He Says (Part 3)
GAME: Sabina rolls diplomacy: (11)+20: 31 GAME: Thoth rolls Diplomacy: (1)+0: 1 (EPIC FAIL)
The rest is restful, at least to some extent. There is a rouge wandering stuffed dog in the house after all. Not that the dog seems dangerous. It might be considered disquieting however. Lexi's mother Loriline is welcoming but distant. She is clearly uncomfortable with strangers in the house. She explains later in private to Sabina that its her husband's absence that causes the issue. She just doesn't feel safe without him around.
She also explains that she made the stuffed animal that Lexi loves so dearly, but she has no idea how it came 'to life'. She's not a fount of answers. Only deepening questions really, but she seems the nice enough sort. She doesn't like Thoth at all and seems utterly disquieted by the war golem.
The Inn did not feel 'safe' to be. Certainly not for the sake of sleep, even if a War Golem does not truly sleep. The small broken-feathered thing sat at the edge of the door, resting, while keeping its oculars open and its audio-sensors active. Staring into the house like a creepy doll. Its beak sometimes snapping a bit, and its broken wings spread against the wall.
In many ways, the mother cannot be faulted for being disquieted by the war golem. And when it's morning again, Thoth is characteristically unaware of this issue. But at least it's following Sabina's lead.
Sabina does her best to soothe the woman and keep her talking, trying to become the shoulder to lean on and the ear that listens to other's woes. It's not so different from working in the temple, come to think of it and she's often been told she has a gift for the gab.
She listens to the story of the stuffed animal coming to life and inwardly raises a brow. She asks questions as she assists with the needful things around the house. "Your husband? Where is he, then? I note you take the fact that her toy coming to life with less fear then I would have thought. Something to do with the luck the town seems to have, you think? I still can't fathom how so much swaying of fate can happen in one small place."
Tlanexhuani was able to rest in somewhat broken naps. This was a home, thus felt more secure than the inn, but it was still an unfamiliar location. Afterwards, he leaves the questioning of the mother to Sabina, his attention shifting between the curious animated toy and its owner if she is about.
"Lots of strange things have been happening around here lately. Stranger than a doll moving about of its own mind." The woman says and shudders. "I figured that's why you adventurers were here, but no, the toy seems safe enough, and it makes my baby happy. To tell the truth I'm more concerned that she's grown so quick. She's only three." The girl, does not look three. Eight maybe, ten perhaps, but not three. The woman rubs her face. "Lots of odd things lately."
There's a soft whirring in Thoth's oculars, as it considers the girl, then looks back towards the mother. "This one believes you are incorrect on this. This girl appears to be closer to her teens." It seems that Thoth knows to be quiet. But when 'facts' are involved, it's not so good at shutting up yet. Something something 'um actually'.
"This one believes this is of relevance, because the Innkeeper believes her to soon be adult enough to take up a new 'job'?"
Tlanexhuani blinks at this. While hardly an expert on softskins, he agrees that this is very, very odd. There is another blink as he looks to Thoth. "Ssa. Want for job. But why grow fast? Why iss lucky here? Why toy move? How iss all..." His claws clasps at nothing before they come together to interlace, "... connect?"
Sabina stiffles her inner feelings and keeps a calm face. "You have to know that her growth isn't normal. What if her growth continues on as fast as it is going now? How long will she live? I do not wish to scare you but this is obviously abnormal and we are indeed here to get to the bottom of things."
She nods to Thoth's unspoken question of job position and also to Tlan's serries of questions.
"If you could tell me what happened when things first changed. Perhaps then we could have a clue as what caused this. Or listing out the other strange things."
GAME: Sabina rolls perception: (15)+5: 20 GAME: Thoth rolls Perception+3: (5)+8+3: 16
"I never really thought about it that way." The mother says. "I thought at first she was just bigger because of whatever magic is going on here, but if she's actually aging..." Tears fill her eyes. "My baby isn't going to die is she?" Now she's distracted enough that trying to get other answers out of her might be difficult.
GAME: Sabina rolls spellcraft: (5)+14: 19
Sabina casts a prayer of revealing magics with a thankful heart to Tarien. She takes a few seconds to try to look ar where she saw this abnormality. Her hand gently rubbing the mother's shoulder. She then turns to her and asks, "What were you just thinking now? A wish? A hope? Maybe a prayer? I think it was trying to form right here and now."
