'A Fun Night' - Lion's Crest
General Summary
We return to the Wardens taking a well deserved night off in Lion's Crest visiting the Community center to catch up with Mama and Jimmy. The Warden's had completed explaining the last series of events, toasting Gwen and Tintreach, and hypothesizing about the rifts when Yamil walked in with doughnuts.
High Spirits
After being greeted warmly by the group, with Myra drunkenly hugging him by way of greeting, Yamil asked James Jasper Whitehall III what was next for him. Would he travel with the Warden's or stay here, with Myra adding in flavor saying that Yamil leaving. James asked where and Yamil mentioned that there was a friend in Timeston that needed help. James joked that if it was that kind of friend but Yamil shrugged it off saying it wasn't like that. Lady Adalphia "Mama" brought out a magicked tea-pot that poured whatever beverage you desired with many of the group participating. James was about to add whiskey to his tea when there was a spoon hitting something from the kitchen and he put the bottle back down. When asked if he would partake Yamil responded that he would pass as he was having a bad headache, mentioning that he frequently got them due to the incident that caused his scars. Myra asked if he had tried Lavender and Feverfew as those helped her with headaches. Yamil paused, saying he had not but that he avoids lavender, trailing off without giving further explanation. During the conversation Raijun remembered that he had a Magic Beans that wasn't used and suggested using that before remembering that he also had a magic lamp. Despite his injured state Raijun convinced the group to allow him to try to rub the lamp asking what the worst thing that could happen was. Yamil and Jimmy were both in with Jimmy saying he knew of a nearby location that was abandoned and could be used. The group bid goodnight to Kanna who said to only come get her if the bean resulted in a wine fountain again. Myra promised that in the event of a wine geyser they would come get her but otherwise wished her a good night. The group followed James to a more abandoned part of Whitemane. To prove the state of town he skipped a stone through a window, Raijun following his lead. As the group spread around Raijun rubbed the lamp.Out of the Bottle
Out of the bottle came a more draconic than genie looking creature. He wore large spectacles and carried a book. He greeted Raijun warmly, quickly easing the worries of Myra and anyone else who thought there might be a fight. The creature introduced himself as "The great lost grammarian" and declared he had a great and powerful weapon which he could impart to all of us. Raijun leaned in asking for the details to which the grammarian excitedly explained the true power of the Oxford Comma. Raijun, not to be disheartened, asks if the Grammarian knows anything about his sword or the metal its made of. Alas the Grammarian had no knowledge of the metal or how it worked. Raijun then asked to learn the art of reading, the Grammarian excitedly said he thought he could help and placed his hands upon Raijun's head. Raijun gained 4 points in intelligence and learned to read common. The Grammarian indicated his time was short and asked Raijun what else he might ask for. Adama asked if he knew of any teleportation circles to which he replied that he knew one but that "most don't survive the lair of my queen", which most of the group interpreted to mean the layer of hell where Tiamat resides. Adama pushed for more information but the Grammarian said those secrets were not his to tell as he was bound by the power of the editor. Adama also suggested that if the Grammarian knew how to teleport perhaps he would be able to take Yamil where he needed to go. The Grammarian said he could but that would be his last act. Before allowing Yamil to go with the Grammarian Raijun asks if he knows any books that would boost some ones spirits and the Grammarian says he knows just the book and hands Raijun "Abyssal chicken soup for the soul". With that Raijun tells the Grammarian to take Yamil where he wants to go provided he has the capability. Myra starts to describe where Timestone is mentioning landmarks that maybe the Grammarian might know from the last time he was out but Yamil quickly says he thinks he can help and goes to huddle with the Grammarian.Goodbyes
As Yamil and the Grammarian talk and the group mills about waiting to say goodbye, Myra catches sight of an illusion Yamil is providing to the Grammarian on where they are going. The illusion is of a set of ruins, a tall building with many steps. Myra is thrown for a loop when she realizes she knows of the location and it's not in Timeston but the Bismuth Abbey, and the most likely current location of the evocation Nether Scrolls. Myra quickly mind links with Raijun insisting that the Warden's have to go with Yamil. Raijun is confused asking Myra for more information as Yamil starts to say his goodbyes. Myra, group blasts that Yamil isn't going where he says he is and we need to decide if he's staying or we are going. As everyone prepares Raijun mentions to the grammarian that we are coming too, as Yamil hesitates confused, and Myra tells James to keep an eye out if we don't make it back. Myra closes the distance between her and Yamil telling him not to lie to her ever again, Yamil acts confused saying he doesn't know what she's talking about backing up slightly. Yamil say's he's sorry for whatever he did and he hate's to end a fun night like this. Myra says aloud that he had no intention of going to Timestone as his true destination was the Abbey. Yamil caves slightly, saying that's true but also none of our business and asks if it really matters where he was going. Myra asks why he was going there and Yamil obfuscates saying he has