(M) The Adventures of the mixed and messed up [IC]

[GodlyD&D]

Arapegol was moving with haste to the city gate of Tenoba, with the long legs that were strong, and rapid movement of feet with just the light moccasins so that the feet were not weighed down, he easily outpaced other people. Outside from the gate he went along the entry road to where several diverging roads went out from it. He had the local map out and unrolled right then, and looked at it though he was sure already which way he had used to come to this place, just earlier that day. Too much had happened while he was there, that he should never have had to see. Sure enough, the Primal Forest was designated on the map, but just one edge of it and not with the name, with continuing on he would reach that far while it was still day, but he meant to go on, not to be there at night, and it would be far into the evening before he would come to where he meant to go, farther from the Primal Forest than this city of Tenoba he had come to was.

Even with his rapid pace he came to the edge of this thickly growing forest along this road several miles away from that city he had left as the sun went very low. He thought he should hurry even faster as he came to where he went at closer proximity to the forest. But there, ahead, he saw a figure. It was sprawled along the road. It was a human person, he realized. Arapegol hurried up to him. The figure still moved, slightly. Arapegol bent down closely, and moved that person's head, to see the face in the remaining light that was still enough to see by. "Eyriconer!" Arapegol said emphatically. "Eyriconer! You are alive! I thought you were gone. I called to you many times."

That man, certainly Eyriconer, said weakly, "I was pulled rapidly in among the trees, and I must have been hit against one of them. I woke up some while ago, still held in a more rigid appendage. I had to carefully remove myself from its grip, that took awhile, and I did not have all my strength. My devices are also gone. I could barely see anything in there among the close trees, but I discerned more light on the side which was where I could come out from that forest, though it was not really far. I still do not feel well after being knocked out."
.
Arapegol told him, "We cannot just stay here. It is getting dark. I was grieving, and thought it would be well to go to a nearer city and work out how to deal without you and figure out what to say about it to the high wizard. But terrible things happened there, and I need to tell him. I am not really myself now, and I no longer have the rod with me which the high wizard supplied. We must go on now, before it is really dark. The one monster we dealt with would be dead, but we do not know if there would not be another here."

Eyriconer was yet weak, and Arapegol realized as he helped his friend up that he would have to help him go on further, past this forest and along the road all the way back to where they were from. Arapegol then went at his friend's side helping him with his support, and they went further past the forest as the evening grew darker. The lights of the city further on indicated by their distance it would still be a few hours to get there.

[Moonlit_Fae]

Gasha frowned realizing most of her equipment might not fit her. But her staff, dagger, and bow and arrow would still be suitable in Jaydeen's body. "Either way if I cannot hold onto them I ask that you watch them with respect. Those weapons are all I know how to defend myself with." Well that and her powers..however much of use her druidcraft could be.

At hearing they should go over to the other group Gasha easily followed. All of them were in this together, no reason to form cliques and be rude. She smiled at the other two and gave a nod. "I am Gasha," her new male voice rang out. "The green half-orc body is mine." she said pointing to her natural body. She listened while the others discussed the amulet. She looked at it and shrugged. "Sorry I cannot read that language nor am I any good at identifying metal work. However, we should find a place of lodging soon. A group of rooms together and discuss this matter in private."

She doubted anyone would believe their predicament. What was worse if there were enemies about listenting and ready to pounce on them for their unforseen cirumstances. All of them would have to learn their new bodies well especually in self defense. She shuttered at the thought...

[Highland Sniper]

Jaydeen looked around, "Where did the other one go?" she asks after Arapelago walks off. "Rrghu, dang that man..." She then thought about how he said that and moved on, "We'll just have to find him later. We can probably hire a divination wizard or sorcerer to find him again when needed. Or he'll find us."

Jaydeen then thinks a moment, "A place to stay would be nice, Gasha, and there is a tavern right here. Maybe our counterparts could share rooms? just to help each other out since there are going to be, uh, several new things."

[GodlyD&D]

It was certainly late in the evening, later than he would have made it had Arapegol gone on just himself, when they came to the city gates of Erpedoben, where his home had been for several years.

The guard there asked, "Who goes there? State your business."

"It is Arapegol, with Eyriconer, the same two who left here early this morning on the mission the high wizard Diragusher sent out."

"Very well. No one else comes back home at this hour, so it is strange."

"A lot happened which is strange enough, that took all the day, still far from here. There are things that happened and I should seek some help."

"That Eyriconer looks in a bad way. Take him to his home, the healer can be sent to him in the morning."

"I will certainly do that." Arapegol went on, helping the worn out Eyriconer on, along one street. They came to the home both knew to be where Eyriconer lived. Arapegol told him, "You know you need to go in and lie down. The healer will come and look at you in the morning. I will go on, and check on you again when I can."

After Eyriconer was left at his home to rest, Arapegol went on in another direction rather than to his home. He came to a large building, with a space around it surrounded by a chest high wall. He came to the gate, and spoke to the attendant who sat there on the other side of the gate. "I need to go speak to Diragusher."

