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Thu 6th Aug 2020 03:46

Skyfall

by Nepheri

Airtravel is still new and I really don't know what to expect from it still. The bird shit seems reasonable, and I'm just happy it didn't hit me. Lavia suddenly being pulled into her lyre was something of a shock. It's been almost a week and I was really hoping I'd have her around. But that led to the first unexpected event, rushing after the lyre to save her from falling to the ground. Which, with Elly's help went well. Back to regular flight on our large friend.
 
Regular flight? No, scratch that. Here's what I really didn't expect: flying gnome. A very interesting older gnome woman had strapped herself to some wings and some sort of fire-throwing machine, and she was propelled through the air will little control and less chance of a safe landing. If her finding us at a random point in the air isn't a sign that was fated to do more, I don't know what would be. We managed to help her land and she introduced herself as Goddika Deentickatick and asked for a ride home.
 
This might be a good time to mention my conversations with the kind creature we're riding on the back of. We've been trying to come up with various names. The only thing we have to go on is the mental image of a large lightning bolt against a dark, stormy, sky. At the moment Lightning Black, Dark Lightning, or just Lightning, are the words we've used. The manta didn't like our other, a bit silly, name from what I can tell. But it seems happy to travel with us and left us to explore Gandarticka's home village while it went away to eat for a bit.
 
The village was the kind of small podunk town that I feel is there in spite of itself. People moved there, forgot to leave, and just made a life for themselves. Nothing wrong with that. I mean, the ale is nice and all. I might prefer some wine and the smell of the Neverwinter River in the distance, but the people here are friendly. Which is interesting considering several of them are gnolls. I wonder if they feel the urge for violence in their blood or if it's just something they are taught in the worship of their god? Having met their leader, Voukaar, I suspect it's a bit of both. There is the animal instinct to devour the meat he was eating. Maybe it feels a bit like when my hellish side wants me to take away someone's will? But then, his manners were better than any of the others I saw in the establishment. He clearly wants to show others that he's civilized. He has probably spent a lot of energy practising looking in a way others will find less intimidating. Good for him.
 
The gnolls of the village have founded "dog patrols," their name, not mine, that scout the surrounding area. One of them had set out to explore the cave of a long since dead black dragon, but they were late in returning and the village. We were asked if we could figure it out by any chance, but that leads to concerns. Dworik seems extra worried about possible attention from Westruun after when we broke Lightning free. I'm not sure if it's because he dealt the killing blow to the guard, a general healthy lack of trust, or an eagerness to move on. I guess I'm more used to having relied on trickery to get out of situations and have never been good at running. Streets can be slippery and it's not fair when people have torches when I try to be stealthy.
 
Oh, and there was the... awkward thing. Dworik wanted to talk to me alone and hinted to follow and then left the alehouse to relieve himself. Of course, Ellywick had to make some sort of joke about that I would join him for implied sexual reasons. It's one of those times when there is no good option. I had to leave, but if I did it seemed like Ellywick was actually telling the truth. So I just got up and left. And before going back in, I told Dworik to look a bit happy and relaxed. I followed, "discreetly" pretending to wipe something from my lips. Dworik didn't have to deal with any suspicion and the others got their laugh.
 
We did manage to talk, all of us, eventually. this included a chance to talk with Lightning. We'll fly to the cave immediately and stay there overnight, being picked up the next morning to continue our travels. If we can solve anything at that time, that's great. If we can't, we've tried. Regardless, we'll not be returning. And we've tried to give the people here a good impression, including Dworik being as charming as possible as well as bribing with beer. Hopefully, if someone arrives and say nasty things, they'll conveniently have trouble remembering where we said we were going.
 
As we're flying towards that cave, I'm gently strumming the strings, trying to come up with a melody for telling Lavia about events in case she'll be trapped long.

Continue reading...

  1. Business...
    11th of Uktar, 1489
  2. I'm ready for you, Raven Queen
    2nd Uktar, 1489
  3. You killed my father, now prepare to die
    2nd Uktar, 1489
  4. Dust to Dust
    1st of Uktar, 1489 DR
  5. Redbrands I
  6. Arrival at Phandalin
  7. Daddy Dearest
    1st of Uktar
  8. Day after
    30 Marpenoth, 1489 DR
  9. Lawful Stupid
    29 Marpenoth, 1489 DR
  10. Saving private Rupert
    29 Marpenoth, 1489 DR
  11. Dead to me
    29 Marpenoth, 1489 DR
  12. Close to Harvest
    28 Marpenoth, 1489 DR
  13. Recovery
  14. Insane Plans
  15. By the Book
  16. Dead feelings
  17. Disposed
  18. Dead Necromancers are the Best Necromancers
  19. Catching up
  20. Shipping
  21. Friendly or Not
  22. Unexpected Meetings
  23. Worlds Collide
  24. A very different city
  25. Festive Thornhold
  26. Thank you, my Queen
  27. Friends. Right.
  28. This is awkward....
  29. Landslide
  30. Dangerous Gnoll-age (sorry... the puns are spreading...)
  31. Cenceptions
  32. Seduction
  33. Wave Echo Cave II
  34. Wave Echo Cave
  35. Return to Phandalin
  36. Rest in peace, Declan...
  37. Crisis of Faith
  38. Thundertree II
  39. Thundertree I
  40. Path to Thundertree
  41. Orc hunting
  42. Redbrands III
  43. Redbrands II
  44. Far From Home
    ?? ?? ???
  45. Cold
    Tal'dorei, day 2
  46. Life, interrupted
  47. Hot and Cold
  48. The Dragon's Lair
  49. In the afternoon, we plan!
  50. A Song of Ice and Fire
  51. Celebration
  52. Relief is one hell of a drug
  53. Flight and Flutter
  54. Freedom of Movement
  55. At dusk we... do something?
  56. Pray for a quick end to our deception
  57. Catching up
  58. Fall
  59. Lizards in a hole
  60. Not Today
  61. Released
  62. A broken soul
  63. Skyfall
  64. Acid Falls
  65. Roped in
  66. Faith in Friends
  67. Insight into Emon
  68. A Calling
  69. Hypothetical 1: Healer (Ginny Di video)
  70. Hypothetical 3: Matchmaker (Ginny Di video)
  71. Hypothetical 2: Villain (Ginny Di video)
  72. For my Beating Heart
  73. Hypothetical 4: Prison guard (Ginny Di video)
  74. Hypothetical 5: Bard (Ginny Di video)
  75. Plagued Possibilities
  76. Visits in the Cloudtops

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by 3 Armored Kittens · Prodromos v.1.1 - World Anvil 0.9.15.042 © 2017-2024 [en] | Anvil Time: 16:02, Nov 7 2024