"Moien!" respond the elf with enthusiasm, as he survey and inspect the debris for good working materials. Yes there is certainly enough there for a good fondation.  "You...wouldn't happen... to have seen something we could use for a large... tarp? Maybe old ...curtains..."

He put himself to work with Rani with blissful outlander ignorance of any building code or urbanism regulations regarding add-on, picking beams and planks and appraising what he has. He tries to decide between a simple smoking tent or maybe a more elaborated box-like structure connected to a fireplace via a maze-like series of layers, to cool off the smoke before it touches the meats (they want it smoked, not cooked).

Both Amagnen and Gloinain set down the beverages that they were enjoying on the back steps and look at Marik with confusion. "Um... wha ya need this tarp for boss?" Amagnen inquires.

Filimena pauses, wondering whether she should simply let Amagnen break the news to Marik.

"To build an outdoor smoker with, for the tavern," she says, then turns to Marik. "Which, I'm afraid, might be tricky. We might need to involve the Carpenters and Masons Guilds."

Filimena grimaces slightly, trying to think how to explain the concept of a guild to Marik. [Language unknown: "Us sa sa hirise, adssca strat lessst sheillard ntckofos,"] she begins. [Language unknown: "Onicie ard winasthafoev atitedich k icalinerapro, ek day omeble'conout mo vorwitati estcomart ratsanort. Tiekev arck towiti evwemandnc outkorast art tedcon-hasoreard ntec ndeearall toasen sail olit i ieilri ec urse siuntr. Wasvorourven pa hiesfi ndecweme erinus fopo eiive ivul earvirmaningine olbehahi. A p la ta vorvorour n ilckiv thchis sonromprethu liwit ioneastehi wiriur, wa whetedany p verichvortio ovesomiou noekfi hou whinnt en tr tedonsughand ecch'honill."]

OOC: I promise you I actually wrote that and didn't just get ChatGPT to do it.

Marik listens in silence, eyes blinking in confusion.

[Language unknown: "I nceesa houevewas itou bleeauter p ivfoel ...icecun...illre il n ieie t thu ersartwasast son venrespre ion lo ectureent ?....Eisa? Se evestison prowitthe heca mench ngplpa ternceter an t pa se hentpo nde rent hoar? Se day unenc re chers vorundher t utie leive ter mi?
]
[Language unknown: K...toas...teryinred...con in pre onin a enwesi roulpa inilte. Eisti was ng ai a kor earastven hisnotectwhe? Adalutit te ncdimo p fo mo n ek outero lalin, en ti his forho les redoreatiame. Chasth ulcack ntngbe eau ainro wiitmo vorkorith inlaur ectortsti o ionureset tedcomateday ieiopl thintestr?"] He continues, thinking aloud. [Language unknown: "Ce eardayati? u noanhe ain hatessive om ssceng preratrut ec memepl entatewas nte conol ted conersain...si ndwa hi ee blemenkor ounti inhis n thare urmaek ovethuint etno out taesurli undon tail ess ofil acceeiro o dersheund wileauver. Stweil, siesni redresthi infoth e ecthi? O us ilfiio ckur os it hasouttra i vor pre atno be ul entsonhat acchin rut u preaveter ndinos ectonemen? "
]

Amagnen looks rather confused as the conversation goes from common to elven. Gloinain seems to follow along but remains quiet.

Filimena chuckles softly. [Language unknown: "Thuonsver ekhifi vor oul p i ous hiomni. Itwiai taul a wiouac undlatsom ureastles!"] she says, before very quickly adding that she's only joking, in case it isn't as obvious to Marik as she thinks it ought to be. [Language unknown: "Hares atutng. Mi n ous, nditom ons ntio'neic hahat io onshouome en ive andtedrom wi heout tintioarende e ekhi nte mihell."]

