Evacuate This, part 5
Log Info
- Title: Evacuate This, Part 5
- Emitter: Whirlpool
- Characters: Dirk, Eztli, Gramarye, Nemori, Robert, Jay
- Place: Alexandros, a Road
- Time: Thursday, July 07, 2022, 9:20 PM
- Summary: The convoy is stalled, the reason apparent to some. Fey have infiltrated disguised as soldiers and are suggesting alternate paths, that the group split up, and otherwise delaying. They won't let the adventurers split up with refugees however, but do suggest they abandon the convoy to scout. Once things finally get rolling, a wobbly wheel conveniently develops, necessitating some repairs. These take until dark, when the wolves come.
Last time, on EVACUATE THIS
Gramarye casts the magic detection spell, her eyes lighting up a brilliant blue. "Magic identification made," she announces. "Illusion school is present all around in the local environment in trace amounts. Margin of error: high. I believe there is more magic I am not able to detect at this moment."
Magpie is at least able to calm down the restless guards and people. It helps. The adventurers here, after all, have talents and the military presence has to count for something. They seem to be less scared.
Still, murmurs at Gramarye's words have people casting glances around as if they themselves could ID the source.
... but that magic was much closer than any of them imagined.
"Wait, all around the environment?" Magpie says, leaning over the backboard to get a better look at everything, somehow. Narrowing her eyes, the sorceress looks left, then right, screwing up her face. "But if that's true, then--" The cart rolls over a pothole, and that's definitely, totally what makes her hand slip and interrupts her sentence, but when she regains her footing she *definitely* said what she means to say next. "--there's probably some illusion beast or something leaving figment poops all over the place. I did a thesis on them in school, it was awful."
Stroking her throat in what is absolutely just a thoughtful tic, and not at all part of casting any sort of magic, she stares hard at Eztli, for a moment, then clears her throat.
And as clearly as if Magpie were whispering into the Makari's ear, Eztli hears the gnome say; ((please don't react please please please we've been hijacked by fae. I'll try and spread the word, but this is bad. Don't let on that you know.))
And now, in the present, PART 5 of EVACUATE THIS
A black, white and blue egalrin, who has definitely been here all along, even if some of 'here' was inside one of the wagons. Emerges and sits on the front board. "Illusions, allegedly?"
He peers ahead, "That's not something normally associated with wights. Maybe we're caught up in a defense intended for them?"
Jay caws loudly, "Hello! We're friendly! And not dead!" Followed by, "Oops, you said it was a beast and not intelligent. Ah... that may not have helped. Allegedly."
Gramarye's head pivots in the direction of the bluejay eglarin. "If it uses illusory magic, it may be attempting to trick us. That is why I did not imitate the chicken noise again despite popular demand."
A beat, and then she says, "Unless we can trick the beast with the chicken noise. Lure it in and make the entity believe we are chicken farmers. Initiate combat, neutralize the threat, and proceed back to Alexandria."
It's so cocky, it might bawk. Err, work.
Ezti stops, and looks around, and finally sighs defeatedly. "Oh for the love of-, first gorgons, and now rogue wizards, benevolent or otherwise." Eztli grumbles. "Well meaning or not, the guard should have documentation of all magical wards that were put up on routes leading to Alexandria, and this one isn't listed. So, it has to be treated as a threat until proven otherwise."
The small makari waves one hand, and their eyes glow a bit brighter as she peers around, trying to find any more signs of magical interference."
The caravan is getting ready to move. They will weigh in the adventurers' comments and ideas shortly.
GAME: Eztli casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14
The military officials, the escorting soldiers and what not who aren't you, are busy putting their heads together.
"... back on schedule. This nonsense with the goats has already delayed us."
"... an alternate route was provided for us when they dispatched us to join you. Here, on the map," one of the soldiers replies, unfurling it to show a different possible route up ahead, cutting through a forested area.
"Slow going with the wagons unless we leave them behind with a small crew."
"Could do, but only if shit stays weird."
GAME: Eztli rolls spellcraft: Trained Use Only: 0
"I don't think splitting our forces up is a good idea." The bluejay eglarin says, looking around, "Also the evacuees won't want to leave their things. I guess the forest would be a safe alternative."
Magpie cannot help but loose a quiet sigh, as Eztli picks up what she put down. Then all thought visibly screeches to a halt, and she just turns to stare at Jay for a few beats, as the legal eagle makes chicken noises.
((...Uh yeah no,)) Magpie's voice speaks into Jay's ear, though the gnome's lips seem still. ((I can only tell one person at a time about this, so uh... don't react. A bunch of the guards are fey in disguise, and they're hijacking this caravan. One of them just suggested the forest route. DON'T. REACT. If they know we're on to them, they'll attack. We don't want that, yeah?))