personal things. Adama and Hagren press him asking if he's going there for Thompson frustrating Yamil who responds that he doesn't do what ever it is we think he does for that stupid small man. And that even if it did it wouldn't matter he's a broken shell after what happened to his son. Yamil presses on that he believed that we deserved a vacation, that he didn't want to interrupt. His business was his own then pivots asking Myra how she can judge him for the secrets he keeps when we keep just as many. Yamil gestures to Sarya, "Be honest this is not the first time you've seen a face like mine." Sarya recoils slightly saying she's not that person any more. Yamil laughs and says we are only one person and asks her when the last time she saw him was. When was the last time she saw Alsume, his brother. Was he even still alive? Sarya stammered that she wasn't sure. She wasn't part of them anymore it was more than ten years ago since she saw him. Yamil asked her if he was still sick when she saw him last, Sarya said she wasn't sure but she thought yes. Yamil starts to back away to leave and Myra thorn whips him pulling him back asking again why he lied to us. Raijun calls out saying maybe she is over reacting as Hagren and Adama surround Yamil threateningly. Yamil starts to look at the group and say that he thinks that most of us are nice people at our core, even rebuffing when Adama disputes him. But there are 'a lot of treasures in the world-'. Myra cuts him off asking why lie to us? Why not tell us? Why go to Bismuth Abbey? Was it just chance that he was with us when Myra was attacked and was now going after the thing that attacked her family? Yamil looked shocked and said he had no malice in his heart toward us and that he didn't know or care about Myra's family. He says he was going to be friends but he can go about his way. Myra asks him again what he was looking for and when he doesn't respond says that we were after what was causing the rifts, the scrolls, and she guessed so was he. Yamil asked why you wouldn't tell the public about them and Myra responded that it would create a magical arms race. Yamil suggested that the nations might already know and Myra responded that of course they did that's why they were all at the Beholden Crossing. Yamil asks if there was one there and Myra confirms, Raijun supplies that there was one in Nightwell Hold too. Yamil asks what happened to them and no one answers directly which he correctly interprets to mean that the Warden's have them. He asks what makes us think that we should have them, looking over the group again. As he disentangles himself from the group and moves away again, Raijun dismisses the Grammarian saying we won't need any of his services the rest of tonight. Yamil casts a hurt look looking around the group. To James he calls out, "I expected you to keep a higher caliber of company my friend." Yamil suggests it's best he leave for the night and starts to head off, calling one last time towards Myra, "Perhaps you're not the heroes you think you are" and Myra calls back "No I'm the monster" and gets on Spryg and flies off. The rest of the group stands stunned for a second at the events, Adama calling out, "This group doesn't do well having multiple paranoid people," to no response. The rest of the group discusses the interaction with many of them questioning what happened and if Myra overreacted to the situation. Adama congratulates the group on the event not turning more violent while others are more somber and Raijun remarked asking what happened, lamenting the probable loss of our friendship with Yamil. The group turns to Jimmy who was standing against one of the nearby walls, looking for validation or some indication that what we did was right. He pulls out his flask and takes a drag, "I think it's best I just go," as he wanders off down an alley away from the group. The group takes a collective sigh as Adama suggests that they better track down Myra and Sarya flies off to find her. The rest of the guys contemplate a bean before Adama being the voice of reason and suggesting that they wait for the entire group, instead opting to head back to the community center.We're All Monsters Here
Myra, takes off to another part of Whitemane, heading straight to Zachariah Topp's lab. She knocks on the door and hears clattering inside as Topp continues to work. Knocking louder she attracts his attention with him asking who's at the door. "Myra. MYRA," she sighs, "Jimmy's Friend?" Topp recognizing Jimmy's name opens the door and is surprised to see Myra outside. He invites her inside and she enters telling him that she has a request. She has a question and she knows that he won't like it so to help make up for it she'd like to propose a trade, pulling out her last Magic Bean. Topp asks what's up with the Bean and Myra explains that she's seen the bean do wild things but she believes that in it's current bean form it represents a fraction of possibility which could potentially be harnessed. Topp asks if she's looking to apprentice, mentioning offhand that he doesn't know what happened to the last apprentice, as she says it's not that. Myra asks Topp to tell her about The Carrefour and what happened there. Topp dodges initially saying that lots of things happened there. Myra starts by asking about the rifts, which Topp mentions only started occurring recently, not while he was there. Myra pivots asking about things that might have happened more vaguely. Topp mentions that there was an old power beneath the city, people try to take it and it goes... poorly for them. Still not hitting the area she's after Myra pivots again, asking if Topp had a Nether Scroll, probably the conjuration scroll. Topp responds that he once had many thing. "I used to have my mind." Topp mentions that he used