As you ascend the stairs you see a hallway to quite a few rooms. It seems as if there are more rooms than should be there. Each room has all the necessities and are decorated nicely, but not regally.  Some rooms are larger than others but they all have a pair of chairs, a table, a full sized bed and a string tagged 'pull for aide'.

Once Yana gets to her room, she takes a long bath and perhaps a nap. ..................

After, of course, barring and locking the door, propping a chair against it, and booby-trapping the door and window.

she doesn't normally do this when she stays in an inn, but she's feeling a bit......unsure of her safety at the moment.

Aramendel got to his room, threw his armor on to the chair closest to the door  and collapsed on the bed. Almost immediately a squeak rang out from behind him as the Spike baby jumped from his head on to the headboard before he got caught under the elf.    Slick then jumped on to the ranger's face and crawled over on to his chest.

"Too busy for you as well? huh?" he took a deep sigh and looked out the window. "I have to admit, I like it here, though, at least for now." He realized the door was open but didn't care too much. He just reached down and slid his bag, bow and mace under the bed.  Then he pulled his sheathed blade up and placed it under the pillow.

As he began to rest he heard a bunch of noises from across the hall.  Yana was nervous, and by the sound of it just trapped that door and locked it tight. Part of him wanted someone to foolishly open that door by mistake, just like how Edwyn did during a bout with some strong Dwarven Holy Water. Then he realized something.  Hopping to his feet he crossed the hall and knocked on the trapped door.

Finished with her trap, Yana sighed in contentment and stripped off her chain shirt.  She'd barely dropped it to a chair when she heard the knock on the door.
Letting out a breath of frustration, she stared at the room door as if it was making that noise just to annoy her.

Fharlanghn's Foot Fungus!  What now?  I just finished...sigh. 

Moving to her weapons, not sure if the "war ban" applied to the upstairs.  Who the hells could it be?  I might be Aramendel, wanting a private word.  Then again, it might be that scary giant Boone, wanting to show her his magical device.  She wasn't sure how she felt about that.  Maybe it was an inn employee, checking on her or delivering something to the room.  This place seemed fancy enough for it (which was certainly a step above her normal sleeping arrangements).  Though tempted to use her Hat of Disguise (which she wondered would even work in this strange place) she called out to the unknown person.

Hello, anything I can help you with out there?

He knew that he was too late to stop her half way like he hoped. The elf spoke through the door to the young lady, "You may want to take that trap down. It would probably hurt you more than an intruder, and I'm quite sure no one here will steal from you, or wishes you harm."

This was going to piss her off, but its better than her own trap shooting her just for her fear. Until he had a thought.

"So you can either take it down yourself, risk it, or I can take it down for you. I have learned a few new tricks since we parted ways." He always knew that working for those kobolds would pay off somehow.

How did he....sigh. Of course he knew that she'd trap the door.  He'd stayed in the room next door to her in a dozen different inns.

She chuckled at his words.Alright, alright!  You don't have to take THAT tone with me, O Great Lord Ranger.  I'll take it down.  I suppose it's unneeded in a place like this, anyway. 

As she disassembled the trap, she spoke through the door.

Since you're here, would you like to come in?  We can have a chat without people trying to kill each other nearby.

As she finished, she opened the door.

I still smell like road, but I can chat for a few minutes before I'll have to kick you out.

He could only sigh as she first replied. When she finished he calmly answered back. "I wasn't taking a tone with you. I'll make it up to you. While I'm up here I'll keep my door open and keep an eye on your door. No need for a trap then."

He didn't expect an answer to that, she wouldn't say yes nor flat out reject it for fear of seeming eager or impolite so he just listened carefully to the sound of the tumblers and rigging of the trap. Thank goodness she didn't ask him to do it for her. Judging by the sounds, she had gotten better than he remembered and he probably would have found a dart in his hand before he got the rest of the launchers off the surrounding wall.

"It would be a pleasure."

When she opened the door he just chuckled at at her comment. He lived on the roads, slept in stables, fought walking corpses, and stayed in taverns inhabited by sailors. "You know I don't mind," he said with a bow. He then followed her in to the room, waiting for a cue to see if she wanted the door open or closed.

Sighing in amused exasperation, Yana closed the door behind the elf.

No, you don't have to keep your door open and babysit me, though I appreciated the offer.  If you say this place is safe,then I'll trust you.  You're one of the few I do trust in this world.   Although, we're probably on a different world right now aren't we?

she shakes her head, chewing her lower lip, an old nervous habit.  She looks back up at him.

Sorry, I'm still feeling a  bit overwhelmed.  I thought I was doing really well, with fighting goblins, zombies, even that five-headed hydra last year, but this is a whole different level of odd.  Please, Aramen, tell me what you know?

She pours her friend a glass of water from a pitcher on the bureau and sits in one of the chairs (after tossing her armor onto the bed) and gestures for him to take the other.

He sat down in the free chair and tried to piece together words.
"Let's see. What do I know? Well, when I first got here things were pretty calm. You know how I don't trust inns, but this one was different. I found myself at the door and my body just seemed to carry me in. At first I met Vanessa and Mason, the ones that went into the other room before.  If there is anyone here you can trust besides me, its them. Oh and that Quintus fellow."

He wasn't exactly sure what to tell. The fight before might set her on edge and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

"We talked about where each of us came from, and as you can probably guessed, the places and times are as varied as the company. Even the same places seem to have different histories for different people.  Some places have almost no magic, but have devices and tools beyond anything we imagined. The big armored guy, Gallus seems to come from a place where he goes and visits the stars in the sky, and conquers them. . . "

He realized that last comment might be unsettling and gritted his teeth after he said it. Instead of dwelling on it, he put back on a smile and looked up at her.

"One thing I know, I was really happy to see you."

Nodding, Yana tries to absorb as much as she could, but she goggles, as Aramendel expected, at Gallus's particular occupation.

Conquers the stars....?

Suddenly, Yana is overcome with laughter, nearly falling out of her chair.  Her laughter is the mix of girlish and bawdy that the ranger remembered from good times their party shared.  She recovers quickly, wiping tears from her eyes as she shakes her head.

"Goes to the stars and conquers them."  Well, I'll be a goblin's wetnurse!   Now, there's a job I'd love to hear about sometime.  Too bad the "star knight" seems so tightly wrapped.  Then again, I'd imagine that the job is fairly stressful.

Looking at her friend again, she smiles.

It's good to see you as well, Aramen.   It's been a while since I'd seen a friendly face.  Long term friends are rare in our particular occupation.  Well, I suppose that if you're comfortable here, then perhaps I can stay for a while and see what there is to learn here.  I suppose that it's a rare opportunity.  Provided there are things for a girl to do here to earn some coin.

So, Quintus, Vanessa, and....Mason?   Let's see, that was the scruffy warrior with the shield, the underdressed princess, and the brooding man with the smoky glasses, correct?   If you say they're trustworthy, I'll take your word for it, my friend.

Oddly, Aramen's face was more sullen at this time than happy.  He stared up at those stars almost every night just wishing to know more about them. Then he came across not one, but two people that fight wars across them. One, even seeming to be kin. . . in blood at least, probably decended from one of those cocky highs.  What those stars seemed to do to them, how at the mere sight each prepared for battle, regardless of those around them, unnerved him deep.  If that is what the stars do to people, maybe it was better to be at such a distance.

He was glad, though, that Yana found pleasure at the thought.

"I'm sure there are things that can be done for profit, but coin seems not to be a concern here. If your coffer is low I have plenty to give. You know I never have much use for coin, yet always seem to stumble on a cache."

He chuckled at the descriptions but they were good as any. "I wouldn't insult Vanessa, I see quite a bit of you in her.  Granted she doesn't dress too proper, but I have a feeling that is normal in her where and when. And I wonder if Mason has any extras of those smokey glasses. I think I would look quite nice in them, would you agree?"

She cocks an eyebrow, tilting her head in mock dissapproval.

Oh, my friend, I'm not strapped for funds at the moment, just thinking of the future.  And, NO, silly man, I'm not going to let you loan me money again.  I know you don't care about such things, but it always makes me uncomfortable to owe money to a friend.

Her face gets serious for a moment.

Calling Vanessa a princess is an insult?  Well, I suppose being given a title you hadn't earned can seem condescending, like if someone called me a "Master Locksmith" or something similar.  Alright, I'll stop.   It's hard, though to look upon her and not assume she's a noblewoman stepping out to enjoy the seamier side of life.   If you feel that we have things in common, perhaps I will have to get to know her better.  And for Mason, well, I have to say, I don't know if you would look good in those strange spectacles, they are really quite odd, but it they truly block the light that much, he'd make a fortune selling them to the deep races like orcs, drow, and kobolds.

The woman giggles a bit at the thought of that.

You know, the little wizard Parker would actually look quite fetching in a pair of those!

"You know as well as I, I would not ask for a coin back."

When she mentioned the idea of a kobold in those glasses he did have to laugh. It was almost as fun as the Marine'o'pault, and there was something about it that just made the idea of a foe wearing them that just would make them seem much more formidable, except when he imagined an ogre, but that got more laughs at the absurdity.

"So from what you said before, you have been quite busy, even helping to slay a hydra. That is no easy task for any warrior, and I must admit I am jealous. I would love to test myself against such a beast. Its amazing how much you have grown in the last two and a half years. I guess it just took a few months apart for me to see. What else have you encountered in my absence?"

Well, the hydra was the highlight so far.  We also had a run in with a cult of priests for some kind of fire elemental god.   He turned Edwyn into a goat!  Still, I got behind him while he was gloating and jabbed him in the back with my new rapier.  You should have seen the look on his face!  It was CLASSIC cult leader.  Well, you know how they are.  We had to spend most of the gold the guy had to get Edwyn turned back, even though Corric said he liked him better as a goat.

She grinned at her old friend.

A fire cult, it figures.

"Fire and ice, fire and ice," he muttered to himself. Snapping himself out of it he laughed at the fate of his old traveling companion. "I would not doubt that. He probably causes less trouble as livestock, but I don't know how useful in a fight he would be. Then again, did he have horns? That may tip the balance for the goat."

He regretted not being there, it sounded like quite an exciting ordeal. If not a bit dangerous, but that just made it even better.

"Listen, Yana, I'm sorry I left so abruptly. I never had the chance to apologize, but it was something I needed to do."

Yana made a little face, as if she'd been trying to avoid heavy conversation, especially that conversation, but took a deep breath and answered.

It's no problem, Aramen, really.  I mean, I was a bit hurt at first, but I know you well enough that you wouldn't have done it without a good reason.  Our wise little halfling cleric, Anemone, talked to me about it, reassuring me that if you'd been upset or bored with us, you would have discussed it, not just run off.

It's....I mean, you weren't under contract to stay with all of us, and we knew you had other drama in your life when we all got together.  Shades, I was planning to "retire" after getting the money for my clock shop, anyway!  So, relax, ranger-boy!  You're completely forgiven, even if there were something that needed it.

Yana seems a bit uncomfortable with serious emotions, at least with sharing them, but she manages to look Aramendel in the eye and smile warmly at the friend who may be the second oldest friend she had in the world.

The ranger just looked up at her and smiled.
"I thought you would understand. I'm just thankful that it was you that found your way here. If it was Portia I would have probably been thrown through the window for it, peace enchantment or not."
He rubbed his head, practically able to feel the beating he would have gotten.
"Then probably thrown back through the other window, just for leaving her out of the 'fun'"

Yana chuckles a bit at their dwarven friend.   The numbe of times that the stout woman had threatened to do just that to the playful gnome Edwyn were beyond counting, and Yana didn't doubt for a second that the dwarf would have done the same to the larger elf, even if he had the gnome on his back.

That might be true, Aramen.   But that brings up a good point.  If you don't mind, I'd love to hear more about your "fun".

"It wasn't for fun that I went. Far from it." He took a deep breath and leaned back in the chair.
"It was the night before I left I received a message while I was on watch.  I told you of the fight with a necromancer that claimed the life of my Sergeant and my brother.  Even though I finished him, members of his order were able to revive him. When I fought him, he was a human, but he was born a wood elf."
It was a weird thought that always bothered him.
"This magus, Mendeliv, had perfected a spell that allowed him to swap bodies with people. That is how we saw him, he was as a human. When I killed him, he was an elf. He," the ranger paused and looked out the window. Its been 15 years and the words still would choke him. If he ever told it again, the words would surely stifle his breath then as well, "was my brother."

"And though I was able to kill him, they were able to revive him using his original body. Since I had a history with the monster, The Order of Balance called on me to stop him from raising an undead army once again, as well as prove myself to them." He looked over to the young woman once again. "I stayed up that night, debating whether or not to ask for you and the others assistance. Every time I thought about it my mind flashed to that moment where I pushed my dagger into my own brother's chest. Where I could see his eyes looking into mine as the blood drained from him. Then it would flash again, only this time I would see your face, with my dagger in your chest. Then in Anemone's, Corric's, Portia, and Edwyn's.  It was not a risk I could take. So I rode off the next day."

He reached into his boot and pulled the dagger with the Unicorn pommel and guard.  "I was successful, the foul wizard fell once again by my hand.  For my effort I was inducted to the Order officially and tasked with 'The Frozen Dead', Mendeliv's former order."

Though fascinated at the beginning of the story, the dark haired woman's expression grows to horror when told of her friends unwilling fratricide.  Unshed tears of empathy dampen her eyes at the thought, despite her status as only child.
Then she gets angry later in the tale.

"Risk I could not take"!!!!   Why you cowardly.....

The woman looks around, as if for something to throw at the elf, but the sparsely furnished room provided no ammunition except some expensive looking things that she didn't want to get charged for.

Visibly calming herself, she looked back at her friend, still red with anger.

I might have told you about my 'girlish' dreams of being a merchant and smith someday, but that doesn't give you the right to treat me, or any of us, as delicate flowers that you, the mighty ranger, have to protect!
How DARE you?  I know I wasn't the terrifying force in combat that you or some of the others were, but I WAS a professional adventurer and you WERE my friend.   Do the math, elf!   That means that if you need help, whether with goblin bandits or a dragon, YOU CALL US!!!!

Standing abruptly, she goes over to look out the window, probably not trusting herself  to say anything else at that point.

"I know I was foolish! And I know that you are far from a delicate! Its been hells of a long time since you killed your first bandit and I know you can more than handle yourself, nor have any fear of taking the risk!"
He brought himself down calm once again.
 "I was not worried about protecting you. No, I trust your skill. I was protecting myself. If my blade had to turn against someone close once again I did not think I could bring myself to do what needed to be done."

He stood up and waked over to her and placed his dagger in her hand. Grabbing it tight, he forced her hand up to his throat.
"Even if it was not me anymore in this body, can you honestly say that you would have the confidence and strength to pull the blade across? Would you be able to face the others after doing it?"
He just looked straight into her eyes, a cold glaze in his stare.

Pushing Aramendel away, Yana backed off a step and raised her hand to make her another point, then stopped mid-gesture.
Looking at her elven friend with a growing look of fear, she brought her hand to her mouth.
Wait.  Do you mean...he could switch bodies AT WILL!!  Hextor's Leathery Sack!!  That's....horrifying!    I thought you meant that....

Emotions warred across her face, still angry at her friend, but obviously feeling at least a bit of reluctant agreement and sympathy at the difficult decision.
Folding her arms tightly against her chest, she screwed up her face in a grim look, still trying to angry, though not quite able to pull it off.
Finally, she sighed.

Alright, fine.  You win.  I won't be mad at you.  Jerk.

She goes back to her chair and sits down.

If I thought that you were gone forever, I could probably kill whoever was in your body, but I guess there's no way of really knowing what's I'd do.  After all, you and those other lunatics are still the only friends I've got in the world. 

She pours herself some water.

Look, I'm sorry, Aramen.  I shouldn't have second-guessed you.  Shades, I don't envy the choices you had to make. 

As she pushed away, Aramendel took one step back then stood resolute. When she walked away to the other chair he just faced forward and closed his eyes. Seeing nothing, he only heard her footsteps and the clang of the knife as it fell from his hand.

"I couldn't do it," finally crept from his lips. "When I first fought Mendeliv, I was thought a hero. My squad mates gave word of how well I handled giving orders, calling attacks and taking care of the newer men. They immediately promoted me to Sergeant." His hand went reflexively to where the badge normally rests on his cloak but held back when he realized it wasn't there. "My father was the one to present me the badge. As he was telling me how proud he was of me I couldn't look him in the eye. As I glanced up at him all I could think that my blade pierced the flesh of a boy he sired and that he would never have the chance to fight side by side with ever again. I know it was not my fault he fell, but the thought would haunt me."

He opened his eyes again and was greeted by the exquisite eyes of the unicorn carved into his knife staring back at him, judging him.  He couldn't break the gaze with the eyes that would not blink.

"Two years," he started again while still looking at the knife. "Two years before I was able to look my father, my mentor, in the eyes again. It may be I am just weak willed, but I do not wish that feeling of contempt, whether it real or imagined, deserved or ill got, on anyone."

Aramendel heard the sound of sniffling coming from Yana.  Keeping her face away from her friend, he could barely see her bringing a piece of cloth to her face to wipe her eyes (and her nose, probably).
Turning around, Yana stood up, and walked to her old friend.
She looked at him for a full minute, tears silently streaming down her face.
She felt like roadkill and probably smelled worse.  She wanted nothing more that to sit in a bathtub filled with scalding water and scrub herself raw.  But, for the moment, her friend needed a friend.

Yana threw her arms around Aramendel's neck, holding him tight, resting her face against his shoulder.  She almost laughed when she noted that he smelled as bad as she, but just squeezed tighter.  She wasn't sure if it would do any good, but it was the extent of her emotional support (and recently learned, at that) so Aramendel was more than welcome to it.

It wasn't until the young woman was in front of him, blocking his view that he was able to break his focus on the knife. The cold, wooden eyes were replaced by the warm, caring eyes openly weeping before him. Before he could comprehend what he was thinking and raise his hand up to wipe the tears he was being embraced.  As she squeezed he began to pull out of his mental prison. When his mind returned to the the room and surroundings he slowly raised his arms and held her back.

