else."
[22:48] <Kotono> "How can we get to it down there," Simmer says, peering down before shaking her head. "...say, could we flood that hole with fire?"
[22:50] <Janson> "Fire won't spread well enough, I think. But if there's holes like this there really must be some sort of underground structure - lets try and look more closely at everything around here, see if we can find some access?" he suggests, redoubling his search.
[22:50] <Kotono> OOC: Roll search?
[22:51] <Janson> roll 1d20+9
[22:51] <Rei-chan> Janson rolled : 1d20+9 --> [ 1d20=9 ]{18}
[22:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9
[22:54] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+9 --> [ 1d20=16 ]{25}
[22:54] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:54] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=74 ]{74}
[22:55] <Kotono> Of the two, it's Simmer who chances on it. Near the back of the lot she pauses and kneels down, hitting the ground a few times. She then looks up, "Janson, over here!"
[22:55] <Janson> "Find something?" Janson asks excitedly, hurrying over!
[22:56] <Kotono> "The ground here's weak," Simmer says, "I felt it giving a little bit when I walked over, and it sounds hollow when I hit it."
[22:58] <Janson> "Let me see if I can dig anything up," Janson unslings his work backpack for a moment to remove the small shovel from it, and then starts to dig into the earth around the edge of the area found by Simmer.
[23:04] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[23:04] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=89 ]{89}
[23:05] <Kotono> The ground is hard digging, the shovel having a few cracks and close calls! The metal gets one running up the center, but as it does you find what looks to be the remnants of stairs going down.
[23:07] * Janson clears away enough to provide access down the stairs and hangs the shovel back on his pack. Grinning at the fact that he needs no light to see, he starts to climb down the old staircase, "Come on, lets see what we can find down here?"
[23:10] <Kotono> Thus you go down, ducking down to get past the surface! The walls are blackened stone, charred. The scent of ash and stale air greets you, faint but persistent. You go down about 5 feet, before finding a 5 foot gap in the stairs, broken up and having collapsed. Past this gap the stairs continue onward and downward.
[23:12] * Janson looks down the gap to see what lies underneath!
[23:13] <Kotono> It goes down about 30 feet into a pile of broken stairs as well as rubble.
[23:13] <Janson> Is it just a 5x5x30 pit or does it widen underneath the stairs or anything?
[23:14] <Kotono> It looks like it widens out - the stairs are supported below with pillars.
[23:17] <Janson> "Looks like some sort of hallway down there... lets follow the stairs, we'll probably get there soon enough," Janson grins at another chance to show off and walks up onto the wall to cross the gap, stopping in the middle. "Do you need a hand getting over?" he asks Simmer to ensure there's no risk of her falling on a stumbled jump.
[23:18] <Kotono> "It wouldn't hurt," Simmer says, eyeing the gap dubiously. "I've seen bears fall out of trees before. It looks painful."
[23:19] <Janson> "Alright, I'm pretty secure here, so just hold onto me and hop over," Janson holds out his hands to help bear the dryad's weight across - wood weighs less than flesh and bone, so it shouldn't be too onerous!
[23:21] <Kotono> With this Janson is able to help Simmer hop over! She is indeed light - lighter than she should be. She turns and looks back, "Whew."
[23:22] <Janson> "Easy enough," Janson smiles, "You weigh a lot less than most women I know," he notes as he gets back onto the stairs alongside her to continue downwards.
[23:24] <Kotono> OOC: Do you ahve darkvision or anything?
[23:26] <Janson> OOC: yes!
[23:28] <Kotono> Traveling down, you find that darkvision lights the way, no light this far below.  Ahead is a vast cellar - full of rubble and ruin, shattered stairs and hunks of stone about. About 30 feet ahead and ten to the right is a clearing in the rubble about 5 feet wide or so. A circle, the ground there utterly charred.
[23:29] <Janson> "Something really got burnt here," Janson remarks, looking over the circle, picking his way over the debris towards it for a closer look.
[23:30] <Kotono> It takes time, the terrain miserable here. You pick your way over to the charred circle, the ground crunching beneath your feet. You can smell smoke here, the air pallidly cold.
[23:31] * Janson sniffs. "Doesn't feel natural here at all, does it?" he asks Simmer quietly, looking for any traces of magic to explain the disquieting sensation he feels.
[23:32] <Kotono> Simmer takes a goodly long moment to shiver, "Feels cold, like winter. But it's high summer out there!" Janson detects no magic here at all. As you do...OOC: Make spot, -4?
[23:32] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5
[23:32] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=19 ]{24}
[23:32] <Janson> roll 1d20+4
[23:33] <Rei-chan> Janson rolled : 1d20+4 --> [ 1d20=9 ]{13}
[23:33] <Kotono> Simmer cocks her head to the side a moment, the points! "Oh Janson! I saw a flash of light over there from the rubble!" She points to the left, "Something flashed."
