BB Night Out: Reunions

Life, Relationship change

Myska's Menagerie negotiate  for the release of the Billowbluff hostages while navigating thicker threads.

In time, the companion's began their trek in the night back to the north east towards the oasis. The plan was to arrive early to get the upper hand if necessary. They had considered taking the airship but decided against it as it could be seen as an act of aggression as had happened at Tombmesa. Arriving back at the oasis gorge, the party discovered an anomaly before they had even ascended the rocks around the outside. A black cube measuring 100 ft on a side had filled almost the entirety of the oasis and stood above the upper rock levels surrounding it.
  There was a quick series of investigations made to attempt to understand the situation but not many. Chupta conjured a bunch of familiars to investigate the clouded wall and return if danger struck. They entered and then stopped sending telepathic information back to him. The companions circled from south to east to north and eventually to the western descend but had no additional clues to the situation.
  Realizing that subterfuge would likely not be in their favor, Astrid boldly announced, “We have arrived early. Should we wait or shall we get started?”
In response to Astrid's announcement, she received a magically reply privately of, “If you are ready, enter.” The voice female and accented in undercommon. Continuing in magical correspondence:
“Shall I come alone?”
“Whoever is making the deal?”
  The party slowly descended to a sandy batch just outside this wall with the intention for Millie to magically probe the wall. Before he did so, Chupta pulled out his monocle to scan for invisible creatures or sensors. Upon doing so, he found scrying sensor floating right above them. Chupta called out Jafi to fly at the sensor and hit it with an electrical discharge to no avail. He then told his companions of it considering the odd action. Despite seeing the sensor, his monocle could not see through the shroud.
  At the edge of the wall, Astrid took a breath trying to calm herself and failing a tad. “This is probably the least brave I have ever felt.” She then stepped through the metaphysical wall followed by Millie and the others.
  The oasis within was just as it had been earlier though the lighting was consistently dim. They had entered on the north west side and found their opposition standing in the north east. There was a singular slate skinned elf standing at the ready wearing elegant charcoal robes. The drow was keenly familiar to Astrid as it was the woman she was seeing in her dreams. A lobe of the waters separated them but they were much closer than they otherwise would have been.
  The opening negotiations of the situation was slightly baffling as Myska's Menagerie came to learn that the drow representative had no desire for Astrid. In actuality, they were seeking out the leader of the folk hero band the Scales of Justice. Despite not having the name, they were looking for Virtuosa. For Myska's Menagerie, the negotiations became more of an attempt to scrounge for information, understand purpose, and attempt to keep as many cards in their hand as possible while showing enough to continue to get information.
  During this process, the Menagerie let it be know that they were familiar with Virtuosa and tried to play up the fact that the woman would not care about the two people the drow had taken captive. Millie didn't fully believe this but let Astrid play her cards the way she wished. In countering, the drow redirected the negotiations to be about the adventurers caring enough about the hostages then. If they had any ties to Virtuosa, then they could bring her in or subdue her in exchange for the hostages.
  Astrid was willing to work with the drow even if the motivations were shaky and unrevealed details would effect how much. On a chance, Astrid played a major card trying to establish bonds while also fracturing facade. “I don't mind to help family” The drow woman returned a face that twisted in confusion in a very Whatcha talking about, Willis? kind of way.
  With the boat rocked, Millie stepped in though it could have been either to take advantage of the opportunity or to distract. Why did they need Virtuosa? The gnome queried, “If it's important enough to derive this situation...”
  The drow refused a direct answer not wanting to give away information beyond what she had to. Instead, she asked her own question to judge how much the adventurers already knew. “What do you know of the followers of Ilmater?” Millie could give basic information. He knew loosely of the broken god and his service to those in need. The only major order he knew of were the Sorrow Monks that took a more radical means of worship but not much else. The information was basic and not enough to earn the party the knowledge of why the drow needed Virtuosa.
  Millie then made sure the current understanding of the situation was clear. “The current situation is two civilian lives for Virtuosa.” The drow agreed. Millie asked for some deliberation time as this was a significant choice for the party. Internally, they had already been balancing the morality of the Scales of Justice vs Uberguild contractors situation. This would be a major choice.
