Wizard's First Rule (Part 4)

The children are asleep, blissfully unaware of the conundrum that they have placed you in. Their parents seem entirely absent, or at the very least any checking has revealed that they have not returned to the small shack that they left the boy and infant in. So you've tucked them away into a room; leaving you with a chance to discuss what you plan to do next.

Erendriel sits, and sighs. "So we've traveled in time, and this kid is going to get picked up by the tower, and get turned into a vampire?"

Mikilos sighs, and settles into the high backed chair made for himself, prepared to stay up all night. The wizard seldom sleeps anyway. "I have to suspect we're not properly back to our own time. Of course, with time shenanigans, we might be. Possible is a different person with the same name. I'm hesitant to do anything, as our actions might directly -cause- the result we've seen, rather than prevent it." he considers. "I'm not sure we -could- change the future, even if we dared."

Morgan is a bit pissed about a few things and its rare for Morgan to show this side of her. "Well I want to kill the parents but I don't want to change history..... Unless I did do that already and I have to do that, I so hate time traveling." she listens to Erendriel "Well we have a moral decision here."

Drinking wine from a goblet is no mean feat when you don't have lips. Thankfully, as Iolaire is a mother of three she's learned the trick, for all that it looks briefly that she's just upending the whole thing down her throat whenever she takes a drink. "That's the way it looks," she grumbles, lowering the gobet again. "I can't say as I know much at all about time travel, but, I have the same doubts that Master Mikilos does."

The bird's eye turns to Morgan, an eyeridge rising. "As perhaps odd as it may be for the professional warrior to say... I'm pretty sure there's no answer to this dilemma that involves someone dying by our hand. What concerns *me* is what prompted the choice to be made -- because I'm quite certain that a choice *was* made -- and why there are *especially* no traces in history of this man's sister."

Erendriel takes a deep breath. "What they said. It's not really a moral decision. Even if, let's say, we didn't care about killing a child. Then, um, well, we already know it wouldn't work. Somehow, some way, he makes it to our home and becomes a vampire killing, kidnapping, and tormenting people in Alexandria. It's a fact. So either we'd fail, or miss, or make a mistake, or he'd get resurrected by whoever has taken over the tower. So it's no use doing that." She then pauses. "So the question is, can we learn something now, that would help us.. turn him later? ... did he... recognize me? Us? Would he recognize us now, if we reminded him of this, a long time ago? That we were kind to him and the baby?"

Mikilos shrugs mildly. "Around a thousand years pass, many people have been forgotten. I am curious what becomes of her. Perhaps, though some strange twist, *she* is the Mistress?" He nods to Erendriel, and shrugs again. "Or maybe the future can be changed? Divinations of the future don't always come to pass. But this is hardly the same thing. I'm not inclined to risk it."

Morgan hmms as she wonders a few things "Well this is the thing, if we change the past bad things can happen for us in the future. Some of us may not be born, or we come back different genders.... I so don’t want to be a man."

"Oh I dearly hope he remembers," Iolaire says just above a whisper. "And were it up to me, I'd gather them both up and take them back with us. But I doubt we can."

Erendriel smirks to Iolaire. "I actually like that idea. It might be dangerous though. I think we should do all we can to help them. Both of them. Find out the baby's name. Comfort them, find them someplace of permanent shelter. Give them every chance we can. Act like we don't know his future. Just be the kind of people we are, but teach him a phrase, we can say to him long in the future, and hope he remembers."

Mikilos smiles to Morgan. "There are ways to fix that, but it's not so bad once you get used to it." He considers, and nods to Erendriel. "A song. Embeds itself into the memory better. Though I'm still not positive if we're in our own time, or the past. I assume the past, but all things considered, I'm not certain." The wizard hesitates. "I have a few options, spells, but none of them are ideal."

It also dawns on Morgan, "But the bigger problem is how do we go back to our own time, or do I start a new life here... Good thing I know a lot about this time."

"It's not a bad idea," Iolaire says, nodding to Erenthil and Mikilos, turning her wine in her hand. "As for how we get back... Likely by accident, the same way we got here. Lady Morgan, you say you know a lot about this time... Do you know about where we are, in relation to Alexandros?"

Erendriel hums. "So we have a few things we can do while they sleep. Explore and find out when and where we are. Explore and find something for the kids. Explore and figure out how to get back. Do we split up, or try them all as a group one by one?"