Thoth, catching a similar glimmer, isn't so quick on the trigger as Sabina. It sees something, and instead of having the quick thinking to use Detect Magic, takes some time just... staring in that direction. Slowly blinking, uncertain of what it saw, before it looks back to the woman before them.
"What have you given up in your life, to gain these gifts? Your husband... have you aged any, to give that age to your daughter? This one believes there must be a being nearby who grants wishes. But in return... it must be taking something." Its tone seems more well-spoken. Confident.
Tlanexhuani does not notice the distortion, but he does notice Sabina using mana. He also blinks slowly. Then he looks to Thoth and back to the woman. "Ssa. Iss cost for many things. What is cost here? Anything happen that is not so good, not so lucky?"
Again as Sabina speaks that ripple occurs in the air but nothing more. The woman however reacts to the words more interestingly. "I was just.... I wish that my daughter was the age that she's supposed to be!" She says this, and there is another ripple. One that changes both mother and daughter. The daughter instantly regains her youth, becoming a girl of little more than three, and the mother advances at least ten years in her own age, but she fails to notice this in seeing her daughter the proper age.
"Darling!" She says and opens her arms to embrace the small girl who provides the necessary hugs.
It's a startling thing, watching someone age so rapidly as well as turn young so rapidly. It's all Sabina can do not to exclaim when the time shifting occurs. She sighs out a breath and looks to the others.
"I have an idea on how to get to the bottom of this."
She moves over closer to the others and whispers. "We need someone under the affect to truly desire to know what or who is causing this. Then it may be revealed to us to deal with."
Thoth watches the change. The immediate desire. The wish come true. As well as its payment. It tilts its head back and shakes its head. It was earnest, and patient. And this is what is returned to it for such a moment? The War Golem clicks its beak, letting out a worried squawk.
"This one is worried what the payment of such a thing would be, Adventurer Sabina." Thoth warns her. "The Truth is... expensive."
And Tlanexhuani is blinking again. Regardless of whether he saw the distortion, the aging is impossible to miss. He then looks between Sabina and Thoth. "We must learn truth, ssa. But is right," a claw points at Thoth. "Will be cost." He falls quiet, tail flicking as he thinks. "This one can try?"
"I'm not sure if we're under the affects of the magics at play. I imagine we could try. And I shouldn't as another to do what I'm not willing to do myself." She turns to Thoth and nods, "Sometimes the truth is, indeed, expensive. However sometimes it's free and simple. It's a guess to what the cost, if any shall be."
GAME: Sabina rolls knowledge/the planes: (19)+9: 28
Thoth is always quick to relinquish to someone its greater in experience. To, it quiets when both Tlanexhuani and Sabina seem eager to seek the truth through more mystical ways. It remains quiet in voice, but its wings shudder and tremble a bit. Wishes, the gold is not the true cost…
Tlanexhuani would not expect another to do something he would not, either. This does not mean he is eager, though. "Maybe is way to learn of cost, first?" He is not knowledgeable on that, but is hopeful.
GAME: Thoth rolls Knowledge/The Planes: (16)+14: 30
"Perhaps... time." Thoth suggests suddenly. "Husband disappear... wife grow old." It tilts its head. "Perhaps cost is... time." It then looks towards Tlanexhuani and Sabina. "This one recommends Sabina does not wish."
Something that Thoth says causes the ripple to form again, but it goes largely unnoticed…
Sabina calls up a short list of creatures, all of which take some pleasure in mortal suffering, that could do things like this. When Thoth gives his second warning Sabina nods slowly. "Alright then. I'll concur. We need to know what and where this being is, though."
Thoth slowly rises as it spots that ripple, and gets up. "Remain back." It chirps, and approaches where it spotted that ripple. Trying to... reach through. To see more closely. Its Owl seated upon its shoulder awakening at its master's actions and pecks against its head, trying to warn it off from doing such a thing. "Wish?"
The ripple occurs again, this time a little more intently toward Thoth.
GAME: Thoth rolls Perception+3: (4)+8+3: 15
Thoth turns to the others. "The presence that watches, reacts to that word." It tells them. "What do you desire for this one to do?" It inquires the others.
Tlanexhuani looks to Thoth at the warning, then to Sabina. "If is time..." Then Thoth warns again and there is another ripple. "Is from words?" Words can be weapons, afterall, as he learned. "Is.. listen to us?"
Maybeit does increase luck as he guesses at the same time Thoth explains. "Want know what causes magic, ssa? Show itself? Or stop?"
