The Flayed Man part 19

<OOC> Whirlpool says, "So! ICly, you have papers! Which you have read. Which contain suspect identities of several of the supposed perpetrators! All of them are in different corners of the world, all far apart now. The Mantles are a big company after all. Locations include: stormgard, on the frontier between Myrrdion and Stormgarrd, on the border of Dragonier and Bludgun, traveling the underpants with a Dun Mordren trading company, and last but Seldan's definitely gonna love this: operating with a Charnese army unit for war games near Hextus."

<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Stormgard is where you can find 'Toes'. His real name is D'Orris Osalyth, an experienced soldier and tracker. According to the data you have now, he's deep in the frontier.

The good news is you have an approximate location. The bad news is that it covers a lengthy and tense area of conflicted border between Stormgard and Myrrdion, a land which wars have been fought over. In fact, according to the paymaster's efforts, you have only the idea that unit of Frostmantles have been attached to a Stormgardian army unit that is stationed in a fortress deep in the hinterlands. It is not on the maps you have access to, which means it must be fairly new, within the last couple of years, though it's possible it's merely not significant enough to appear.

Either way, the dearth of information is going to make teleporting there a bit dicier outright.

Malik looks to the others, looking at the paper. "What do you think?" he asks. "We could always take horses, though that would take a great deal of time, I think. Magic would be quicker, but we would need to get as much information as possible. We could get close, but still be days away if we go in blindly." He looks down at the paper. "But if the sorcerer is one of them, then he's doubtless already trying to warn them. Or silence them. We may not have a great deal of time."

Iskandar nods slowly, thoughtfully. "An airship?" he finally suggests. "Wondrous vehicles. They can turn a trip of weeks, into one of days." Then he purses his lips. "As for how to deal with the sorcerer, I'm open to ideas. All I can think of is this." He shifts his short cape aside and adjusts a short bow in a case at his belt.

"I can offer reliable imagery as close as Bryn Myridorn, but I have not journeyed past the northern border. Perhaps a scry upon the individual might offer better information." Seldan is leaning against the wooden wall, armored arms folded. "As for the sorcerer, we begin by hindering him in viewing _us_. I have some experience with magic-users who spy from a distance." The remark is entirely deadpan, and to all appearances, entirely serious.

"Spying is certainly something we can try," Malik says, though frowns a bit at Iskandar's suggestion. "I would rather not put my life in the hands of one of those crystal machines that seem to explode more often than not if it can be avoided." And then, to both of them, "Keeping them from seeing -us- might be more difficult. It's not a magic that I'm entirely familiar with."

GAME: Seldan rolls intelligence: (16)+3: 19

Seldan doesn't appear to have been wholly listening, suddenly wearing a thoughtful frown that flips upside down into a warm and easy laugh. "In truth had I near forgotten that. Mal, I have only just remembered. In my training, upon my return from Rune ... we were sent to Perenath for a summer, and were put up in the common room of an inn there, called the Third Griffon. A fine and cozy place it was, especially so far to the north, but I pray that neither its keeper nor its horse trough remember me. We were trick-riding into the stables, and I'd thought to jump to another horse - and missed."

Iskandar looks at Seldan blankly. Then he looks at Malik. He shrugs. "If there's a better way than airship, I'm all for it." He glances at Seldan again, this time perhaps in understanding. "Does that mean you know where to start...?"

Malik follows Seldan's words, a small grin forming there. "No doubt that you made even that look charming," he teases. "I'm sure that he'll remember you. And if he holds any hard feelings I'll threaten to turn him into something with far too many legs, and all of them will be directed at me. Problem solved." But the wizard is already packing his gear, looking at the other two. "Let's do this as quickly as possible. Grab what you think is essential, and when you're ready, we'll meet down here and depart."

GAME: Malik refreshes spells.

GAME: Malik rolls 1d100: (92): 92

"I do. Gather your things, and we shall venture forth." Seldan lifts his head and fixes a -look- on Malik, the small grin still there.

Iskandar checks his bow and a blade worn alongside it on his belt. He nods. "I'm ready," he nods. "Safer than an airship, eh...?" he mutters to himself. "I suppose that's not saying much," he admits.

