Kuiper and Maxim departed soon as soon as it was clear that the party did not wish to travel to Krynen's farm with them. He took the two silvered long swords and indicated that with that, the brooch was the party's to do with as they wanted. "If you go back through Milborne, let Garyld know what's going on, if you don't mind," he added as he left.
All the discussions about where to go and who to heal, not to mention the lessons in etiquette, took the better part of an hour before the group finally headed back to the brook. They found Kuiper's raft where it had been tied, and it was quickly realized that the man had some considerable skill in navigation since he had been able to easily manuever the craft two days previous. With Kaileer and Azrun still wounded, Torro and Maisar were left to do their best with the poles to move the raft and guide it. They lost control of it on more than one occasion, but everyone made it through without taking an accidental dip in the Hog Brook.
Aloysius apologized repeatedly as Torro and Maisar moved the boat. "Many pardons, but I doubt that I'd be much use to you," he said, flexing his spindly arms. "The heroes of the Faerun need not fear Stargazer's raw physical might."
Evidently exhausted from doing her best not to slow up the rest of the party, Arachne collapsed on the raft as out of the way as she could get (methinks that means at the center, since the steersmen are like to be running around the edges trying to keep control) and napped.
The group made it across the rapid Churnett River and back to Kuiper's farm by early afternoon. The weather had cleared again, a welcome change from yesterday's constant drizzle. Torro and especially Maisar were exhausted from the unfamiliar work they had done that morning. The group reclaimed the infamous Puddlejumper from Kuiper's barn. He seemed reluctant to leave his new found friends there, but a horse has little say in matters such as these. Puddlejumper soon had two gnomes on his back and was on his way to Milborne with the rest of the group.
In the relative safety of Kuiper's farm, Arachne took Kaileer aside and had another look at how his wounds were healing. Before she did, she asked Pug if there was anything she should be aware of regarding the magical armor spell the other gnome had cast.
"It shouldn't affect anything that you do Arachne, as long as you don't try to hit him with anything." Pug replied with a wink and a broad grin.
She made the elf hold still while she examined him for a while. When she was done, he didn't feel much better and she was frowning and preoccupied the rest of the time at the farm.
That answer wasn't good enough. Arachne spent a while examining Kaileer's wounds thoughtfully -- long enough and with so little effect that Kaileer would have been entirely justified if he'd become fidgety. When she joined Pug on Puddlejumper for the journey from Kuiper's farm to Milborn, Arachne looked pensive and upset about something. She began interrogating (fairly politely) Pug regarding everything he knew about this "armor" spell, particularly what he might mean by "hit him with anything". How broadly should one interpret "hit" and whether "anything" was restricted to physical things or did effects, ideas, and inspirations also count. Naturally, she wanted to know the footnotes and references supporting any answer Pug gave. Anecdotal evidence was better than nothing, so she asked for that (or personal reminiscence) if Pug didn't know any clinical studies that were germane to the question. Bringing her academic background and knowledge of all-purpose, impractical theorizing to bear, she was able to keep worrying at the question and hassling Pug with it at least as long as he was interested in discussing it. Probably a lot longer.
"Well, I've never thought about it from quite that perspective of course. Perhaps Aloysius would be able to help explain, being a fellow user of the arcane arts." " Aloysius, Arachne has a question about the intricasies of my spell that created the phantom armor and interferance with her healing arts. You seem more focused on details than I, could you supply some for us?" Pugs said with an uncharacteristic straight face. Only the gleam in his eyes hinted that, just maybe, he had found the perfect way to avoid Arachne's question.
Aloysius slid over next to the gnomes, obviously excited about a chance to explain something. "Overheard thee have I, good gnomes. Thy inquiry, as I understand it is whether an armor spell will interfere with healing magics. Honestly, I must qualify my response by stating that the armor spell Pug speaks of is not one I currently employ. However, certain principles do apply." At that point, Aloysius put one arm around each gnome and drew them close as if they were small children preparing to hear a bedtime story. "You see, our elvish friends developed the first version of the armor spell many centuries ago. It worked well with their natural speed and evasiveness and still permitted them to cast spells. The first incantations protected the beneficiary from EVERYTHING, a natural result of Bigby's Principle of Impermeable Energy Conduitry. This proved to cause hardships since no healing magics could be used until the spell was dispelled or wore off." Aloysius released the gnomes from their "hug" and stood up and addressed the entire room. "At the 3rd Council of Eldritch, several famous mages gathered to remedy this problem. It was at that point that Tenser proposed his rather clever theorem which held that arcane energy fileds could be adjusted so as to become semi-permeable at the will of the caster. That is the reason why a piece of blessed leather was added as a component. The blessing modifies the energy field so that it will receive friendly magics, and the leather gives the mage something to carry around the blessing with. Don't know why they picked leather, but that is another story. In any event, 'tis the intent of the outside entity that determines whether the armor spell resists the imposition of said entity upon the spell beneficiary." Aloysius stopped and seemed to consider something for a moment. "Of course," he continued, "this is all theory. If Arachne tried to heal Kaileer and it DIDN'T work, well, I don't have the slightest idea." "Any questions? We should really do these things more often!"