[Language unknown: "Ce ticundtio moat st acnd ntiencere. Ive staerathuwhe se is waslinoun ta evai ersherred man antticthe-strwhi wence thefo no ceun res. Inchtr ur ro oervorone dinencour plmoat ort ndetedent tril ck ro, p testi ndul ul ectconher-comere o santioble itie era conanther set u eenreawhe. Ma vir p etnearin thuect-allenc, il... e wit ad. E stiartore theforany n reaome'antate ad ev itnconroee nolipr vor."
]

[Language unknown: "Hatblepro, A prsind aresonart atieenich cetin il man ic weie oulderenc ate arespo antessthi, Ine astineenc. T onenteset somnceoulart e ntbewh, man... Atiiv allce of of nteee tioforsan ha ni ec se ng. I yin lo acthe andwhiave. Ri outourout la ounthaove th ta." St ulwhom acmi ad Befievpa ove Santerine areon omerfo, nauntr remianoueiis is mo werthaort pe ad ourhouanyast.]

Marik still looks puzzled, but appears resigned.

[Language unknown: "Earnother osncdi....p butversta ples she eefing earourhou...winase? Korlatiou Lo ith ess, leenng ecen haweadus atiwa (n lilaha, ngngst) ...on sonntiset ee ngck. Stcon...encsankor eenpa iv iveughous heic re ica nde veraintic ouskormanill sanandame. El nce Ntentende Mi...chie Aiul. Hamo, wi ome achi sami uret onsournte erncul elun bleterure riis whiicatedhis sanntethi anyearhat ista noulcepo onhiie, ort traionhis nchi asring ss moomic nde rier staortven-ureter saoul e ioulinsheove atnti naseth ouit ivstme ce winobe cebeof. A utrea inei itfoon ofinas dineenest atomivfiha tiwiwi he os e ven Ekitad kormanlat ndartama i inaiwa he ec artsononeing.]

He sighs again, [Language unknown: "Utous andandove, N icaoneoul. Vorwhiith al an er ngpr. P korromentart encsonhou o ha thetheany ioncomive toad arre ri acniekom ourhasess, of t fo eereca ev urth..."]

He drops the materials he gathered on the ground. All the previous enthusiasm visible on Marik face now gave place to a sullen, depressed look.

"That meal was...delicious...and filling...I think I need to rest..." he says in common, for all present.


OOC: What is the time of the day at the moment, dear DM?
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:33, Tue 27 June 2023.

OOC: It is midmorning, around 10-1030am

Gloinain speaks up, [Language unknown: "Ce, ecsa anunno m ek tericacom nonc ratlinand sa wasio erstining oun, caelur lararestr whin hithi p resereicatin, en a olhis alfo ounoulastard nausdi a m ivehis'icaoul i ad liolnd ngmiad laramende eebeof, dertheven The electowi anou alhiec sswhe evant sster O thoel ioic u iourompre... er di ill ou.   Red Resthibut llnt maec k teour po eauessnoterawhi ei ntiillout atehoueve heno inein ereentave mimi e il u ecad ckee matiti, ek whiarttic acul utlielllto stench icnima ou ai ersmentionde hisvirthoica ere stth a hailto. Ll ncoun leess tioeauentrom ere k dayativer ustho om tomita enshe simool ionichrat heiobeat." ]
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 18:36, Tue 27 June 2023.

Filimena pauses, feeling a little sorry for Marik. She doesn't remember ever having been in quite the same situation, of being in a place totally foreign, where simple words you took for granted, like "friend", mean something completely different, and senseless. And yet she can imagine it must be bewildering, and it must also be lonely. Loneliness is something she can understand, sure.

[Language unknown: "Esto,"] she says, trying to look friendly. [Language unknown: "Na esssetcom o atti p thehouive ma. Sheersome fofoolarpa m dinprethi us tenti thius dayun ngli eresomstrent os n. Ofofca ver mo utri pace. M lltic an somtioher orthatpro ove. Ha... E poweit liek pa sa noan anter ast ceeitr ssnt eveeen'rutilland ca evreunssiv nt nt ie thaundame!"] The latter idea occurs to her randomly as something that might cheer Marik up. She's not sure it's something she really wants to do, but it's too late to take it back now.

OOC: I have a meta-gamey question. Is there some hook we're ultimately working towards? Would it help to try to steer a bit in that direction? Otherwise, I'm creating an opening just to see what happens.