[23:35] <Janson> Since there's no light here to reflect off, it surely would have to be something magic? "Lets have a look?" he suggests, starting to head over in that direction.
[23:40] <Kotono> You pick your way through 15 feet of rubble, approaching. As you do, you hear a hissing, then a loud meow.
[23:41] <Janson> "Zero?" Janson looks for the source of said meow. How could a cat have gotten down here, though?
[23:48] <Kotono> From a small crack in the rubble it emerges. A black cat, a faint tingling from a bell collar it wears. It's eyes are a luminous green, faintly glowing in the pitch darkness. It's fur is raised up, hissing low in it's throat.
[23:49] <Janson> "You're not Zero... you're not even a cat," Janson stares down the mysterious creature, daring it to refute him.
[23:52] <Kotono> Zero stares right back at Janson, it's eyes changing from green to a deep, sea blue. As it does...OOC: Make spot?
[23:52] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9
[23:52] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+9 --> [ 1d20=8 ]{17}
[23:52] <Janson> roll 1d20+8
[23:52] <Rei-chan> Janson rolled : 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=1 ]{9}
[23:53] <Kotono> Abruptly Simmer looks up, "MOVE!" she snaps abruptly!
[23:54] * Janson instinctively looks up even as years of conditioning to obey female voices has his legs pushing his body hard off to the side, practically diving over the rubble in his haste!
[23:55] <Kotono> Janson lands hard on the rubble, a bit of it hitting him in the ribs! The pain steals his attention, but not enough to miss what happens: the gray ooze falls, landing just besides Janson, hitting right where he was! The cat hisses again, even louder this time! OOC: Roll init.
[23:55] <Janson> roll 1d20+3
[23:55] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6 Simmer
[23:55] <Rei-chan> Janson rolled : 1d20+3 --> [ 1d20=2 ]{5}
[23:55] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+6 Simmer --> [ 1d20=12 ]{18}
[23:55] <Kotono> roll 1d20-5 Ooozey
[23:55] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20-5 Ooozey --> [ 1d20=15 ]{10}
[23:55] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2 kitty
[23:56] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+2 kitty --> [ 1d20=14 ]{16}
[23:56] * Kotono changes topic to 'Simmer(18)>Zero(16)>Ooze(10)>Janson(5)'
[23:57] <Kotono> Simmer steps back 10 feet, slowly making it through the difficult terrain of the rubble! She puts her hands together, jets of flame arching from her hands at the ooze! "Stupid thing! Burn!"
[23:57] <Kotono> roll 1d4 and ref for it
[23:57] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d4 and ref for it --> [ 1d4=2 ]{2}
[23:57] <Kotono> roll 1d20-4
[23:57] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20-4 --> [ 1d20=7 ]{3}
[23:57] <Kotono> The ooze is scorched, not seeming to do all that much to it with just a single, feeble jet of fire! Zero hops back atop the rubble, hissing loud and holding back! The ooze turns towards Janson, a tendril of ooze striking out at him!
[23:58] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4 AC?
[23:58] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+4 AC? --> [ 1d20=17 ]{21}
[23:58] <Janson> OOC: 14 flat footed
[23:58] <Kotono> roll 1d6+1+1d6 and grappling
[23:58] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d6+1+1d6 and grappling --> [ 1d6=5 1d6=5 ]{11}
[23:58] <Janson> roll 1d20+4 grapple
[23:58] <Rei-chan> Janson rolled : 1d20+4 grapple --> [ 1d20=14 ]{18}
[23:59] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4
[23:59] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+4 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{17}
[00:01] <Kotono> Janson's thigh erupts in hissing pain as the ooze whips across it! It almost draws him into the amorphous mass, but not quite! OOC: Ow. Go Janson.
[00:01] <Janson> "Oww!" Janson groans, now wishing he'd asked for danger pay as he carefully retreats over the rubble, gaining twenty feet before retaliating with an eldritch blast!
[00:02] <Janson> OOC: I'll eat the AoO, AC 19
[00:02] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4
[00:02] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+4 --> [ 1d20=2 ]{6}
[00:02] <Kotono> OOC: Carry on.
[00:02] <Janson> roll 1d20+5 ranged touch
[00:02] <Rei-chan> Janson rolled : 1d20+5 ranged touch --> [ 1d20=14 ]{19}
[00:02] <Janson> roll 2d6
[00:02] <Rei-chan> Janson rolled : 2d6 --> [ 2d6=8 ]{8}
[00:02] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[00:03] <Kotono> Janson dodges another whipping stroke as he fires back, retreating! It hits right into the ooze, making it fluxtuate and shake all over! A moment later Simmer presses the advantage, firing off another fan of flame before falling back another 10 feet!
