Back to New Kurn after the foray into the Buried City

[DM Bob]

Enemy's Slumber, 5th of Fortuary - Early afternoon

Current Location: - Returned from the Buried City of Tnor'morken, inside Myron's Tomb to New Kurn

There was intent to return as the party shoves the majority of their loot and gains through the planar folding. But there was a slight issue, as 'Muiko's familiar squeaks once they make it back to the blinding sun of the New Kurnish day.

"What of your mounts and Quila's cat?"

But by that time the folding has completed, leaving you dusty, slightly bloodstained and sitting with a bunch of rugs, furniture and statues in the courtyard nearest the library of the new city. It takes a bit of eye-rubbing to get used to the change of light as the temperature difference is over 60+ degrees in the midday heat. Eyes widen and stare at your arrival. Almost immediately, the familiar mental call of Akos interrupts Quila's train of thought.

<"I've been trying to reach you for a few hours now... and appearing in the courtyard is simply disturbing the peace. Pray tell everything went all right? You've beaten back your escort and missed quite the show last evening! I take it you saw it?">

[Deleted]

Chat'cho brightens immediately at the sight of the city. After all, her best friend Ande lives here!

[Attilius]

"Uggghh!" Attilius squints in the bright Athasian sun light and begins his slow laborious walk towards the library.

(He only moves at 1/3 speed due to carrying so... much... heavy and bulky gear.)

[Quila Oris (John M.)]

Having landed smack-dab in the middle of New Kurn near the Library, Quila has a double feeling. On the one side happy they are out of that dark depressing place, on the other side she feels as if they could have been more tactical than just porting from that evil place right into here. What if ...

Then she blurts out "By the howler's balls, we forgot our mounts, and I forgot Spots. We need to go back for them. We can't leave them there." Before she finishes her sentence fully, she gets the wishy-washy look in her eyes whenever there is telepathic contact. She mumbles, "Oh, Akos, it is you...”

<"We have been underground in the Buried City in a tomb. We were shielded from contact and detection by the glamours of that place. We have missed what you are talking about as we were there, please do tell.">

[DM Bob]

<"Oh.">

Three breath pause.

<"The Messenger raised back to the skies last night, two bells past midnight. It was accompanied by a second, smaller light. Anyway, it's good you returned... and it seems no casualties, unless something ate your mounts?">

Hmm. Didn't Amon talk to them a little after that? What was that, the witching hour? [3 AMish]

[Quila Oris (John M.)]

<“That must have been some sight.”>

Quila pauses momentarily.

<“Please tell me someone thought to zoom in clairvoyantly to check out what the other light was?”>

Another short pause.

<“Overexcitement caused us to leave the mounts. We need to go back to get those and my tagster both. There was a casualty for a short while, the Balican gladiator, but our druid snatched him back from the Grey. We have lots of items, including some I think Oronis himself will want to look into. Most are thousands of years old, from magical weapons used in the Cleansing, to a grimoire 12,000 years old from a cult worshipping Mak Thuum Ngatha, the nine-tongued worm, supposed patron of all kinds of squishy things including Psurlons. Oh, and the journals of Myron himself.“>

<“Has there been any news from our friends in the savannah? Any word from Oronis concerning the Strange and their mushroom growth?”>

[AthasianLaborer]

Gwin crouches next to the lectern, letting his eyes adjust. As he does so, he pings each party member <”Crafting Gwin wasn't easy, do not confuse the public by calling me ‘Muiko when I look like this.”>

Once adjusted, he stands ready to help move things where they need to go, taking special care with the books and lectern.

[Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP]]

- The female Tari blinks a few times to adapt her night vision to the light of the Athasian day - "Warm" - she mutters with a smile, then getting closer to Quila - "The place we first met is not this one, although the change is noticeable and for the better.. For investigation it will be fine but there is something roaming in my mind" - looking at Attilius - "If you knew that one we met, how come did not bother with what we brought back here? Where is the trick in this, his performance? Or these items are just borrowed until we gather what was requested in the land of flames?.. Too much passivity but observation is what I felt, and none will come for free, neither just by the beasts hunt required I believe.."