Aloysius seemed much more animated than he had been for the past few days. Once again, he took interest in various roadside plants and animals. Every so often, he would take a few steps off the road so he could spit behind some tree growing nearby. When he did this, he would look at Gala, apparently seeking her approval.
They arrived in Milborne around nightfall. It was still the same sleepy village that they had left four days earlier. If anything, it was quieter without the promise of a festival to liven things up. The only people moving about were a few couples in the temple garden.
Aloysius looked about the quiet village as the group approached. "Well, as always, here we be. No plan have we, so perhaps we should meet, mayhap for breakfast, and decide what we do from here. Each trip Selune makes across the sky renders our search for Zond and Jelleneth more difficult." The magic-user then looked up at the darkening skies, noting the bright steady light he had previously referred to as Shaundral. The purple man shuddered slightly and shook his head. "Dread forebodings be upon us, this much I know. Shaundral's light guides the creatures of darkness. Things be not as they appear. Trust no one. In sooth, would it be that some light extinguish this vile shade afore it spreads o'er us." Since they had met him, Aloysius had appeared to the party as eccentric, whimsical, repulsive, and ever unpredictable. However, he now showed something that had as yet been unseen by his companions. Aloysius was afraid.
"I need see Garyld." Kaileer says simply and goes to the ranger's office.
At Milborne, Arachne went with Kaileer to see Garyld. She let him do the talking, if he wished, merely standing close beside him while he attempted to explain.
"Methinks we should call it a day, and begin anew on the 'morn," said Aloysius. "I, for one, have need of a hot bath." Aloysius sniffed at himself for a moment, even pulling various parts of his robe to his nose for a better whiff. "Perhaps a washing of clothes is in order as well. Methinks the local undertaker may take me for dead and stash me in the ground." He smiled at his own joke as he looked at the others to see if they found it humorous. Then, he burst into a loud fit of laughter as tears streamed down his face.
Kaileer looked disturbed at the comment. "Why humans put dead in ground where bear can dig and eat?"
After he composed himself, he looked at Gala. "Galaret, wilt thou have a service at the rising sun? If so, I'd like to come."
"Nothing like the last one I had. But I get up every day to greet thedawn and would welcome any who wish to join me. Sunrise is such a beautifultime of day."
"I see Gala sing too, pretty voice." And with that he goes to the old ranger's house and, in accordance to human customs, knocks on the door. He then tells Garyld about the events of the last 4days. Gala blushed at Kaileer's compliment. She went with Kaileer to speak to Garyld...
Gala thought for a moment. "The gardens around the temple are lovely and quiet. I think Torm would not mind if we used his temple's gardens. That's where I'll have them. Any of you are welcome to attend. And you're welcome to sleep in as well." She grinned. "Some of you are not morning people..."
"Aye," Aloysius agreed, "except for the fact that the stars begin their daily sleep. In any event, where shalt thou greet the dawn? I'll try to make it if my body be willing."
"I'll take Puddlejumper to the stables and pay for him out of party funds. I suggest we all pay for our own lodging tonight as I only have 3gp, 34sp, and 29cp left before paying for the stables." Pug said looking in his pouch. " We have the gold brooch as well, but we'd get a better offer on that in a larger town than this one. I also suggest we not move about or stay alone tonight, there have been too many disappearances for my comfort. What say you purple one, care to walk with me to the stables, then split a room at The Baron?"
Azrun grimaces as he walks by, "I'll get my own room. I'll see you all in the morning." He stumbles on to the inn and gets a room and a bath.
Upon Entering Millborne, at the idea of a common room Maisar speeks up in agreement with the idea. After the common room is gotten Maisar will go up to it and find a place to rest.