[00:03] <Kotono> roll 1d4
[00:03] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d4 --> [ 1d4=1 ]{1}
[00:03] <Kotono> roll 1d20-5
[00:03] <Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20-5 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{15}
[00:05] <Kotono> But the flame barely even grazes the gray ooze! Meanwhile Simmer leaps and hops along towards Janson, hissing yet! The ooze advances ten feet closer to Janson, slowly making it's way over the rubble! OOC: Go Janson.
[00:06] * Janson starts to circle around towards Simmer, keeping at least fifteen feet between himself and the ooze as he bombards it from range!
[00:06] <Janson> roll 1d20+5
[00:06] <Rei-chan> Janson rolled : 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{18}
[00:06] <Janson> roll 2d6
[00:06] <Rei-chan> Janson rolled : 2d6 --> [ 2d6=6 ]{6}
[00:11] <Kotono> The ooze is blasted again, wilting back! Simmer looks over to Janson, "Fire's not working! I can't make it any hotter!" OOC: Simmer's holding a moment, unless you have any suggestions.
[00:13] <Janson> "You don't want to touch it!" Janson asserts, moving over to join Simmer. "Check the side pocket in my pack and throw one of the glass tubes at it," he suggests to give her something to do.
[00:14] <Kotono> "Will do," Simmer starts to pick her way over to Janson! Meanwhile SImmer follows Janson, whilst the ooze slithers downward and into the rubble, through cracks like slow moving liquid and gone! OOC: Go ahead and free act.
[00:15] <Janson> "I've got some acid you can try, otherwise throw a brick? There's no shortage!"
[00:16] <Janson> "Damn, got away again..." Janson complains at the ooze's escape, now turning to 'Zero' "But what about you...?"
[00:19] <Kotono> Zero's fur goes down, the cat approaching Janson. It rubs against his ankles, purring.
[00:20] * Janson frowns thoughtfully. "You can't understand me, can you?" he checks to be absolutely sure. And yet it's not behaving in a hostile manner anymore, either.
[00:23] <Kotono> Zero rubs up, clawing lightly at Janson's leg. No reply from him at all, it's eyes a dark feline green now, no glow.
[00:23] <Kotono> Simmer looks down, "What's wrong? Cat got his tongue?" Simmer says with a completely straight face.
[00:25] <Janson> "I have an idea, actually. I couldn't understand that firebear either, remember?" Janson leans down to experimentally scratch the back of the cat's head. "What if something similar happened here? There's no denying the strange aura in this place - what if he's a slimecat or something?"
[00:27] <Kotono> "A...slimecat." SImmer's voice is flat, "What?" With a long stare she says something in Ignan, hissing and popping. "What in the name of great Chauntea would make a slime cat?"
[00:29] <Janson> "Whatever made the slime that just tried to eat us?" Janson shrugs, wincing a bit at the burn he still bears. "It explains why it never ate Zero. And how he got down here, for that matter."
[00:31] <Kotono> "So there's something working down here?" Simmer says, "Can we do anything about it? Fire didn't work so well."
[00:33] <Janson> "Well, first of all," Janson hunts around for his two acid vials and offers them over. "We can try fighting acid with acid. Zero at least seems friendly enough, and the ooze ignores him, so lets look around and see if this cellar leads anywhere else for now?"

[Corwin]

[21:56] <Kotono> The cellar is one big room. It goes on a little further before you find the walls. Of course it's possible there are door and passages you're missing, it's pretty wrecked all over.
[21:58] <Janson> "Hmm... well, we're not here to explore, we're here to find the cat," Janson returns to Zero. "And we've found him. What do you say you come with us, Zero?" he looks down at the strange black notcat.
[22:02] <Kotono> Zero rubs against Janson's ankle again and purrs.
[22:04] * Janson leans down and picks the cat up in a friendly manner, but it's good to keep a hold of him so he doesn't run away anyway. "Oh, I never said so in all the excitement," he realises belatedly, turning to Simmer with a grin. "Thanks. If you hadn't called out I'd have been a slime pancake!"
[22:18] <Kotono> Zero is content enough in your hands, eyes flashing white-purple as you hold him. Simmer just half blushes, "Then we're even for bringing me to the furnace?"
[22:20] * Janson laughs. "If you want to think of it that way, sure!" he agrees, starting to head back to the stairs and up, setting Zero down a moment to help Simmer over the gap in the stairs again.
[22:32] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 89." [1d100=89]
[22:33] <Kotono> With deft agility, Janson is able to pull Simmer across again! As he does however, the stair beneath him buckles, a horrible feeling as footing gives way! OOC: Make a reflex save, Janson?
[22:33] <Janson> OOC: but I'm not on the stairs, I'm on the wall using spiderwalk
[22:39] <Janson> roll 1d20+7 anyway?
[22:39] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+7 anyway? and gets 27." [1d20=20]
[22:39] <Kotono> OOC: Oh, you're off the hook then. sorry!
[22:40] <Kotono> OOC: I'll count the 20 as a str check to hold her up, should be easy enough.
