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

[GodlyD&D]

It was not like Arapegol needed many things from the market, he still had food stored at home. But he was big on eating bread and fruit, so he brought yet more from the market to his home. He then remembered something else, but it was still early in the morning. Should he go see the high wizard Diragusher so soon? It was not yet the usual time. Yet there were the unusual circumstances. Arapegol put his bought items away in his home, and thought, if only the high wizard had summoned him already, he could comfortably go there already. At the usual time, there were other things to demand his attention, with some others who had learned from the training.

Arapegol finally concluded, he should just go to Diragusher's place.

[Moonlit_Fae]

Gasha watched as Jaydeen stuttered in the small woman's body listening to her confess her feelings for him. It really was a tricky situation. Jaydeen admitted he did not like her just because she was in his own body, but because he actually liked her. Her heart thumped within his chest as she felt giddy but nauseous at the same time. No one had ever felt this way for her before..and to have someone confess they like you even when you weren't in your own body... it made it more sincere.

But how did she feel? She knew she liked Jaydeen even though he was in another's body. He seemed strong and a survivor. He adapted easily to situations and kept a level head. And for some reason he made her feel comfortable. "I like you too." She calmly said. "However there is no pressure and we should perhaps not act on these feelings now. I can tell these feelings trouble you and you are still sorting them out. We will be stuck with each other until we figure this mess out. Just take your time and get back to me when the time is right for you." She gave her a sincere smile. Even though what she wanted to do was to hug her and hold her close to reassure her, but she would not complicate the situation further with physical touch.

Gasha then nodded. "Right back to the clearing." She then continued on as if nothing awkward had happened between them. She hoped no matter what happened she would have his companionship going forward.

Stepping back into the clearing Gasha found Klara tapping his thumbs impatiently upon the cauldron. "Right, time to prepare a meal. Sorry to keep you waiting. Thank you for filling the cauldron with water. " It really was a good start. Gasha then went to work lighting the kindling beneath. She took two stones and clacked them together. A spark took and flame came alive. Gasha stacked some wood underneath to keep the fire going. Soon the water began to boil. "Now I'll be in the hut preparing the rabbit and vegetables for the stew. Klara would you mind adding some flour and herbs to the water to start the broth?"

Then Gasha went into her hut to prepare her rabbit from another day's catch. She also had a small pantry filled with potatoes carrots and onions. She would use this time to gather herself and clear her mind. She grabbed a knife and began to cut and mince meat and vegetables alike. A busy task always helped her to focus.

[Highland Sniper]

Jaydeen followed along, still blushing a little.
She-he, confound it! They liked me, too?
She jumped a little as Gasha spoke again after entering the clearing and set her wood down near by for easy access. They were adjusting about as well as they did at the start. She blushed a little harder at the thought, but it quickly subsided.
I have to keep a clear head. they thought, but couldn't help but looking at the hut where Gasha was and smiled. At least they were thinking and were considerate.

She sighed and went off to the side to look over her guns and maintain them. That would be most familiar at this point. She sat cross-legged with little thought and shouldered her musket. It felt a little strange, maybe a little large for her now. She shrugged and started to clean it. It could use it after even just a few shots, and so would her pistols.

[Alura]

Nodding to the Jaydeens without picking up on the blushing and glances that passed between them as they reappeared, Klara drew herself upright. He waved away the apologies as unecessary and felt a small twinge of pride and the praise. He'd really meant to have the water boiling right now, but seeing as no one else noticed his inability to light the fire he kept that matter to himself quite happily.

Maybe the half-orc wasn't so bad. And she knew how to light a fire, even better still. Seeing a pile of such stones near the hearth, Klara snuck a couple along with a bit of kindling into his pack. He'd have to practice as he'd seen Gasha do when no one else was about to notice it. Quite remarkable how effortless it had been.

When Gasha asked him to begin preparing the stew, Klara nodded as if he had the faintest idea what was expected of him. After a momentary pause, his eyes following the now elfin back vanishing into the hut, he decided he had never so much as set foot in a kitchen even to settle a dispute. What reason would he have had to do so, he wondered. Drawing a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he began to rummage around for the flour. How much flour was enough, he wondered to himself.

When he finally found it, he took a scoop nestled beside it and took a portion the size of his hand, throwing it into the cauldron with great relish and keeping his head back as though expecting a sizzle or flame or some other show. Nothing happened. It clumped and whorled a bit in the eddies of boiling water, otherwise unimpressively dissolving slowly.