  The gnome began to shuffle out to cross beyond the sight and sound blocking wall of smoke but had to delay waiting on Astrid Astrid maintained long stare at the drow but eventually pull away. Chupta joined them as well but Crush remained within the oasis literally deciding to take a dive. This threw the drow for a loop diplomatically and also allowed him to search from any hidden passages beneath the oasis where they may be hiding the captives. Crush made sure to cut off his search halfway, not wanting to invade the drow's space in the oasis. The tortle found a thick layer of sediment below but hard rock all around that without any tunnels.
  Outside the wall, Millie tried to figure out how to get Virtuosa in on this without putting the Scales of Justice into hiding. Astrid recognized that this whole deal could ruin any positive relationship they had with the Scales of Justice... not that they were trying to have a long term relationship, but this would certainly shut that down. Chupta chimed in through his book saying nothing aloud for fear of scrying sensors. The man inquired about playing things through with everyone: clearing the town with Virtuosa to get her Temperance Shards before betraying her to the drow afterward. He would want to make sure that they would get her masked-helmet before they turned her over to the drow.
  Astrid stepped back into the protected zone for a moment to check on Crush. While inside, she asked to step closer to the drow to see her face in more detail. The drow denied wanting her any closer. Despite that, Astrid at least verbally pushed on that, “I am glad you did not turn back,will not appease.” As Astrid tried to tie those bonds, the drow volleyed them right back at her. “If you are so glad, then why not do your part to aid the cause, Sis-tah?” with the final word said with a dose of vitriol. Astrid took it in stride and returned to the boys beyond the warded area.
  Outside, Millie talked about Virtuosa being more valiant than Astrid had lip-serviced during the opening negotiation. He then began connecting information with Ilmater's service to the suffering and down trodden with the tieflings of the Forgotten Shore. Astrid countered that revelation with a reveal of her own: Astrid's non-dwarven lineage was certainly drow. Beyond the shroud was her sister and Astrid believed that her mother was currently somewhere in the wastes. Millie made a small quip of, “My Aunt Shirley had the meanest cold sister” for a break of tension.
  Inside the dome, Crush began to attempt to speak with the drow about the mesa areas deeper into the south east. He asked about three headed monsters and the like. A mini negotiation began that if Crush smoothed over the Virtuosa thing, the drow would have their scouts look into the hydra for Crush. While Crush spoke, he continued to swim about trying to read any fear or worry on the woman on if the tortle would find their lair but she gave away no tells.
  Outside, the party found their way to the choice of turning on Virtuosa but did so in a way to seek more information. Millie wanted to send her information on the situation to better read her reaction This first step would be the beginning of that road. It wouldn't be immediately devastating but it would be significant. According to Millie, “Once we do this, we cannot undo this.” The trio agreed. Millie then sent his private message.: “Billowbluff Innocents have been kidnapped. Captors wish to speak with you about Ilmater. They seem to use an oasis 3 hours Northeast of Billowbluff. Help?
After a few moments, Millie received his reply in the night: “ Shonry has spotted drow in the area. Are they the ones asking? They have come before. Do not trust them. They don't wish us good.” Millie chose to ignore her question in the moment. What was more important was the fact that Virtuosa was already in the loop. Well, in a loop if not the loop. It didn't feel good to betray her. Even if the party may not agreed with all of her values or tactics, she was fighting for a cause an was willing to work with the party to a mutual end.
  In frustration, Astrid then wondered aloud why the mayor couldn't have been taken. The sheriff had been good to them. Despite it being more of a rhetorical venting than anything, Astrid's question was telepathically answered by another female voice, “I chose those who would evoke a response. Whoever were chosen, there would be a response.”
Astrid was surprised, but composed herself. After all of the shock value she had attempted in the negotiations, she now calmed and responded straight forward. Taking advantage of communication magic's response capability, she simply asked, “Will you come out to meet me?
  There was a starburst of black light up upon one of the sedimentary stone ridges to the north. An armored drow woman stood above. Astrid dismissed her flail from existence and went to step forward. By the time she took a single step the drow had raised a hand for her to halt. Astrid did so.
  Astrid's excitement for the moment continued to be undercut by the experienced elven matron. The cruelty of a definitive “We were never supposed to meet,” was at least soothed with an apology for the conditions under which it did end up happening. Astrid began to express wonder of the world that her long unseen half had come from and the drow spitefully slit the expression with qualifier that the “books don't do it justice.... Of that world, you do not not want that experience.”