[22:43] <Kotono> With quick muscles and strenght, Janson swings Simmer back over and safe! She looks down at the sudden stair collapse, "Not so stable, is it?"
[22:45] <Janson> "Nope... at least it didn't do that on our way down," Janson also looks down a moment before he joins her on the ascent back to the surface, picking up Zero along the way.
[22:54] <Kotono> Back out in the sunlight, you find the old man from across the street waiting by the hole you dug. He leans on his cane, staring at you as you come out.
[22:56] <Janson> "Oh... hello?" Janson greets the man hovering by the hole!
[22:57] <Kotono> He reaches into his pocket, taking out a vial of clear water. He uncorks it and splashes it on all of you! Zero hisses and squirms in Janson's arms, while Simmer shrieks and darts back, "Aaah!" It feels like water enough to Janson. He then says not a word, but turns back and walks away.
[22:59] <Janson> "What the-?!" Janson coughs and sputters, holding the notcat tightly and smoothing down his now wet fur. "What was that for?!"
[23:00] <Kotono> The man turns back and with narrow, hidden eyes, "The true Triad help your soul...this is a place of damnation. Leave here and never come back, I beg of you!"
[23:02] <Janson> "We just came to find a lost cat," Janson insists. "But you should maybe worry more about carniverous slimes than damnation," he spares a glance back down the hole and stairway.
[23:03] <Kotono> The man says nothing to that, as Simmer chants arcane words! She directs a jet of flame to her own skin, baking away the water! "Ugh! That feels so wrong! I feel like I just got fell into a pile of garbage!"
[23:06] <Janson> "I suppose you'll be using sandbaths from now on if water's that hard to deal with?" Janson curiously enquires into the pyrodryad's hygiene habits as he starts away from the despoiled temple. "Anyway, what do you say to a little sidetrip before we go see Ms Windee again?"
[23:08] <Kotono> "I gave myself a handbath with really runny lava last night." SImmer replies, "Baked the dirt off. Anyway, what side trip?"
[23:09] * Janson smiles at that particular image, starting to head Northwest again. "Lets try the temple of Mystra? I want someone to try a few spells on Zero to make sure it won't be dangerous to put him back with Ms Windee."
[23:51] <Kotono> The trip to Mystra's temple is simple enough. Within you go, in a courtyard. Here people read in the sun, play chess and chat.
[23:52] * Janson first looks for any signs indicating spellcasting services, and failing that he identifies a uniform set of robes that likely identify acolytes and priests, and accosts one of those people to enquire about such services.
[23:57] <Kotono> "Casting services?" The young acolyte who answers you nods, "What level of magic do you require?"
[00:00] <Janson> "Well, I'm not sure what the specific spell would be so you tell me?" he looks down at the black cat in his arms. "I can talk to animals, but I can't talk to this cat. His eyes glow, and we found him underground beneath Torm's old temple. Really I want a spell that could tell exactly what he is, if he's not a cat."

[Corwin]

[21:07] <Kotono> "Ooooh," His mouth forms an O as he looks, reaching out to scratch the cat's head. "Good question. You'll want to see one of the Sages of Azuth. Go that way," he point sto a door on the right, "Go to the third door on the left and into that library. Keep your voice down and be respectful."
[21:08] <Janson> "We're respectful, right Simmer?" Janson smiles at his comrade, giving the Mystran a grateful nod and heading in the direction given.
[21:10] <Kotono> "Sure," Simmer waves and follows! Down the hall and to the third door on the left leads to a wide, expansive library. Heavy oak tables and padded chairs are dotted between high shelves. Rolling ladders are about to reach the higher ones. A few scholarly, quiet men and women are deep in books here. The only light is light that comes from points the walls, small balls of it that shed an even,
[21:10] <Kotono> shadowless luminensce about.
[21:11] * Janson just picks the closest scholar and approaches on soft treads. "Excuse me?" he coughs quietly once close to his target. "I was told to consult with the Sages of Azuth..."
[21:13] <Kotono> This man wears slender spectacles and has long brown hair. His face is lined, his eyes shutting. He closes his book before opening them and looking to Janson. "You seek knowledge and to banish the shadows of secrets hiding it?"
[21:15] <Janson> "That's right," Janson smiles and looks down at the notcat in his arms. "This is Zero, we rescued him from underneath the ruins of Torm's old temple, where a cat probably couldn't have survived without being eaten by the slimes there. Not only that, but his eyes glow, and I can't talk to him even though I can talk to any other animal. So we're trying to find out what he really is."
[21:17] <Kotono> Folding his hands over his lap, "Fair enough. Before we go on, a donation to the faith is mandatory. For a first consultation it is 5 marks, and for each day of work and study is 40 marks."
[21:19] <Janson> "Well, a donation's fine, I figured I'd have to pay, but don't you have a spell that can identify a creature?" Janson asks hopefully. "Failing that, I guess someone could just cast Detect Thoughts and find out if Zero's smarter than a cat should be."