Sabina looks to Toth and then Tlan thoughtfully. She stands up and begins to pace off to one side, gnawing at her bottom lip. Her eyes glance over to where the ripple last was so close to Thoth.
"I think we need to find a different place and try where it is just us. Keep everyone safe. Then perhaps ask about revealing what is going on or itself. So that we can interact with whatever it is."
Thoth does not speak in that moment again, looking to the mother and daughter. They seem in their own world. So it stands up, bows to them, and bids its farewell. Waiting for the others to join it outside.
Once outside, it notes; "Understood. Another option is to wait for the obvious source of this. And enter the Inn when others are asleep. But we may encounter resistance." It points out. "Doth thou believe it is best we ask it in private? If so, this one has lived a long many years. It believes it can deal with the rust that may accumulate and fix itself. Biologicals such as yourselves would be at more significant risk, with the Lizardman -- the Sith'makar -- being the next best option, due to its natural longer lifespan. Please instruct."
Tlanexhuani agrees that their hostess' home would not be the proper place to test anything further. Even if they don't know what will happen. -Especially- because they don't know what will happen.
He follows outside and thumps his tail lightly upon the ground at Thoth's words. "If cost time, ssa, is better not softskin," he admits to Sabina, somewhat awkwardly. "This one not want offend." Then there is the matter of Thoth and instructions. "Maybe wi-..." he pauses, glances around. "... ask it show self? If need ask more than one thing, this one ask second. Share cost."
"Thank you for being willing to bear that cost if there is one. Both of you." She pauses to think again, mind racing quickly. "Perhaps show itself and speak with us so that we can understand what it's doing." She wince and then sighs, "I'm not sure what to expect. I'm hoping to avoid violence but.." She trails off with obvious implication.
Thoth looks between the two of them. It knows it should perhaps be trying to tell them off. To tell them not to do this. But, it fails to stand up for itself and what it believes. A consistent failure.
"This one desires to communicate to thee, granter of Wishes of this here town, for five minutes. Come before me, and speak to us for five minutes. This is mine wish."
There's a ripple then in the air in response to Thoth's words. "An ancient conveyance, but still true." The voice says as it resolves into the form of a somewhat purpleish woman with gold chains around her wrists and a vest over her top. She has no visible bottom at all. It evaporates into smoke. "Five minutes of my time is granted." She says, and Thoth feels the weight of time slip over it. It offers no repairs, not even the showing of rust, but merely a weight which can not be ignored.
Tlanexhuani did not know what to expect of the effort, much less the being itself if it was successful. There is another blink and he takes a tentative step backwards. After a moment of studying the creature, he chooses to ask, "Why do you grant these desires to askers? Why have cost and not warn first?"
Sabina takes in the being's form and quickly asks, "How should we address you, Djinni? And if you would could you tell us why you are granting all these wishes here and not moving on?"
Before them, a Djinni. A ripple in the air, as Thoth falls to a knee as that weight bears down upon it. It takes this moment to bow its head in reverence. Spreading its arms. "This one thanks thee, for thine time, oh beautiful Djinni." It remarks quickly, clicking its beak.
"And this one sees thee are bound. A most worrisome fact." It adds, hoping to aid its allies in this. It also knows that they are out in public, for all intents and purposes. So that may not be good for them if its Binder were to become aware.
Notably, Thoth seems to know better how to interact with something from beyond the realms, than with the people of this town.
The sudden barrage of questions seems to displease the purple woman who frowns at the two offering them. "I granted my time and my conversation, but not answers. Those I am free to give or not as I please and it does not please me to answer those who have no manners." Her stern mien seems to calm a bit as she looks at Thoth. "Though it seems that one wisher amongst all of these is properly reverent. How kind you are. *You* may ask questions. As long as you are kind about it." She blushes.
Sabina smiles to herself and then bows her head in silence and takes a step back. She moves behind Thoth and tries to present a more humble mein. Hands held together loosely in front of her body and head still bowed. Close enough to act if needed and yet hoping not to be needed.
Thoth bows its head once more, its wings broken. It would be easy to ask a wish. To be unbroken here. To wish away memories it rather not have done away with. Yet, it does not ask those. Instead, it listens.
The Djinni is clear in its wording. It declares what it wants, and what it allows. That is something Thoth knows to work with. So it raises its head slightly - yet not too boldly. "Thou art kind in turn. Mine designation is Thoth. This one seeks to free thee from thine Binder, if such is something thy seeketh as well. Might thee grace us with thine name, if thee deign us worthy of it?"