He tried to form words but nothing came out. There seemed to be nothing to express exactly what he felt. As Yana tightened the embrace it seemed to push the complex thought right out of him. The only response he could muster was to match her hold and lean his tired head on hers.

With a deep breath he managed to push two simple words from his emerging smile.
"Thank you"

Giving her friend one final squeeze, Yana held him at arms length.  She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, and made a sound that was half sob, half laugh.

You're welcome. 

She sniffed loudly and cleared her throat.

I want you to know that it's a measure of how much I care about you, you stupid elf, that I'll voluntarily subject myself to this touchy-feely stuff. 

She chuckled a bit, though it sounded a bit forced.

I suppose I owe you , though, after you listened to me tell you the truth about my father's murder.

Aramendel knew Yana well enough to know that her retreat means that her emotional "cup" was full to overflowing, something that always made her uncomfortable.

Are you going to be alright, my friend?

He finally was able to put back on a smile once more. It wasn't the same carefree one that he had on most of the time but it was a smile none the less.
"I'll be fine."
It took some effort but he managed to get his legs to move into a crouch to pick up the fallen blade.  His hand covered the guard to avoid looking upon the countenance of the unicorn.   He looked up at her while still crouching. It never seems to fail that during the most trying times the mind things the weirdest things. What crossed through Aramendel's mind was simply, It would be weird to be a halfling. Shaking the thought from his mind he brought himself back up to Yana's eye level. 
"I guess I've kept you from your bath and rest long enough, I shall let you be."
With that he slowly turned and walked towards the door. As he took the handle into his grasp and released the lock he released a bated breath and opened the door.

It was a clear line to his bed. Ten steps to the bed, three to cross the hall. But to this hunter who crossed forests, deserts and mountains, who tirelessly chased prey for days on end, this small walk was a daunting task.

Yana chewed her lower lip in concern for her distraught friend.  She knew that he'd been through quite a bit, but this?  It went beyond sanity.  As she watched Aramendel walked to the door, her voice caught in her throat.

She could be such a selfish child sometimes!  Aramendel was obviously still hurting, and all she could think about was her bath!  Getting back to her feet was like climbing out of a deep hole, walking to the door was like striding through deep mud.  At her door, she gripped the doorjam for support, and looked at the ranger as he crossed the threshold of his own room.

Ignoring the whiny voice inside her that was nudging her to get some sleep, she called out to her elven friend.
Aramen, if you need to talk again, please don't hesitate.  My door is always open.  Well, not literally, but you know what I mean.

She grinned a bit at him, wanting nothing more that to see him smile for real.

You know, I still don't know what the shades is going on in this place.  When I'm feeling a bit more human (no offence, big guy) and better rested, you can tell me about what else is going on.

He smiled at the offer but what concerned him now wasn't something to talk about, not yet.

"Just get some rest," he called out behind him. He didn't need to turn to see what was behind him. He just faced forward as he shut the door slowly behind him. As it shut he pressed his back against it and slid down the wall.  He suddenly felt a slight sting in his palm as the knife he palmed caused a razor thin cut in his hand. With a flip of his fingers and a twist of his wrist, the knife was launched across the room, lodging deep into the woodwork.

Aramen then climbed to his feet and walked over to the bed. As he sat on the edge of the mattress he reached under and pulled out the bow he made.  The dried cherrywood was smooth on his fingers and the string was still taut. He set it in his hands as if there was an arrow notched and dry fired the bow.  As the cord and wood snapped back to their natural pose the bow seemed to resonate in his hand.  As the vibrating sated the same pull from the woods returned.  He dropped the bow fearing that feeling that locked his senses before would return.

He kicked the bow back under the bed and laid himself down. Slick was fast asleep in a tight ball on the bed already. He petted the little guy lightly and looked straight up at the ceiling.  He always hated ceilings, they were just a veil covering something amazing.

But, for what seemed like the first time in an age, it was a welcome sight.

Yana stared at the closed door to Aramendel's room.  As always with any kind of human (or, whatever) interaction, she was lost in a haze of second-guessing herself.    Had she done enough?   Well, of course not, but could she have done more?  Maybe.  She'd been inside an emotional fortress of her own design for so long that it was against all instincts to leave it, even for one of her dearest friends, even for an instant.
Then she heard the 'thunk' of a knife hitting wood.
She froze, assuming that it was Aramen throwing that fancy dagger into the wall, probably in frustration of his friend's inadequate friendship and emotional support, but it could be trouble from the outside.   The ranger had assured her that they were all unconditionally safe, but even she knew enough about the world not to assume that to be failsafe.  Any security system that could be made, could be bypassed.  Any magic could be dispelled.
It was like her father always said about assuming anything about the world:

"In a world where trees talk, NOTHING can be taken for granted!"

After waiting a moment to make sure that the noises coming from the elf's room were the normal sounds of him gettng ready for bed, she went back into her room, being careful to silently close the door, so as to not embarrass the elf (and herself) by revealing that she was waiting to see if he were alright.

After the best bath she'd had in recent memory, Yana crawled under the covers of one of the most comfortable beds she'd ever been in.  She'd redone all the traps on the window and door, of course.  It wasn't as though she didn't trust Aramendel explicitely, but she know she wouldn't be able to sleep without knowing that they were in place.  Granted, she'd changed them to noise makers, instead of something to disable her intruder, but that was as far as she was prepared to go.

Mmmmm, what a comfy bed, she mused.  Still, she thought, I don't know why I'm even bothering to try to sleep.  Armored knights who fight among the stars, princesses who aren't princesses, weapons with the power of the sun; it was all so strange.  I just know that I'll be tossing and turning all night....just...thinking........about.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

He did not know for how long he stayed in that bed. Minutes, hours? He could not tell.

 The sun did not move in the sky, shadows did not shift.The only clock he had was that of the breathing of the ball of fur next to him and judging from the many breaths it took it was quite some time.

He heard no noise from the downstairs, but he realized that no sound carried through ever since he placed his foot on the top landing, as if he was in a completely different place.   The only sounds were the breaths of Slick and Yana, who, even at such a distance could be heard through the unnerving silence.

If he was tired, the peacefulness would be perfect for going into trance, but he wasn't. Far from it. His thoughts were too scattered, muscles too tense to exorcise his mind in such a way.  He wish he could sleep, for the way other races seem to enjoy it so makes him envious of that state.  Once grown out of at a young age it was a very rare occurrence for them to ever sleep again, even by a force such as magic.

Aremen couldn't stand it anymore. With a rush of energy he began to arm himself once again.  He tossed off his overtunic and replaced it with his leather armor, pulling all the belts tight, ignoring any discomfort from his previous wounds. After replacing the shirt his newly patched sash and shortblade fit his form, along with his belt and pouch. After adorning his cloak and quiver he clipped the bow on to the straps of the quiver. Last but certainly not least, the scimitar from under the pillow found its home on the belt.

With a steady stride he walked over to where the dagger still protruded from the wall.  His right palm wrapped tightly around the hilt of the blade as his left opened the window near him. With a firm pull the knife came free, but he did not return it to the sheath on his ankle. Standing before the open glass pane he launched the dagger into the dirt roughly 17 ft below.

With only a deep breath worth of hesitation he followed the dagger.

Waking feeling more refreshed than she had in, well, years, Yana stretched and looked around her.
Oh, right, the weird inn.

Doing her morning routine and dressing, she put her weapons are armor on, she decided that she would trust the safety of  this place for herself, but not for her things.   She left a few camping supplies, in order to "reserve the room", but took her valuables with her.

Alright, Miss Whitlock, she mused, now what?  Perhaps the first step was breakfast, then to see what else was going on here.  She looked out the window.  It looked to be about the same time as when she went to sleep.  She hadn't slept an entire day, had she?  That would have been embarrassing.  Hopefully, it was just one more enchantment on this place.

Undoing the various traps and locks, she stared at the door.  Going out into this strange place was a lot more intimidating when she thought too much about it.  Shaking her head, she quickly opened the door and stepped out into the hallway before she changed her mind.   She considered knocking on Aramendel's door, but assumed that the light-sleeping elf had risen hours ago.

She turned to head downstairs.

=====> to the Tavern

As he carries the elf into his room, there is no missing the entourage that has followed him.

"Deactivate, login 84721."

The small sentry gun on the table had swiveled towards him, the image recognition would have prevented it from shooting him, but the two behind him were not so safe.  Old habits die hard.  Without another word, he sets the elf onto his bed and pulls out the trauma pack.

"Didn't think I was going to be needing this so much."

It just takes a few seconds to hook the elf up, pretty quickly it is showing a complete scan of the man.  Heartbeat, blood oxidation, brain activity.  The problem is, Aramandel is not a creature that Mason is familiar with.  Elves from his world are different, closer to human.

"The readings look normal, but I am not an expert and I am not exactly sure what the baseline should be for him.  It is stimulating the repair centers in his body.  Whatever damage has been done should start to repair itself."

Yana walks stealthily into the room, not trying so much to sneak past Mason, but trying to not disturb him.  He seemed to be a healer of some kind, though what that meant here was anyone's guess.  Well, alright, it was her guess, as she seemed to be the only one who didn't know what was going on in this bizarre dream-world.   She still couldn't quite wrap her mind around what she'd heard in the main room of the tavern.
A vampire?  Seriously?  It was something that Yana's conscious mind was struggling to think about while still keeping her body from peeing itself.
It meant only two things: either this whole place was some sort of demonic trap set up by vampires or something worse, and they were all planning to feed sometime soon,
Or, this really was the "neutral ground" that everyone kept on about, with princesses, monsters and everything inbetween welcome to stop by for a pint.
Madness.   Fascinating madness, but still....

Yana's eyes were automatically drawn to the object on the table.  She knew a trap when she saw one, certainly.  Mason seemed to deactivate it with the proper magic word, but Yana still moved slowly, ready to dive back into the hallway, should the magic only work for Mason and his patient.  If it didn't kill her, she mused, perhaps Mason would show her how it worked.
She felt like there was so much to learn here.  It was daunting.

Speaking of daunting, she looked at a thing which resembled nothing less than a parasitic golem of some kind, kicking herself for using her last healing potion.  Granted, it was used on a child that was dying after almost being killed by a goblin, but Yana  would be bitter indeed if her choice to help the stranger resulted in Aramen's death.

Standing clear of the imposing man/healer, Yana spoke softly.

Mason, is there anything I can do? 

"I don't know.  I don't know what is wrong with him."

He looks at the readout on the machine and shrugs.

"This works by stimulating the bodies natural healing.  It will speed up the healing process, but it isn't a magical cure."

He seems a bit concerned about the elf, but he isn't sure how to proceed.

Yana was at a loss.  She was a stranger here, so if Mason didn't know how to proceed, then she wasn't sure what she could come up with.

Um....if you'd like, I can go downstairs and ask if there are any healers?
Although the thought of going into the same room as the vampire was chilling.    Granted, knowing her luck, the undead woman was probably a priestess and the only one in residence.
Maybe the bartender had access to emergency healing that we could buy or use?   What exactly happened, Mason?  Did you see anything, or just find him like this?   We just talked last night (at least, I think it was last night) and he seemed fine, if a little depressed.

He flinched when he saw the sentry gun, for a place that allows no harm paranoia ran deep. He walked in behind mason, lifting up the tube he had and turned it on. The tube emitted an odd greenish light and he signed it on the elf.

"This locates venom's, toxins and poisons in... ...the veins closest to the surface.  It finds even... ...trace amounts."

"I have several kits and.. machines for those of my.. ..blood, but I am no longer sure... ...he is... and some might kill him if the DNA does not match.. ..up. I will need to find... out." He reached behind his back and pulled out a green coin device and a cotton swab, he used the swab to collect some blood from his mouth and ran it through the scanner. "I do not understand... ...it is mammalian, not Eldar... at all. Only the smallest similarities."

Seeing them eye the mini sentry gun, Mason has to give a small smile.

"It fires a knock out agent, and it has been deactivated.  As far as what you can do... seeing if anyone down stairs has a magical healing, sounds as good as anything."

"He was fighting some king of invisible enemy.  It looked like a crazed Kata.  I was not able to detect anything, and I did scan for invisible opponents as well.  Several times he seemed to recoil as if struck.  I don't think it was a toxin, maybe a hallucinogenic."

I'll go ask... Vanessa volunteered.  She knew she'd be of no help here.  Stay with him. She added to Yana, placing a gentle hand on the woman's arm.  It was clear the other knew Aramen and maybe the presence of a known person or old friend would help him.

She left quickly, heading down stairs....

[To Tavern]

The ranger awoken with a start. Before he could even make a conscious thought his body recoiled to absorb an expected hit.  He lowered his arm expecting to see his attacker but was greeted by nothing.  Glancing down a bit he noticed that the wound in his wrist was gone, as was his leg, his clothing was not even torn.

He was dressed and armored, so he did not imagine that much.

He reached for both his blades, remembering dropping them before being hit. Nothing, both sheaths were empty.

He wiped his face. Nothing, no blood, his or foreign.

Confused as he could be, Aramendel looked around. He was quite surprised to see Yana, Mason and the space elf looking so worried and watching over him.

"What. . . What happened to me?"

"Mind effecting drugs are picked up as well... ...all bad for the body. However, he needs his brain examined. I can do a small neural scan.... ...it only has five races programmed in and only finds the most severe.... ...misalignments of electrical activity and hormone imbalance. It detects severe mental... ...problems."

He put his other effects up and took out a black gem that fit into his palm. When he placed it on the woodelf's head several lights and characters lit up on the stone.

"This takes many... ...minutes."

Putting a restraining hand on the elf's shoulder, his voice is not loud but it is authoritative.

"Rest... I don't know what happened.  You fought an unseen enemy in the yard.  Don't worry, I grabbed your blades."

Nodding to Vanessa, Yana was tempted to stop her.  She still wasn't sure what the woman's status was around here, but figured the probable noblewomen would know the place better then her.  She'd have to ask about the vampire, later, if she remembered.  Then she was jolted in surprise by the ranger's awakening.  She let out a huge breath that she hadn't known she'd been holding, and looked at  him, sure that whatever happened was probably her fault, somehow.

Yana raised a hand and started to answer Aramendel's question, then realized that she hadn't a clue what was going on.  As usual.

Instead, she waited for  Mason, then added:

  What's the last thing you remember?  And.......
She stops and shakes her head slightly,  decided that more questions would have to wait.

"Unseen? I don't . . . there were so many."
He stopped and thought of his arm.  Maybe he wasn't attacked. But he felt it, every hit, every attack, every drop of blood.

"There was fighting. A lot of fighting. Humans, orcs, drow, ghouls. . . there was just waves. There was an ogre, well I think it was an ogre. It hit me in the chest. I got my arms up to cushion but it sent me back into the tree. I was trying to figure out some way to avoid the next . . . " He paused as he remembered the flash. "Then it wasn't there anymore. None of them were."

He looked over to the others again. "Then I was here."

Yana expected to be able to understand everything better after hearing Aramendel speak.

She really should have known better.

Stifling a sigh of exasperation at even more weirdness, she went to lean back against the wall and wait for him to tell more.

The wood elf got up and removed the probes from Mason's machine.
"I don't know what it was, but I seem to be fine. I could have sworn I was about to die, everything felt so real. If it was a Glammer, it was the best one I've ever been victimized by, it would put Edwyn's Silver Dragon Show to shame."
He sprung to his feet but when he stood fully he began to stagger until catching himself. He found his center and was able to walk normal, but still felt like he drank from a dwarf's flask.   He walked over and picked up his blades from their resting place and with a quick flourish put both away.

He looked over to Yana and with a small smile gave an mildly assuring, "I'm fine, I think."

Yana nodded back to her friend, clearly still concerned.
Perhaps we should search the area, try to find who or whatever did this?

"My readings only show a high... ...amount of stress. We are too far removed for anything else to be learned.. ...of your mental and emotional state."

He watched the exodite stumble, he was unwell, but too proud to admit it. He understood.

"Brother exodite, it does my heart fondly to know you well." He spoke almost using his native tongue and in a shallow whisper.

With that, the Eldar smiled and bowed as he made his way back to the in.

<<Exit to the Inn>>

"If it even was something external. It might have just been in my own mind using me as a play toy. I do not know," he responded with a sigh.  He walked over to the window and looked out. He wasn't sure what he wanted to see but he had to look.  Dissatisfied for no obvious reason he began walking back to the door, stumbling every few steps but overall getting his bearings.

"Plus if there was someone or something there, I am in no condition to stand up to them."
He ended his stride leaning against the wall with the door.

Yana nodded, at a loss for a plan.  She could go herself, but anything that could take out Aramen would mop the forest floor with her.
Still, her friend needed her....

Why don't I go out and look around?  I could take someone else with me, if you can recommend someone.

He smiled, mainly be he was glad she cared enough to feign not being nervous at the thought, but also to hide his other thought.  There was something in those woods, or someone, just not anyone that could do that to him.  He glanced at his bow for a moment. It kept telling him before that there was something unnatural in the woods for him to find.

Nothing that could do that to him, though. He was positive that this was something internal.

"I doubt you would find anything, but if you wish to check I can not stop you. If you do decide to go, I will accompany you. But first, I really would like some bread. "

"I can see more than most, and I wasn't able to detect anything.  Don't take this the wrong way, but I think it was all in your head."

Mason straightens up and looks at all of the people in his room.  He unhooks the trauma kit and checks the fluid levels while he is cleaning it.  Damn...

"Now if you are feeling better, you can rest in your own damn room.  But if she feels up to it, I would recommend Yana here sit a vigil over you.  If you are tired Yana, I can take over in about half an hour."

He puts the trauma pack back in the bag and pulls out another strange device connected by wires to some type of head band.

The figure walked down the hall, with its footsteps being able to be heard two rooms away (forwards and backwards). He seemed to be looking for something.