[21:25] <Kotono> The sage takes a moment to shake his head, "Detect Thoughts could show intellect, but it wouldn't answer what exactly he is now. The proper divinations could reveal that, but they are advanced. Sir, how much do you want to know about this cat?"
[21:27] <Janson> "Mostly just that I can safely give him back to his owner without worrying about him melting through her lap or eating all her other cats or something like that?" Janson shrugs.
[21:32] <Kotono> "Detecting evil would be a good first step." The sage says thoughtfully, "As well as some study and rituals to detect possible possession. Once we narrow down the list and go through various screening magics, scholary work can find the exact cause if required. Assuming it goes smoothly, it would take one to two days. If there are problems, perhaps more."
[21:32] <Kotono> Meanwhile Simmer drifts over to the bookshelf, taking a random book. She stares at it, eyes crackling with flame.
[21:35] <Janson> "Simmer..." Janson looks over to the dryad and calls in a soft voice, hoping to prod her into remembering where they are before she does something drastic. "If we go that route," he turns back to the scholar, "Would you need Zero to stay here? And would it cost the same as the scale you mentioned for consultation and work?"
[21:41] <Kotono> Simmer blink-blinks! AS her attention turns back to Janson, "Yes, he'd need to stay here for at least a day. That was for pure research, for magic it will cost more. If you're getting several spells cast, we'll work out a fee to cover all of it. Simple detections of evil and the like are about 10 marks. For that and the possession rituals, it would cost 100 marks."
[21:43] <Janson> "I might be able to help with the possession part?" Janson offers, "If you've got the lore for me to follow, I'm pretty good with rituals!"
[21:46] <Kotono> "It's not required," The sage says, offering his hand out, "Sage Ras. Let us uncover the truth of this matter."
[21:46] <Janson> Settling Zero into the crook of his arm, Janson accepts the offered hand. "I'm Janson and that's Simmer, we're from Whimsical Sweets," he grins.
[21:50] <Kotono> His grip is light and fleeting, withdrawn after a shake. "Are the terms acceptable to you?"
[21:52] <Janson> "Sure, I'll just give you the money now and come by sometime tomorrow evening to see how it's going?" Janson offers, trusting that the temple is good for it. "Where should we put Zero?"
[21:58] <Kotono> "I'll take him," Sage Ras rises, "It may not take quite that long - you can check in the afternoon if you care to.  That assumes it goes well, of course, which is hardly certain."
[22:01] <Janson> "Okay, great. We'll come by before dinnertime," Janson smiles and hands over the cat. "You be a good cat, Zero, and we'll have you home soon," he reassures the notcat even though it probably can't understand him, before getting into his coinbag to fork over the requisite donation.
[22:05] <Kotono> The next day you return, Simmer tagging along again. Sage Ras holds Zero in his arms, who is soundly asleep. "I have solved this mystery," He announces.
[22:06] <Janson> "Praise Azuth!" Janson exclaims cheerfully. "What did you find out, Ras?"
[22:07] <Kotono> "This cat has been exposed to Chaos," Petting it's head, "A little bit of chaos has worked it's way into it's body and soul, transforming it into an anarchic creature. The sort of creature you may find in the Realms Beyond that tilt towards chaos, such as Limbo, the Abyss or Ysgard."
[22:10] <Janson> "Wow... that might be what made that grey ooze a bit different, too!" Janson realises. "Well, it still acted like an ooze, and Zero still acts like a cat, so I guess no harm done?"
[22:19] <Kotono> "He's not dangerous to anyone," Sage Ras says, "He'll likely be more mercurial than your typical cat, as well as a little smarter."
[22:21] <Janson> "Cats are cats," Janson concludes, reaching over to take the black almostcat. "Now we can safely take him back home to Ms Windee. Thanks a lot for all of your hard work, Ras - if I come across another mystery like this, I'll remember who I can count on."
[22:23] <Kotono> "Come back, we're always interested in defeating secrets." With a solemn gaze, "Knowledge is to be shared and understood, not hidden away in dark caverns of mystery."
[22:25] * Janson nods. "And if you ever need help, like finding some lost bit of lore or artifact, try calling on us at Whimsical Sweets. We do a lot more than rescue cats!" Janson offers in return, petting Zero as he settles the cat in his arms. "Until next time, anyway," he waves.
[22:33] <Kotono> From there it's not far to Ms. Windee's house. She's found in her back yard again, looking out at the late afternoon sky with  faraway, lost eyes.
[22:34] * Janson sets Zero down on the lawn as they come into the garden. "Ms Windee?" he calls over.
[22:36] <Kotono> "...mmm, oh, it's...Zero!" She calls, as the cat trots right up to her! It hops into her lap, Ms. Windee hugging the cat to her. "Oh, you found Zero!"