to know things, he used to ask questions, but the questions were too dangerous. So this way "I'll be safe" and "they'll be safe". Myra pushes asking what happened, Topp responds "I helped the wrong people once." Myra asks if it was the As'ler, Topp says no they were worse than them. "I did help them once made them traps that were illusions. Made the tunnels feel longer than they were. Very interesting. I don't get to play with illusion magic very much." Myra guides Topp back to the scroll, taking his non answer as confirmation. She asked what happened to them, to the scrolls. Topp replied "they took them." Myra presses asking who and where but Topp devolves into talking about changes only being made when good or innocent people are hurt. Only when 'mad people' hurt good people will something happen. Remarking "that poor man he lost everything", and Myra flinching without him noticing. Myra pushes him again asking him what happened, Topp responds that that was when he was put under "her watchful eye". Topp remarks again that he was not always - ah- crazy. Myra pauses, asking Topp if he lost his mind or if someone took it from him. Topp looks at Myra and gets emotional saying that she could get it back, that she could get it right. She has one, one that could make things go not linearly. We could be here then we could be there and we could make it better. Myra takes a step back apologizing saying that she doesn't think she can help Topp with that. Topp mutters 'powers promised' several times before turning to his work bench behind him and slamming something into it several times, Myra flinching at the impact. Myra asks in a smaller voice what happened, and Topp turns around to face her "In the end we all are those cursed with the gift of knowledge and exploration. We were just the tool, wondering what ancient world and powers held. Just the tool. You try to protect it but then they discovered it, beheld it, broke it. Some were good, bad, some just cruel." As he talks Myra notices the smell of burning flesh and notices that Topp has picked up a solder gun and is gripping it tightly in his hand. Myra runs to him attempting to grab it but he pulls it away. Not knowing what to do Myra taps into her scroll and attempts to transmute the tool reversing the heating property to cooling. She succeeds but goes too far starting to freeze his hand until he cries out in pain and she pulls back allowing the tool to drop from his hand. She starts to apologize as he laughs and tells her "we're all monsters here" and holds out his good hand requesting the bean. Horrified at herself Myra gives him the bean as he turns to the workbench as though his hand was un injured, though clearly favoring the one that wasn't damaged.Scars
Earlier, Sarya had tracked Myra noticing Spryg standing outside of Topp's shop. She peered in the window in her owl form in time to see Myra struggling with Topp before Myra's back flaired with light which seemed to cause Topp some kind of pain. As she enters the shop Myra is standing staring at Topp as he works, holding herself slightly. As she hears Sarya enter she whirls around and Sarya can see that Myra's been crying. Sarya asks if they are ok as she enters further ready for some kind of altercation. Myra wipes her face and says she's fine but Topp is hurt motioning to his hand. She asks again if she can help him but he tells her that he's working. Myra gestures to Sarya to try but to similar effect. Myra says to not forget to eat and Topp nods agreeing, Myra says to check in with Mama and Topp tells her that she's who brings the food. Myra exits with Sarya who asks if she's ok. Myra responds "Not really," but pushes Sarya on how she's doing as her past unexpectedly coming up might have been jarring. Sayra tells Myra that she thought she left that past behind and it was unexpected for it to come up. Myra asks if Alsume had the same scarring as his brother. Sarya thought about it and said that while he had scarring it didn't have the same opalescent effect as Yamil. Myra comments that that tracks and that she wishes he (referencing Yamil but not naming him) would have asked as we have more recent knowledge of Alsume from the last year. Sarya mentions its been years since she thought about them and then wonders aloud how we got onto the topic of her. Myra shrugs apologizing and saying she has that effect on people and if she wants to commiserate with someone talk to Raijun about it. Myra asks where the others went and Sarya comments that they probably went back to the community center to wait for us. Myra says we best get going then and makes to get on an enlarged Spyrg. Sarya asks if she can also hitch a ride back and Myra silently motions to help her up. On the fly back Sarya asks Myra who that man was and Myra explains that his name is Zachariah Topp and he's a friend of or works with both Lady Adalphia "Mama" and James Jasper Whitehall III. Sarya asks what happened and Myra responded "He... I.... I tried to help and hurt. Seems to be a theme." Riding the remainder of the distance in silence.Insult to Injury