I'm not tired, Mason.  Shades, I just woke up a few minutes ago!   Still, I can watch over him in his room.   Is there anyway we can get some food sent over there?

She walks over to the bed.
Are you up to moving, Sleepy-head?  I can help you walk, if you'd like?

"If not, I will bring some up myself."

As everyone exits the room, he picks up the box and as he gets ready to close the door:

"Activate, code in 89533"

With a small smile to the others, he starts back down the stairs.

<<<to the bar>>>

The figure easily dodges Mason. The footsteps continue for a little bit, then stop.

If Yana catches the eyes of the mysterious figure in the hallway, she'll nod a "hello".  If not, she'll concentrate on helping Aramendel get to his room, across from hers (unless he wants to go elsewhere, like downstairs).

Aramendel maintains most of himself as he walks down the hall. When he gets to his room he realizes that its locked. He did leave it through the window after all. Judging by the snores, Slick was oblivious and still sleeping.

"You wouldn't happen to have your tool kit, would you? Mine is in there," he asked as he tapped on the door.

smiling, Yana reaches into her satchel, pulling out a set of picks, pliers, and tongs.
Give me a second, Aramen.
Taking her time, to allow her to be ready to steady her friend, if need be, Yana easily bypasses the lock (obviously the elf didn't bother to go "all out").

She led Aramendel to his bed, helping him off with his boots.

"I could have unlocked it, I just didn't have my kit," he remarked, disappointed he couldn't show the pathetic, but substantial amount of trap breaking and lock picking he learned. As he stepped over to the bed he called Slick a "lazy ball of fur." He sat on the edge of the bed and undid his cloak once again.
While folding it he turned to Yana.
"You can go enjoy yourself downstairs, if you want, its fine."

Yana was glad that Aramendel had forgotten his lockpicks.  It was the first time since arriving here that she'd felt useful.  She sighed inwardly.  The damned elf probably did it on purpose just to make her feel better.  Jerk.
As Aramendel settled into bed, Yana pulled up a chair.
I don't mind, Aramen.  Mason said that food was on the way.  If you really and truly don't want company, then I can certainly go, but if you don't mind, I'd like to stay around and have breakfast with you.  It will give me time to wake up more before dealing with the menagerie down there. 
She gave her friend a "I kid you not" look.
Apparently, there's a vampire down there now.

"A vampire?"
Something didn't seem right. His knife was still on his leg so he took off the sheath and drew the blade. The hunter extended his finger and tried to balance the knife at the cross of the guard and blade. His hand was still not recovered fully though, and as he set the blade it fell from his shaking hand.  He tried twice more and still couldn't hold it right.  Defeated by his own body he turned looked up.

"Can I have your hand?"

Yana's friend has a knife, his hand is shaking, and now he wants to see Yana's hand.  She almost started giggling at the absurdity of it.
Rolling her eyes, she extended her hand to Aremendel.If this is about testing the knife, I can see from here that is really, really sharp.
She cocks one eyebrow, expecting the worst.

It is not long before there is a knock at the door a second before it is opened.  One of the buxom tavern wenches is in the door, she has brought up not one but two plates of food.  Bread, cheese and a dry sausage.  A bottle of wine and a pitcher of water is on the tray as well as two glasses.

"We heard that you were staying up here with Master Aramandel, Mistress Yana so I brought up some food for both of you."

Setting the tray down on the table.

"If you don't need anything else, I will be excusing myself."

Aramen's face drooped a bit at that remark. "Do you honestly think I would intentionally hurt you?" He took her hand and gently placed the knife to balance on her finger tip. He released her hand so she could keep it steady herself. He leaned a little closer to it and blew on the knife a bit to make it move.
It began to slowly turn until stopping with its point facing the window, more specifically the woods.

"I think you are mistaken. There are no blighters near here," he said in a sigh and smile of relief. "If there were, they are gone now."

Yana smirked at Aramendel.
Don't be so dramatic, elf.  The way you're hands were shaking, "intentionally" wasn't the issue.  Alright, go ahead.

She stared at the ranger for a second, and then sighed.
Alright, I'll play along.  What's a "blighter"?  Wait,.....are you talking to the knife?

Aremen shook his head, "No I was talking to you. A blighter is anyone that defiles the dead or rots the land with dark magic." He leaned over to blow on the knife once again. It spun around 2 full turns until stopping at the window once again.
"This blade was given to me by the Order of Balance. if you focus right, and hold it properly, it can be a compass to those animated by necromancy.  It actually hungers for it, in a sense. I could not balance it in my present state, but you have the grace of an elf, especially with your hands, so I did not doubt you could."

A "blighter", eh?  So...wait, is there some necromancer nearby?
She sneered in disgust.  Then, taking a deep breath, she started rubbing her hands together, leaning closer to her friend.
Well, Aramendel, let me know when you're ready, and we'll go hunting.
She grinned, eagerly.
Is there anyone else here you'd recommend to join the posse, or do you want me to start recruiting?

"I haven't seen you so eager for a fight in a long time," he chuckled. "I don't know what is out there, there are ghosts, that is for sure. There is something else too, but I do not know what yet. Could be anything. A vampire, pack of ghouls, a necromancer, who knows? As soon as I can shoot my bow straight we will go out hunting."
He took his knife and put it back in the sheath and handed it to Yana. "I want you to hold on to this, okay?"

Yana scowls good-naturedly at her friend's ribbing.  Rolling her eyes, she takes the dagger, then takes a good look at it.
Are you sure you want me to hold this, Aramen? I have not idea how this trinket works, except for your little demonstration.  Still, are the two of us up to this, or will we need help?

Aramen nods at her. Finding a little bit of irony in the statement.
"I want you to hold it because its a holy blade. It might come in handy if we go hunting, or if that vampire comes back. I know for a fact you know how to use a knife."
He took a bite of bread to help steady his hands and head.
"As for company, I'm sure we will find people willing to venture, although I don't know who we should recruit specifically."

Between bites, Yana shruggs.
There's the standard: "Who wants a chance at "ADVENTURE!!!!".   Or we can ask around.  I didn't notice any priests around, though that kobold looks like he might be up for some excitement.

She stops chewing for a second, realizing something.   Then, quickly finishes her mouthful and looks at Aramendel.

You know, that vampire in the taproom arrived about the time this happened.  She looked like a halfling or a human child, or something, but with vampires it probably doesn't matter.  Maybe she'd involved?  It would be pretty gutsy to attack you out there and then wander in here for a pint and some conversation, but I wouldn't put it past one of them.   
She rolls her eyes  and smiles self-deprecatingly.
Not that I'd ever met "one of them" before, of course.    I'm starting to think that all the lessons I'd learned over the years mean as much here as a Dwarven King's Writ of Safe Passage when presented to a hungry owlbear.  Shades, the vampire, the kobold.....even that other elf or even the princess could be involved here.   There's just no way to know.

"Something about them makes me feel they wouldn't be involved in something like that.  The Space High is suspicious, but he seems more of a straight out try and kill you more then toy with you first, and the kobold."
He took a drink, "Well, unless he is a deep one, he doesn't seem one to do it. They are just misunderstood and careful. Respect a kobolds and they won't bother you.  Remember Meepo and Yusdrayl in the Citadel? They just wanted to live peacefully. Most of their kind are that way, except they are too proud for their own good."
The ranger reached behind him and shook the ferret.
"The vampire isn't here anymore, as well. If she was behind this I would doubt that she wouldn't stay to make sure she finished the job. OW."
He recoiled as the spike baby bit his hand.

Yana nods, remembering.
Alright then.  I'll let you rest for a bit.  I'm going to go back to my room and go over my gear.  Come get me when  you're ready to gather some help and we'll talk to the tavern folk.
The woman gets up to head to the door, slipping the knife into an empty sheath.

Suddenly, a knock is heard on the other side of the door before Yana can reach it.

Mason has come back up stairs, again to get something from his room.  He stops at his door and slowly turns his head to stare at the young man knocking on the door of Aramendel's room.  He stands there motionless.

While wanting to trust the benevolent safety of the Inn, and assuming that the knocker is Mason or someone else friendly, Yana drew the dagger and asked the door, in a high falsetto voice:
Hello, Who is it? 

"Uh, never mind..." A young man's voice spoke through the door. Then footsteps immediately followed, stopping not to long after.

Yana pulls open the door, dagger hidden in her other hand and pokes her head out to catch  the person in the act.  It was probably just someone looking for a room, or something similar, but she wasn't taking chances with her friend out of action.

Leaning only partway out of the doorway, she looked the new person up and down, feeling somewhat comforted that he looked like a "local" adventurer like her, but wasn't sure if she should trust the feeling.

Smiling innocently, and hiding the dagger back behind her, she said, in her "polite" voice.
Hello, sir?  Everything alright?

The figure turns around to look at Yana. "Yeah, just having trouble looking for an open room. You know where one is?" The figure obviously hasn't noticed Yana's dagger.

Aramendel let his hand slide off the hilt of his blade. Just another patron looking for a room, and from the voice it was someone new. With a laugh he mused to himself how popular the tavern has gotten lately.
"Hey little guy, here," he said to the spiny ferret while giving some bread. "You can't sleep all day."
Slick just looked up at the ranger and chattered a bit.
"Oh, hold on." Once again, Aramen closed his eyes, recited a verse in elven and looked back at Slick.  The rodent chattered again at the sight.
"You can have an ale later, have actual food first"

Making sure the dagger stays hidden behind her, Yana smiles again at the man.   Maybe someone normal? Finally? Well, she wasn't getting her hopes up.   Waiting for the other proverbial shoe to drop, she says:

I'm afraid that room in front of you is taken as well.
She pointed to her room, where the young man seemed to be about to knock again.
But the one next door to it was free, the last I knew.

She wasn't sure about directing him to the room next to hers, but figured that 'the devil you knew" or had at least seen, was better than the one "you didn't know".

Sheathing the dagger out of the man's sight, she stepped more fully into the hall, holding out a hand (and noting Mason nearby).

My name is Yana Whitlock.  Pleased to meet you.

The figure shook her hand. "Thank you, Yana. My name is Vrith." Then he went to the next door and knocked, just in case it wasn't open.

As she watched the young man go into the room, Yana looked back.

I may have found our first recruit, but come knock on my door when you're feeling better.

She bows in farewell and heads to her room, nodding at Mason, if he's still in attendance.

The ranger made his way up the stairs and begin his trek down the hall and around a bend to get to his newly free room.

As he passed where his brethren was he stopped for a second. "Good health, wealth, stealth and security my brother. We fine ears have it rough in such climates, may all be yours brother Exodite for I shall rest an hour and slip away."

He paused a moment for any reply by the elf, and moved towards his room.

Once arrived he closed and locked the door. He went to the window and made sure it would keep anything out. He was sadly let down, but found himself becoming dreadfully tired. He then began undressing to his most natural form. He stashed all his armor and equipment under his bed and laid upon it before hitting his trance like sleep.

He had slept in his armor for so long that it was being strange outside of it, none the less he found the event rather comfortable.

Boone, having found out about the room policy, comes up the stairs. If anyone is looking, they can see him sniffing the air next to each door. He pauses by Yana's room, sniffs the air, and gets a big smile on his face. He moves to the next room, cautiously knocks, and finding the door open to him, steps inside.

Aramen just gave a nod to the high.  "May the wood's maiden watch you in your time of peace and war." He gave a weird look to Boone after he passed Yana's door. He had seen many a weird thing in his century, but that was just creepy.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:41, Wed 18 Mar 2009.

Vrith opened the door in front of him, since it was empty. When he entered, he immediately closed the door, put down his things, and sat on his bed.

Mason is finished in a matter of moments before coming back out and heading down stairs.

<<<to downstairs>>>

Yana emptied out her magical satchel of holding, inventorying her possessions.  She organized her various potions and magical gee-gaws.  It seemed pretty meager now that she considered going up against vampires and/or necromancers.  She spent some time sharpening, polishing, and organizing.
She'd go knock on the warrior's door when she was done.

After depositing his backpack and cloak in his room, Boone comes back out into the hallway. He stops at Yana's door and softly knocks. Miss Yana? May I speak to you for a moment?

Startled from her work, Yana looks at the door, perplexed.  Who was that?  She racked her memory of the various people she'd met in the last day.  It wasn't Mason.  Maybe the guy with the magic sun weapon, or the space knight.  It was certainly a voice that she knew.
Um...ok, just a minute!
She called out to the door.   She didn't have time to put her chain shirt back on, but she made sure the dagger that Aramen loaned her was handy by her side, and the loaded crossbow was nearby on the table.

She opened the door, thinking that some kind of "peephole" system would be good idea.

Hello?  Oh. Hello there.  Uh....Boone, wasn't it?  What can I do for you?

Finishing his bread and drink Aramen stood up. His balance returned so he decided to test himself. He drew both blades and started with a basic weapon drill, a presentation of arms.
Normally it was a extremely basic routine, but when a second sword is mixed it it becomes a tricky blend of grace and speed. With little difficulty he completed the first routine. He hesitated though, starting another noticing Boone at the door across the hall. That image from moments prior changed some of his impressions of the man, and now he wondered if he should just watch the man, or prepare some silversheen.

Miss Yana, I don't know if it is possible, but would you like to return with me when I leave this place? From what you said downstairs, your business was destroyed in your last town. My world could always use a craftswoman who builds by hand, rather than by machine - handcrafted work always brings high prices on my world. Boone looks a bit abashed as he stumbles through the next part. Plus, I find you to be an exceptionally beautiful woman. I'd .... like to court you, if the idea doesn't offend you.

His face of careful observation turned into a sour glare. Not wanting Yana to notice he turned his back on them and raised the hood of his cloak, losing his face in the shadow of the cowl. He started another kata, as Mason would call it, this time a ten point reverse with a double thrust low ending, his preferred routine for facing a greatsword.  He slowed it though, just to pay attention to how the conversation behind progressed.

Yana stared at the man for a few seconds, blinking in confusion.  This was just about the last thing she had expected when she opened the door.
Um...Mr. Boone.  I'm flattered by your offer.  Please, won't you come in?  I'd love to get the chance to talk to you about your...um..."world".
She grinned as she said the word, still not used to the concept.
She directed the tall man to one of the chairs by the room's table.  She had loaded up most of her gear into her satchel, but had left it on the table.
Let me pour you a glass of water.  Unless you'd like something stronger?
She quickly cleared her haversack off the table and carried it and her other gear to the bed, leaving it there in a pile but easily accessible.

No, water's fine. May I call you by your first name? Boone goes to sit in the indicated chair. I do apologize for coming right out like that - I can see that I've startled you. I have a habit of being forthright, and I saw no point in easing up to it. The fact is, I'm attracted to you, and the fact that you are an adventurer like myself makes it easier for me to speak to you about my life.

"Slick," he called over to the ferret. When the little spike baby came over he whispered to it in its own tongue. When Aramen was finished, Slick started running around in a circle excited.
"Okay, stay still for a grain." He put his hands on the creature's back and focused. With a word Slick began to float off the bed a bit. "Normally I use this on a mount but it will do for now. Go."
With that, Slick floated over and camped over by Yana's door. Aramen resumed his practice, this time a full speed 12 point arc step, the most effective way to close distance against a crossbow.

Yana poured the water.   Yes, please call me Yana.   I've been calling you Boone since I met you, after all, so it's.....wait, "attracted to me"?

She stops, then looks at Boone for a second, her brows crinkled in confusion.
Um, exactly what are we talking about here, Boone?  Did....you call me beautiful?
The dark-haired woman sits down in the other chair, eyeing Boone as if they'd just met.
I was assuming that you were talking about a chance to travel to your world to do craftwork.  I thought "courting" meant some sort of legal ceremony for apprenticeship, or something.  Are you asking me to "Step Out"?

I do not know what you mean by 'step out', but let me explain what I meant. In my world, courting is a term for the rituals involved in building a deep, interpersonal relationship. It ofttimes leads to marriage, or life-bonding, if you prefer. And upon reflection, it is unnecessary for you to accompany me back to my world. I simply want to join you wherever you roam. As I said, I am attracted to you, and would like the opportunity to get to know you better.
He stands up and paces a bit.
I.... he sniffs the air for a second. Please wait a moment. Boone sneaks to the door and opens it a crack, telling Slick You might as well come in. Assuming the spike baby enters, Boone resumes A few things you should know about me. Although I am human, I am 83 years old, with a lifespan of at least 900 years. I was married once, about 35 years ago, but she died 20 years ago. I have 1 son, but his life is his own - I have nothing to truly bind me to my world. This frees me to seek a companion. I hope you will allow me the opportunity to forge that companionship with you.

Yana stared at the man in her room for several seconds.    She attempts to speak several times, but seems to fail.
Finally, she says:
Wow.  You really do get to the point, don't you?    She smiles at Boone, then seems to seize on the change of subject:
You can smell that little guy from over here?  That's really impressive, actually?   900 years? 
Abruptly, Yana stands up and walks to the window, turning around an looking at Boone.  She laughs for a second, then quickly holds up her hands to show  Boone that she's not laughing at him.
I'm...I'm sorry, Boone, I'm not normally.....You can ask Aramendel.  I'm not usually at a loss for words.  You know, the really funny thing is that meeting a man like you wouldn't normally be so overwhelming, but it's been a really, really strange day.  My tolerance for new experiences is kind of at a low right now.  Believe me, it has nothing to do with you.  Although the "900 years old" thing is a bit off-putting, I have to admit.
She walks back to the chair and sits down again.  She raises her hand and begins to speak, then seems to change her mind.  Then changes it again.  She sighed and smiled at Boone, clasping her hands on the table.
Listen, Boone, I think I might actually be interested in being "courted", if I'm saying that right, but I guess I was expecting something else.  I don't know why, exactly.  I've never actually been "courted" before.  I guess I just expected, you know, poetry and flowers, like in the old ballads and songs I hear the bards sing.
She leans back, folding her arms, smiling and blushing a little.