OOC: At this point we are sandboxing/open world in Titan's Gate - if y'all want something more linear or direct I can do that too.

Right now y'all have a few threads out there you could pull on.

• Illithid in the Sewer
• Doorway in the basement
• Orc spying on y'all

This message was last edited by the GM at 17:36, Wed 05 July 2023.

Marik acknowledges Gloinain intervention and responds with a laconic "I see...That's good". There are still many questions running through his mind about how things work here, but he doesn't feel the energy to pursue this discussion for the moment, as his thoughts have drifted elsewhere. It seems Filimena has caught up that what started as an innocuous discussion about smokers and economic systems has struck something a bit deeper. He forces himself to smile back...and the perspective of heading out and foraging does seems a very pleasant idea to spend the day.

"Yes, great idea. Let's meet back... around noon. I'll find you."

Marik salutes the group and then signal Rani. The large cat yawn, take a few steps back to build momentum, then leap up on the manor wall and give herself a second boost to the balcony. She and Marik enters then go to their room bedon the second floor, the one giving on the tower.

Marik sigh as he enter his room. It's silent, peaceful and hot from the rays of the late morning sun filling the tower window. Where the bed once was, he sees his hammock near the pile of cuchions, blanket and soft material that serves as Rani sleeping spot. And near the window, a small shrine.

Strange to believe this was once the refuge of very scared kids. Now, it almost looks like a home.

He gestures and Rani walk him in the room, leaving him next to the shrine. She then goes to open a window to let some fresh air in, before laying comfortably in her sleeping spot.

Marik look at the shrine, the results of hours of quiet work at night when everyone was sleeping. He light a small candle and deposit it at the base, a wooden altar filled with careful, detailed carvings he made evoking lanscapes of Tal'Onarafel: tall, twistings networks of trees; the sight of old Vellardin towers, beautiful even in ruin, peeking over the canopy; away in the distance, the silhouette of the mountains of Dar-Daithar, drapped in mist; and of course, the Ishtarii river, glistening with piece of broken ice in spring, rushing from the mountains to feed the rivers and wetlands up to the delta of Dreshmoor.

Fixed to each side the altar, a set of two large deer antlers goes upward and holds a complicated web of strings with knots every inch. Colored beads are inserted on the ropes to draw various patterns.

At the moment, the beads are arranged to form a glyph, that of Cihnhehal, the Beast from beyond. It's one Marik calls on often, to help him hunt or detect magical creatures. There is also Ahrenvoth, spirit of eternal regrowth, which frequently help him with healing, but this one has a tendancy to be overtly enthusiasthic and cover his places of worship with plants and growth. Marik dedicated them a separated shrine outside in the manor garden, near where he planted Fala tree.

This time, Marik doesn't feel like talking to a spirit of the hunt. The event of the night and this morning has his head filled with thoughts of love and loss. He feels lonely, far from home. He misses the ways of his old community, now dead or scattered to the winds. He miss his parents and sister. He feels lost.

He rearrange the beads to draw another glyph, that of Quelen, the bird between realms and finder of path unseen. It's a spirit of ways and paths, travelers and journeys, places and boundaries. His people often call on them to open new paths for travellers or safely guide the souls to the Astral realm once their mortal journey ends. Marik prefers not to call on them too often, out of respect and because it generally stirs memories, but this morning feels like a good time to offer them his prayers, if only to offer them his thanks.

Marik draws out his short sword, and gently pose it on the altar base, before lighting a few candles. The engraved carvings of the blade name "Sesÿra" glow in the small light of the flame. His sister couldn't imagine how ironic, or meaningful, that word would be for him when she named her sword "Memory". Or maybe she did, and the simple thought of it terrifies him.

Then Marik close his eyes, reliving in memory vivid parts of his journey so far: the dreadful feeling of disaster he felt in visions, which made him leave adventure to do something...anything... to feel useful. The journey to Titan's gate, the search for ruins, the orphanage, Jzadirune and finding Filimena, the first friend he had in years apart from Rani. Then Snake Skull manor, the gangs below, the Illithid they found. And a new community of friends and neighbors: Disanz, Avi, Fala, Tali and Ranear and all the others that welcomed and accepted them in Titan's Gate. Was this what he searched all along? A place to feel useful? Yet, why does he feel something is still incomplete. What's his place in all of this? What path isn't he seeing?