GAME: Morgan rolls Knowledge/History: (11)+16: 27

Mikilos says, "I'm a Builder. Should be fairly easy to fix up the house, offer some basic comforts. Long term food supply is more difficult. I can summon some angels to offer information, maybe get one to stick around for a week or so to watch over the children. But again, not long term."

"Except it's entirely likely that any of that would make life infinitely worse for the children, especially since an angelic protector would *leave.*" Iolaire looks into her goblet, sighs, and tips her head back, pouring another measure down her throat. "So what help we could give would best be knowledge. I know a few things I can teach the boy, including how to best care for his sister."

Verna considers the mentioned options. "I suggest that we determine where and when we are located, potential means of return, then further support for the children, in that order. If we have, indeed, reverted in time, the option to merely wait is possibly viable, though not terribly efficient nor pleasant."

Morgan starts to speak "Well if I am right Alexandria is going to have a winter Festival that we might want to avoid. That was the one where the visiting Barbarian Orcs found out they trip out on Suls mead. The body count was pretty high." She is not joking "But we should find out what year it is to make sure."

Erendriel smiles faintly. "Food. Can we give them access to some sort of magic to provide food, until he's old enough to hunt? Shelter? Covered. Health? Can any of us cure them of any illnesses? Protection... no idea. Find anything around them that might try to kill them?"

"What of their family?" Verna inquires. "Whether immediate or extended, it is reasonable to presume that there are some who are both competent and concerned enough to rear them."

Mikilos nods, and stands. "I'm going to go outside for minute. Conjuring inside an extra-dimensional space causes... issues. Hopefully can get a few answers, and maybe some assistance. I prefer to stay inside the Mansion while it's conjured, to keep an eye on things, but it should maintain itself just fine for several hours."

"...That does absolutely nothing to answer my question, Lady Morgan, but good job trying nonetheless," Iolaire says, blowing a sigh through her nares. "As for family... Perhaps you could join Master Mikilos to find some? It seems a good use of resources, I'd think?"

Verna dined and supped very little, despite the magical feast. "I will accompany you," she notes to Mikilos as she moves to the exit. "Perhaps a correlation of historical knowledge, the lie of the land, and observation shall grant some insight."

GAME: Verna rolls knowledge/geography: (2)+9: 11

Erendriel hums. "Well I can't sing, I can't hunt, and I can't teleport us through time or planes, so I'll wait here."

GAME: Mikilos casts Summon Monster VII. Caster Level: 13 DC: 26
GAME: Mikilos rolls 1d4+1: (3)+1: 4

Mikilos steps outside the conjured space, taking a moment to be sure of his surroundings before rapidly drawing a series of glowing glyphs in the air. A moment later, a portal opens, and several Hound Archons step through. "Gentlemen, the situation is complex, and our time limited. First I need to know todays date, to the best of your ability. The year is the important bit. Then, there are a couple of young children, who's parents neglect them. I'm going to do what I can, but I am unable to stay long term to help them. I know this spell doesn't last, but can conjure via another. Are one of you willing to watch over them for a week or so, and if not, can you recommend someone likely to be? In a subtle fashion, if at all possible."

Verna takes the time to study their true surroundings, in a grander scale. Sun, moon, ridges, peeks, valleys, rivers, and tributaries; whatever she might spy that would not be removed or regrow in a short span. Regrettably, such features are quite common in Ea. With no conspicuously distinct features, no immediate hypotheses come to mind.

The hound archons look at one another, eyeing Mikilos a bit curiously before offering a date. The date itself is a touch more than a thousand years into your past. "We would help you out with the rest, but we're not allowed to interfere with the prime material plane unless we're directed to." They nod in unison. "Anything else you'd like us to do though, we're yours to command."

After some discussion the hound archons agree to stick around in hound form to keep an eye on the kids for a number of days, trading off when the last one is done as a favor to the mage.

Verna exhales a sigh as she returns to the others. "I regret that none of our visible surroundings are remarkable enough to deduce our location... save that I am reasonably certain that we still stand on Ea."

"Well, once we find a way to determine where we are, I expect our best chance of getting back where we belong is by turning toward Alexandros and walking," Iolaire says, nodding her thanks to Verna. "Until then... how else might we help the children?"