[22:38] <Janson> "He got into a little adventure, but he's right as rain, now," Janson smiles as he strolls after the feline.
[22:41] <Kotono> "Oh!" The old woman sniffles and holds her cat, "Oh Zero! Oh thank you so much! I thought...I thought I may never see Zero again!"
[22:42] <Janson> "He went exploring and ended up stuck underground," Janson explains, deciding not to worry her by mentioning the cursed ruins. "But he picked up a few tricks down there, too - if you see his eyes glowing now, that's because he can see in the dark. He's a lucky little cat," he smiles down at the pair.
[22:46] <Kotono> "Oh Zero," Holding him closer, "Thank you so much, young man. Thank your boss, too."
[22:47] <Janson> "That's what you get when you hire Whimsical Sweets," Janson grins. "The fee we agreed for was twenty five marks, wasn't it?"
[22:48] <Kotono> The money is passed over immediately, "Thank you so much!"
[22:50] <Janson> "Tell your friends about us," Janson suggests brightly as he pockets the money. "Come on, Simmer, back to the shop? This'll be twelve and a half marks for Josa, and six and a quarter each for us. What'll you spend yours on?"
[22:51] <Kotono> "Can you buy fire?" Simmer asks as the two stroll off and away...
[22:51] <Kotono> ---

[Corwin]

[20:35] <Kotono> ----
[20:36] <Kotono> Returning to the candy shop lets you a seat upstairs. Simmer gracefully slinks into a seat, Josa filling a large one up as he nods. "Excellent, excellent, excellent," he says, "So Ms. Windee is entirely pleased with her service?"
[20:38] <Janson> "We got her cat back, right as rain, so she'd have no reason not to be," Janson agrees as he drops himself less gracefully into a seat next to the lithe dryad. "Maybe even better than before, really."
[20:44] <Kotono> "Good," Josa says, "Anything noteworthy beyond that occur?"
[20:47] <Janson> "Well, we had to go into the ruins of Torm's old church to get him, and we were attacked by a gray ooze. We fought it off, but both it and Zero were empowered by Chaos... it's really like how Simmer's been empowered by fire," he nods his head to the dryad. "Makes you wonder just how common that stuff really is."
[20:52] <Kotono> "Chaos, hm?" Josa's expression is curious, "Did you happen to detect any fey influence?" As he considers this, "Odd it happens again so soon."
[20:54] <Janson> "Don't think it was fey, no," Janson shakes his head. "They're of this world, but Torm's from the Abyss, right? A man threw what I guess was holy water on us when we came out from beneath the ruins, begged us in the name of the True Triad to leave. I figure it's probably a religious issue."
[20:58] <Kotono> "Yes, it does sound like it," Josa concedes, "Though...if you could get some of that slime...or even the whole slime..."
[20:59] * Janson looks queasy. "You're not going to make a candy out of it, are you?"
[21:00] <Kotono> "Of course I will!" Josa says, "Pure chaotic ooze would make an incredible taffy or syrup! Goodness in the forests of Pallanth, such could be a masterpiece amid the fey-elves!"
[21:01] <Janson> "But it's acid! It would melt your tongue!" Janson protests. "I've got the burns to prove it, see!" he lifts his foot up above the table and then pulls up the leg of his pants!
[21:06] <Kotono> "That's why you temper out the acid nad purify it first," Josa waves a hand limply, "Besides, surely that is why I go to extragant means to make sure it has a little kiss of stinging, without any real damage. That's part of the flavor!"
[21:07] <Janson> "Hmm... well, I guess we could try?" Janson glances at Simmer briefly as he lowers his discoloured leg. "Do you have anything to trap it in, though? Those oozes are tricky."
[21:10] <Kotono> "That is the devil, and the devils are in the details," Josa concedes, shaking his head. "If look up what a gray ooze can't dissolve and make a trap of that and some bait, surely it could be lured out."
[21:13] <Janson> "It seems happy to eat flesh or wood," Janson glances between himself and Simmer. "I guess metal or stone would be needed to hold it? Glass, maybe? Although that much would be expensive..." Janson hums thoughtfully. "Stone's probably best, but you'd need a really good seal on the lid. And it'd be really heavy to cart around."
[21:25] <Kotono> "Yes, yes," Josa does agree, "Make it so. Concoct a box, a lure and trap it in."
[21:29] * Janson blinks, having expected Josa would see fit to provide such a box for them. "Well... I guess we can try and look into it. But it'll probably cost money to get an appropriate trap."
[21:35] <Kotono> "I'll pay you back for it," Josa says grandly, "As well as being the first one to sample what gets made from it."
[21:37] <Janson> That sounds more like being an experimental subject... still, work is work. "Well, Simmer, want a chance to get that nasty slime properly cooked?" he smiles at the wooden woman as he stands up.