Marik breathes, empties his mind and send his thoughts to Quelen, repeating a small prayer-like mantra until he enters a transe state. [Language unknown: "Herlinthe u ti Raticheauugh, ca ul essoernde thwipa verearbut ate peon."]

OOC: Marik will just take a short rest and transe for a hour or so.

OOC: Phew, that was work, but it felt nice to explore a bit what Marik did in his downtime and what he made with his room. If you have trouble figuring the shrine, imagine a dreamcatcher-like web pattern of strings, knots and strings held by deer antlers fixed to a wooden altar.

Amagnen and Gloinain nod to Marik has the elf make his dramatic exit while on the porch the trio of youth cheer as Rani scales the manor. Daadashma remains quiet enjoying the tea they brought out.

Gloinain scratches his beard then looks to Filimena, "Miss, I'll get Athan and we'll reinforce those area so Rani doesn't slip or break em."

Filimena nods as Marik turns to leave. [Language unknown: "Itoer, outos weles aredayeau men!"] she calls after him.

Question now is, what's she going to do between now and noon? She could simply head out into the city, wander around a bit, see what there is to see beyond Snakeskull Alley.

"Say, uh..." she says, turning to Amagnen, Gloinain, and Daadashma. "I don't suppose there is some sort of library around here, is there? Somewhere I could go to learn a bit more about the history of the city?" Why not? She figures it'll be interesting, even if she doesn't find anything actually useful.

Daadashma scratches their chin, "Well there's the Font of Knowledge over in the Castle District, bit of a walk though. You could go speak with Rishaal in Book Wyrm’s Treasure around the corner, they have a variety of books."
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:14, Thu 20 July 2023.

"Rishaal, Rishaal, Rishaal..." Filimena mumbles, frowning. The name sounds familiar. Where had she heard it before? "Oh yes! Of course! The bookshop owner who told us about..."

"But about this Font of Knowledge. Sounds intriguing. So it's a library? Do you reckon I'd have time to make it there and back in an hour or two?" She turns back to Daadashma.


OOC: Hehe. I had to search the older threads. His name is spelt Rishaal actually, although "Rishall" was used twice, maybe as a typo.

OOC:  oops! typos have been corrected.

"I believe so, it a half-hour each way I'd say," Daadashma proceeds to give Filimena directions.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:42, Tue 25 July 2023.

Filimena frowns slightly. A half hour each way. And that's assuming, of course, that she manages to figure out where it is. It's possible she could make it there and back in time again to meet Marik, but...

"I see. Perhaps another time then," she says to Daadashma, filing the thought away. "Thanks! I'll be heading over to the Book Wyrm's Treasure, if anyone asks!"

Waving goodbye, Filimena turns and heads eastward, then, pausing for just a moment, swivels around and heads west instead, grinning wide-eyed. "Oops. Heh heh heh."

Filimena finds the street busy as ever with the comings and goings of people trying to live their lives Titan's Gate.  She makes it down the street and finds the store easily as there is sign with a dragon curled around a treasure hoard of books and scrolls. Inside, the shop is decorated with beautiful hardwood and has the earthy scent of old books permeating the air. There seems to be more shelves than the building should be able to hold.


This message was last edited by the GM at 17:40, Tue 25 July 2023.

"Good morning... neighbour!" Filimena says, pausing for a moment to wonder at how she's become so amicable recently. "I don't know if you remember. I was here not long ago with my friends Marik and Rani (here Filimena pauses and makes a pouncing gesture with her hands) looking for information on mind flayers? I was taking a break from looking after the tavern and decided to pop by to say hello, and also to see if you might know something about the history of Titans Gate generally."

The dragonborn smiles, which is slightly unnerving, then says "Yes yes you are the pair who moved into the manor and fixed it up, very good for the area I think. Marik come looking for books on Vellardin a few days ago as well as illithids." The drumming the fingers of their left hand on the counter as their right taps the pipe to their lips in thought.