Erendriel folds her arms. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but now that we know THAT," she says, nodding politely to the hounds. "Thank you by the way," she adds in Celestial to them, before turning back to her companions. "I think walking back to Alexandria is useless. Nothing and nobody Iknow even exists yet. I think the tower is our only way back, unless we know someone with like.. a Wish handy. I'm willing to fireball whatever it takes to make sure these kids are safe. Staying here, for what it's worth."

Verna looks to Iolaire, and is about to suggest elevation for a better view when the Celestials display their knowledge of the timeframe and/or location. "Presuming that it is still available, the Spire is our best, least distant option."

Morgan nods "But the thing is once we are gone little will change, as when he gets older an event will happen and he will become the man we know in the future."

Verna's hood pans to Morgan. "The future, as we are aware of it, may be immutable insofar as our intervention. If it is not, there are numerous options available to ensure that he does not become the same threat in the future. Nurture is only one, and success would not be known for decades, perhaps too late to further intervene."

"Unless you've less cruel options in mind," Iolaire says, looking up from her nearly-empty goblet, "you'll have a hard time convincing me to go along with any of them."

One idea comes to Morgan’s mind, "Bring them with us." said flatly.

Erendriel purses her lips and gestures toward the busy Mikilos. "I think he's right. We sing them a song. Perhaps when they go to sleep tomorrow night. A song specially for them. One that, if all goes well, when we sing it to them back in our time, they'll remember. Most importantly, he'll remember. Of course, if we can't then get back to our time it's moot. But we can try before we start looking for the tower again."

"I note only that many options exist," Verna clarifies. "Which may be most precise and proper remains to be determined. We know not whether any action now shall alter our future in way. We can only make attempts." Her hood dips to Morgan and Erendriel. "That is another option."

"As I said, I'd dearly love to gather them up and take them with us," Iolaire says. "But the reality is that life on the road is perilously hard on an infant. And not knowing what dangers we'll meet..." Shaking her head, the armored bird closes her eyes. "It's the choice I want most badly to make, which means it's probably not an ideal one. As for Lady Erendriel... Can any of you sing better than I? I need a bucket to carry a tune."

Erendriel nods. "Taking them back IS tempting. I'm just afraid if we DO anything, it could end up being the cause. But just... helping, being kind, without taking drastic action, feels safest to me. But maybe I'm missing something. As for singing, I haven't ever had lessons, but I can try to fake it."

Verna volunteers, "I can chant passibly. If the intent is to lull them to calm or slumber, I could read a number of treatises aloud. Their soporific properties are well-documented by dozens of acolytes."

Verna adds, "I agree that an extended journey with children so young is a large hazard, for all involved."

Morgan thinks "With Teleporting after some scrying we can go far."

Erendriel smiles to Verna. "We want something they'll remember, from the nice people who helped them. Something that will take root in their hearts. We may need to plan to be here several weeks. We have time to scry, teleport, find someplace for them to go, AND find out more about who they are, AND try to track down the tower. We may need to find the nearest town and aks where and when the tower tends to appear, even."

Morgan says as she stands up "I will go out side and fly high in the area invisibly to look for town lights or chimney smoke if the clowd cover is not blocking the moon to much." she looks to the others to see if they have something to add.

"That sounds like a very good idea," Iolaire says, setting her goblet down. "Thank you, Lady Morgan, and be safe."

Erendriel will give every indication that she supports the plan, while digging in to more food.

Morgan nods "I will be back as soon as I can, and I wont approach any one." she exits the magical place and takes off.

There's not a lot of light outside, not even from high up. There's clearly civilization not that far away. A collection of houses and other buildings which suggest such at least to your south. North the Shard still stands, its clearing unchanged from when you last left it. From above it is more clearly winter, and there's a suggestion that it will snow quite a lot tonight while you rest in the mansion. At least that's what the clouds and the air says, encouraged by the light falling of snow that ushers Morgan back into the mansion.

Morgan says it all "So who will go to talk to the villagers in the morning?"

"I'd like to," Iolaire says. "Though I'm torn. I'd like to take the boy with me, but I'm not sure how his sister'll fare. Have any of you ever cared for an infant before?"

Morgan raises her hand "I grew up on a farm, but I doubt she can be fed like a cow or a horse."

-TBC