"...Ahahahaha," she says out loud, for all the adventurers to hear. "Chicken farmers. Hil-aaaaarious, Gramarye. Hey before we go, did anyone *see Lee* running around? He's been a jerk lately, and he's *not supposed to be on this trip.* He always gets the directions wrong."
"No one's splittin'. Just an alternate route," answerrs the guard to Jay's comments. "Should be able to bring most of their things. It's not THAT heavily wooded by the map, but we'll see if it comes to it."
GAME: Jay rolls bluff: (18)+7: 25
"I agree with Integrity," Gramarye states flatly, as is her usual method of communicating. "The proposed alternate route is agreeable."
Then Magpie tries to hint at the fey-riendly nature of the whole situation. There's a blink of light in Gramarye's obsidian eyes, as though the mannequin-golem is attempting to process the implications... of diving in too deep. (And possibly the complications.)
"Subject named 'Lee' not recorded in memory banks," she responds to Magpie. "Clarification requested. Who is Lee? Why do you want to see Lee?"
"To Kill a Mockingbird," Jay says quietly, answering Gramarye, then nodding at the guard, "Well, it's a collective decision, and I usually defer to Bob's wisdom. As he's older."
The bird glances over at the cerenzan, "So much older."
Jay is able to hide his beak of surprise!
Nemori reaches up one hand to push the brim of her hat up just above her eye levels. "A handful of goat statues is hardly a reason to go running into the woods," Nemori comments. Surely her opinion has nothing to do with the fact that she doesn't want to walk. The brim falls back down again as she settles back once more.
"I don't think going into the forest is a good idea, no. Actually, a pretty horrible idea." Eztli huffs. "We have evacuees here, and we're concerned about a gorgon. What good would going into the forest do? It would just make us completely unable to escape it if it shows up, instead of actually having a chance to escape it with the wagons moving at full speed."
GAME: Eztli rolls bluff: (14)+9: 23
"My preference would be to stay on the road," Bob answers, nearer now to the caravan since progress has stalled again. He'd been trudging at the rear and keeping an eye out.
"Like I said," says the soldier with unfailing patience, "we have an alternate route available to us if more weird things keep happening. Alternate. Available. If it was a gorgon, we'd probably have heard from it by now. For now, let's move ahead. We've been in one locale long enough."
The other soldiers are nodding along, largely seeming to agree with the logic of moving ahead.
For now.
"Sounds good!" The bluejay says enthusiastically, turning to a driver, "Hey, do you want to be relieved? I'm a certified coachman too! Too!"
"I just have to earn my hat." He says quietly.
Gramarye appears to simply be content to follow the soldiers into the woods, where only good things ever happen and nothing horrible ever happens to adventurers. The mannequin-golem has no familiarity with faerie tales and has no suspicions whatsoever.
GAME: Jay rolls perception: (13)+14: 27 GAME: Magpie rolls perception: (7)+6: 13 GAME: Nemori rolls deception: (7)+deception: 7 <OOC> Nemori says, "Actual roll, 16." GAME: Robert rolls Perception: (19)+9: 28 GAME: Gramarye rolls Perception: (12)+2: 14 GAME: Eztli rolls perception: (10)+5: 15
So there's the situation.
Some of you know, of course, that atl east some of the army folks present aren't really folks from the Alexandrian army. They're Fey, masquerading that way, with an intent to take you *somewhere*. Wherever they're intending to take you is not Alexandria. The refugees are blissfully oblivious, following in line a little nervously. Their attention isn't on you (one orcish artificer nonwithstanding) and they seem fine with following the army's orders. Why wouldn't they be? That's the lawful authority and that's what they're gonna do.
Another couple hours of movement (and trade off of wagon control between drivers if you feel like driving) fly by and you're soon approaching a bend in the road that aims to travel around the aforementioned forested area. This is where the 'alternate path' they intend to take you on cuts through. The forest is sparse, at least, so the wagons would go through it, easily.
"There hasn't been any further sign of whatever turned the goats," Bob observes, stubbled chin dripping with sweat after the hours-long march in titan armor. Still, the Cerenzan seems to manage it better than most would something of that bulk. And he's made a point to stay hydrated.
"We should stick to the charted path and the plan." Up comes the powder-black fist, one segmented digit point down the bend. "We can stay on guard but hopefully we've left whatever threats in our wake."
During the ride, Integrity was looking for opportunities to bring Robert into the loop. They never seemed to materialize, one of the faux-guards was always present, listening. Actually driving the wagon didn't help much either, as they weren't letting him deviate.