  Regardless of the abrasion, Astrid was glad that her mother had chosen to appear. The half-elf promised her mother that Myska's Menagerie would make sure to get what the drow need to return to the underdark. Millie asked if their actions would bring harm to Virtuosa. The drow washed her hands clean with it depending on how much Virtuosa resisted.
  After so many conversations of playing factions against each other for the Menageries own gain and greater purpose, Astrid now locked onto a personal purpose amid all of this. She promised that she would help her family here as much as she could within herself. “Let the truth of my words ring out as if they come from my father and you know how truthful he can be.” Astrid made it known that she opposed both gods of dark and light that overstepped their domains and disturbed the balance of the world. Her mother took these claims aligned the present task entirely down those sights: to turn against an outlaw that self-righteously called herself the virtuous to help an oppressed people against a dark god enslaving through the ages.
  The party made it known that they would need to return to Billowbluff to at least gather their ship before they could seek out Virtuosa Her ability to teleport would make capture more difficult. When it was known that the tiefling could teleport to their ship, the drow matron was keen on having the ship brought to the oasis. If the drow could prepare for her arrival, the party's arcanist could be prepared to create a warded area like the one they stood next to now. Once up, Virtuosa would not be able to teleport away. They would be able to easily capture her then and the only thing the party would need to do would be to call the tiefling to the drow.
  Before the party left the oasis, Astrid needed to know just one more thing: her mother's name. The Matron was hesitant. Somehow, the more Astrid knew the more danger was supposedly brought to her. In time, the drow decided to share that information: Her name was Brigantala. Astrid had been removed from the depths of the underdark as soon as she had been weaned. To return, to know, to have any deep connections with her family or people, would be to threaten to have what claimed them claim her as well. Despite that, Astrid still decided to pop her head back in to the warded area for a, “By the way, my name is Astrid!” before leaving fully.
    On the hike back to Billowbluff, the night wind stirred more than dust. Questions and concerns, minor and major started to arise. Out of nowhere, Astrid voiced a thought. “I have to hide something from my father now.” She had plenty of other stories to share and he won't want to hear about her anyway, but it was now something she would have to purposely hide from him. Beyond the emotional events, Astrid asked Chupta about having one of their potions of Watchful Rest this night uncertain if sleep would have negative repercussions now.
  Opposite of this, Crush came away from the whole situation pleased with himself. “ I feel like I played myself as a pretty harmless character.” Riding a high, Crush decided he would get the group halfway back to town before diverting for some personal time in the wilds to the south. When questioned on his purpose, he proudly stated that he was hydra hunting.... something that no one else had any idea about and seemed quite suspicious. Millie's question of, “Where did you hear about a hydra?!?!?” went unanswered.
  Crush was confident in his course. He wanted to write a book on them and first hand experience was best. “Most authors are too scared to do their research on their fantasies.” As Crush discussed this with Millie before leaving, he did have an interesting tangent before snapping back on course. “I mean no disrespect, but talking to gnomes, I just get this crick in my neck. I mean no disrespect, but just staring straight down..”
  Millie quickly incanted and began to levitate up to Crush's eye line and even a tad above as Crush slinked down into his shell a bit. Millie gave a sly, “No you know how it feels.” for the opposite point of view.
  “You know, now that I think about it, this isn't too comfortable for you too.”
  With the tangential conversation over, Crush truly did leave into the night. Chupta sent Jafi with him to at least a minor amount of knowledge if anything bad happened. Crush's flight south would continue until dawn, well into when the party itself was already back asleep at their air ship. It took him a bit, but the tortle did manage to pick up the trails he had spied two days ago now and backtracked to a den. Crush witnessed the crepuscular hunter return from it's dawn foraging with multiple smaller creatures in its mouths.
  Crush took the morning to study the serpentine monstrosity. He watched it move, eat, writhe, and simply exist. The legless, scaly hydra burrow and camouflaged among the rocks. The tortle sketched and took notes documenting everything he could about it. As Crush wrote his notes, his fungus watched as well, beginning to twitch and rise like the heads of the creature. They formed tentacles from the tortle's shell and snapped at each other. As Crush learned, so did they.