Initially, Aloysius reacted as if he hadn't heard Pug's question. The magic-user looked around for a second, and then realizing that he was the only one wearing purple, seemed to become excited. "Me? Thou would share a room with Stargazer? Uhh . . . .certainly!" Aloysius became quite animated at this point. "Mayhap we could discuss the intricacies of Mordenkainen's Theorem of Interplanar Space? or the nuances of the Necromatic Divergence Principle? I've been working on a new approach to funneling eldrich energies from Nirvana for the purpose of an illumination spell, would you mind sharing your thoughts on that with me? Oh my, have you read about the most recent proposal involving the animation of water? It is the MOST fascinating . . . . . . . . ." With that, Aloysius walked on with Pug towards the stable, without missing a breath . . . .
Aloysius continued to ramble on about possible conversation topics as he and Pug walked along. After they got to their room, Aloysius took off his pack and set it on the ground in the corner. "Pug, I have need of visiting the local store. 'Tis quite an intriguing place. Please, won't you join me? Methinks thou wilt be astounded by the variety of goods there." (In the event Pug agrees to go, Aloysius will take his pack with him - no sense leaving the ol' spell book unattended. Aloysius needs to buy a new dagger, and of course, see what other goodies Rastifer might have on hand today.)
"...Oh. Oh well." Before tagging along with Kaileer and Gala to Garyld's [while Pug and Aloysius went with brave Puddlejumper to his accomodations and Maisar went to enquire about a really big room], Arachne took a moment for a word with Torro: "I don't know whether I truly believe that someone is out to kidnap mages," she told him. "Yes, Jelenneth disappeared, but I still think she removed herself from her room. Her abduction, if abduction it was, was not planned. And Aloysius does seem to attract flat-bladed attacks from opponents, but I can't entirely discount the possibility that this is because his peculiar fighting style does succeed in bewildering some folks. "Anyway, if his theory does have any validity, then any nocturnal activity we do inspire is likely to come to wherever Aloysius and Pug are sleeping -- "Or not," she added, since Aloysius's stream of arcane verbiage was still drifting back. "So, I wonder if you could do the group a very big favor and make sure that you're also quartered wherever those two are? I don't consider myself much good at guarding anything and Gala has an appointment at dawn. Kaileer isn't comfortable inside rooms at all. And Maisar -- "Well, Maisar's potentially one of the targets, rather than one of the guards, isn't he? Since Azrun's checked out for the night, that pretty much leaves you, if you can stomach it."
Arachne, walking with Gala, tripped only a little while gazing up at the sliver of Selune that pursued the setting sun. "No, that can't be it," she muttered to herself. "And we've seen him day and night... Oh well. Gala --" The gnome looked up at the tall priestess. (To that gnome, even adult dwarves were tall.) "We could take the room we had before -- if it's available, of course, and you're agreeable. But I'm thinking about the Baron: It's far the more preferable place in this town, but the upstairs sleeping quarters are all tiny. Single beds, I think, except the one room we were in and that slept two cozily. If we follow Pug's recommendation, I think that means seeing if we can commandeer the common room downstairs."
"That sounds fine to me, Arachne," replied Gala with a grin.
Garyld listened to Kaileer's account of the events that had transpired in the days since they left Milborne. The only thing he didn't know, thanks to the message brought to him by his crow earlier, was about the orc attack. Arachne, Gala, and Kaileer could see the hatred in his eyes as he spoke, "New orcs in the area couldn't mean anything but trouble."
Kaileer shows Garyld the unmarked shield and the spears he hasn't yet stripped. "Boss have this, all other shield be with head bone and arrow in eye. Spear belong to other. This," he points to one of the weapons, "stop Kaileer. We almost die for Kaileer not can fight," he finished, looking away from the older ranger in shame.
"You'll get better at it, boy," Garyld told him. "At least you've got another chance," he indicated his bum leg. Garyld took the spears and the shield from Kaileer to examine them, "Hmm, shield's lighter than it looks." He shook his head, "The spears are typical orcish make. They don't tell me anything." He continued to look concerned and angry about the new orcs.
"Garyld fight many orcs?" The elf asks, looking at his own leg that, though healed, is still a painful reminder of his failure. "Maybe Garyld show Kaileer fight orcs?" he suddenly asks, hopeful the old ranger might have a few useful tricks.