Once the crossroads are reached, he makes an attempt. "I agree. I thought I would be okay with going into the forest, but forests are dark. People get stabbed in the dark." There's a slight twitch of his head in Nemori's direction, after all, one can't trust Mul'niessans. "Bob is right. We should stick to the plan. Plan!"
Eztli was happy to get back on the road, and away from the strange events that had slowed them down. "Yeah, I'm glad that whatever it was didn't show up, after it was making noises in the forest." Eztli sighs. "But we can't let our guards down, it could just be waiting for a good chance to strike. You understand why taking the road is the sound decision, right, Gramarye? We have carts of supplies that can't move through a forest, and people who might not be able to run if anything happened. Better to stick to the roads. We are still following the right route, right? Does anyone have a copy of the map?"
Nemori has actually been able to get some rest. No easy feat, in a wagon bouncing down along a country rode... but the shadow elf does have a period of between time from her sheltered life in Charn and the more blue collar one she is living now in Alexandria. Sleeping like this may have been one of the skills she picked up. She does come to enough awareness to push the brim of her hat up again as voices take up the discussion about the forest and the road... and Jay's discussion about shadows and stabbings actually provokes a sleepy smirk from her. "Then perhaps we should go in the forest, lest we die of boredom."
Gramarye's head pivots to look at Eztli in that mechanical manner. There's another processing blink in her eyes. "Inquiry: then why would the soldiers advocate for going into a forest?" she asks. "Either they are incompetent or they are attempting to sabotage the mission. Either outcome necessitates elimination."
The golem's eyes don't turn red, even if her voice drops an octave on the last word like it normally does when the golem's in combat mode.
"I don't love the idea of going into the forest either, folks, but it'd save us some time and get these people off the road faster," muses one of the soldiers aloud.
"Nothing's happened. We can stay on the road."
"Why don't we send the mercs ahead to check?"
"Good idea. That's what they're here for."
Some of the guarsd are talking, yes, and it seems liable you're going to be bundled up to be sent away! How about that.
GAME: Magpie rolls sense motive: (8)+2: 10 GAME: Eztli rolls sense motive: (1)+1: 2 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Nemori rolls loco motive: (1)+loco motive: 1 (EPIC FAIL) [WhirlChan] Robert says, "The fae have well and truly fucked the dice, y'all." [WhirlChan] Robert says, "Your d20s are, in fact, pennies." [WhirlChan] Eztli says, "hey pennies can actually roll a 2 you know" [WhirlChan] Eztli says, "these are just D mobius strips" [WhirlChan] Robert says, "STAND BACK EZTLI IS MORBING" GAME: Jay rolls sense motive: (13)+10: 23
It has been a nerve-shredding couple of hours, trying not to look at the hijackers whose illusions Magpie pierced. After the first couple of warnings, it became too risky to try and keep subvocalizing at folk, trusting in the ability of a less-than-junior arcanist to *fool the Fae.* Thus, unsure whether her comrades understood her warning or were just that taken in, the sorceress simply fidgeted at the back of the wagon, staring straight ahead.
Until, that is, one of the faux guards suggests bunding the mercs away from the refugees.
"SO HEY," Magpie yells into the ear of the ugly lumps by her wagon. "You look pretty hot, my dude. All that armor, all this marching, great way to get heat exhaustion. OI! BOBERT," she calls to the armored Artificer. "One of our friends is looking peaked, you got some water or juice or something?"
Why, no, she doesn't intend to let the guard get a word in edgewise. Why would she do something silly like that? "C'mon, buddy," she says, shooing the guard Robert's way. "We'll get you sorted."
"The mercenaries are here to defend and escort refugees." Robert corrects the soldier, his jaw clenching away the puzzled look he'd offered Jay. "Not to act as scouts, breachers, or shocktroops."
The big fellow looks at the others working this particular contract protectively and takes a step around the back of the wagon.
"It's been hours. The goats-puzzle is miles behind us. Even if that threat still lingers we're better served here looking after the refugees--" he stops, midway into his lather and glances at Magpie. The hardnosed soldier falls back behind the kind-eyed dadventurer as he fishes out a waterskin from his hipsack.
"Absolutely," He daintily extends the leather thing between massive titan-thumb and forefinger. "Drinking plenty of water is very important on any march."
"The mercenaries are here to defend and escort refugees." Robert corrects the soldier, his jaw clenching away the puzzled look he'd offered Jay. "Not to act as scouts, breachers, or shocktroops."
The big fellow looks at the others working this particular contract protectively and takes a step around the back of the wagon.
They definitrely are sussing out if you know or not, gauging your reactions.