After a few moment Rishaal's head shoots up as thought struck by something, "Yes!" They get up in a hurry and head towards the stairs leading up, calling back "Follow me please." The upstair, like the down, is full of shelves upon shelves of books each with some sort of script (draconian) on them. "Yes yes yes... here you are the Rise of Titan's Gate and Fall of the Southern Sanction by Pier Arrer, as well as Gateway to the Great World, Settling Titan's Gate and Creation of a Giant - The Oral History of Titan's Gate as few others here."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:48, Sat 05 Aug 2023.

Filimena's eyes widen, then narrow again, as she hesitates. "I guess I'm particularly interested in the... sewers under Titans Gate. When were they built? Who built them? Have there ever been any connection between the sewers of Titans Gate and... something else stranger?" She struggles to find the right words.

"You've heard about us? About... Jzadirune? Between that and the Illithid... well... it seems there's more going on beneath Titans Gate than the usual urban infrastructure."

Rishaal nods at the question, "Of course I know of your happenings with Jzadirune and the under our finecity, your friend Marik has a rather loose tongue."

Tapping their teeth with their pipe, the dragonborn ponders for a moment, "As I told him, I do have copies of Disanz's Guide to the Illithid which is a fine place to start as to the nature of the aberrations themselves. Now as for the sewers of the City and such things well that would be more of a public works question and not many proper books have been written the topic ... or if they have been they've been kept secret."  Their eyes dart about in thought, "I'd say speak with the City Watch but they have enough trouble keeping up with the problems aboveground. Though I'm sure you could speak with someone at Loyal Order of Street Laborers or maybe Guild of Stonecutters, Masons, Potters, and Tile-makers about the sewers ... no one cares for such unnatural being dwelling below our feet. "

OOC: I only just remembered that Filimena has a researcher background! Which means,

quote:

When you attempt to learn or recall a piece of lore, if you do not know that information, you often know where and from whom you can obtain it.

Usually, this information comes from a library, scriptorium, university, or a sage or other learned person or creature.

A bit too late now I guess. Haha but since we're already here narratively, I may as well ask, does Filimena have any instincts about Rishaal's advice? Does it make sense? Does one of his suggestions sound more promising to her than others? Or perhaps his suggestions recall to her mind some other source of information?

Asking this OOC. Will write up an in-character reply depending on the outcome.

Moonless night. Fire. Walls of malachite echoing screams. A City under the sun. Tunnels where darkness almost hums. A flash of pain, like tentacles wrapping around his head.

Marik abruptly wakes up from his transe, sweating. He breathes....deeply. He looks, it's still day. Vision still cloudy. Something buzzing in the light filled window. He focuses. A hummingbird, small, purple and red enter the room briefly, before flying away. He can't help but smile.

His vision adjust. Only an hour has passed judging from the sunlight.

Rani already got up, seeing him awake. He pets her. She leans into it and brushes against him, almost making him fall.

Now, to find Filimena.

He takes back his weapons and search for her back in the manor. He doesn't see her. She probably went out. He tells Rani to search her scent. The large cat takes a few sniffs and immediately lead him out into the streets and starts running.

OOC: Marik will makes a general Perception check to see if he can find Filimena as Rani runs. He rolls a 16.

[Private to DM5: OOC, to DM: If the check is high enough, maybe that could be a good opportunity to plug back the orc watcher. Marik didn't mind someone looking strangely at them the first time (they are strange after all), but if he sees him watching them again, he would go much more suspicious and might want to investigate.  ]

OOC: Hola! I'm back. Finally found some time between work and activities to write something. If that,s okay, I could join Filimena and Rishaal after Filimena next answer.

In reply to Filimena the Gentle (msg # 52):

Well isn't THAT a fun ability.  Filimena knows Disanz and has had dealing with Renaer Buchanan who is well versed in the city.  Rishaal's
advice seems logical and well reasoned, though there are likely other groups (adventurers, etc) who might be more helpful.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:00, Mon 21 Aug 2023.