[Attilius]

Dec 11, 2023 4:48:16 GMT -12 AthasianLaborer said:

<”Crafting Gwin wasn't easy, do not confuse the public by calling me ‘Muiko when I look like this.”>

<No reply, only immense strain is felt>

Dec 11, 2023 5:47:32 GMT -12 Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP] said:

looking at Attilius - "If you knew that one we met, how come did not bother with what we brought back here? Where is the trick in this, his performance? Or these items are just borrowed until we gather what was requested in the land of flames?.. Too much passivity but observation is what I felt, and none will come for free, neither just by the beasts hunt required I believe.."

"What?" the gladiator pushes through clenched teeth as he strenuously walks with the weight of a ton on his back and arms

[Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP]]

- Looking at Attilius - "Since when someone is so lay back allowing others to plunder his treasures and not moving a finger to stop it from happening?" - rewording her previous words - "Also, you should take that load down.."

[Attilius]

Dec 11, 2023 8:40:51 GMT -12 Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP] said:

- Looking at Attilius - "Since when someone is so lay back allowing others to plunder his treasures and not moving a finger to stop it from happening?"

"This... is... his... bros... stuff."

Dec 11, 2023 8:40:51 GMT -12 Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP] said:

rewording her previous words - "Also, you should take that load down.."

"It... ain't... gonna... move... itself!" He barely gets out

[DM Bob]

<"Tell your goliath to stop. Pulling things from a cursed ruin? Leave those things there. I'll be down shortly. We have been watching the skies closely and Oronis was aware of the confluence.">

A few minutes pass as a slightly irritated Akos arrives from behind the Tribunal's center and through the commons. He is flanked by a half dozen templars in full regalia.

"As we were saying. Show me what you have brought from the ruins, one-by-one and we shall make some decisions."

The templars spread out and start moving commoners from the area while the brown elf is debriefed.

[Attilius]

Dec 11, 2023 11:37:09 GMT -12 DM Bob said:

A few minutes pass as a slightly irritated Akos arrives from behind the Tribunal's center and through the commons. He is flanked by a half dozen templars in full regalia.

"As we were saying. Show me what you have brought from the ruins, one-by-one and we shall make some decisions."

The templars spread out and start moving commoners from the area while the brown elf is debriefed.

Attilius puts down his pack and everything he was carrying carefully then begins pulling all the loot out as instructed

[Quila Oris (John M.)]

Dec 11, 2023 5:47:32 GMT -12 Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP] said:

then getting closer to Quila - "The place we first met is not this one, although the change is noticeable and for the better.. For investigation it will be fine but there is something roaming in my mind" - looking at Attilius - "If you knew that one we met, how come did not bother with what we brought back here? Where is the trick in this, his performance? Or these items are just borrowed until we gather what was requested in the land of flames?.. Too much passivity but observation is what I felt, and none will come for free, neither just by the beasts hunt required I believe.."

"This is bothering me as well. We were observed the whole time we were in the golems room. I am not sure what that one really knows already or otherwise might have inadvertently learned from us about Kurn. I do believe Coden, Niachi, and Hurk have met him before and they think he is bored by his immortality. Maybe he doesn't care all that much we took those things, because if you live forever, things have a way of returning to their owner over time anyway."

[Quila Oris (John M.)]

Quila gives Akos a full rundown on what we brought, where we found it, what we know about it. She holds nothing back. She does indicate the grimoire of the nine-tongued worm is trapped.

After explaining and elucidating, Quila continues, "So, most of these would be very beneficial for us, no? I feel as I am being chided and treated like a novice templar, doing all kinds of silly things in the desert. I have the defense of all of this," Quila waves her arms around, "in mind when I bring back artifacts from ages past. Weaponry, historical information, knowledge. Why else am I employed as chronicler and mindeye (OOC: Kurnan euphemism for Spymaster, avoiding the use of this latter word around anyone not in the know) for our King?" Quila equally irritated responds to Akos. In this she is very sure to match his tone and demeanor, to go up to his level, but not instigate a 'pissing match.'

(OOC: What sort of templars are these? I'm not sure what New Kurn/Kurn's templarate structure is, department or hierarchy wise.)