"We sould be prepared to travel for some time." Seldan pushes himself away from the wall ands strides towards the door. "Perenath lies in the far north, and still is it not Stormgard. We should prepare to journey for some days. I shall return soon."

Seldan is gone for approximately an hour, but when he returns, has both his and Malik's packs and adventuring gear with him. Malik's gear gets tossed to him, and includes a traveler's cloak. "I am prepared. Mal, I have informed Zeke of our intent."

"Then let's be off, then," Malik says. He draws near, placing a hand on either of their shoulders while mouthing the words of the spell, space seeming to twist impossibly around them as that gut-wrenching feeling of teleportation begins, the magic pulling them through impossible paths that man was never meant to travel on the way to their destination.

And you're off!

The magic... doesn't... quite... land right.

There's a sense of impending disorientation and then SPLOOSH!

You're all in water. It's very dark, but you can see some amount of light above you.

But... underwater.

GAME: Seldan rolls athletics: (12)+3: 15

GAME: Malik rolls Athletics: (20)+5: 25

GAME: Iskandar rolls athletics: (1)+10: 11 (EPIC FAIL)

...as Malik and Seldan surface, they realize with what is likely a groan that they're... in a sewer. /Of course they are/. Water is pouring down on them from above. It seems likely that Seldan's thoughts about his experiences at the inn nfluenced the spell and took you to a place that *felt* like he must've felt the last time he was there.

Smelly, wet, and under.

Anyway, you're in a cistern, and water is DUMPING on to you, and Iskandar has sunk like a stone.

Iskandar isn't used to the sensation of teleporting. This is in fact his first experience with the magical transport. When he falls into what -feels- like water he's not certain if this is part of the effect. Only when he accidentally breathes in does he realize it is indeed water? At first he tries to choke, out of reflex, bubbles spewing out and nearly doubling over underwater.

Much more accustomed to teleportation, Seldan takes a minute to register their surroundings. _Underwater? Uh-oh._ Fortunately, breathing is not an issue, thanks to the second pendant that hangs beside his holy symbol, and he kicks quickly towards the light. A silent blessing for plate armor that is lighter than most, and he surfaces, looking around for the others - and most especially Malik.

Malik, on the other hand, rockets up past both of them, the man moving like he was born for the water. Which isn't hard, really, when you're in a sheer panic. He breaks through the surface, taking in a huge gulp of air as wide-eyes look around, the wizard scrambling for any surface he can reach as quickly as his form will carry him.

GAME: Iskandar rolls athletics: (5)+10: 15

A miniature geyser erupts from another spot in the water as Iskandar finally surfaces. He coughs and gasps for air, and then almost as soon as he's recovered his breath he changes to cursing. Once his head is above water he seems much more comfortable, even treading water for a bit. But he quickly shifts to a sort of breaststroke in at attempt to move away from the falling water. "Where are we?!"

Seldan's attention is fully on a panicked Malik when Iskandar surfaces, and seems to have no issues with air. He, too, begins to swim over to where Malik is, looking for a means to climb out of the cistern and onto dry land. "Not in Alexandria, I think," he answers in that Myrrish lilt. "Mal. Let us get out, and determine where we are." He reaches to place a hand on Malik's shoulder.

Malik swims after Seldan, attempting to pull himself up onto anything dry as quickly as humanly possible. It's only when Seldan says that they aren't in Alexandria that the wizard finally starts to relax a bit, taking in a deep breath as he just drips, waiting for Iskandar to reach them as well. "Too much trough," he coughs to Seldan. "Not enough Inn."

At this rate, nobody is going to trust the wizard to teleport them anywhere ever again.

GAME: Malik rolls Perception: (1)+21: 22 (EPIC FAIL)

GAME: Seldan rolls perception: (20)+6: 26

GAME: Iskandar rolls perception: (16)+12: 28

...finding your way oiut of the sewer isn't THAT hard with Malik and Seldan and Iskandar's eyes working together.

You're in a myrrish towin. It's familiar to Seldan, so you're in the right toiwn, in Perenath.

It's stinking hot out here.

Also, there's the inn! YOu just wound up... under it in the nearest cistern. Because under. Water.

Too much trough, not enough inn, but you did make it, at least. Now to figure out where the fgortress is and get out there, right?

It's a /start/.