[21:40] <Kotono> "Oh, now you're on the right track," Simmer rises right back up, "So how're we gonna catch it?"
[21:41] <Janson> "Well, first we need to find somewhere we can buy a stone barrel - something round that we can roll around rather than carry. Then I figure we can leave it on its side on the grounds of the ruined temple with some meat and firewood inside, wait for the ooze to come along for its free meal, then seal the lid on it?" Janson suggests the first plan to come to mind.
[21:48] <Kotono> "Okay," Simmer agrees to it, "So let's go find a stone barrel?"
[21:49] <Janson> "Probably have to trawl around town for a while to find something we can use, but it's a nice place to wander anyway," Janson smiles as he starts to head downstairs.
[22:04] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:04] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 71." [1d100=71]
[22:06] <Kotono> A good part of the day is divided up into finding someone who can suit your needs. You ping-pong around the city, eventually coming to an old stone building in the northwest of the Old City. It's heavily built and looming, not too far from the docks. Inside the dimly lit building is stone works of all sorts, a burly, muscular, short man there. No, not a man, a dwarf. His beard is the color of
[22:06] <Kotono> gold, his head bald. He has a leery, squinted eye as you explain, "A stone barrel, eh?"
[22:08] <Janson> "That's right," Janson nods, "It doesn't need to be incredibly thick or anything, we just need something that acid won't melt through and can be rolled around for easy transport - the lid will need a solid seal, too, obviously."
[22:09] <Kotono> "10 marks, 3 sterling and 2 pennies," he says,  "That'll do it." With a leery eye, "You a wizard or a mercenary? Only people who would need that much acid carried around."
[22:11] <Janson> "I guess Mercenary fits best, but I know a spot of magic..." Janson begins before grinning as he reaches into his coinbag. "The truth is, we work for Whimsical Sweets, and the boss thinks a Gray Ooze could be turned into a tasty treat."
[22:14] <Kotono> "Grumbar's Beard, your boss is two anvils short of a smithery." The dwarf scowls at Janson, "I hearda of worse ideas before - all of them at funerals, telling the story of how a dwarf died."
[22:16] * Janson shrugs. "Maybe, but he knows his candy. Says he can neutralise most of it so it'll just have a nice sting." The coins are promptly handed over.
[22:20] <Kotono> The dwarf grunts and goes over to a wall! He floats up casually, up ten feet. Amid other things hanging is a stone barrel, taken down with a grunt. He returns to the earth, dropping it at Janson's feet. "Here you go."
[22:22] <Janson> "Much obliged," Janson smiles, handing the barrel lid to Simmer and then tipping it onto its side so he can roll it along. "Lets go make a stop at a butchershop to grab some bait and then catch ourselves an ooze?" A little bit of wood can probably be found in a rubbish-midden en route easily enough.
[22:35] <Kotono> The former two are procured withe ase, the two heading to the New City. The empty lot is dead quiet again. There's no sign of the old man, but Janson's hole has been filled back in.
[22:39] * Janson rolls the barrel around to where Simmer got attacked the other day, drops the bait inside, then leaves it on its side. "Lets stand on one of the boulders nearby so it's more likely to take the bait than us?" he suggests to Simmer, clambering up onto one of the remaining pieces of crumbling masonry facing the open end of the barrel.
[22:39] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:39] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 81." [1d100=81]
[22:49] <Kotono> Settling onto a boulder, the duo awaits! As they do...OOC: Make a listen cehck.
[22:50] <Janson> roll 1d20+8
[22:50] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+8 and gets 17." [1d20=9]
[22:51] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9
[22:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 and gets 11." [1d20=2]
[22:51] <Kotono> As you wait, you hear a footstep coming up behind you.
[22:52] * Janson turns to look at the sound of footsteps, momentarily distracted from watching the trap!
[23:00] <Kotono> About 10 feet behind you is the old man from before! In one hand he holds a small, silver symbol shaped like a gauntlet. In the other is another vial of water. "I warned you not to return!"
[23:01] <Janson> "All we want to do is get rid of the gray ooze so it doesn't hurt anyone again!" Janson protests. "We're not doing any harm."
[23:02] <Kotono> "Yah!" Simmer ducks behind Janson, "Keep that nasty wet water away from me!"
[23:03] * Janson is sincerely glad it's not raining.
[23:09] <Kotono> "This is a cursed ground! No profit can be found here...I beg of you, turn back. Let others handle this, ones that need not fear for their souls."
[23:11] <Janson> "Really, we just want the ooze and then we'll be out of your hair!" Janson insists. "We're not going to... uh... whatever it is you're afraid of."

[Corwin]

[20:37] <Kotono> "Go...please!" The man insists, "I ask you one last time, abandon this place and do not return."
[20:40] <Janson> "At least let us get the ooze," Janson continues trying to reason with the man. "It's supposed to make the most delicious candy if it can be properly treated!"
