Despite his faith in the security of the grotto, Sirrot sends his new friend Othur ahead to scout out the location and convey the presence of any house guards through the enpathic link the two shared. He made certain Othur understood the importance of meeting Fady by herself.

"How did you send your little friend ahead?  I didn't see you make any hand signals or speak to him," Mord inquired in friendly curiosity, watching the area for trouble while the pair waited.

"The rest will create a solid plan with Adiel - he's terribly clever - I don't understand half his jest, but it's an excuse to laugh, so why not - life is short.   All the endless speculation and talk wears on me, however, so it is pleasing that we had an excuse for me to come along for some protection.  I'm sure that you're just as capable, if not more, in your new body, but sometimes it takes a period of time for the blade's balance to feel a part of your arm, or to build the strength in your arm in the proper way.

"Not to mention a chance to hit something.  My shoulders are stiffening, without working them out properly.

"Whom was it that we were meeting?  Fade-ey?"

Sirrot answers "it seems that my transformation came with a gift. A natural skill with wizardry. I suppose this little bat is my familiar. Wait until he meets my riding mount, who's a dire bat I raised from a pup. Anyways, I felt concern and anxiety over the possibility of guards in the area I wanted to meet my sister. The little one, Othur, was able to share my feelings. I suspect he is going ahead to assuage those feelings by discovering whether there is a need to fear or not. He should be back soon, friend Mord."

"Ah yes," Mord nodded sagely as the description was provided.  "It is not too dissimilar from my bond with my little walking tree, Rak."

From within his backpack, the bullish human brought forth a little tree creature, setting it in a softer patch of earth, and giving it a sprinkle of water from one flask hanging at Mord's side.

"Rak, can you fly?  Or walk through trees like Holly?"

Othur goes out on his quest to find the grotto and Fady, but he's new to the stronghold, to this whole dimension really, so he has no idea where he's going or exactly who he's looking for.  A mission is a mission and he takes his job very seriously.  He zips unseen through the air to the center of town, swinging down near the gardens Sirrot had been thinking of.  His path takes him to a cool draft, which he follows into a small cave.  He lands on crack between the ceiling and roof.

Sirrot does not sense any distress or danger from his new friend.  Coast is clear, maybe?

Sirrot plans out a path least travelled to the grotto.  Crossing the river will be the trickiest, but he knows a place where they can cross on stones *under* the bridge.  As soon as Mord and Sirrot leave the cellar Mord pulls a hideous, twisted wooden bulb about twice the side of a bread loaf.  When the big guy set it down on the ground it sprouts limbs and starts shrieking horrible nonsense.  Sirrot looks around in slight panic.  This is just the sort of thing that would draw the attention he wanted to avoid.  Luckily, there are no dwarves around and this is the one neighborhood where dwarves actively avoid witnessing events.

Sirrot hisses "shut that thing up now! A stealth mission is no place for a squealing plantling. Why'd you do that, Mord?" Sirrot presses himself further into shadow as he creeps forward.


23:03, Today: Sirrot rolled 28 using 1d20+13.  Move Silently .

23:03, Today: Sirrot rolled 15 using 1d20+7.  Hide.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:04, Mon 30 Mar 2020.

"Oh hush, now, Rak," Mord patted the treekin in warrior's style of reassuring a nervous first-timer before the dawn of battle, looking over to address Sirrot.

"Like all treekin, he likes some sun and soil, but he sometimes forgets himself in his location.  I should wonder if all trees shout, and we but lack the ears to hear them?".  Mord assumed a thoughtful visage, then returned his attention to the small plant familiar, lifting it up to his sight, and closer to his ear.

"You're going to make the neighbourhood think that you talk more than the ladies, and without any skills at movement.  Do your kind never learn to talk for a stealthing patrol?  We're here for Sirrot's family, and his flying pet.  I heard there might be a nice garden for you to visit, so brought you out to discuss of magics and such things.

"So the flying magics - that might indeed be of use.  Hmm.  You  may ride on my shoulder if you keep quiet.  It is a shame that you cannot speak directly to my ears like Sirrot's little friend - perhaps we should work on magics like that as well."