"Shahama al-Abdelnour." Says the genie, her smile warming considerably at Thoth. "Such a humble one, I find you most pleasing. Not at all like my terrible, narcissistic Master. You are correct, I am bound here against my will. Tricked by my Master and held to this place to answer the whims of the foolish. Feeding their lives to my Master. I have no choice."
GAME: Thoth rolls Linguistics: (2)+9: 11 GAME: Thoth rolls Linguistics: (14)+9: 23
Beauty of the Summer Flower, daughter of the Western Moon. "Thine name does thee justice, Daughter of the Western Moon." Thoth answers her, touching its beak to the ground for but a moment. "It is only natural, to be humble before a being that holds the beauty of only the greatest of Summer Flower and /true/ Knowledge." Tying its words to her name.
It tilts its head up once more. "May thee show us whence to find thine unjust prison, and the shape of thine Binder, so we may gain the Knowledge we need to set thee free, magnanimous one?"
Tlanexhuani has fallen quiet since his admonishment by the djinni. He has also taken a knee in both deference and self-comfort as he simply listens. Lest he annoy the being further.
Sabina's head comes up at the name and then she curtsies from her place in the back. "I am sorry, my lady. Forgive me, please, for not knowing you were of a noble line." She then goes down to her knees so that the trio is on equal 'footing'. She keeps her head lower and continues to let Thoth take the lead since he has won her over.
The djinni smiles fondly at Thoth. "Were I free I would be tempted to tempt you away from this realm Thoth; winged one. I will grant you the image of my Master, but know there are only two ways to free me. One is to fight my own self and in death return me to my home realm. Or to fight my Master for the power of my will and take me for your own self."
With this she summons an image of her master, a rather ordinary looking man of swarthy disposition with a close-fitting veiled hat on his head and robes about his body that mark him as a mage of some kind. It turns around and around so you get a good view of the man. "Worry not young woman, my mother is noble, but I am not yet. I must first earn my place among the others... and I may never if I remain trapped here."
"This one believes it is not worthy of such temptation. But this one appreciates thine words greatly, wise one." The avian chirps. Yet, when she speaks of fighting her, or fighting her master for the power of her will...
"This one is saddened only two such things are the options. For this one doth not wish to harm thee and believes its own power would be overshadowed by thee, nor doth this one believe it would be respectful to thee, to Bind such a great Djinni to this one's Will." It clearly looks conflicted by such a finding. "But this one thanks thee for teaching this one, where it was lacking in Wisdom and Knowledge."
It then looks towards Tlanexhuani and Sabina, before looking back to the Djinni. "Yet, this one believes the greater injustice is to see thee remain bound. So, with thine permission, I shall attempt to free thee regardless." While taking in the image of the ordinary man. All that they still need, is to know where to find her.
Sabina raises her head to get a good look at the man that she calls master, trying to set the image into her brain to recall him at need. She then relowers her head and stay silent. Her thoughts aligned with Thoth's words.
Tlanexhuani very much wants to demand that there must be some way other than slaying her to release her or becoming her new master. Not that he has empathy for the one whose image is shown, but forced to become anything like one who binds others against their wills is ... revolting. Still, it would be rude to question the word of one who knows -slightly- more about the situation than he. "We will find that one," he voices low to Sabina and Thoth.
"If your choice is made then know you need only state your challenge clearly. I am the air, and bound to return to the wishing. My Master is likewise bound to answer lest he lose control of me with no challenge met at all." She bows her head to Thoth. "And with that, my time is at an end, farewell for now kind one." She vanishes.
Thoth and the others are left to remain groveling upon the ground. Yet Thoth is trembling. There's a sense of frustration, as well as anger there. How dare someone mistreat a Djinni like this. It digs its claws through the dirt in that moment, and lets out a frustrated metallic chirp.
Thoth slowly rises up. "This one plans to take the Djinni from her current Master, and free her." Before looking to the other two. "But this one needs thine aid... will thee help mine plea?" It seems it's still stuck in its old ways of speaking for now.
Bina gets back up to her feet and gives Thoth a smile and nods, "Of course I will. She should be free. All beings should be free." She dusts lightly at her dress to clean off the dirt.
Tlanexhuani straightens up, at least to his normal lean. "Ssa," his tail thumps the ground. "Not right for any be bound against will. This one thinks best way to free..."
-TBC