I suppose I'm being silly.  In the real world, I guess people just ask each other.
She smiles warmly at Boone, then, impulsively, puts her hand over his.
Alright, Boone, I guess I'm game.  I've never been "courted",but we could try it.  What do we do first?  Perhaps you could explain how you can longer than an elf?   I'm kinda curious about that.
Yana takes a deep breath.
Just....promise me you'll take this slow, ok?  I've never been in a relationship before, at least not a romantic one, so I'm kind of a loss about how to proceed.  Let's get to know each other much better before we do anything official.  I don't know how long you've been here, but the strangest thing I'd ever seen before today was a guy who could make zombies and had a hydra for a pet....and also a city of kobolds that actually worked.  That was really weird.

Anyway, this whole "other worldly tavern at the crossroads to everywhere containing space knights, princesses, vampires and who knows what else", it's going to take a bit for that to sink in enough for me to make major decisions about anything, quite frankly.  In fact, me and Aramendel are planning a little jaunt into the woods to find a possible necromancer.  Um, would you like to help?

Yana seems to realize how that sounds, and starts giggling.
Sorry about that!  It sounds like I'm asking you to help me beat someone up as a "date", or something.  That's certainly not what I had in mind.  I was just.....Well, we could use some help, so you're certainly invited, provided Aramendel agrees.
Yana pulls back, taking another breath.  Alright, I'm babbling again.  Sorry.  Um...I guess my short answer is yes.  I'd like to try this "courting" thing, see if it works. 
This message was last edited by the player at 09:25, Thu 19 Mar 2009.

Boone covers her hand with his own. Well, part of it involves spending a lot of time together, and getting to know one another. And yes, flowers, poetry, and candy are traditional elements in a courtship, but I needed to know if you were open to the idea first. He smiles warmly as to my lifespan, it's due to an elixir called the Elixir Vitae. I synthesized it from some notes from an arch enemy over 50 years ago. The 900 years is a guess, mind you. I can make you a batch as well; I'd just need a chemical laboratory first.
The reason I could scent the little guy is because my senses : sight, hearing, and scent are all in the superhuman range.
He chuckles a little to himself. As for strange, I won't even get into my own experiences just yet, but this is the third cross-dimensional cross-time place I've ever been in. Yeah, sure I'll join you and Aramen. Necromancer, huh? Fortunately, I've got a few ammo loads with me for undead opponents.
He draws her hand up to his lips, kisses her hand briefly, and says You honor me.

The young woman almost pulls her hand away, but then realizes that Boone was only going to kiss it.   Embarrassed, she snickers a bit at her own skittishness.
This place is.... just so much to take in all at once, you know?  And now you're saying that you could give a magic potion so that I could live for 900 years too?  On the one hand, the strangeness of this makes part of me want to "shoo" you from my room and go back to doing the ordinary things to which I'd become accustomed.  On the other hand (giggle) what girl woudn't be swayed by being able to live almost a thousand years?  That's certainly more impressive than gems and jewels.  Well, MOST gems and jewels, anyway. 
She sighs.

Just be patient with me, Boone, that's all I really ask.  I kind of feel like an ignorant child here, for the first time in years, and I REALLY don't like the feeling.  It's making me a bit out of sorts and not at all myself.  In fact, agreeing to this is probably a bit too impulsive for my own good.
She gives the man an impish smile.

Um... How about if we meet down in the tap room, say in half an hour, for.... well, it may be too early for drinks, at least for me, but maybe a fancy place like this has fruit juices or something.  We can talk some more, get to know one another.   How does that sound?

Whatever makes you comfortable. I'll meet you down there. And if you and Aramen are serious about this necromancer thing, count me in too.

With that, Boone excuses himself and makes his way down to the main room.


--------------------> To the tavern.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:45, Thu 19 Mar 2009.

Yana watched Boone leave.  As he closed the door, the smile fell from her face.   Gods, what was she thinking?  She had just arrived in this mind-bending tavern of gods and demons, not a few hours ago, and she was already Stepping Out with a man?  Things were going too fast.  Shades!   She hadn't even gotten the chance to officially ask Aramendel if she were trapped here or not.  She assumed not, as he seemed pretty relaxed here, but she hated not knowing what was going on!
The problem was, Boone was..... well, sweet.  He was handsome.  Very handsome.  A little scary, certainly, but that's not a bad thing, as long as he scared other people and not her, the thought, chuckling to herself.  She just wished she knew what she was doing.

She put her things away in her satchel and lay down on her bed to think.  Maybe this was a horrible idea.  Maybe she should get more comfortable here.  Granted, she had no specific plans for the long term, but this whole world, well worlds, opening up to her was making it hard to think.  It was just so MUCH.

She closed her eyes for a second, to try to sort through her thoughts.

Hearing Boone leave, Aramendel whistled calling slick over to his side. When the guy floated into his room he immediately canceled the zephyr spell and had him crawl up his shoulder.  The ranger paced the room a bit and then grabbed his pouch and bow, slipped on his boots and headed down the stairs.

A small *bang* occurred and could be felt in Aramendel's room. It sounded louder to Yana.

Dozing a little, coming down from her emotional buzz after her intense but exhilarating conversation with Boone, Yana bolted upright in bed.
What now?  she thought.
She listened for a second, then poked her head out her room to see if she could detect the source of the sound.

It sounded like it was at least two rooms away.

Between Aramendel's "ghost party", Boone's romantic interest, and just being in this circus of an Inn, Yana felt like she'd had just about enough drama for one day.  She'd never been very skilled with people, prefering locks and clockwork to conversation.  No, she wasn't going to think about that now.
Right now, she'd do something that was real and solid.  She'd investigate.

Leaving her room, she considered putting on her armor, but decided against it, in case someone needed help immediately.  She grabbed her satchel and slung her rapier around her waist, just in case, and went outside into the hall to check around the nearby rooms.
She knock on Aramendel's door first, since he probably still wasn't feeling up to snuff.  She got no answer (he was probably fast asleep), but didn't think the noise came from there. She kept going.

Yana knocked on several doors, looking for the source of the disturbance.  She kicked herself for meddling with things that were probably not any of her business.

When Yana knocked on his door, Vrith found himself on the floor! But he still called to it. "Hello?"

Hello? I'm sorry to disturb you,but I heard a loud noise!  Are you ok in there?

"Yeah! Just fell off my bed. I didn't feel the impact." Vrith was serious.

Yana blinked in surprise.  This guy made that much noise?  She shook her head.
I know it may be force of habit, but you'll probably sleep better if you take off your armor first.   Trust me.
Alright.  If you're okay, I'll leave you be.  Good night.


Yana turns to go back down the hall.

"Night." Vrith then went back to bed. [Zzz...]

The Spiked rodent was just in time to cut off Yana as she headed for her room. He bumped into her foot and dropped the scroll with the words "Read Out Loud" face up on the ground before her. He then stared straight up at her waiting for her to look down.

Perplexed, Yana looked at the little guy in confusion before recognizing him as "Slick" the animal companion of....well, she assumed Aramendel, but the tiny critter seemed to wander around between different people.
I'm actually kind of nervous about what this note says.
She tells the ferret, grinning slightly.

If you're trying to join you for drinks, I'm afraid you'll have to stand in line.
She chuckles at the bad joke.
Picking up the scroll, she reads it.  Silently first, then out loud.   A spell to speak with animals?  Wait, WAS the little varmint asking her out for drinks?   No, that was crazy.   Well, not crazy for this place, but still.
She shrugged.  Only one way to find out.
Using her skills deciphering magic and ancient languages, Yana recited the spell.


The spark of life makes all creatures one.
Let my spark reach out of my form,
to other forms around me, to their soul.
May my tongue speak to the spirit.

Once she finished reading Slick hopped up on to her leg and ran up to her shoulder.

"The ranger wanted me to tell you "now you have a clever ferret to play tiles with" what ever that means.

Yana looks blankly at the ferret, then bursts out laughing so suddenly that the little animal almost falls.

After getting control of herself quickly (the spell had a short duration, after all),  she turned to look at him, trying to not be creeped out by an animal on her shoulder, since it wasn't exactly wild, after all.

As much as I enjoyed our little private joke, I hope that there's more for you to say than just that.  It certainly made my day, but seems a waste of a good scroll.  Not that it isn't lovely to talk to you, slick.
The last was added quickly, so as not to offend the ferret that was within biting distance of one of her ears.

She walked to Aramendel's door.

I guess he heard me after all.  Let's go in and say hi to our goofy friend, shall we?

"He's not in there anymore, he's outside if you want to find him. And calm down, he said that if I hurt you he would make sure I get locked in Mason's dirty satchel for a week."

Not in there?!?   He was supposed to.....  oh, never mind.  I should have known, that damned flighty elf!

She headed downstairs.

Sorry if I'm a little jumpy.  I'm strictly a city girl.  I've never gotten along with animals too well.

"Neither do I.  All they want to do is eat and poop and occasionally mate. That part doesn't bother me be the others do. I like to play!"

Vrith's door opens. "What the heck? Who's speaking?" He walks into the hall. He seems wide awake. "And Yana, who ya talkin' to?"

I'm talking to my good friend, Spike, here.  You want to say hello?

I'm not Spike, I'm Slick!

Yana almost apologized to Slick, but realized that it would look even crazier since  the warrior probably  (she probably couldn't assume even something like that anymore)  speak to animals.
Instead:
Sorry, I mean Slick.  His name is Slick.  Sorry, I'm bad with names.
She was looking at Vrith, but was sort of talking to Slick.

"A ferret? You can understnad animals!?" Vrith seemed bewildered... and curious. "Man, I wish I could do that." Then he eyed the ferret closely, but not approaching. Then he stopped. "Well, I'm going back to sleep, if I can. And Slick, I'm Vrith. I know you won't be able to respond to me since I can't understand what you say, but still, later guys." Then Vrith entered his room, closed the door, and went to sleep, which was accompanied by another bang ten seconds later. "I'm OK!" It was slightly muffled due to his door being closed.

"He's weird. . .  Ooo whats in here?" With that he skitters down her back and into her satchel. Sounds of rummaging can be heard along with random squeaks.

There was one more bang. But more of a clang than a bang. Vrith didn't wake up, but it sounded like he accidentally pushed one of his weapons.

Yana ignored the clanging in Vrith's room.  She rolled her eyes.  Fighters!  This guy might be different, but she couldn't look at most armored warriors without being reminded of the strutting peacocks she'd seen in her youth.

Hey!!!  Get out of there before you break something!  She pulled the ferret out of the extradimensional space of her satchel, then plunked him back on her shoulder.

Now, let's go downstairs.  I have some gentlemen to talk to.

Vrith's door opened a while after Yana went downstairs. He stepped out with a small dagger. Closing the door behind him, he also went downstairs, his dagger completely out of sight.

Moving with a deliberate slowness, Mason passes the young man on the stairs, ignoring him altogether and going to his room.  Going in, he easily picks up the table and blocks the door.  Not enough to stop anyone form getting in, but enough to slow them down 2 seconds... all of the time in the world.  The armored jacket is light and doesn't wrinkle but it is hung up carefully next to the great coat.  He was traveling light while here but still, he takes off the shoulder rig and the Thunderbolt, placing the gun on the night stand next to him.  The Torno Airpistol and it's holster are set on the night stand as well.  A small airgun, very similar to the one he had originally given Vanessa, is kept close at hand as well.

He pulls out the Simsense player, disconnecting the regular head ware and instead connecting it first to the sentry gun then to the data jack into his wrist.  The delta sleep disk is an old favorite of his.  It is the reason he is not addicted to sleeping pills, the only way he can sleep anymore.  From when he closes his eyes and starts the player, it only takes a minute for him to skip over the first 3 stages and go directly to delta wave sleep mode.  Cycling from delta to REM on a regular interval.

Vanessa climbed the stairs, noting the empty rooms by their open doors.  She headed toward one pausing in front of a closed door.  It had to be Mason...it was an odd kind of quiet.

She was still feeling guilty about snapping at him. She had not reasont to feel guilty, she told her self defensively and it wasn't like she'd been that nasty.  She took a step away, then a step back.

She raised her hand to knock.  He was probably asleep.  He had to be as exausted as she was...more so even.  She shouldn't bother him.  She lowered her hand.  But would she get another chance...

She sighed and rolled her eyes.  Really, there were times she drover herself crazy.  She decided on a crompromise.

She tapped ever so lightly on the door.  If he was asleep, he'd probably not even hear it, but she would have soothed her own mind by at least making a lame attempt.

The mini sentry gun is sensitive enough to track the movement of people in the hallway. It is not enough to trigger the alert to wake Mason up, but even the slight knock on the door is enough to trigger the electrical charge that instantly wakes him up.  His movements are silent as he rolls out of bed, snatching up the small dart gun, in many ways the nastiest weapon he carries.

It takes a couple of seconds for the information to process of what it was the woke him.  It is a good thing that nothing is in the room for those 2 seconds.  His voice is clear as he responds.  With the gun that almost looks like a child's toy in his large hand still leveled at the door.

"Yes."

At the sound of the muffled voice, Vanessa jumped in the hallway, prompting another roll of her eyes and annoyed shake of her head.  Well, now that he was awake, what was she going to say.  She definately needed to sleep, but in the meanwhile.

She'd rapped on the door, she couldn't bail now.

It's me, um, Vanessa.... She spoke softly, Got a sec? Her arms folded across her chest again, in her closed stance, and she gazed at the floor.  She wasn't in the habit of appologizing, especially for minor infractions.  But she did feel she owed it to this particular man.

"Yeah... hold on for a second."

It takes just a moment to slide the gun into his pocket and unplug the link.  It takes just a few seconds to pick up the table and move it.

"Deactivate, login 84943."

The words are soft but evident.  Wearing the same casual pants and a T-shirt, Mason answers the door.  The suit that he was wearing was obviously tailored to down play his bulk.  He is much larger than how he initially appears.  His voice sounds much more normal, almost casual.

"What is bothering you Nessa"

Nessa glanced around when the door opened, no one was in sight.  Though with creature's hearing around here... she dismissed the thought.  Thinking it was foolish to start wondering about everything.

I just wanted to say I was sorry for snapping at you... Outside. I'm just ... Well, it doesn't matter. She shrugged dismissively. I know you can handle it. She glanced up at him with a quick grin. But you didn't deserve it. She shrugged again her shoulders hunched a little more.

The smile he gives is genuinely warm.

"That looked like it was hard for you to say."

With a little bit of a chuckle he continues.

"Nessa, I don't take it personally when people are trying to kill me.  It's all part of the job that I chose to do.  I am certainly not upset at you for venting some frustration."

As Vanessa looks around the room, she sees a few things that she hasn't seen before, most noticeably a large rifle case that must have been in the duffel bag.

She couldn't help but smile a bit. Appologies are not my most practised skills. She shurgged again, still examining the floor, the door jam, the room around him.

I know... She said, her eyes coming to land on the rifle case. What could she say? But you seem like a very nice, dangerous man...In fact, if I could request my hitman, it would most certainly be you... She sighed before speaking. I know. She repeated.  But still. She shook her head.

Well.. I didn't mean to distrub you. I just thought I should. She finally glanced up him as her words registered.  Yes, she was tired. Well, not should disturb you, I mean, I thought I should... She sighed with exasperation again and shook her head, returning her gaze to the door jam.

For the first time evident since he showed up, it can be seen that his smile touches his eyes.  This made her uncomfortable, it wasn't fair to draw this out.

"Really, don't worry about it.  This place is very refreshing to me, a few ghosts not withstanding, it is an escape from all of the stresses of my world.  I've talked more about my past to you than I have since I left New York.  I am not going to begrudge you some venting.  Besdies, the last time I vented, I Narco-Jetted a chummer on my own team."

He looks around the room, pausing on the sentry gun and the two hand guns on the night stand.  Almost absently he pulls the small air gun out of his pocket.  It looks like the Narco Jet pistol that he gave her earlier.

"Yes, I sleep with a gun, I guess paranoia runs pretty deep for me."

Nessa smiled and nodded. Yeah. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. She gazed up at him and chuckled.  He probably had no idea what she was talking about, but that was okay, half the things he said she didn't understand, but still got the giest of.

She took a half step back, Well... thanks... again. For everything. She met his eyes this time, with a smile.

He slips the gun back into his pocket, and extends his right hand.  The hand that he has kept free from entanglements up until now.  He isn't sure if she will understand the significance of this but for one in his business, it is a show of trust.

Her eyes flicked from his to his extended hand and back.  Most might not even have noticed the response or the recognition that was in her eyes and smile, when when they returned to Mason's.

She gave a nod, and extended her own hand, griping his firm.

Mason is comfortable in any situation.  From a conference table in a Mega Corp boardroom to the asphalt jungle talking to a Troll Go Gang.  But something here makes him uncomfortable.  He opens his mouth as if to speak, but for a few seconds nothing comes out then his eyes drop and he says one word;

"Lark..."

He quickly breaks contact and looks into the room.

"I don't know about you, but many people involved in similar professions seem to have trouble sleeping.  If you can't sleep, I have something that will help." 

As he brings his left arm up to rest on the doorjam, Vanessa can note what looks like a computer plug located in his left wrist, also the bruise from the battle earlier is all but gone.

Her head cocked aside as she noted something going on in his head.  In her world, one didn't stay alive without noticing subtle behaviors. But she wouldn't ask, not yet.  She folded herself back up, though not as stiffly as she had been.

Noting his wrist, she winced at the plug, and quickly focused else where. Thanks, but sleeping isn't the problem. Dreaming is. She shrugged. But I'm hoping that maybe since ...earlier, that might have helped.

She gave a slight laugh and looking away added, And if not... just ignore me if you hear the yelping. She turned, deciding to lay claim to an empty room next to his, then looking back added, Yelping only though... screaming and you have my full permission to break doors or walls or whatever you need to, to come investigate. She laughed for real then, though she was serious.