The attendant responded, "What? At this late hour? The High Wizard Diragusher has already retired in his own chambers. This is not the time."

"I was away, and could not get here sooner. And it is urgent. Go, have him told that Arapegol and Eyriconer have returned, they overcame a monster at the Primal Forest, there is still a very urgent matter at hand. I will wait, I am sure he will make an opportunity for him to see me now."

"Very well. I will have your message sent to him." The attendant went up and went to the door of the building, and gave a light tap. A few moments later it was open, and another appeared at that door, and those two spoke together. Then the door closed, and the attendant waited, while looking out toward Arapegol. After several long minutes, the door opened again, and that one on the inside spoke again with the attendant waiting on the outside. Soon after that, the attendant at the gate came to Arapegol and said, "The High Wizard agrees to make an exception this time and speak with you, only for a few minutes, after which you must leave."

The gate was opened, and the attendant accompanied Arapegol to the door of this large building. There he was permitted to enter, where two large men there accompanied him along a hall, one which he had gone through a number of times before, past wings and a stairway to where that hall turned, and led to a door at its end. One of the large men knocked lightly. The door opened and the high wizard Diragusher looked out, and recognized Arapegol.

[Highland Sniper]

"Come in, Arapegol," Diragusher said as he stood aside in his night robes, "Come and sit and tell me what is so urgent to rouse me a this blasted hour."

He takes a seat in an armchair, in this small anti-chamber to his room, with a sigh and gestures to another chair across from him.
"So, you have contended with the beast and managed to escape and return with Eyriconer on your way back from a nearby town. And of which things that have happened in that town do you wish to speak of?" he asks.

[Alura]

The real Arapegol's sudden departure from Quadick startled Klara, but he moved faster than his doppelganger could react. He was already rapidly disappearing by the time Klara thought it might be better to stop him. He nodded when another member of the group mentioned there were ways to track him should he go missing for too long.

"That one is correct: if the man with the amulet had allies, the first place they would search for us is in this tavern." Klara pointed to Nasa in Gasha's body and nodded agreement to both she and Gasha in Jaydeen's body. "Is there another place in this town where we can find a place for one night, or do you think we had best be on the road and worry about that when we must?"

Glancing over his shoulder at the carriage, Klara's mind raced. There would be much to do. The letter could be trusted to no one but the Grani horse who traveled with him. He would take only what was essential to travel and send them back in his place until she could sort out this business. It was a shame to notify the family, but it would be days before the messenger reached them and who knows how long before they could find her.

"You were gathering the bodies. Did you identify any of them beyond the man with the amulet? Do you think he has other associates here now?" Klara asked Jaydeen, since he seemed most familiar with the culprit.

[Highland Sniper]

"Well, I don't recognize any of the others, but they might have a wanted poster somewhere." She said as she looks a little closer at them, "There is a bounty on the one I would like to collect though. And if he has other associates that got away, we can take care of them when they come or they're already going into hiding."

She walks back over to Deveris' corps. "If anyone wants to help me drag this guy over to the nearest sheriff's office, then we can use the reward for rooms and split the remainder." She says, "I don't think my new body is up to the task on it's own." She gives a week smile.

[Enigma]

The others were talking among themselves, she had no idea what they were talking about. The man who wanted the equipment her body had was saying something, but she hadn't any idea. She searched herself for a money pouch and handed what she found over to Gasha.

She wish she could just trade back for her body as easily.

Nasa scowled as the person in her body strode over to the dead man. What was that idiot going to do, stab it again? But no, she just stood over him and spoke mostly incomprehensible words again.

"Ewën hoúldsä indfê läcepî otën tãysó, odën nyaën nèoën ävehã aën odgêlî?" she told them. Their accent was horrible, but at least they understood.

And what would they do with the dead bandits? This was not the plains, it wasn't healthy to leave them for the beasts and birds while so close to where people lived. Perhaps a pyre, but not enough room for them all and where would they get the wood? She certainly wasn't going to try and pry up the street.

[Highland Sniper]

"Ewen reaen alkingte boutao hatt, ewen ouldca taysa taen heten ocal avernta. Nlessue nyaen neoen aseha aveha aen etterba lanepe," She said, "So, local tavern unless anyone has anything better?"

She looks around at the others as she waits for an answer. She wanted to get this settled and collect the bounty due on this guys head, it would probably be the bright spot of her day after everything else.

[Alura]

Realising he might have the most recent experience of hauling dead things, Klara obliged with an, "Oh, let me." Bending, he gripped the wrists of Deveris' corpse, pausing only to waggle a hand at the body beside the carriage. "No one touch that one, please. I intend to keep it until this body trade business is settled. Can't afford to lose components if anything of my body remains tied to it."

Klara disliked the idea of staying somewhere so obvious for travelers, but had nothing better to offer, so reluctantly shook her head in the negative. If they were all going, remaining in a group might outweigh any potential risks. With that, he began inelegantly dragging the body of the amulet-bearer behind him before realising he had no idea where he was headed. "Which way was the sheriff again?"