Mord weighed the interesting ability to fly against the risks.  Birds did it, so how difficult could it be? You ran on the air, or wooshed with magic like a stream.  This was weighed  versus the potential embarassment -hmm... Mord had seen birds collide together, and both birds fell to the ground ingloriously, and Mord was far larger and mightier than other birds.  Surely he would be fine.  Learning in private was a coward's check - if you needed to learn to swing a sword, you did so.  If you wished to learn magic to fly, you did so.

Still, Sirrot's concern on quiet and stealth presented a truer concern.

"I hold little concern about the learning before him - Sirrot has some magical talents, he advises, and so surely would be knowledged on such things.  My popping up and soaring around might be problematic, however.  I remember learning my bladecraft, and, because of my might, injuring some before I learned how to strike but check my blows.

"Huhm.  Sirrot is quite stealthy.  Even watching him, I cannot hear him.  Good skill there.

"Rak, if you can whisper quietly to me, then stay on my shoulder, and let us learn these magical things.  If you lack the ability to moderate your volume, then back in the bag it shall be.  Let us proceed."

While Sirrot ghosted through the shadows ahead of Mord, Mord followed at a distance that would not draw attention to his scouting friend, but down the middle of the paths - a warrior wary of ambush, not hiding.  The Triplefang was not throwing his braggadocio around, but the confidence of his strides was a powerful man moving, talking to himself, and do not interfere with his constitutional.

---

OOC:
09:11, Today: Mord rolled 20 using 1d20+12.  Intimidate (str).
Don't bother me.

And hey, let's study quietly as we walk

Sirrot nods to himself in approval. Those with no skill at subtlety were well fashioned for drawing attention away from those who were stealthy. He momentarily mused over Mord's stated desire to fly and realized that the strongman had such prodigious leaps, that learning to glide might be a better outlay for his energies. Flight took a great deal of magic to achieve, but gliding might be achieved by modifying a low level wizard spell such as Feather Fall . He would need to speak to a spell researcher about such things, if he could find one whose immediate response wasn't 'kill the elf', that was.
Sirrot starts to concentrate on the sights and sounds surrounding him. It would not do for him to be caught by surprise at this juncture.

10:10, Today: Sirrot rolled 9 using 1d20+6.  Listen.

10:09, Today: Sirrot rolled 12 using 1d20+4.  Spot.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:10, Mon 30 Mar 2020.

Mord and Sirrot make their ways stealthily, and not-so-stealthily over the river, skirting the edge of the garden district to the grotto.  Adding to the not-so-stealthy is Mord's strange wooden buddy.  His garble incomprehensible gibberish can not be described as quiet, only as quieter than before.


Sirrot arrives at the grotto before Mord.  It's dark and silent.  At first he worries that no one is around, including his sister.  He could handle that.  He'd just wait and hope.  As luck would have it there is no need for waiting or hoping.  She's here!  Sirrot sees his sister a moment before she notices him, giving him a chance at the first word.

Sirrot whispers "Fady, my sister" and hopes she does not give him away.

Fady turns to look directly at Sirrot.

"Sirrot?  Is that you?  You look so strange."

She's not being quiet, but there's no one else here to hear her.  With Mord outside you're not afraid of any unexpected, unwanted visitors wandering into the grotto.

Fady takes a step closer.

"I never got a good look at you after the ceremony.  There was a lot of chaos and confusion.  Then you were suddenly gone."

Fady's face wears to same steely look it always does, even in times like now when she's not truly being stern.  That's just how her face is.  You've learned to read her emotions in other ways.

"Somehow I knew you'd come here tonight.  Well, I didn't know it, but I felt it.  You must've felt the same thing."

"And here we are."

She extends her arms.  You think for a moment she is going to hug you, but instead she pokes you in the torso.

"What's it feel like?  That long spindly body?  You look like..."

"A human woman."  Fady says, with a barking laugh.