The ranger reached the top of the stairs and noticed the pair talking. He couldn't resist calling out to them.
"Miss Vanessa, Master Mason, it is good to see you once again." He laughed at how ridiculous he must sound to them.  "When you both are rested, and not before, there is someone I would like you both to meet."

With that he entered his room to drop off his blessed bow and quiver. He debated on leaving his blades, but decided against it. He then turned out of his room and headed back down the stairs.

//tavern//

Absently looking at his wrist, he smiles.

"It's a data jack.  The most common piece of cyber-ware installed world wide.  It allows people to interface much more efficiently with machines of all types.  Many places install them soon after puberty.  It's almost a necessity."

He had his own share of nightmares, the worst from Azatlan and Chicago.  One of the reasons he uses the delta wave.  With a grin,

"And personally I like to use shaped charges for breaching walls, C-XII.  It's like the 20th century C-IV with a bit more of a kick."

As the elf comes up he gives him a smile, understanding that he might have been gone for years in his own world.  There were quite a few changes in his outfit.  Some of probable significance.

"I'll be down later Aramandel."

He watches as Vanessa closes the door to her room.  While he hadn't gotten much sleep, the sleep he had gotten had gone right to deep sleep.  For most people, when they sleep for 8 hours, only 1 hour is really deep sleep.  It is the deep sleep that the mind really needs.  He is actually quite rested.

"Activate, login 84197."

Instead of going back to sleep, he pulls the tiny air gun from his pocket, placing it on the table.  He pulls out a cleaning kit and proceeds to disassemble the pistol, carefully cleaning each part before reassembling it.  With this pistol, he is very, very careful of the clip of darts.  He disassembles and cleans each hand gun.  One at a time, loading finishing one and reloading it before moving on to the next.  For him this is as much a Kata as anything he does with the sword.

Vanessa had still shuddered at the thought of the implant.  There was a time when she might have been the first in line to try such things, but that had been long ago.  Funny how things change.

She'd reached her door when Aramen had arrived, and smiled at the Elf.  Noting the changes in appearence, her rational  mind knew that he must have gone and returned, but it was still hard to grasp.  Still, the relief that he was okay... that he had made it out and back, flooded her and made her more tired still.

With a mumbled 'later, 'nite', both of which seemed rather ridiculous on some level, she slipped into her room.  Bolting the door, she dragged the heaviest thing she could in front of it and the most precarious to under the window.  Nothing would stop anything, but it would be enough noise to wake her.

With in minutes, she'd curled up on to the bed, her gun in reach and fell into nothingness.

Mason has cleaned and loaded all of his pistols and has gone through all of the gear he has, ensuring the working order of everything.  When done, he sits and works on the edge of the sword.  Smoothing out any burrs and keeping the blade razor sharp.  When done, he pulls the cord for assistance, determined to get a nice bath in and have this set of clothes cleaned.

Awaking as always with a start, Nessa looked around the room.  There was nothing disturbed it was only her mind that woke her and she wasn't sure how long she'd slept.  She hadn't really dreamed though.  At least not like usual.  And it was probably due to that that she did feel more rested.

Arising, stretching and tending to things personal with the primative facilities provided, she felt better.  Though there was definately something to be said for clearly running water, etc.

It was then she returned to sit on the bed.  She needed to go home too.  See to some things.  Had she really seen Aramen before coming to bed?  Had he really gone and come, safely?  She glanced at the shared wall with Mason, was he okay?

She smiled, he would always be okay, she thought to herself. And realized too she was avoiding her origional thoughts... what she needed to do.

Cleaned and ready to go for the day, Mason gets dressed dressed and puts on what he considers standard gear.  He knows why he offered to help the elf.  He was looking for a reason not to return home.  He checks each gun as he holsters them.  Manually verifying what the smart link says about each round of ammunition.  Caution and preparation is why he survived so many situations.  He packs up the small haversack, packing a few items of interest.  As he finishes getting everything ready, he picks up the mirrored sun glasses starting to put them on but instead sliding them into his jacket pocket.

With the sound of the bolt pistol going off outside, Mason moves with all of his speed over to the door of Vanessa's room.  He knocks on the door with some haste.

"Nessa."

Seeing an armed Mason going to the other door worried him a bit, but he thinks he knew the problem. He gritted his teeth, stifled his scream

"The kobold is teaching the bigoted giant a lesson."

Not able to muster any more words, Aramen pushed open his door and slammed it shut. Without a moment delay he released a gut wrenching scream.  His body wrenched and twisted as he clutched his arm.

She'd heard comotion and then Mason's call.  She was at the door in a second, weapon drawn as flimsy as it probably was here.

She opened the door caustiously, What's going on?  She scanned the hall, no one in sight, aside from Aramen slipping into his room... then a scream.

What the ....? She asked Mason and took a position along the side of Aramen's door,  reaching side ways she tapped on it. Aramen?

"Parker is fighting Gallus outside."

Mason steps over to the elf's door, not bothering to knock, insteaed leaning his shoulder onto it and 'gently' pushing.  The door holds longer than it should, but soon enough, the lock snaps.

"Aramandel, what the he@# is wrong"

Vanessa sighed and shook her head at Mason's explanation.

Before the man pushed his way into Aramen's room, Nessa shot him a look, You might have given him a chance to open it. She scolded quietly.  Then waited for Aramen's answer.

Aramen opened the door slowly revealing himself hunched over with his arm across his chest. The red handkerchief that was on his are is now lying on the floor. In its place is a black hand print with a slight glowing red center.  A slight sizzle can be heard from the arm.

"Good morning. . . " he squeezes out, trying not to yell.

With his free hand he quickly takes off his pouch and throws it on to the bed and gives tree distinct whistles.  Rhys, taking his cue, swoops down onto the bed and begins rummaging through the pouch with its beak.

"Good Morning."

Without bothering for an invitation, he steps in and pulls out the med pack.  Setting it down on the table.  He understands Vanessa's desire for polite activity but this is one place where they differ greatly.  In his world, quite often there is little time for courtesy.  With a little sigh of exasperation.

"Come over here and let me take a look at that arm."

"Your magic and machines will do nothing."

Aramen staggered to the bed where Rhys now was holding a vial with a milky white liquid in his beak. As the elf grasped the container, the bird snapped the top clean off with his beak. Aramen then quickly scoffed down the bitter liquid. He gagged as it slid down his throat but after a few moment the glow from the print began to fade. With a sight sigh of relief he looked up at the others.
"Ever been branded?"

"No... I have not.  Let me see the arm none the less.  If nothing else, I can give you something for the pain."

"I just took a potion to weaken the curse. It should keep the pain to a minimum until I calm down."
He bent over and picked up the handkerchief and raised it up before him. With a pinch he changed the color of the cloth to a rich green and then tied it back over the handprint.
"The nicest deeds seldom go unpunished." The ranger put out his right arm and Rhys promptly perched on it.  In a sneering voice he mimicked an unknown person, "May the hate you feel let you feel the hate I have for you." He scratched the head of the great bird and looked up to the concerned visitors. "Master Mason, Miss Vanessa, this is Rhys. He is a good friend of mine and I assure you he is quite gentle unless provoked."

She may have thought they should have waited for Aramen, but that didn't mean she was going to, any more Mason, especially after the door opened.  She followed in on his heels.

Giving a cursory nod to Rhys, as it seemed the thing to do.  She frowned, watching Mason work.  He'd know more, and then shook her head.

Aramen... I don't understand.  Who? When?... Why?  This had to have happened here, did it not?  And wasn't that impossible?

"Six days ago," he sighed. "Six days to me, at least." 
He took his spare short sword and returned it to the impossibly deep satchel.  "The squad I lead infiltrated the tower perfectly, met minimal resistance and found our target trying to resummon his army. He was a little more prepared for us than we hoped but after a grueling fight I found myself with blade in his lung. He spat at me claiming that his allies would make sure I suffer. When I told him that I already eliminated them his eyes flared as he grasped my arm and burned this curse into me."
He pinched the kerchief again and changed its color to black.
"The strongest priestess of the Assembly could not fully remove it in its current state, but thankfully it is weakening slowly. In some time it should be weak enough to be removed. Until then. . . " he reached into his satchel and pulled out another white vial. "I just have to control my feelings, stay happy, and scarf down these when needed."

"Stay happy huh... that is a tall order.  I have a chummer who is really good at curses, giving them and removing them.  He is a voodoo priest."

The trauma pack would be useless against a curse.  There is nothing he can do to counter that.

Aramen forced a smile rising to feet. "Normally it isn't too tall of one for me." He was able to stand well. A fortunate side effect of the anticurse was it weakened weak poisons as well, including alcohol.  "It takes a lot for me to lose my temper, or even just get angry. Maybe I just came back too soon for my own good. I had a suspicion as to what I was returning to."
Suddenly Aramendel's eyes darted towards the window. He began laughing.

"That hypocritical fool. That ignorant oaf Gallus just used Divine magic, after giving a speech about how magic users are monsters that should all die. Law based magic as well. He may deny it but there is no doubt it was him, and what it was."

He collected himself and looked back to the others. "Sorry, I needed the laugh."

"Laughter isn't all that common.  I have some pretty heavy drugs that could completely take away the pain.  Also, I do have a few things that could really help to distract you, keep your mind off of things and get you thinking on something new.  I have a flight over the NAN, a couple of concerts, and an interview with a Great Dragon."

Mason pats the satchel that holds the med kit.  He looks over and gives Vanessa a questioning look.

"This is out of my league, mostly I deal with gun shot wounds.  Do you have any ideas?"

Interpesonal-elf things, not exactly my best either. She commented, uncomfortably at Mason, but she did have a strong desire to help Aramen.

She would have liked to know what had got him upset to begin with, but then to ask was to raise it. She knew enough to know that was foolish.  Laughing was good, though.

She could tell him jokes.  Did blonde jokes mean anything to elves? Good Gods, she was useless.  She'd become useless at all things except killing things of her world.  What limited scope.

Well, Gallus is certainly amusing. She glanced at Mason and followed Aramen to the window, peering down. There must be funny things in your world... She glanced at Aramen. When I was young, I used to screw up words.  I knew what they meant, but the wrong word was always coming out of my mouth.  It made my brother hilarious. She thought aloud, trying desparatly to think of examples.

"When you were young? I do that constantly. I'm just glad I haven't done it too much here. I am not as well read as I wish I was, but books are hard to come by for me."

Aramen then moved away from the window. A forcecage, unless the marine had something clever up his sleeve, this fight was over for now. Instead of watching he went over to the bed and began pulling thing our of his pouch.  Along with two more vials of the anti-curse, he pulled out a mace, a weird looking spool of rope, a shortsword, a few scrolls of paper (some blank some with writing), a few bottles of odd colored liquids, a bedroll, some weird looking trinkets, a few funny looking sticks, and rock with some writing on it.  To anyone who has never encountered a bag of holding before, it would look like some crazy cartoon.


"Three vials, if I intend to stay here for an substantial amount of time, I doubt this will do." He took the vials and put them in a different, more normal looking, pouch on his belt. He then took 2 of the weird sticks and slipped both into his belt under his cloak. He started returning everything back into the pouch but paused when he grasped a bronze trinket. Keeping that in his hand, he stuffed everything back into the interdemensional space that is his bag and put it back on his belt.

"If I am going to stay here, I'm doing to need to do something drastic, rude, foolish and selfish.  If you both don't mind, I need a bit of privacy."

Vanessa looked at Mason and shrugged. Whatever you need Aramen.  She headed for the door, thinking she should just change her name to Alice.

"Sure... if there is something you need help with, you have only to ask.  If you scream again though, I will be back either way."

He gets up and moves out the door.

"How did you sleep?"

When the others left the room, Aramendel got up and locked the door behind them. He pulled off the cloth on his arm once again and looked at the vile hand print. If he was going to suffer this curse, he was determined to make it work for him.

He began rubbing the trinket while muttering to himself and pacing nervously. His free hand began grasping his new sash, making it change to various hues just like the cloth from his arm, a nervous habit that he developed shortly after receiving the sash.

Rhys sat perched on the back of one of the chairs, following the ranger's movement with his onyx eyes.

Nessa led the way to the hall, but she didn't particularly like the turn of events.  There was just too much she didn't understand.  And she hated that.

Okay, actually.  Thanks. She glanced at Mason, And you? Did he sleep? He must... She paused for a minute, glancing back at Aramen's door.

A curse like that... does it go away? She frowned. Or does it need some magical...thing, like in my world's fairytales? Oh. Does your world have fairtales? If you had real beings of fairytales, did that make the stories non-fiction? Biography? A librarian's nightmare.

In my world, a mage if they are good enough can unravel it.  Like I said Pepin is great at working with curses.  As far as here goes... 'True Love's Kiss'"

He gives a bit of a smile and shakes his head.

"I really don't know.  Magic is out of my expertise."

Nessa looked at him wide-eyed and blinked.  Then smirked as he went on. Gesh, she would have bought that, if he hadn't smiled.  She smiled back sheepishly, with a slight shake of her head, feeling silly that she would've been so guilible.

Doubt he'd tell us, even if he knew. She glanced back at Aramen's door.  Still wish there was something, though....I think I need to go home. She said abruptly.  It was kind of a sharp change of subject, but weighing on her mind.

I'd like to go and come back though... The two of them had done it, she saw no reason why she couldn't.

Not surprised by Vanessa's statement of needing to go home, he stands there watching her reaction.

"I think you are right about him.  I don't think he would let us help him even if we could.  As far as going home goes... is this something you need to do alone, or do you want some company?"

With a slight smile,

"I promise I will leave the heavy firepower and the explosives here."

=================>  From Side Room


Yana Whitlock seems to explode into Aramendel's room in a cloud of smoke.  Coughing, she put a hand to her rapier and looked around the room, locking her eyes  with the elven ranger.

What's wrong, Aramen?  What do you need?

He knew he summoned her, knew that it leaves a person a little off balance, too. He was still surprised when she actually came. Well, there is no turning back now.
"Listen, Yana, have a seat. There is something I need to tell you." He looked down at his arm, which he was unconsciously covering. He pulled his hand away and looked at his new motivation.  His voice was nervous and rapid.
"I'm probably too late, and I'm sorry to put you in such a spot. But I need to admit something. Every night I was away I was worried someone would take the chance I never took. I just never thought it would happen right in front of me. I was a fool and you will probably hate me for saying this." He paused and took a deep breath. He let go of the sash he was still changing colors and looked her square in the eyes. In a slower, but still nervous voice he said what he needed to say.

"Yana, I, I love you."
 His voice fell silent for a moment. His heart was racing making the two seconds of silence feel like minutes. When he finally could speak words again his words picked up pace and continued to rattle. "I never felt more complete then those nights we would stay under the stars talking. Just your confidence alone was able to settle my nerves when we found our way into the largest cities.  I trust you more than anyone and . . . " He broke eye contact and stopped. He started walking over to the window, feeling like a complete fool. His voice went solemn. "And my words are moving like an angry bull.  I'm probably just overwhelming you and upsetting you. I'm sorry. You can go back to your private meeting if you want. I won't take you away anymore."

Yana looks at Aramendel, blinking several times.  Then she strides over to the reanger.  And slaps him, hard, across the face.

YOU!!!!  YOU...JACKASS!!!!!!
How DARE you?  We'd been traveling together for, what, two YEARS?  Lying under the stars, talking every single night, you had all the time in the world to say something, to DO something!  I thought a few times that.... but you never did, did you?  And now.  NOW!!!!  Now, when another man actually has the.... the STONES to say what he wants, NOW you decide to "make your move"?

Tears are flowing freely from Yana's big brown eyes, eyes that look much more angry than sad.  Her voice falters and catches in her throat as she becomes flush with emotion.

Well....maybe you're too late!  Maybe you had your....your chance and you lost it!  Maybe...I'll....just.....

Literally shaking with anger, Yana grabs the elf roughly by both ears and kisses him, hard, on the lips, accidently biting one them.  Before he can react, she pushes his head away, and slaps him again.

Turning abruptly, she walks to the door.  She looks back once as she opens it, then leaves.  Slamming it behind her.

Mason and Vanessa are still in the hallway as Yana comes out of Aramandel's room.  He doesn't recall exchanging even a single word with the young woman, and now is a good time for introductions.  Instead he calmly steps out of her way, giving her free passage through the hall.

After she storms past, he looks at Vanessa, trying hard not to laugh.

"I wonder if the kiss worked?"

When the door slammed, Aramen turned back to the window. Rhys instinctively flew over to his shoulder.

"Well, my friend," he addressed the hawk with a sigh, "that went slightly better than I thought it would. She didn't draw blood."
As he watched the battle outside he realized how nothing out there had changed, that this whole exchange, what felt like an eternity to him, lasted no longer than a minute.  He walked back over to the bed and sat down.

"I don't blame her. She doesn't know why I couldn't before, she doesn't know why I chose to say it now. If it wasn't for this damn mark I would have still held my tongue. Well, she made her choice like I wanted her to. Maybe now I can hold my anger back, at least just stifle this thing."

Not wanting to look at it any longer, he rose to his feet again and picked up the handkerchief. As he wrapped it back around his arm he started to change it back to its original red. As the color spread from his finger tips across the cloth his mind flashed back.  Why did she kiss me? Heh, that hypocrite. . . A little bit of hope let him have a little glimpse of a real smile.

Yana barely noticed as she walked past Dark Spectacles Guy and the Princess.  She strode into her room, slamming that door too.   She wanted to scream.   She wanted to smash the furniture, maybe shoot something with a crossbow bolt.
What in the name of Bigby's Lubricated Fist was the gods-damned elf thinking?

Going to her window, Yana opened it, sucking in huge breaths of fresh air.  The comfortable room was stifling, closing in.
Then she saw the freakish battle between the god-like monsters.
She slammed the window.  Was there nowhere in this nightmarish dreamscape that she could get some peace and quiet!