Gramarye watches this exchange passively. The mannequin has no input--until her eyes flicker with light and she speaks.
"Water is very important for organic lifeforms. I recommend hydration."
Then a beat. "Unless you are not an organic lifeform that needs hydration, in which case, cease your disguise and reveal your true identification immediately."
"The others are right, and I don't have much to add, but it's worth reiterating." Eztli sighs as she looks around from where she was propped up in the cart. "Something attacked those goats. And something in the forest made it's presence known. There are people here who can not defend themselves, so leaving them be would be a bad idea. We will continue on, and keep an eye out for any threats, seen, or unseen."
Nemori is either completely missing all of the byplay.. even the more obvious ones.. or is content to let it play out. Either way, it doesn't look like she's going to get any more sleep so she straightens out in her seat, settling her hat back into its proper place, making sure the hair on the right side of her head is properly arranged. "Or perhaps we could sit here and discuss it longer, let the village people get more and more restless. Use up more supplies. Stay in place and encourage something to try and attack us while we argue. I am quite confident that us 'mercenaries' are somewhat more stubborn than you soldiers. So let us skip to the part where you listen to what the seasoned adventurers have to say and let us continue on."
"Mhmm. So you won't scout ahead for us, don't want to take the alternative path, and just want us to keep going on ahead like we didn't have a bunch of weird goats meticulously placed in our path, have randomly cast spells and you say the city sent you and ... mmn... I dunno about you guys, but I'm getting a little leery of our so-called help here."
The soldier's squinting.
Magpie gets blinked at by the soldier they're talking to. He's trying veryy hard to get a word in edgewise, and failing, yes, as Magpie keeps shooting guards at Robert. They're being shooed. It's weird. Magpie is marginally effective however.
Gramarye get a weird look. Golems are straaaaange.
But all of you are starting to get the impression that *some* of the guards are happy waiting here, happy with the argument. They don't mind it.
...as if you're exactly where they actually want you to be.
"Yeah, that sounds great." Integrity C Truefeather, esquire, the 'c' is for concur, concurs. He stares at Robert, then looks at the guards. "I'm no good at scouting. My feathers stand out horribly, and I'm always talking. Every time we split up we lose the scouts and then we wait for hours for them to show up. It takes even longer."
"Straight on through sounds like the best plan. Whatever put those goats in front of us would have to be moving faster than we are, and you didn't see anything doing that, right? I didn't see anything."
He does glance at Gramarye with something that seems like genuine concern, golems are straaaange.
"Welp, let's go!" The bluejay squawks loudly, "Lead Wagon! Roll Right!"
GAME: Jay rolls profession/Teamster: (9)+10: 19
"We stick to the plan." Bob reiterates, nodding at the soldiers. "If you have complaints on how the contract was fulfilled you can take it up with the Guild." The mass of artifice and retired soldier takes another step forward, along the path and offering a look that invites one of the troublemakers to get in his way.
"We're not putting anyone in unnecessary danger." Blue-eyes find Jay and he nods. "Let's get moving; we're wasting daylight."
Gramarye watches Bob make his final statement on the matter. "I will follow what Artificer Robert says," she states crisply. It appears her accusations are quickly forgotten, overridden by the fact that, apparently, Gramarye is programmed to automatically fall back to what 'the Artificer' determines to be the best course of action.
The sun is, in fact, starting to set.
There's some rumblings of frustration from the civilians. They're seeing people around them argue and the confusion is starting to get to them. The restlessness, the drive to get back to the city, is real. Time to get moving again, right? Surely.
But here you are, delayed again, just to argue.
Some of them start to push, just a little. Jay taking hold of his wagon and trying to nudge things along is helping encourage others to do the same, and it sets the guards to moving again as well -- but it's clear whatever they're planning is still underway. About to happen.
"Don't worry," says one of the guards.
"We're almost there."
A smile. Those of you in the know just *know* that's not a good sign.
One of the wagons has a wheel that's threatening to break up front. That would further delay things.
What an awfully convenient thing to have happen!
Gramarye just takes it at face value. Golems are not known for their talents in interpreting meaningful phrases. Which is why it should come as a surprise to no one when she replies:
"Ok."
But then her head pivots to the direction of another wagon that just sounds... off. "Error detected. Integrity of wheel on that wagon is in danger of failure. Recommendation: replace wheel immediately."
The bluejay cocks his head, listening. "Yes, I can hear it. Do we have a spare wheel, or a mending spell? If we don't have the spell, we'll have to stop."
He shakes his head slightly, "The ponies won't be happy, or horse, we just got started again."