Meanwhile Adama, Raijun, and Hagren have made their way back to the community center. Raijun asks what they should do and asks one of the kobolds, whom he nicknames "kobold 5", to get something from the back. The Kobold corrects him informing Raijun that their name is Jeremy before walking away without helping. Adama suggests cards while waiting for Sarya and Myra to return, Adama wins the first hand and Trenchcoat sweeps the rest causing Raijun to demand that he's cheating as Sarya and Myra walk in. On the ride back Sarya saw Myra's back flash again and by the time they walk into the community center Myra's pulled herself together resetting her face to remove any indication that she was ever crying. The guys don't address the interaction with Yamil earlier but ask if the group wants to do a Magic Bean. Myra says she's tired but asks if the group would do one even if she went to bed. Adama confirms that it's more of a notice that they are going to do it and Myra sighs and says let's go. Hagren suggests leaving the city before doing the bean but Myra suggests that then we would have to justify going in and out of the city to the gate guards. As such, she reluctantly suggests we return to the part of town James brought us to earlier. Returning to the abandoned section of Whitemane the group backs up as Raijun plants his last seed from the original Viridus bag. Myra recommends Sarya stand back as the bean is planted as previously we've had things erupt from the location. As she mentions stepping back, a glistening while marble figure erupts from the earth with an engraved breastplate and half elven features as a statue of Myra stands before them. Myra sighs 'of course' as Sarya looks curiously as the statue looks around sees Myra starting off the litany of insults. The statue comments that Myra looks like shit and sure messed everything up, as Raijun speaks up the statue whirls on him commenting on his foibles. The statue then goes around the group commenting on everyone else standing nearby. Raijun asks the statue why Myra won't talk to him and the statue responds because he needs to bathe as Myra begins to take off on Spryg. Meanwhile, Adama contemplates aloud ways to murder the statue as Hagren antagonizes her to roast him. The statue asks Hagren if he even knows where his ship is given that he's known his crew all of three days and left them on their own. Hagren laughs and concedes that perhaps he should check up on them thanking the statue for the point. As Myra flies away the statue calls out, "running won't make you any less of a monster," causing Raijun to realize she was fleeing the scene for the second time in the night. Raijun calls out ultimately deciding to use his grappling hook to tether to Spryg but instead of pulling her back Spryg continues flying off dragging Raijun up to the rooftops. As Raijun holds on Myra looks down and cuts the grappling hook where it's imbedded in Spryg dropping Raijun. Raijun and Myra both feel an eerie deja vu to the moment of Raijun falling in Nightwell, as Myra flies off and Raijun mourns his now broken grappling hook. Cradling the broken grappling gun Raijun returns to the group shocked at Myra's actions. One of the members of the group asks the statue why Myra takes everything so personally and why she can't take a joke, the statue replies "Well you know, mother say's she's gotta be perfect. So she practices and practices and studies and studies and is it ever good enough? No!" After the exchange and an attempt by Adama to light the statue on fire with firebolt, Adama takes a different tack and pulls out the inflatable Warden he received from Topp. It inflates and a facsimile of Gwen appears repeating, "Don't hurt my friends," and "I suggest you leave us alone." Adama then mocks the statue saying that clearly the version from Topp is far superior. As he continues the statue grows quieter until a crack appears in its face. Having successfully defeated the statue Adama suggests they track down Myra again and pack it in for the night.Intervention
All of the group converge again at the community center, Adama immediately magnifying his voice and yelling for Myra. Myra comes out of a back room threatening Adama warning him not to wake up Kanna, who is recovering in a nearby room. Adama, to prove a point continues to magnify his voice despite Myra's attempts to use the scroll to silence him, as Kanna comes out and whacks him shouting at him that, "It's NIGHT. And SOME people are trying to sleep. So Shut it!" Adama, surprisingly decides to comply with Kanna's request as Kanna turns back in for the night but grabs Myra before she can retreat back into the room. While no loner yelling, Adama demands to know what is going on with her, what's making her so paranoid and rash. Myra explains that she was upset that he lied with Adama agreeing and saying the group backed her but that her reaction was more befitting him. She was supposed to be the level headed one and one who can deal with people. He mentions the group can't have two paranoid people. “You’re not alone, you’re acting as if you’re on an island without anyone there to help, You’re teetering and tottering on a cliff and as a person that’s at the bottom of a the well, you don’t want to be here. It’s a sad and lonely place. I don’t know what’s wrong and maybe I am not the person to talk to about it, but find someone, whatever it is that’s eating you, get it out, or it will consume you,” Adama warns. Myra clearly doesn't take it well in the moment lashing out commenting that Adama had a weird way of showing he cared, referencing the illusions earlier in the night. Adama gives Myra a look and asks if she really thinks that's the worst he could do, which replies of course not but that's not the point. The argument leaves both of them with a bad taste in their mouths as Adama throws his hands up saying he tried and walks over to Raijun while Myra slinks back into a room with Hagren and Sarya following shortly behind. Adama sits down with Raijun complaining that he doesn't know what to do about Myra as Raijun explains that maybe it was less about the words Adama said and more about the way he said them. Raijun admits that he's hurt (emotionally) from the fall earlier and expresses dismay at her reaction. He also expressed his frustration at the futility of talking to Myra when she's in a bad state saying that he's learned his lesson and she'll come to you when she wants to talk.
Report Date
13 Jan 2022
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