Throwing herself onto her bed, she practically ground the palms of her hands into her eyes, to stem an oncoming headache.  Slowly, she calmed down.  What was she going to do now?  Was Aramendel serious about her, or was he just jealous?  The timing was suspicious, granted, but Aramendel was about as awkward in social situations as she was.  Maybe it was a coincidence that he "summoned" her from her time with Boone to....

She bolted upright.  Boone!   Fried Zombie on a Stick!!!  She'd forgotten about Boone, waiting for her in the Side Room.  She grabbed hold of the bedspread, twisting it in her hands in frustration and mostly suppressed murderous rage.
She been having SUCH a good time with Boone!  That whole thing with the strawberries was...so...
She hugged herself.  The experience had been the most sensual she'd ever had.  Granted, her life wasn't the most colorful, socially speaking, but she'd never felt so much... well, so much lust in her twenty-two years.  It was all she could do to keep from throwing herself at Boone when he raised the berry to her waiting lips, and then when he....

Fharlanghn's Sweaty Thighs!  She was so confused.  Part of her just knew that Aramen was playing a cruel joke on her.  On the other hand, if he really meant what he'd said....

When she'd escaped the massacre that ended her father's life, she'd wandered lost until she's (literally) run into the adventuring party that had become her closest friends.  Two of them (the only human-sized men in the group), the human duskblade, Corric, and the ranger Aramendel had been very kind to her.  She was too niave at the time to know if their kindness had an ulterior motive, so she hadn't really trusted either of the men.  Later, she came to realize that they liked her as a person.  She wondered at the time if they thought of her, "in that way", despite her youth and inexperience.  Corric was too preoccupied by dreams of power and other ambitions to have time for more than a friend.  Aramendel, on the other hand, was.... well, he was Aramendel.  About as transparent as a lump of coal.  For months, she was so sure that he was... well, interested in her.  But she was always so nervous to approach him, terrified that the ensuing awkwardness would ruin their friendship.

Standing up, she went to the wash basin and splashed water on her face.   She turned and walked back to her door, preparing to walk down to talk to Boone.  She hoped that she didn't run into Aramendel.  She didn't really want to take the time to slap him again.

As he sat on the bed, realizations of what he had done began to rage in his mind. He was so determined to stifle this burning pain that he acted like a damn fool.  The thought that he lost everything kept pushing in his mind making him sick to his stomach.  He hated himself more now than the envy, the disgust, and the frustration from before.
The infernal mark on his arm flared brightly, visible through the cloth. If not for the serum he took minutes prior he most likely would have passed out from the pain.
The thought of that damn defiler, placing this curse upon him, and now watching him, laughing at how his curse worked better than he could have ever dreamed rang fierce in his mind.
No. No. It wasn't the wizard's fault. It was mine, mine alone. I was weak and I was stupid.
The room started closing in on the ranger, making him feel dizzy and claustrophobic.  His body started panicking as he fell to his knees on the floor. He was able to to grab a waste container from the bedside just in time for him to be violently ill.  After emptying his body in the most unpleasant way possible, he pulled his waterskin and tried to rinse the disgusting bile from his mouth.
With a lot of effort and a little help from his faithful avian friend, Aramen was able to pull himself up onto the bed.  He turned his body over to face the door. A vision of her slamming the door as she left played repeatedly in his eyes, so vivid that he would have thought it real if he did not no better.
Even as he turned to face the window he could hear the echo of that door slamming over and over again.
It was a constant reminder that in one minute, the elf might have ruined his whole life.

Maybe being branded a few times a day wasn't so bad after all.

Yana checked her appearance in the mirror of the room, making sure that she was at least mildly presentable.  She brushed out her long dark hair, and washed her face.
She sighed.  Her eyes were still a little red, but it would have to do.

Opening her door, she looked outside into the hallway.  The coast was clear.  There was noone out there who deserved a good slapping.  She snuck out into the hall and made her way downstairs, her footsteps virtually soundless.  Hopefully Aramendel would ignore them.  She wasn't sure if she was feeling up to dealing with him just yet.

===================>  To Side Room.

Nessa gazed up the man, he had surprised her.  Greatly. So much so that words had not come immediately, though she smiled at him as he went on.

Company would be nice. I…

Before she could complete her thought, however, she was interrupted by Yana.  Even through the door, she could hear her explosion.  Wincing, her eyes shifting to the door as the woman stormed passed, and Mason seemed tickled.



Nessa turned back to Mason, giving him a most exasperated look.

Oh, great. I can see you’re going to be a lot of help here. She shot back at him, though her tone was more teasing than snippy.   You should go talk to him. She tossed her head at the door. Boy talk. She grinned, at the sheer insanity of imagining Mason lamenting about women with the Elf. Seriously, though. She looked at Mason, then the door, back to Mason, thought about this for a second, then sighed. Okay, let’s both talk to him.  Maybe between us we stand half a chance.

He knows he isn't the most empathetic person, he knows proper etiquette and he can figure out what to say, but a lot of his basic humanity was cut out of him on the tables of Chiba.

"Let's both talk to him."

Stepping back over to Aramandel's door, he knocks.

"It's Mason and Vanessa, do you want to talk?"

After a few moments, and some weird scratching sounds against the door, the door opens slightly. If Mason and Vanessa looked in they would see Aramendel still on the bed, scarfing down another white vial and putting it back into his smaller pouch.
"Two left." He muttered to himself, realizing that he doomed himself if he doesn't restock.

"Hey, I would have thought you both would be back downstairs by now."

With a slight shrug,

"We were talking in the hall."

He wants to say more, but Vanessa is much more empathetic, best to let her take the lead on this.

Perhaps asking for Aramen to open the door, wasn't best.  Vanessa would have demanded it, but it seemed to work.

She came to the door frame, and leaned up against it.  Glancing at Mason when he spoke.  That was it?  She gave him a look, that clearly said, go on... say something! but she wasn't sure it was actually going to have any effect.

Aramen... She had no idea what to say. She'd never been good at this, even when she had a normal life. Actual friends that ranted or raved or ate gallons of ice cream. Now...it was like she'd forgotten all socialization.

Okay...Look....Um... She was annoying herself again. Look, we want to be helpful. And we just over heard what sounded like a conversation that didn't go too well. And it's all well and good, that you can tell us you'll be fine or whatever, or to just let you be, but, I, we, I can't do that. She pushed her way into the room and leaned against a piece of furniture.

So, what CAN we do? We could talk to you about stuff? We could try to work out what you need to do? We could try to distract you... We could listen. She offered.

When Vanessa pushed the door open more she startled Rhys off the knob, causing him to jump over to the foot of the bed. Aramen looked up at them, making no effort to hide the bright glow on his arm.  The potion took the pain away, but did nothing to hide it.

"Didn't go too well," he thought out loud. He wasn't sure if that was an understatement or just perfect. As he was talking he knew it wasn't going to end well. Just not this bad. The conversation was loud as a bugbear with a stomach ache, and she said that she heard most of it, so he didn't need to say what happened. "That was. . . it was me being a short sighted fool."  Admiting that made him feel worse so he thought that instead he should just change the focus.

"So, you are going home for a a few grains?" preemptive to address any confusion he points to his long pointed ears.

"Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to escort as well.  I think a little bit of fresh air might be good. As long as you both help me look for a few ingredients out in those woods. I don't think I have enough vials to last me here unless I brew up some more." 

Aramen stood up and checked the window again. "Umm, you may be a little stuck if you intend to use the front door. That fight is still raging, and the kobold has up a forcecage. I don't think it would be safe to stray close." He reached into his pack, pulling out the strange spool of silk rope.  "Unless you want to go around them and go out a more dynamic way."

One can't help the way they feel... unless it was just a ploy, then all my sympathy for you has just flown out the window. She crossed her arms in front of her.  She glanced to Rhys who was looking indignant.

Sorry. She said to the bird, then wondered if that was appropriate. She talked to animals back home, but she never actually thought they were listening... exactly.  She shook her head trying to stay focused.

Her own guilt and over hearing something not intended, lessened when Aramen when on, pointing to his ears.  That could be very annoying.  Focus She told herself.

Of course, I'll help you look. She didn't want to commit Mason, though she was pretty sure he wasn't going to let the two of them go out for a hunt without him.  But Aramen, you've side stepped every implied question. I'll be happy to help you and happy to take you home... She bit her lip a bit and muttered, Though that could be a littel...odd She'd cross that bridge later.

But my head is spinning.  What exactly is this curse?  What tirggers it or stops it or whatever.  And what's actually the deal between you and the girl? She looked at Mason hoping he'd help her on this, but not expecting it.

"It was no ploy, I assure you," he admitted and crossed his hands as well. "This is not something I take lightly. As for my arm, its triggered by anger and envy. The more I feel here," he said as he gestured to he head and heart. "The more I feel it on my arm. The potion I am taking can stop the pain, but can't get rid of the mark. Three months, I was told, before it is weak enough to remove magically."
Hoping that answered her question, he took a big sigh
"As for Yana, well, I have nothing to hide anymore. What do you want to know?"

Mason shrugs,

"As far as her world goes, there are no elves and there is no telling whether or not you will be able to find what you are looking for.  I think instead you should go to mine.  Even if he can't remove the curse, Peppin has a long lasting pain reduction spell that is quite effective.  I can personally testify to that.  You can still feel the pain, but it control you.  Plus elves are common place in my world."

Personally he was much more interested in seeing Vanessa's world rather than his own.  To see things before the awakening and the fracturing of the world.

"As far as Yana goes, it doesn't matter what we want to know, it matters what you want to talk about."

"I had no intention of crossing planes. The thought is a little too unnerving without more information. I was just going to go to the threshold, looking for Bergamont seeds, nightshade pollen and arrowcap mushrooms along the way. The resistance potion they make is not as effective as the ones I'm holding but I don't have the skill or materials to make a better one."

He sighed, gazed at the fight out the window and thought out loud. "There is only one person, well I would not say person, here that probably would have the skill to make this potion. But Master Parker seems a little preoccupied at the moment."
As he turned back to face the others he notices Rhys hop up and perched right next to Vanessa, leaning his head towards her. That either meant he trusted her, or "I think he wants you to scratch his head," he said, finishing his thought out loud.

"When It comes to Yana, I know I have the worst timing in the multiverse and I probably just ruined one of the better parts of my life.  I promised myself to not attempt a relationship until I felt that I could truly take the time to appreciate it.  When she found herself here I thought it my sign to finish my oath. Its the main reason I left before, to finish my duties.  When I got back I found I was too late. But not by months, not by days, not even hours. Normally, I could control myself, but this damn thing pushed me. . . " in a fit he punched the wall, almost putting his hand through the wood paneling. "NO. I cant blame anything but me. I let the pain get the best of me and make a stupid action without thinking everything through."

With a quick look at Vanessa,

"I haven't exactly been lucky in many of my personal relationships.  I was once engaged to be married, and that... ended badly.  I am hardly the one to give relationship advice.  I do have many friends though, and all I can tell you is you need to be there for her and give her time to make up her own mind."

He steps over to the wall where the elf punched it.

"If you want something to take your mind off of this, I have something that can help.  It is a musical experience.  As far as the ingredients you listed, arrowcap mushrooms are a type of morel that has a very limited season, only about 2 weeks a year.  Bergamont seeds... I am pretty sure that they can be bought in high end seed store.  Nightshade, you can probably find in a botanical garden.  As far as finding them in the wild, nightshade and bergamont seeds are possible."

With a little look at Vanessa,

"I do some gourmet cooking now and again and I have helped one of my mage chummers gather natural ingredients for artificing."

Aramen's eyes and ears perked a bit when Mason said he was once engaged. "I think we may find Arrowcaps here, they are sacred to some, halflings mostly on my plane though I do not know about on others." He looked the street samurai in the eyes, wondering why he wasn't wearing his shiny spectacles.

"Failed marriage plan for you as well? What happened to your engagement? If you don't want to share do not feel forced. I know how bad that thought is as well. When it comes to relationships, I'm about the equivalent to the legendary sphere of annihilation"

Aramen had answered her questions, now her mind was working to put things in order.  In time, in his world, the curse could be lifted.  Time slowed here, it seemed. Therefore, here was not the best place to kill time... But leaving, returning, and going to somewhere else? What would that do for time?

If they went home - her home, then here, then back to Aramen's world, would enough time pass to lift his curse?

I hadn't figured he'd come to my world for help, She glanced to Mason. I'd think it perfectly obvious through me, what we have of magic is weak and dark. She smiled at Aramen. I thought the intent was distraction. She looked between them, then to the bird and frowned.

Scratch his head? She looked to Aramendel, then back to the bird. She didn't even like birds... might it know that?  With a pained expression she reached out and lightly scratched the bird's head.

Listening as the two males went on, she glanced up surreptitiously, finding the personal information interesting and intriguing, but she was more than a little fearful that speaking would call attention to herself and the conversation hault.

At the same time....

Those plants...we can get them in my wor....on my plane. She looked between them.  Then gazed at Aramen, he would be a little out of place... but if he didn't roam about... Mason could pass, her attention back to the man.

There is less magic, but it would be safer on my world, as long as he doesn't really talk to any body.  He'd just seem like a crazy sci-fi geek.  All we'd really have to do is get from the ... portal, I guess you'd say - to my house... and there are ways we can do that without attracting a lot of attention.... The only potential complication is what we are walking back into. She looked between them, questionly.

It was an odd idea, but surprisingly possible the more she thought about it. Almost...easy.

Your world may have more help, but has more problems, too. She said to Mason.  She was curious about his world, though.  And Aramen's... though Aramen's made her more nervous.  Either way, there was no way she was letting them go off without her.

"Another problem I don't know if either of you thought of is language.  Magic isn't my specialty, but I don't know if the translation magic of the inn would extend to other worlds.  I don't know if we would even be able to communicate effectively outside of here.   I can speak the elven tongue of my world, but we have yet to find out if it is the same."

With a quick look at Vanessa and a small shake of his head.

"As far as my engagement goes, that is a long story and it does not have a happy ending.  It won't cheer you up at all."

Looking from one to the other, he shrugs.  It has long been his task to look at all of the difficulties of a job and decide whether or not the payoff is worth the risk.  That is all he is doing here.  He looks at the lean build of the elf.

"I have some extra clothes along, but you would look like a kid in his dad's suit.  I don't think it would really help much."

With a hard look at Vanessa, but no worry in his voice.

"What kind of reception are you expecting upon your return Nessa?"

It couldn't be any worse than what he got.  He went right back into a fire fight.  He had been tagged a four times before he had been able to punch a hole out.

My luck runs in staying alive, not love. She glanced quickly between the two and quickly changed the subject. Language...good point.

Nessa pondered this.  She hadn't thought about language.  How funny that one takes things for granted.

Mason and I, should speak the same language - his plane or mine... though, clearly there is slang and culture we don't know.  Aramen, you would probably still be able to speak to the animals, but not to us....  In my plane - not that bad... given the right circumstances and there's not a lot of inherent dangers....No magic though! She was thinking aloud and got up to start to pace.

Looking like a kid will frustrate you no end, but a weird kid, with a Vulcan fetish that doesn't speak English... She grinned, Is perfectly believable.  But that left, the other issue.

The thought immediately sobered her.

Okay...when I left... I was with ... an aquaintance.  He had a job, he thought he might need help with. It was supposed to be a straight forward, my house has demons, please do something.  But it didn't seem right... anyway... It was odd to talk about this.  If she had this conversation with most in her plane they'd think she was crazy and lock her up.  It was hard to remember, these beings would accept it.

Her eyes turned to Aramen.  It was easier to believe that they would accept what she said, looking at him rather than Mason. Mason still looked too human.

Anyway...it was a vampire coven.  It had been a long night... we were out numbered 10 to 2.  There were a bunch of vaults in the basement. We had thought we'd locked ourselves into one, but it turned out there was a passage out to the woods by the house.  But dawn was coming, so they were supposed to be heading in for the day. ...  I don't know it gets fuzzy ...

The plan was to burn the house down.  Blakely had set the C-4 at various locations... I remember opening up the gas valves... Something happened... I don't know... She shook her head. But it was day light and they were up... She frowned, because that was just wrong.

I don't know.  I remember being grabbed. I remember an exploison. I remember thinking no, we're still too close to the house, it's going to come down on us... but the exploision was from something else...I was fighting this vamp... Blakely yelled go to the wood... And I remember turning towards them... and I heard Blakely swear at me...but then it ends and I woke up here.

"I don't know if vampires are the same in your world to mine, but I have a chummer who was infected.  He is actually a really good guy.  But I have fought against them too.  They are strong and fast, but i know how to kill them and I have a couple of clips of ammo that are effective.  Plus they can't regenerate if you remove the head.  I will have to grab some of my gear.  Nessa, how good are you with a shotgun?"

The smile he gives is slight and predatory.  Vampires and ghouls... HMHVEE.  Not his favorite thing to deal with, but as long as they aren't mages as well, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.  While thoughts of how difficult a time Aramandel would have in Vanessa's world were not forgotten, they were pushed back a little bit.

Aramendel understood the language problem, it was one of the things that unnerved him, he had a basic idea though. But the moment Vanessa said the word 'Vampire' his eyes lit up and a smile crossed his face.

"Well, if we figure this out, then it will be 10 to 3, and they will need to summon some reinforcements. I can not refuse a fight with a blighter. I don't know about guns, but arrows are not that effective unless they are blessed.  Most blades aren't that well off either. But, I have this."
He drew his scimitar for the first time here since his psychotic break. It is a brilliant blade made of near pure silver.  It would be foolish for a hunter not to wield the proper tools to eliminate his bane.
"As for language, I can not speak to animals at will. I can not tell you what Rhys would say right now. I can gain the gift a few times per day, and it lasts for a limited amount of time.  I can maintain it roughly three hours a day, 4 if I cast it as a spell on to myself. I may have an idea though."

Aramen produced the same inkpen and paper from before. "Mason, follow my hand, I do not know if our spoken languages are similar, but if the written is maybe there is a link vocally.  I also do not know if the inn translates written word, so please, watch my hand to see if what forms on the paper matches my motions."