Sirrot chuckles in turn. "In truth, it feels strange. My mind is the same, same skills and knowledge at least, but the body has given me a few surprises. Not only am I graceful like a human, but I've attracted a new friend. You know Kurk, the giant bat I raised from a pup? Well, now I've got befriended one of his lesser cousins. Othur, come meet my sister." A small bat detaches itself from one of the trees and flies down to alight on Sirrot's shoulder.
It chitters briefly, and Sirrot says "yes, we are brother and sister. Can't you see the family resemblance?"
He looks back at Fady, saying "I cannot imagine I would return to life in this body without Moradin's approval, for as a loyal worshipper I was surely in Moradin's Hall. There must be some purpose to my return this way. This body has brought me a talent for magic, one in-born, at least. I am guessing that Moradin wishes me to aid the Triplefangs in their quest, and so I need your help, Fady." The little bat of Sirrot's shoulder inclines its head towards Fady as if inviting her touch.

Fady crosses her arms.  She doesn't look impressed by new bats or magical powers.

"Of course you'll need my help getting out of here.  You sure can't stay now.  They're going to roast you alive if they find you.  Dear Mother and House Boril aren't going to be able to protect a calaquende, dwarf mind or not."

"Who are these Triplefang, and what sort of quest are they on?"

Mord snorted, fighting back a smile, but kept looking around for trouble, and keeping his nose from the conversation.  It was rude, after all, to interrupt what would be a private conversation in better times, better climes.

Besides, it was somewhat encouraging for Mord to see the family bonds of places still holding together.  This journey had been long, and it was far from over.  Glumr's loss still was like a pair of boots misjudged in height, and Mord wondered if it was tied to the problem of Holly and Sunna withdrawing, or Adiel's quietness.

Fortunately, Mord the Mighty could fill volumes with his magnificence and cheerful nature.  Why, he had told people so himself.

In reply to Fritzholm (msg # 14):

Sirrot simply says "right now they seek out the World tree, Yggdrasil. The Triplefangs I have befriended are Adiel, Holly, Sunna, and Mord. Although I think he prefers the name Mord the Mighty. If I am to help them, I need my huntsman gear, and Kurk. Can you help me get them? And after we're gone, please reassure Mother that I love her, no matter what form I wear."

It's actually pretty quiet outside the grotto.  There's an occasional dwarf walking this fringe of the garden district, but there's never a crowd or any hussle.  Maybe it's a lull before the holiday.  There's a calming sound of gently flowing water coming from the grotto too.  All that's missing is a wide open starry sky.  Mord has a hard time understanding why the dwarves would want to live underground all the time, and could there be anything more dwarflike than this grotto?  A little cave inside a big cave.

Fady peers past Sirrot to get a look at this Mord the Mighty.  He's intentionally keeping his distance.  Maybe keeping watch.

"Your gear is easy.  I can go grab anything you need and meet you here or someplace else.  Kurk..."  Fady pauses, furrowing her brow more.  Now she just looks angry.  "That will be hard.  They are expecting you to go to the pens.  You'd be caught for sure."

"I've talked about your plight with others.  You've got some friends who would help you escape.  They aren't going risk their lives so you can ride your bat.  Can the little thing, or your new magic help?" Fady asks.  The tone of her voice tells you she's grasping at straws.

Sirrot nods. "If you can loosen or untie Kurk's bindings, he will be free to fly to me, guided by my little friend here. I don't know if I retain the same scent in this form, so he'd have to lead Kurk with one of Kurk's favorite treats."

Fady leans in a sniffs you.  An odd thing to do, but these are odd circumstances.

"Don't look the same, or sound the same, or smell the same.  Kurk's more likely to let *me* ride 'im than you.  Treats might be your only hope."

Your sister nods and folds her arms.

"Freeing the big bat won't be a problem at all for the likes of me."

That part of the plan sounds solid, but you're worried about Othur leading anyone anywhere.  Kurk surely knows where his way around, but lacks motivation.  Why isn't anything easy?

There's a long silence.  The quiet burble and wash of the water echoing almost imperceptibly off the grotto walls is calming, but Fady was clearly expecting her brother to elaborate on his plans.

"So you want me to bring you gear enough to get to the end of the earth," she says dryly, but you can tell it was meant to be humorous.  "I can meet you back here first thing in the morning with your stuff.  No one followed me here this time.  No reason they'd tail me on Zanbar Kelvyn.  Then I'll go give your bat a smack on the rump..."