Bob sighs, carefully pushing his sweaty hair back from his forehead with the palm of his titan fist. "Lady Nemori, miss Eztli, or Grace: can any of you employ spellcraft to mend the damaged wheel?" He's already adjusting his pack again, reaching around for his tools just in case. "Or you, miss?" he adds with a glance at Magpie; he'd seen her flinging spells during the fight with the oruch.
"...Okay," Magpie sighs, passing a hand over her face. "We're stopping at every turn, being conned off the prepared road, getting slowed down and down and down, and we *just want to get these refugees back to the city.* Provost Dent was right; sometimes just *nothing* is gonna happen the way it's supposed to."
Clambering back up onto the wagon, she heaves a long, weary sigh, and casts her eyes to the squat, furry creature posing as a guard near her for a moment, considering. "I would give the most expensive object I own to get this caravan into the City safely..."
GAME: Gramarye rolls Spellcraft: (13)+10: 23
Nemori makes a face, clearly pained... emotionally, not physically. She'd been hoping the work part of this was done. "I may have something to assist," she answers, swinging her legs around to dangle off the wagon's edge briefly before pushing off and landing softly upon the road. She dusts off her pants, then reaches into her pocket for her token as she walks around to the mentioned wheel. She slows to match its speed, then with the token in hand begins to call upon that bit of divine magic...
GAME: Nemori casts Mending. Caster Level: 5 DC: 13
"That's odd, we haven't been taking any uneven or awkward paths to cause shock to the wheels." Eztli sighs. "Unfortunately, mending spells are more of a divine magic thing, unless you want me to burn the wheel off so we can replace it."
"Thankfully, we have a talented cleric here, who probably would like to make sure the wagons keep moving. You could handle it, right, Nemori?" The small makari asks, before she stops and looks at Robert. "Just give the wagon wheel a look while she's fixing it? I'd really like to rule out any foul play, seems like people are acting weird."
GAME: Magpie rolls diplomacy: (20)+4: 24 <OOC> Whirlpool says, "..." <OOC> Magpie really needs to put points in that. <OOC> Whirlpool says, "Everyone with me now: '...'." <OOC> Gramarye says, "..." <OOC> Jay says, "..." <OOC> Nemori says, ",,,"
"Issat right. I don't suppose you've got some booze om you, eh?" says the guard to Magpie, sucked in to the converzation by their casual mention. Fey are nothing if not bribable, more often than not., Just ask any of the legends.
Still, the sun continues to set, and by the time Nemori is done repairing all the damage, it's well and truly twilight.
"I don't, more's the pity," Magpie sighs. "Booze is for after the job's done, and I would gleefully buy a round so long as we get there. And if we get there in time, oh... There's a stall in the Lower Market, makes cinnamon sweetrolls the size of my *head!* Like, *actually my head,*" she cries, waving her stumpy arms about. "And they're *amazing,* and I *want one,* but we're here and right now I'm just worried about all these people, y'know? They didn't ask for any of this hardship, and it's our job to see they don't have any more, and somehow we're managing to screw that up."
Dropping her elbows onto her knees, she sinks her head into her hands. "I would sure be a lot happier buying a sweetroll for the one who helped us, than I would setting our obstacle on fire."
The bluejay sits in his driver seat, and watches the integrity of the wheel get restored, which means he's watching Nemori, mostly. Although, there are several slight glances in Magpie's direction.
"Well, sometimes wheels just break, allegedly." He states, "I don't have any alcohol, not while I'm working. I don't enjoy getting it when I'm not working either. Wrong kind of bar."
"If you know bars that don't beat you up the moment you walk into them, that would be useful, Magpie, for later. When we get to Alexandria." A couple more glances around, mostly off to the sides of the road.
It takes some time for Nemori's mending magic to do its work, and it does give her some time to consider Eztli's suggestion. Not that she's all that experienced a wagon-wright. "My, how one's life can change," she mutters to herself as she carefully weaves the weak magic amongst the wheel parts, undoing damage that may... or may not... have been naturally caused. "Walking in the mud beside wagons full of dirty peasants while some amongst us may... or may not... be working against us..." This is all said to herself, barely more than a whisper. But she's clearly peeved about it all. Put out. Aggrieved.
Finally, *finally* you're on the road again. The sun has set. Darkness has really fallen. It's taken you way longer to get this far than it should have.
As Magpie is describing and talking with the guard on the way, the guard's mouth has started to water. "... issat right. Well, don't worry. We're almost done here. I'd LOVE a sweetroll, myself. But we're only gonna be doing this until the wolves get here."
A pause. A beat. The guard thinks about what he just said.
The wolves?
Oh, hey. Isn't there a problem with werewolves lately...?