"Wait for a second."

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a plastic tube which opens to reveal 30 or so small crystal chips.  He selects one of them and brings it up behind his left ear and seems to press it into his skull.  He doesn't think twice about slotting a language soft, but he can imagine what Vanessa must be thinking.  One more thing that makes him inhuman.

"OK... go ahead now."

Watching the elf write as he speaks, the similarities are there.

"It is close enough.  I should be able to understand most of what you are saying."

There are those that write about decent vampires, but I've yet to see any evidence.  They're smart though.  And burned to a crisp or off with their heads - the only way. She nodded, And I'm great with a shot gun. Nessa grined at Mason.

Finding Aramen's excitment, a little amusing, her focus went to Rhys as he spoke of animal communication. She couldn't help but now wonder how much he...she? It understood.

Well... actually, if we three get back and it's the same time, it should be 10 to 4, but I have no idea how long I was passed out or in what time.  She reminded him.

Ness frowned, coming to watch what Aramen wrote, glancing back at Mason, as he inserted the chip.  The technology of his world was beyond her.  The stuff of film and fiction.  She had so many questions, and fought the urge to touch.  It seemed rather, personal.

She forced her focus on the movement of Aramen's pen, You wrote, 'some men should be fed to dragons'? She asked incredulously.  That must be wrong, she thought, but then... neither of these two with her were predictable.

"You see it as English then... I see a flowing elvish script."

He straightens up.  Looking around for a second.

"I have a Defiance T-250 shotgun in my room and 8 Big D's Temper rounds.  They shoot a fireball.  Very effective at clearing a room you don't care about burning to the ground.  Equally affective against vampires.  Why don't you take that.  What I need to know is everything you can tell me about your friend over there.  I don't want to take him out by mistake."

Was she to take it that was what Aramen wrote? She glanced to the Elf, then back to the man.

Um... The use of the word 'friend' threw he a bit, but she supposed that was a logical word... Well, 6'2", brown hair... um, if it's day light you'll know him from the vampires, he's perpetually tan. She thought good that the situation wasn't reversed, she was perpetually pale. And generally stoic... Nessa grinned at Mason, Worse than you, even. She chuckled at the man.

But really, feel free to kill anything that isn't holding a weapon themselves. and you'll do fine. She shrugged.  That sounded so callous, but it was true in this context.  Vampires never carried weapons. They didn't need them.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:34, Sun 29 Mar 2009.

Nessa looked at the lines on the page and smiled, We call them Roman numerals.  They exist, but no one uses them, really. She smiled appologetically at Aramen and gave a shrug.

How long will it take to brew up your... suplies? Nes asked. My business home won't take that long... She was thinking again.

"Three hours to brew."
 When Mason said he saw elven script Aramen became unnerved. "Do you think you see different motions based on what you are looking for?" The swordsman in him cringed at that thought.

As for the numbers he hoped it wouldn't matter much.
"OH! Can someone please tell me what in the 9 hells a Vulcan is? I've been called one twice so far. Is it some sort of insult?"

"I suppose it has been around since even before your time.  There is a popular science fiction series called Star Trek where there is an alien species called Vulcan's.  They have several physical similarities to elves.  They are quite popular in my time."

Taking a look at the writing.

"I still see it as elven.  Since I told you I can speak elven, I was expecting you to write it in that.  My assumption is that this place does indeed translate into what you can read and write.  I suppose if I was expecting Japanese, I would have seen that.  I even see the numbers as the elven numbers."

"There really is only one way to find out if we can speak to each other in her world.  We should get my gear from my room and get ready to go."

Mason moves over to the door to head over to his room.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:11, Mon 30 Mar 2009.

"I had a feeling he was going to say that, and I have this bad feeling that we aren't going to like what we find. "
He takes a deep breath and looks over to Vanessa, "If we can't communicate that well I will have to limit my time on your plane, assuming I can follow you at all. For all I know, the fog will separate us and send us back to our own places"
He looked over to the wall where he rested the silver sword.
"I did not think I would be so eager for a fight so soon. The moment you mentioned vampires though my heart raced. Maybe I was not as ready for a break as I thought I was. "

===============>  From Tavern

Yana reluctantly walked up the stairs and into her room.  She packed all her things into her satchel of holding.  Once everything is all packed up, she took one final look around the room.  It was strange, she thought to herself, that this room, in which I've spent perhaps half a day, seemed like a second home.  Perhaps that was yet another aspect of the magic of this place.  Sighing, she walked to her door (or, rather, the inn's door) and walks out into the hallway.

The few steps to Aramendel's door seems like an epic journey.  Reaching it after a couple of seconds that seem like days, she knocks on the door.

Aramendel?  Are you there?  May I come in?

Part of her wishes that Aramendel wasn't in, that she could avoid seeing him, at least for a little while longer.  Perhaps she could ask Vrith or someone else.

It didn't take Mason long, just a minute really to gather up what gear he thought he might need.  The katana and the shotgun were the obvious ones.  He enters the hallway as Yana starts to knock.  He is almost amused by the idea of Yana finding Vanessa in Aramendel's room, but no.  It is only a few silent steps to close the distance and stands a little ways behind Yana.  While he is not wearing his glasses, his eyes have a faint luminescence while in the dark hallway.

"Hello miss."

Nessa watched Mason leave and turned back to Aramen, We'll be fine. Vanessa answered Aramen reassuringly, and for a change she actually meant what she was saying. There are lots of languages on my world and most people don't speak them. She shrugged. There is even a sign language, that if we had more time I could show you... She shook her head, to get back on track.

While good to be prepared, I doubt very much we'd be entering back exactly as I left.  Everyone else seems to have been concious when they left there world... I wasn't.  And I know I wasn't in the woods when things went black... I don't know what, but I think something happen and then Blakely put me in the woods, so...

Her words were interupted by the knock on the door.  Even she with her mere human hearing recognized Yana's voice.  She looked to Aramen with a questioning tilt of her head.  She'd do what he wished... She would have even offered to drape herself adoringly all over him, but she was afraid if she verbalized the offer the other would hear and it would render the move completely ineffective.

Their hearing could be quite annoying, the more she thought of it.

"I know the basics of a sign language but I doubt it would be of any use, its is mainly for combat. Not day to day talking." He gestures a few motions trying to say -Three return home, three return back- but to anyone that knows ASL it would seem more like -Three dog promise, three forget head-
"Then sun but moved not an inch when I returned, and Mason's experience was the same." 

When the knock came on the door, Aramendel was legitimately surprised and startled. His mind was too elsewhere to have hear any approach from beyond the door but the knock jolted him back into reality.  He turned his eyes over to Vanessa and gave a look of confusion, silently mouthing 'I don't know.' He didn't expect Yana so soon, if at all or ever again. Reaching behind himself he picked up the silver sword and returned it back to its sheath.

Taking a deep breath, he called out, "Come on in."

Yana walks in.

Hello, Aramendel.  Look I really hate to bother.....

Though smiling politely, the young woman curses herself for being so oblivious that she didn't realize that the elf had  company.

I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to interupt.

With a half blank gaze he looked over to Yana, trying to hold back most of how self hating he was feeling.
"You are never a bother, and you are not interrupting.  What is it you desire?"

Following into the room behind Yana, Mason steps over to Vanessa, handing her the shotgun and the bandoleer of ammo.

"Let's leave these two alone.  Aramandel, should we wait for you or not?"

Taking the shot gun, she gave Mason an nod, happy that his timing had been so good.

She took a step toward the hall, pausing only a second to gage Aramen's response.

If not with us, what does he need, we can bring it back. She said quietly, speaking to Mason, though she was sure Aramen could hear her, but not wanting to interupt the meeting between the Elf and the woman.

"I fear I do not have a choice, Mater Mason," he replied putting his hand on the pouch with the two remaining vials. "So please do. If you want to go soon though do not hesitate to go. I just require nightshade, arrowcap mushrooms and Bergamont seeds. Thank you. "

Putting a hand on the elf's shoulder, he looks the man in the eye.

"Don't worry, we will get the supplies you need.  We won't let this curse get the best of you."

Turning to leave, he gives Yana a small nod then a wink to Vanessa.

Yana waits until the visitors leave, then takes a deep, steadying breath and says, fairly fast:

Look, Aramen, I'm still feeling REALLY awkward right now, so I don't want to talk about what happened earlier, I just want to know how one gets back to our home world, and than how to get back.  Do you know the answer?

She looks like she's ready to bolt at any moment, like a rabbit, which Aramendel remembers to be her usual reaction to social anxiety and embarrassment, although it's something she hasn't shown in the past year they'd traveled together.

Aramendel just nodded slowly to the question.

He checked behind himself to see that the forcecage is gone. It normally is invisible,but those fireballs that went off were leaving nice smokey edges, showing what was really there.  No such lines anymore. It looked like it was safe to go.  With a steady rhythm, Aramen checked tightened his sashes and armor, fixed his cape and checked his bow and blades. It was just the same routine he had done hundreds of time before after packing up camp and getting ready to depart. The only difference was he paused after he checked for his ankle sheath, and just clutched his fist instead.

With a stoic rigor, the ranger apparently began to walk towards her, but did not. Instead he put his back against the door and whistled, causing Rhys to perch on his shoulder.

"Come with us," he said, finally breaking the stagnant silence. "Master Mason and I are escorting Miss Vanessa back now. I will show you the path as well." Before she can protest he puts his finger up in front of her mouth.

"I will just be your guide from place to place.  Anything beyond that will be on your call."

It seemed both of them showing more of their former selves to each other, as the stoic  nature and calculated movements seem more to resemble offering to help a confused, lost, and skittish young girl on the run more than his best friend.

Vanessa had nodded in agreement and stepped in the hall.  Pausing at the top of the stairs she glanced back to Aramen's door.  Resting a gentle hand on the other man's arm to stop Mason from going into motion.

Maybe we should wait for him? The last time the two of them talked, it didn't go well. She whispered.

Giving her a nod, Mason stops at the top of the stairs.

"I can see why he may need to leave.  Are you OK with going back?  You might not like what you will find."

Nessa frowned, Meaning what? She asked, trying to follow his possible trainof thought.  I know I didn't leave in the best of circumstances.... She snorted In fact, I was unconcious... When you went back, you like 'walked in' where you left right?  Had anyone known you were gone?  Various scenarios and their plausibility were now filing into her mind.

With the slightest shrug,

"No... they were still firing at my position when I got back.  Only a few seconds had gone by.  What I mean, is that they could have gotten your... compatriot."

For lack of a better word compatriot would do.

Vanessa nodded. Yeah. I know. She said with resign. Occupational hazard. She shrugged. She realized that this must seem callous. It was why she didn't talk about this. We both knew it was risky before we went.

In fact, she'd be a little upset if Blakely died or worse, had been bitten and she needed to kill him. It bother her more that it would only be 'a little upset'.  The thing of it was, it was their work.  She figured much like people who deactive bombs or hit men... it was risky. If you weren't willing to die, you didn't do it. And you certainly didn't get involved with those you worked with...

It was odd that the two of them had become some what makeshift partners to begin with.  They had almost instantly understood each other, though oddly she knew less about Blakely then she knew about Mason and unless Blakely had researched her, he knew less about her than Mason did.

One of the reasons why we'll work together, is because either of us would kill the other in a heart beat if it was necessary... and we've been in circumstances enough to know each other well enough to know when it would be necessary. She met Mason's eyes, Either of us won't hesitate to do what we need to. She couldn't help feeling like the more she talked, the worse it sounded.

The one thing she did know about her 'compatriot' and he of her was why they did what they did... but that was personal.

He looks away for a second, lost in a memory.  In the cellar of that building.  She had been a friend and the reason they had gone in.  But the insect spirits were already working on her, and there was no turning back.  It had fallen to him to finish it.  One swipe of the sword and it was over.

"I understand.  You are harder than I gave you credit for."

Not sure how she would take that comment, he looks her straight in the eyes.  Truth is he does understand, probably better than anyone.  To change the subject, he smiles.

"Ever have to to any interrogation?"

She gazed at him a second, trying to decide if his words were compliment or insult.  She wasn't sure.

She wasn't sure what they should be.  Or how that percarious balance could be forged. Though she did know, no matter what, she did what she had to do, regardless of the cost.  She'd proven that to her self.  However, it was the first time that thought had given her comfort as opposed to self loathing.

She smiled after he did, Oh yeah, like you think I can elicit fear? She rolled her eyes and gave him a look that said c'mon? The power I have is that I can destroy things and I'm not afraid of the destroying.... or being destroyed.  She paused for a second thinking about things she'd rather not remember. Interogation for me is just violence. She added quietly looking away.  It was effective, but only able to be sustained in her with anger.

What I'm not sure about, going back is how long I was unconcious. And in which time.  Here time, it wouldn't matter.  There time, and it could change things. She looked back up at him changing the subject.

"Well... actually violence is not a necessity in interrogation.  Peppin and I had it down to a science.  I, was actually good cop.  Peppin was the insane scary cop.  It is actually a pretty funny story, if you enjoy dark humor."

Looking at her he puts a hand on her shoulder,

"The main thing I am good at is going through whatever is in my way.  I can use anything that is needed to do it.  I have destroyed a lot of people, places and things.  I have stood facing death and stepped forward to meet him.  We will do what ever we have to when we get to your when and where."

He brings his hand back down and looks at his room.

"Would you want an armored jacket?  It will be big on you, but it will deflect up to heavy caliber handguns and can adequately turn aside a knife or claw."

Her big brown eyes full of suppressed emotion, Yana nods.

Alright.  I'll go with you.  I'll need to know the way home, and the way back.  Also....

She seems to wrestle with herself some more.

What's going on with your "evil wizard" problem?  I know that I'd to go home for a bit to ....  clearmy head, but if you're about to go deal with him, I can still help.  If you still want me too.

Her subdued tone makes it painfully clear that the only thing worse that staying around the strange Inn for another minute would be if Aramendel needed her and she wasn't there.

The faintest smile of relief crossed the ranger's face when she said she would go. The last thing he wanted right now would to have been setting them back to the first time they met. But Aramen panicked when she said evil wizard problem.

"Oh, umm well. . ." He didn't tell her where he was going before he left, or what he faced when he returned. He glanced at his arm to see if the mark was visible, but that wouldn't tell her anything by itself. He searched around the room a bit, looking for an answer that he didn't expect to find.  Then with a familiar pull oh his back, he realized, what happened twelve days ago to him was no more than an hour ago for her. He put that bout out of his mind, until now.

"Oh, you mean, no," he stammered. "No, I'm not dealing with anyone here, nor do I intend to even go looking, yet.  Please, just worry about this time for yourself.  I promise, that if I do decide to go looking, you will be the first to know, because of course I want your help."

He then slid the hand opposite Yana behind his back and turned the door knob. He didn't want to open the door just yet, but hoped it would be enough of a signal for Mason and Vanessa to know not to go just yet, and he was indeed, coming along.

She smiled at him, No, introgation is not violence... my point, I believe. She teased him, before adding with a grin, You know, I'd make it home without you.  If nothing else, I'm stubborn that way... but, I've no doubt with you will be easier and adding the last more quietly and self conciously, more pleasent.

The sound of Aramen's door starting to open drew her attention. Yeah. The jacket couldn't hurt... And I want to hear that story...He's going to come with us.

She turned back to Mason, again speaking quietly and quickly.  If Aramen was listening she knew he could hear, but hopefully he was still distracted by Yana and would be too sidetracked to multi task.

You don't worry about me. I can definately take care of myself in my world, at least.  Protect him. She gestured to Aramen's door. She was sure Aramen could whip her butt if magic were allowed, but in her world, magic was dangerous, if it even worked, or worked as he intended.

He steps into his room and grabs the sports jacket, handing it to Vanessa.  It is a good deal heavier than it looks.

"I know it's your world, but I think it would be best if I went in first.  I'm faster and a bit more resistant to damage."

Looking over at the elf's door, Mason shakes his head.

"Never mind physically, I don't know if he is mentally ready for a fight."

Vanessa took the jacket her arm dropping from the unexpected weight. Gesh, don't you guys believe in light, flexibility? She smirked, and put it on.  She imagined she must look like when she was a child wearing her dad's uniforms. I don't know if this is a help of not. She looked down at herself.  Maybe it would be better on Aramen?

No. She said flatly, meeting his eyes.  Me. Aramen. You.She had anticipated him on this front and started ticking things off on her fingers.

1. It's my world, I'll be able to assess what we're walking into quicker. 2. If my partner is there, he will hesitate in shooting me.  He might not hesitate shooting one of you or might think you are holding me hostage - then your shot for sure.  3. This is my party. My world. I take the biggest risk.  4. If I'm point and your last, you can keep an eye on both of us.  Our dangers should be coming from the front.  He's safest in the middle. 5. If something happens to me, you need to take care of him and get him back. You can communicate with him better, you are more likely to know how to get him home, and you can force him to do so - I loose on all three points. She hesitated for a second, then went on, I'm not sure he's ready either, especially for an odd world. As long as we get through whatever we walk into, it should be ...peaceful, easy after that.  We just get him home and it's this nice distract adventure. Relatively safe.

She paused for breath.  Me. Him. You. She said definitively.

His smile is broad, she has listed the arguments that he knew she would and a couple of extras.  All of them valid.

"The bottom line is, it is your world, your call.  I will go with that.  This will actually be harder for me than you think, I have been point man for a long time.  I will insist on one thing, if your taking the lead, then you continue with that.  That means if the situation is FUBAR, you lead the way out, I take the rear.  If I don't have to worry about collateral damage, I can bring down a whole firestorm of hell.  Deal?"

Again he extends his right hand to shake on the agreement.

Deal. She offered a firm, solid shake.  Her smile the most genuine since their meeting. Truth was, she was impressed he'd listened to her and hadn't argued.  Better yet, hadn't argued on the grounds of her sex.