"But how are you going to get out of Sloss Hinterplatz?  You can't exactly stroll out the doors.  This is a stronghold after all."

Sirrot nods. "Apparently the Triplefangs know of another way out. It means invading the home of a family that no one trusts, but I'll not name names. And it wouldn't break my heart to leave behind a token of my 'appreciation' for them sheltering me to be found later, if you know what I mean. Actually, there is a woodsman with the Triplefangs who might be able to assist Kurk in rejoining me. I'll need to ask Mord the Mighty about that." The silence stretches in the grotto, and Sirrot adds "I really wish Moradin would get around to telling his priests Why he allowed me to take this form. It would make life easier, though far less interesting."

Mord kept his watch, but leaned backwards, closer to the pair, offering his two coppers.  "He might be able to - being out in the woods with the animals.  Worth asking, I suppose.  But if your sister thinks she can ride him out, then might as well do so.  Nothing preventing us from wrapping the bat up in a net, all tender-like, like for a baby bird - bat in this case, and get him used to your smell.

"Fellow I know liked using hounds in battle, and said that scent was important for the creature to recognize you.  Might take a bit, though, so better to bring the little fellow along until he recognizes you.  Treats, rubs, scents - the wagonmasters from the caravans that travelled Triplefang lands used to say that all time.  Ragnar might have more ideas, or not.  Yet I can't see a bat being more than Mord the Mighty could carry.

"Interesting lives are the only kind worth living.  Otherwise, ye might as well be a rock.  I remember one of my last scouting missions, a pair of giant trolls, easily twenty or thirty foot high, came upon us as we were travelling back from thumping lethal sense into a wicked mage with little sense of respect.  Sadly, both my companions were hurt from the trees that the trolls were throwing hundreds of feet at a time, like spears, hmm?  Looked rather comical, all the tree stuck into the ground upside down.  Where was I?  Right, hurt from the tree-spears.  So I could have easily fled to safety, but that's not Mord's way, no sir."

Mord tapped his right hand on his left shoulder, then his left to his right.  "They needed healing help right quick-like, so I popped one of each of them on a different shoulder, just like that, and let the trolls dare to try and catch me.  Spent the next half a glass leaping fallen trees and running them to help as quickly as I could.  The weight just helped balance me out - not a real test for Mord the Mighty, but a decent exercise."

Sirrot's face looks strained, as if holding back a comment, then he looks at Fady. Nodding to himself, he says "from anybody else, be they human or slick-talking halfling, I'd call that an overt case of bragging and a colossal lie. But having seen some of the things he can do, he has been touched by the gods. Although, come to think of it, some people touched by the gods seem unable to differentiate between reality and fantasy... "

Mord would have to bellow to be heard from the entrance.  Might be all the safer stealthwise to actually go into the grotto and talk in quieter tones.  Plus, then Fady could get an up close look at the Mighty Mord, and who should be deprived of that?  Yes, no more standing guard for the moment.  Mord joins Fady and Sirrot inside the grotto.  It's not the biggest cave, but there's plenty of room for more than two.



Fady, who hasn't even had time to adjust to Mord's abrupt arrival gestures to him after this statement while looking pointedly at Sirrot as if saying "See?  He gets it."  She's looks more skeptical about the net plan with Mord carrying a giant bat around.

"So this is Mord the Triplefang who is going to invade a House.  How exactly is that going to get my brother out of Sloss Hinterplatz?"  Fady poses the question such that either or both of you may answer.

Mord waited for Sirrot to reply to his sister, not wanting to intrude, but finally the barbaraian warrior could wait no longer.

"Without going into details that would put you at risk, we need a special key to use a certain path that will venture all of us past the mountains, and we need to recover the key from the House that stole it.  We know where it is, so venturing in to recover it is the step to allow using it.

"Does that help?"

Sirrot nods. "This key is the.....key to getting us out from under the noses of the Exalted. As for the details, they are not mine to share, for your own protection. What else are little brothers for, if not to protect their big sisters?"