So far, team Ascension and team SoW know from airship riding... but team Thunderspire hasn't tasted that yet.

Chestnut presents marshmallows to roast over the nighttime fire! "Boy can I relate to that... I mean... it's literally in my blood to venture off and explore the world. My whole race is exploration-bound and only settle down in old age."

Callie smiles and says, "Oh I know I can settle down. Even a retired adventurer can find things to do in their home... I know this because of how often I encountered bullies and such growing up. I just hope to find someone to settle down with, have kids, and live to see grandchildren."

Grabthar nods sagely.  "Indeed.  I'll have to keep that airship idea in mind.  Especially for taking Callie's grandkids on grand adventures!"

  Joe imagines Kendar wanderlust getting so bad that their blood escapes from their body to wander faster. Or just get punched out by their communism fearing skeleton-wait no that's bizarre ninja techniques not wanderlust.

  "I think the only hard part there, Callie, will be finding a guy worth your time for it."

Callie bites her lower lip, twirls her finger in her hair and gives a quick once-over of each of the guys present. "Oh I dunno. I think I'll manage."

Chestnut and John both seem completely oblivious to Callie's half-subtle compliment. But they definitely enjoy roasted marshmallows! Chestnut shares some more personal adventure stories!

Callie shares one of her own.

Grabthar chuckles and enjoys the stories.  He's more than happy to share one of his own, though not one of personal experience.  Rather, a story his parents told him growing up.  Of how two people of completely different races, culture, abilities, and so on managed to fall in love and have a son they're so proud of.

  Joe might wonder if he had a chance, but has the suspicion he would be struck by lightning and assaulted by birds at the same time.

  "I'm not sure what happened to them, but for whatever reason one time while hunting a dog was following me.  It seemed far too amused whenever I missed." Of course, DnD Duck hunt happened to Joe.

Duck hunt happens. No era can save you from the laughing dog.

Eventually, the group falls asleep. When they wake, Callie and John are missing. Their stuff is left behind, but their tracks are easily seen as though they just got up and walked off.
This message was last updated by the player at 05:28, Sun 18 Sept 2016.

Grabthar stares grimly at the tracks.  "I doubt this is a good sign.  If I were to take a guess, John was charmed, and Callie tried to give chase...  but she would have hollered to wake us.  I suppose both being charmed is a possibility."

Or you've been betrayed and are about to be ambushed.  Either way, he readies his weapon and stealthily follows the tracks.

  Joe really wishes there was a 'don't need to sleep' belt to go along with the 'don't need to eat' belt.  Not like he used any daily powers today anyways.

   "Probably something more forced, if they left equipment behind."  He at the very least, grabs up Callie and John's stabby implements.

Chestnut says, "Don't wander too far too quick, guys! We can probably leave most of the camp set up, but I'll be grabbing food stuffs so animals don't rummage through our stuff too much."

Grabthar and Joe can see the tracks keep leading them to where they were going anyway; the mansion of the sorceress.

Grabthar helps with the carrying of heavy things.  He's good at packing them right so they don't clank about.  Either way, he won't be leaving anyone too far behind as he scouts ahead.

  "Splitting up even further would not be a good plan, that's true." snacks for the trip are also a good thing, even if that's less dramatic to say.

Once the group makes it to the mansion and decides on a marching order, they soon find the various men frozen in time. Their ages range from mid-teens to guys in their 40's. Their appearances range from highly masculine to effeminate. Whoever this sorceress is, she clearly has wide tastes in men.

"Poor saps," Grabthar's thinking.  But it wouldn't do to talk.  So he continues to cautiously proceed, on guard against ambushes, traps, being spotted, and whatnot.

  Joe wonders just how far potions of cold resistance will go, but it certainly beats nothing at all for when the time comes.

  "Which would be worse.  Moving these people into place later, or them getting frozen at these random spots."

Chestnut quietly answers, "I guess that depends on the situation..."

Soon, the team can see a middle-aged woman (if very good looking for her age) petting a now perfectly still Callie next to the throne the sorceress is seated in. "You certainly have very pretty hair and such a darling face. I'm not normally one to add girls to my collection, but I could easily stare at you for hours at a time. I think I shall keep you."

Entering this room gives a feeling very similar to touching an electric fence or hitting your funny bone.

Grabthar figures the sorceress is distracted, so he signals for his friends to back away.  He retreats to the previous room to talk strategy with them.

  Tingly room is generally a bad sign, yes. So he follows Grabthar back out. For all they know it may be proximity to the Sorcerers rather than the room itself.

  Arranging for a Rube Goldberg styled execution will be tricky.  But things often end up elaborate if you take on plot magics with a square peg for their round hole.

  "Okay, I'm expecting my current outlook may hopefully be unnecessary. Arranging for a catapult to fire through her bedroom window may be a bad idea if she treats any of her victims as teddybears.

Chestnut has no idea what to do. "If I were to take a guess, though, Callie and John didn't get a chance to talk with her. That was Callie's original plan... maybe I can talk with her while you guys sneak around the other side?" Bad Chestnut! While that makes sense, it means the GM will just RP with himself! Seriously, the player needs to remember to never ever GM when in the mood to play a high-charisma character. u.u

"We can't risk it.  I think it best we knock her out and then try reasoning with her after she's safely restrained.  Was figuring on luring her out here into a trap ambush combo rather than confront her in the electric room."

  "I could... Shoot her in the face with an arrow from the doorway I guess.  But somehow, I get the feeling that would not work as well as hoped." Even if she didn't have enough HP to tank it, likely would result in the arrow stopping in mid air or somesuch at this rate.

  "Though given her gushing over Callie, she might be tempted for a close to matching height set, yeah. It's not your idea being bad, so much as not trusting that room in particular, chessnut."

Chestnut says, "How about if we convince her the place is haunted? I hear that giggling children in lonely mansions are supposed to spook people really bad, and I sound like a child by human standards."

Grabthar considers it.  "Well shooting her or making sounds like a child would certainly serve to lure her to our trap ambush.  But I'd rather avoid trying to scare her lest she flee or spiral further down the whirlpool of insanity."

  "Well... First, we see if all the other frozen victims can be moved or not.  It may not help much if we want to avoid the room Callie is in, but it would mean we could get some out of here if we needed to." Though he really doubts tossing some on a cart for a wizard to examine for counterspells is really on their available timetable.

It is soon discovered that the people can not be moved at all. "So if we can't scare her, what do you suggest? Maybe you wanna try talking her into coming to the other room?"