"Hm."

Mastered. What's next? He had no idea what sorts of herbs would be useful, so he moved through the ropes. There was lavender, marjoram, thyme. Snagging a few other sprigs he hoped would be complimentary, he tossed the lot along with the sprig of the anti-inflammatory agent (or so he still hoped) into the pot along with them. He stared into the water as the herbs began to steep, pondering if it were actually the similar-shaped emetic.

Well, it should be reasonably apparent and he was confident in his decision. Mostly.

Clearing his throat he leaned a hand against the cauldron, wincing as it seared against his palm. Blowing on the red skin and tucking his hands under his arms, he blinked back watering eyes and addressed the real Jaydeen where he sat in his elvish form.

"What now, Jaydeen, was it? Kind of Gasha to offer her home as a retreat, but too close for comfort to remain long. Do you have any idea of the nearest scholar or market that might offer such things?" Studying his burned hand, he added, "Or do you think something so unusual came from some other place?"

[Highland Sniper]

Jaydeen gave a small smile at the mention of Gasha offering their place of shelter, but soon smoother her face, "No, I'm not all that sure," she says with a shrug as they continued to maintain their weapons, "of course, there is a bit of a town known for its magical place of learning. It's about the second closest that I'm aware of without a map in front of my face."
She looked at Klara, "Would you like some help with that?" she asked, "putting it into some water should help."

[GodlyD&D]

Once Arapegol arranged everything, he closed up and left his home, walking off through the city of Erpedoben, until the large structure where the high wizard Diragusher would be met. He stopped momentarily, as if to reconsider, and then resolutely stepped onward. He came to the gate.

The man just inside the gate said, "Oh, you are here early again. Wait a moment." A little time later he was there opening the gate. He motioned Arapegol in, closed the gate, and walked with him to the door of the great building. "Same way this time to see the High Wizard Diragusher."

Arapegol went that way through the rather long hall, past the wings, until coming to the end where it turned, and led to the door at the end. He breathed in, and knocked. "It is I Arapegol."

Diragusher opened the door, looking at him. "I had a feeling you would come rather earlier than the usual time."

[Alura]

Giving the cauldron a bit of an absent-minded stir as he listened, he jerked his head up at the offer of help.

"Oh, thank you, no. I'm sure it will be... edible. Probably."

Dusting his hands, he moved to sit near Jaydeen, watching her clean the weapons. Rifling in his bag a moment, he opened another book atop the botanical one he had used to pretend to understand cooking on some primitive level. Moving over the pages, he asked, "Do you remember the name of the town? Or at least the one on the road towards it? With a little luck maybe the journey would be uneventful."

[Highland Sniper]

Jaydeen rolls his-her eyes as what they asked was misinterpreted.
"Uh, Erpedoben, I think," she said, "though it's a bit big to be called a town. Closer to a city really. Not too far."
She continues to keep her weapons and couldn't help notice her now dainty hands and frowned. There were many things to get used to. Falling in love again after... She shook her head and brushed some hair out of her face. Another new thing. She sighed.
"Uh, how are you adjusting to all the... changes," She asked, trying to focus a little more on her work.

[GodlyD&D]

Arapegol walked in as the high wizard gestured his admittance. He said to Diragusher, "You know, I was troubled, not the least over the loss I experienced in that city of Quadick. The rods and orbs wizards and those they train use contain crystal material, shaped under use of extremely high heat. They are all of such rare materials that are not breakable. Then what was the amulet, that was responsible for changing me and others, which yet brake?"

Diragusher said, "Yes, all the orbs and rods use glowing flowergemstones, and those are covered with clear flowergem shells, which block the gemstone emination which has harmful effects, but transmits a stronger glow, and the stored supernatural translational thermodynamic energy, whether it is alteration, or teleportation. They do not last for always, but need necessarily to get replaced. The orbs and rods do not shatter or even crack. But that amulet is certainly something different."

[Highland Sniper]

"you see, information of this amulet has been lost over time, but I've in my possession a tome that does contain some information of such items," Diragusher continued, "Made by a rather strange wizard long ago. This man seemed to enjoy some very... intriguing pastimes." He coughed into his hand a little bit, "The item must have been under a lot of arcane stress at the time of its destruction unleashing one of its many, ahem... more interesting powers."