[20:45] <Kotono> The old man draws himself up, standing straight. He holds his cane up off the ground, "To the pits of the Abyss with the ooze. Then...in the name of the true Triad, I have no choice. Do not resist.""
[20:47] <Janson> "Hey!" Janson waves his hands placatingly. "We don't want a fight! Okay, if it means that much to you we'll leave!" he exclaims, not interested in getting into a fight over something so trivial.
[21:06] <Kotono> Simmer takes a step back, and on Janson's words starts backpedaling! The old man glowers at the two, raising his cane to point away. "Go."
[21:08] <Janson> Grumbling, Janson retreats to the barrel and starts rolling it away. "What an ass..." he mutters under his breath. "If this place is so bad why'd they leave it like this anyway?"
[21:12] <Kotono> "I have half a mind to introduce him to some fire," Simmer whispers back, "So what do we tell Josa?"
[21:14] <Janson> "We would've had to beat up a crazy old nut if we wanted to do our ooze-hunt in peace?" Janson shrugs. "There are limits to what I'll do in this job..." he looks mournfully down at the barrel he rolls along, "Hope I can use this barrel for something someday, since I doubt he'll pay me back for it..."
[21:17] <Kotono> "We could fill it with something flammable and set it on fire, then use something to toss it, like...a big barrel full of fire that sets things on fire? Maybe?" Simmer considers.
[21:20] <Janson> "Well, I dunno about that, but I guess at worst it could be used like a mobile fireplace?" Janson muses as he turns down the street away from the shattered temple. "Maybe we'll even find another ooze someday without an associated religious fanatic?"
[21:21] <Kotono> "Speaking of, what's the triad or the true triad? What's Torm?"
[21:23] <Janson> "Uh..." Janson adopts a momentary blank expression as he struggles to recall what little he does know. "The Triad's a... three, deities. I know Ilmater and Helm are part of it. I think Torm used to be part of it, but then he turned evil and got kicked out. I guess 'The Triad' would be the three that included Torm, and the 'True Triad' is the three without?" He pauses and glances back the way
[21:23] <Janson> they just came. "Or would it be the other way around since Torm was first?"
[21:30] <Kotono> "Ooooh." Simmer says, as you roll the barrel up the street, "I know about Jannath and the fey spirits, but not much else. The humans seem to worship other powers, though Kossuth looks good so far."
[21:32] <Janson> "Yeah, Jannath's mostly all I know, too. I mean, Malar, Meilikki, Sylvanus, Lathander, Selune, they get mentioned a bit in connection with her back home but not really much. And I'd never heard of ones like Gond or  Ilmater or Torm before I came here," Janson agrees. "What about Fey Spirits, though? You mean like Titania?"
[21:35] <Kotono> "Uh huh, the Seelie and Unseelie Court. Most of the fey in the area lean towards the Seelie Court, but it's not uniform." Simemr says, "I..." a strange pause here, Simmer stopping. "I suppose I used to be part of the Seelie Court, though an agent of fire is better suited to the Unseelie."
[21:40] <Janson> "Well, it's like we've been saying all along, it's what you do with it, right?" Janson suggests kindly. "A regular dryad that was part of the Seelie would be kind and nice to any that came her way, make friends and talk, teach people she meets the wonders of nature... An Unseelie dryad would probably have a warped grove of strange flowers fed by the blood of men she'd seduced and then murdered
[21:40] <Janson> to be consumed in the soil or nasty stuff like that. Isn't that how it goes?"
[21:43] <Kotono> "No...not quite like that," Simmer shakes her head, "There's more details to it like that. Good and Evil...they apply, but at the same time they don't. A Seelie Fey is close to good and an Unseelie is close to evil, but it's because what we respresent is close to them. Seelie Fey are high summer, life, growth. Unseelie is dark winter, death, regression. Together and between us is the cycle of
[21:43] <Kotono> nature."
[21:45] <Janson> "Well there you go," Janson smiles, "Summer and fire go together, don't they? I bet if you ran into some cruel Unseelie Frost Nymph she'd hate the pleasant warmth your fire can provide?"
[21:46] <Kotono> "Fire is also Unseelie." Simmer agains hakes her head, "A forest fire that leaves ash and burnt animals in it's wake is Unseelie, checking the growth of life and Seelie."
[21:50] <Janson> "Oh..." Janson deflates sadly, before rallying himself. "Well you know what, I don't care how Seelie and Unseelie define things. When I'm cold and wet, I want a nice hot fire to sit by. When it's dark and scary, I want some bright flames to light my way. When I'm hungry and miserable, I want some cooked food to fill my belly. As far as I'm concerned, fire's good to have around."
[21:51] <Kotono> "Thanks," Simmer's face lights up, literally with her eyes as little flames start burning.
[21:53] * Janson smiles happily, glad to have relieved her doubts in some way. "Once we're back at the shop, why don't we try our hand at baking something nice?"