Perhaps the boundries of the US were not same, his time / place as hers, but there were good chance, she thought, they were. We were outside a State Forest in Ohio.  It was a fairly big estate like house, middle of nowhere, except for the Park.  We flew in by chopper.  It was parked in the back of the house, between the house and the woods.  It's a military machine. A few years old I was told. I don't know anything about it and can't fly it.  If Blakely's there and okay... He can give us a ride home. Home is Maine... If he's not there and we can stay where we are for a bit, I have a...friend, who can come get us.  But the likilihood of him not being there and it being a safe place to hang for a while is slim to none. She paused for a breath, before continuing to fill him in on what she knew and what she'd been thinking.

But there's a parking lot for the trails about a mile away.  As long as there're cars there, we can borrow a car and get picked up by chopper somewhere else.

With a little bit of a shrug,

"I can fly a helicopter... well enough at least to take off and land.  I wouldn't want to take one into combat.  I have dealt with a a couple of packs of infected before.  They have a tendency to collect motor vehicles from victims.  They most likely have them stashed somewhere close by."


He shifts slightly in his own armored jacket.

"It actually is light and flexible, if it fit you better.  You should see the heavy stuff I have."

She frowned at him sekptically and pushed the sleeves up.  She was starting to have doubts the jacket could work.  But it did make her feel very small. Unfortunately, she wasn't sure that was a good feeling.

Okay, good. Then we have alternate possibilities. She glanced back to Aramen's door. There's a witch shop back home, in town. The owner's a bit of a fruit cake, but she should probably have all the stuff he's looking for. She smirked. She was sure that said owner thought she too was a 'fruitcake'.

"Here take this jacket, it is the same size, but it has some straps on the waist and cuffs that will let you tighten it up a bit."

He takes off the jacket he is wearing and offers it to the woman, I can wear that one.

Nessa was clearly skeptical, but she swapped jackets with him.  It was still three miles too big as far as she could tell, but the straps held some possiblity.  She fussed with it for a while.  It was a marginal improvement.

Giving up, she leaned against the wall, able to see Aramen's door and the paths of anyone coming or going.

So... think we have time for that story? She smiled at him.

With a bit of a laugh...

"Let me set the scene.  We were hired to recover a woman who had been grabbed.  We had traced down the people who had done the job, and took one of them alive.  He was a hard boy, and had just enough implants to make him dangerous.  We had cyber restraints on him and had him chained down into a chair that was in turn bolted to the floor.  This was in an empty warehouse.  The only thing he could see besides the bare walls was a clock that one of my chummers was controlling.  I came in with a chair and politely asked the questions.  He gave no answers at all.  I told him that I would be back in one hour.  As I walked out, Peppin wallked in.  Peppin is a 6'6" skinny black voodoo priest and talks with a heavy Caribbean League accent.  When I mean he is a voodoo priest, I mean his magic is as real as anything any of these people have.

Peppin walked in naked, smoking a big stogy, and carrying a hammer, nails, a large knife, and a live chicken.  He goes up to the man, blows smoke all around him, moving around to see him from every angle.  The only thing he says is 'Ja mon, you be good, your soul last a long time.'  I went back in after one hour and he told us everything we needed to know.  Peppin never laid a finger on him and we had the chicken for dinner that night."

There is positive mirth on his face which fades as he looks over at the elf's door and shakes his head.

Vanessa laughed.  That is a good story. She grinned. Even in my time, you don't mess with Voodoo Priests. She chuckled. Again, her mind coming to redefine her conception of 'magic'. She too glanced to Aramen's door, a little concerned about the Elf.

See... best interogation you have to be able to generate fear.... I can tell you how to generate fear...and I suppose, given enough time, maybe, but I learned a long time ago, I am never going to appear frightening. She glanced back to Mason and laughed again. Well, at least not frightening like that or to 'bad guys'. She chuckled.

What I have going for me is really the element of surprise.  I dress right, an one look says 'kindergarden teacher.' She laughed at that too.

Yana could tell, even with her amature people skills, that Aramendel was hiding things.  Had he already gone after the wizard, or whatever,  in his short absense?   She sighed inwardly.  It would be typical of him to do so, but she decided not to assume the worst, for now.   Still, not delaying her trip to "detox" the weirdness from her soul was a good thing.

Alright.  I won't worry about it until I return.   I can leave when you're ready.

With a nod he let the door open. He couldn't help but snicker a bit at the jacket Vanessa had on. She was swimming in it, but if that's what she wanted to wear, so be it.
"We have a fourth, at least until we get to the border. Then she is going off, back to our plane."
With a glance of trepidation, he looked down the stairs.  He was in no mood to cross paths with a few choice 'people' down there but he had little choice now. Shaking off his uncomfortable feeling his looked back up to the traveling companions.

"Alright, if we are all ready, lets chase some stars."

Suddenly looking stricken.

"Yes Mrs. Greenfield, I promise I won't take Jimmie's lunch money any more."

He looks around for a few seconds, staring at the elf's door.

"Judging by the fact that you flew in by helicopter, I am willing to bet that currency won't really be an issue.  But if it is, I may be a fourth rate decker in my world, but in yours I am a willing to bet no one could match me in a computer system.  I have the old Fuchi Cyber 4 deck that Zeke built for me for a job a few years back."

Nessa had glared at him, when Mason started to tease her. THAT is so not funny, in so many ways... She had started to say, when Aramen's door started to open.

She glanced that way in time to see the two coming to the hallway.  She caught the snicker and sent a bit of glare in that direction too.  Though it wasn't fashion she was concerned about.  It was function.  Would the coats properties be worth it's inconviences?  She was still unsure.

Money's no issue, just getting away from that house. She glanced back to Mason. I don't really know anything about the owner, aside from he wasn't what he initially indicated. My experience is that these creatures have generally endeared themselves to local officials.  In particular local cops that can't find their way out of a bag with a flashlight, until they're looking for you.

She glanced back to Aramen and Yana as they approached. Um? She looked a bit questioningly between them. Okay? It was a cross between statement and question, as she looked back to Mason, thinking again.

Is there a place in the forest identifible as to ...where paths split? She asked.

Yana follows them, nodding in greeting to the others.

Aramendel shook his head.

"No. . . but to get home I followed the trail that Mason and Gallus left behind.  The trail faded in the same the same place but I still found my way back.  But I was able to pull Rhys with me when I came returned here. I'm sure that once the opening for one person opens, others can be pulled through." He shrugs at the thought. "That's what I suspect anyway. Only one real way to find out for sure though. If you lead, Miss Vanessa, and physically pull us behind you, I don't think it would separate us. If it does, we just find ourselves at our homes and we meet back here later."

He looks over to Yana, "If you keep walking straight without being in contact with the rest of us, you should get home just fine. I think."

Mason looks over at the young woman with Aramendel that had him so tied in knots.  He still had not really spoken to her.  With a small nod,

"Mason."

Looking at the elf and giving a small smile.

"If you are going to be going to Vanessa's world, it would be best if you had at least a coat or something to cover up your outfit.  I have this for you."

He tosses the elf the great coat he was wearing earlier.

"It is effective armor, but not necessarily better than what you have for claws.  If you want to lead her back to your own world, Nessa and I can handle this."

Aramen slipped on the coat. The weight of his armor and the coat was a little off setting, although the coat wasn't completely the wrong size.  He felt really bogged down, and if he was to fight he couldn't afford to move slow.

"Thanks, but I think I'll stick with just what I have for now, until blending in becomes a factor." He untied the cloth holding up his hair, letting him cover his ears, mostly. . .  "Would I stand out too much like this?"

He gave a slow spin with the coat on trying to get used to the weight.

"As for going to my own home, that would be up to both Vanessa and Yana as well. You asked me for help, and from the match up that might be waiting, it would be rude and disappointing for me to miss out. Though I have doubt that you can handle it."

Nessa smirked at Aramen in the coat. She was sure her amusement was obvious, but figured it was fair play for the look he'd given her.

No. She laughed. You still look weird for my time.  But that's okay.  We'll cross that bridge after.  I'm hoping to get you home and it won't much matter. She chuckled.

On the other front... This was touchy ground.  She glanced at Yana. She didn't want to put the other woman on the spot, her loyalty was to Aramen, what to say?  Mason's right.  We can handle things and bring you back what you need.  For me, I want you to do what's best for you guys. Don't worry about me. She smiled at him and Yana.

"Oh," said the Ranger reaching into the plain pouch. He pulled out one of the two vials of white liquid. "While I remember, Vanessa take this. If worst case something happens to you or Mason, mainly a bite, this should prevent the curse from taking hold if you take it within a minute."
He extended it over to her and stared directly into her eyes,  pleading her to take it.  His stare was determined, and he was sure this is what he wanted. 
"Just hold on to it. And don't worry about me getting bit. I have enough of the stuff coursing in my veins to stave off the entire coven, at least for another hour or two anyway.

"I am not too worried about a bite, I have a resistance built up to HMHVV and besides... I don't think they will like what they get if they try for my blood.  I am running on about 60% oxygenated flourocarbons."

With a bit of a smile,

"Either that or hydraulic fluid.  Anyway, we should get going."

<<<To Tavern>>>

She started to protest.  Consuming unknown things... I'll hang on to it. She conceded, sliping the vile into her pocket. She glanced at Yana offering a weak smile.

Not knowing what else to do, she turned to follow Mason.  She didn't even want to think about what he'd just shared and she couldn't tell how much was serious... hydraulic fluid?

Aramen looked over to Yana, realizing how fast this probably just happened, and knowing she probably has at least a few questions.   She still seemed startled so he held up instead of heading down the stairs with the others.  He slipped off the coat and began folding it up to slide it into his pouch.

"If you are ready we can head out now, if not feel free to wait." After sliding the coat into his deep pouch he began tying up his hair once again.

"You and I will go on your terms, the others will wait. They don't mind. If there is anything you want to ask, too, feel free."

Yana nods, clearly at a loss to fully process everything here.

I think I just need to go to familiar surroundings for a while.

He understood and could easily see it in her eyes.  No matter how much she has grown and evolved, he could still read her eyes.  With a slight bow he answered her, "Then I will take you there. Come, the others are waiting." Out of reflex he gently took her hand started down the stairs.

//Tavern//

Vrith was speedwalking to his room. He went in, got his weapons (dagger, scimitar) and his shield. He immediately left, locking his door and keeping his key, and speedwalked back down the stairs.

>>Tavern>>

Yana nods to him.  She gives his hand an affectionate squeeze, then lets go of it, following him downstairs.


===============>  To Tavern

>>>>From the tavern:

Cadreil ascends the stairs to find an open landing that leads to a narrow hallway.  He enters the hallway, halting just within to cast his thoughts down below.  The sound is still muffled; the dread lord had created a maelstrom of tension among the patrons in the bar and it was apparent that most thought him quite capable of breaking the easy truce that had been in effect prior to his arrival.

Shaking his head, Cadreil made his way to the 8th room on the left of the passageway and opened the door to find a comfortable room waiting.  Doffing his cloak, he made himself comfortable on the chair at the small table.  Holding his hands flat upon the table he closed his eyes and began to murmur eldritch words.

To the far perimeter of the taproom below Cadreil sends out his thoughts to find a suitable mammel to house his senses.  Specifically he hopes to find a mouse or rat, or perhaps a cat, though he did not take note of one earlier...although he was not looking.

As he searches for a likely host he has the absent hope that either the man or woman, or both, seek him out - it would make his effort that much easier.  In the meanwhile his effort is focused on keeping an eye on things downstairs.

There was...difficulty finding a suitable animal below for Cadreil to use to observe the common area, but eventually he found a small mouse hidden in the wall across from the bar.  It took a bit of urging but eventually he pushed the mouse to an opening in the wall.

The animal felt great fear thus he could not coax it from hiding, yet its hearing provided him the necessary resource he needed to understand what was happening below.  He heard the low conversation between the woman and the man; he felt some minor annoyance and disappointment that they were talking about music - he thought with some certainty that they would be intrigued by his invitation; apparently he was mistaken.

Turning his attention to the bar he also heard the dread lord speaking with Dave, the man who had earlier bought a round of drinks, and focused the mouse's attention to that conversation...

Weary from holding the spell as well as listening to forty-five minutes of slow played small talk through the ears of a mouse, Cadreil continued to listen with mounting impatience.  He almost exulted when the dread lord pulled Dave aside, and listened closely to their interchange, setting aside the conversation between the woman and her companion, finally.

Once upstairs, he moves fast and completely silently.  He moves into his room and in a low voice "Deactivate 85321."  He gathers his gear in moments, the deck and sound equipment go into the bag, but so does a few other things as well as the high powered rifle, minus the extended barrel and stock.  Once done, he is back out in the hall, pausing for a second, "Activate 87352" before moving swiftly to 4th door on the right.  He spares a glance at the 8th door on the left, but he doesn't know anything about the elf.  He knocks softly and waits a few seconds, looking at his watch.

Cadreil notes the man ascend the stairs - at this point he doubted the man's intent to include him in anything that he and the woman had planned, and the conversation between Dave and the dread lord was just growing interesting...

With a sigh he released contact from the mouse.  He doubted his eavesdropping had passed the dread lord's notice, and a second attempt would likely not be tolerated without some repercussion...still, now was the opportunity to state his case.

He cut the link.  Downstairs the little mouse scurried to the far corner of its hidey hole, disappearing into its nest.  Upstairs Cadreil stood and opened the door.

Exiting he approached the man, Mason he thought he overheard at some point, and said in a low voice, "I would show you something as a sign of my earnest desire to help your friends."

He is just closing the door when the elf comes out into the hall.  He turns and looks at him, his face a mask, no emotion showing.  He looks at him for a full count of three.  "You have to a count of 60."

Unsheathing a double edged, finely honed sword a quarter way from it's sheath Cadreil replies, "'Twas forged within the fires of the Darkmount and quenched in the birthing blood of Creation.  I will spare you the blade's lineage, but will say it has served my family for more than five thousand years...and it has drunk the blood of more than one of our unwelcome guest's kin."

"I am no mage, though I dabble, but I have courage, and the wisdom to see that any interruption of Hell's grand plan, even if it is but temporary or small, is good for all Creation."

"I would come with you to find Rafi, or know what you do of his whereabouts..."

His face remains a mask.  His voice is low as he speaks. 

He turns and starts to move back towards the stairs and waits... He said he would give her 5 minutes and he will not short it by even a single second.

Cadreil studies the man for a moment.

"No, I am not.  I will show you the path that they took when they left."  He continues to stand at the top of the stairs, waiting as the seconds tick by.  This is a special form of torture, but he stands motionless.

The door at which Mason was standing opens about one minute later.  The kobold Parker comes out into the hallway.  This time he holds a staff in hand and his skin has a bright red tint.  He glances at the elf but instead moves to the stairs.  Stepping under the large man's legs.  "OK, I will look at the situation."

<<<>to the tavern<>>>
This message was last edited by the player at 21:11, Thu 25 June 2009.

Hearing the raised voice from downstairs Cadreil says, "Perhaps we should see what is amiss?"

His hand rests upon the hilt of his sword as he follows behind the diminutive drake.

"No."  He rests his hand on the mans shoulder, his grip is firm but not painful. "You can go down after I do."  But he makes no move to go down the stairs.

Impatient, he looks at Mason, then shrugs, deferring to the man's familiarity with the environs and unfolding tableau.

"As you wish," he mutters, and steps back a pace, his index finger tapping nervously upon the hilt of his sword.

Following Vanessa upstairs, he moves past her to his room.  "You should wait here, I will grab it for you."  He opens the door to his room, "Deactivate 654783."

The woman sighed and stepped aside.  His world had much better 'toys' then hers. The sophistication of weapons, security, technology...but the thoughts were fleeting as her mind was on the building's enchantments and the poor souls traveling to some other world.

Giving her the duffel bag and a smile, "Here is your bag."  With that he reactivates the sentry guns and closes the door.  "I'll meet you back down stairs when you are ready."

<<<To downstairs>>>

Thanks. I'll be down in a second. I'll find something for her and leave the bag up here. She smiled wanely and glanced to her room.  There was nothing but clothing in the bag, nothing that needed the security that he enabled.

Mason? She called after him before he went. See if you can get more information about the enchantments.  I don't think Nikki's hesitation to put that knife through my hand had anything to do with me. She frowned.

She let herself into her room and gazed around.  It looked exactly the same.  With a sigh, she rumaged through the bag.  She had thought taking clothing was pointless, she should have known it wouldn't be.

She grabed a pair of jeans and shirt and pair of socks, and headed back to the hall.  Passing one of the staff of the tavern on her way to the stairs, she paused, finally asking them if they might have shoes for the girl.

With the young woman agreeing to look, she headed down stairs.

[Downstairs to Tavern proper]

>>>>From the bar

His mind was moving now, working on his own plans as he made his way down the hall to his door and entered.  He lay on the bed and closed his eyes, and allowed his mind to drift back to the forest and the trip to the tavern.

He remembered the oddity of the trip, the way he had felt a falling sensation just a short moment before he realized he was no longer in the Woldenweld.  It was a well traveled path he'd been on, which led him to believe that the appearance of the gate had been random, which in turn caused his suspicions to mount.  Further, he recalled the snippets of conversation he'd heard, comments from Rafi and his two companions as well as Boone, Mason and Vanessa which led him to believe that what they were saying was not quite correct.  Certainly the Hanged Man was not abiding by any prohibition in traveling to different worlds...and the woman Vanessa wasn't from the same world as Mason...

Considering this, he wondered if their assumptions were mistaken, or if they were purposely lying.  He also wondered if he could find the gate on his own...or create one.

The thought startled him, and he sat up on the edge of the bed, a grim smile forming on his lips.  His mind focused on this like a lens, he put his substantial intellect toward solving that riddle.

Working on what he hoped was a cure for his mounting boredom, he lay back down and rested.  As he looked at the issue from several angles, it occurred to him that he had grown bored.  With only so much fun to be had in a tavern before the tableau grows stale, he hoped that he could find a way to another portal, else a return to the Woldenweld would be in order in effort to find something akin to excitement.