Basilisa frowned at Cinnabar and her companions. “Now, certainly we can repay our hostess with better coin than threats!” She clucked her tongue and shook her head reproachfully. “If she meant us any harm, surely we would have awakened in chains and straw bed, rather than the comforts of this room.”

The Bard held her companions’ eyes before turning to face the old woman. “Elah, thank you for watching over us and keeping us safe as we slept. You said that Terlorn knows our current whereabouts. Might we meet him soon, kind lady?”

OOC:

18:00, Today: Basilisa The Bold rolled 20 using 1d20+10 with rolls of 10.  Honey, instead of Vinegar.

Joser looks around at his companions and the elderly woman.  If'n we gonna have ta wait ta meet tha one who brough' us 'ere, then we should accep'  'is, or 'er, 'ospitality.
He approaches Elah, nodding his head in greeting.  One gets the impression that, if he had one, he would doff his hat to her.  M'lady Elah, I am known as Joser the Demolisher.  Pleasure ta meet ya.
He collects himself a plate of food and goes to sit at the table.

Elah sits down her cup and looks over at Basilisa. "It is quite alright young lady. I can't blame any of you for being on edge after waking up here. I told Terlorn he should have asked you first. But he muttered something about not enough time and then ran off to his scrying room saying he had to speak with someone."

"Can't say I've ever seen him so flustered before. But back to you question of where we are, I'm sure I will get this wrong, but Terlorn says it is a remnant of a portion of Toril from a time during the Netherese empire that has been lost to time drifting between planes. Of course he says I am nothing but an echo of someone who once lived here." She shrugs and smiles, "I didn't bother to argue the fact as far as I know I feel alive and that's enough for me." 

Yer a shadow o' someone 'ho's dead?  This is not sounding good.  From what he remembers, shadows are spirits of the dead killed by other shadows.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:14, Fri 22 Apr 2022.

Basilisa shook her head quickly. “No, no, no.

I think Elah means that she’s a magical memory of someone who passed on. If Elah were an actual malevolent Shadow, she wouldn’t be offering breakfast and making our beds.”

She stared cautiously at Elah. “At least I hope so…!”

Basilisa’s experience with the Undead was somewhat limited.

She preferred keeping it that way, too.

Kel'li went deep into her own mind, sorting through memories.  Was this real?  It was real enough for her.  She remembered her life, her purpose, her ablilities.  "So, if this is some pretense to get us to do some job for you, why not just ask?"

Blue's untrusting eyes glued on the elderly woman.  Funny thing about magic - the other one got, the more potent their power tended to become.  As for drugging them and carrying them off, that was hardly an offense he could easily overlook.  Fingers twitched, eager to reach for his blade, but he delayed the response.  There was a difference between reckless and suicidal when it came to the sort of power he had been beaten by.

"Where'n be eh' hexen 'arlock 'en?"  Blue asked, his off-hand settling on his hilt.  It wasn't an immediately aggressive action, but it wasn't the mark of a man who had discounted violence, either.  "Right'ee dun, askin' first."  His eyes quickly swept over the room, though his head didn't move.  "Trust'n'all.  Notta goddn' fer trust 's ah snatchin'."

Bran had come back to consciousness slowly. He had to rub his eyes and blink several times to be able to open his eyes fully. He let out a small groan as he gingerly sat up. Had he been drinking? Did he pass out?

He had frowned at the unfamiliar surroundings, but then noticed at least a few familiar faces so calmed down from the rising panic and anger. He muttered, "Well, if my three favorite ladies are here, can't be all bad.

He then had turned and focused on the conversation occurring, scratching his chin. He pushed himself up off of the bed and walked a little closer to the three he knew better, and especially Basilisa, a light frown still on his face until she 'told off' their allies for 'being rude', causing a smile to slide on to his face.

The smile slowly faded as the woman explained more. She used names he had heard of before only in passing or read in books once upon a time. He rubbed a hand over his face and then shook his head. "Ugh. Okay. I don't know if I understand enough to know how much trouble we're in yet."

"Trouble could be an overstatement, for now.  Let's say, challenged?"

Joser turns to Kel'li.  Trouble an overstatement?  He looks at the drow incredulously.We were knocked out, kidnapped, an' taken ta' another world.  Sounds like trouble ta me.

“We need information before we pick fights,” Basilisa said, but her gaze went to Bran instead of Joser. She walked over to him. She greeted Bran with a soft kiss. “I’m glad you slept well and woke safely, Bran Silverlight.”

Na' tryin' ta pick a fight, Joser responds, jus' sta<Aqua>Growin' up onna streets taught me tha' druggin' an'kidnappin' people, usin' magic or nah, us'ally does'na end up well fer 'emtin' tha obvious.</Aqua>  He cocks an eyebrow as he watches the woman walk over to kiss her male companion.
He turns to Elah.  Me childhood onna streets taugh' me tha' usin' magic, or any other method, ta drug an' kidnap people does'na gen'rally end up well fer 'em.

He shakes his head slowly a couple of times.  Now we go' sof' beds an' a food offerin' ta bribe us, ta show us 'e is really a good person tryin' ta right' a great wrong.  Then, 'e'll say we're tha only ones who can do this great deed, tha' all others would fail.

Elah set her cup on the table and gave the group her best smile. "I can't blame you for being upset and I know my word means very little to you. But You have nothing to fear here, no trouble or challenges. I can't remember there ever being any sort of trouble here and hopefully as soon as Terlorn joins us he can explain what happened."

She pauses and looks at each of you, "Is there anything I can get you? I could show you around if you wish, though that wouldn't take long. There is only the tower, main house and a couple acres to see."

"A nice, private bath would suit me just fine."

After several tense moments of silently listening to the mood of the room change, if not quite lighten, Cinnabar lifts her hand away from the crossbow attached to her side, the one that is always loaded.

”Let us see this proof of yours that we are not prisoners.  Take us to this Terlorn so he can explain and show us your lands on the way so we can confirm the story you are trying to convince us of.”

After a few moments, letting the other speak, Joser steps over to Elah's cart.  Taking a loaf of bread, he rips it almost perfectly in half lengthwise with his fingers separating it.
He then stuffs the open loaf with meat and cheese.  Closing the loaf, he begins to eat it from one end.
Wha'?  He speaks around he mouthful of food.  If i's poisoned or drugged, we'll fin' out they canna be trusted.  If na, then i's a step in the righ' direction.

“If Telorn isn’t ready to receive us, then I agree with Kel’li.” Basilisa rubbed the back of her neck. “A hot bath would be lovely.”

Bran looked surprised at the kiss from Basilisa, eyes widening for a moment, though he certainly didn't object. He smiled at her afterwards, thinking it wasn't the best time to talk about it or bring attention to it. He reluctantly tore his eyes away from her to focus on the conversation once more.

A couple of his newer companions had speech that was a bit hard to follow at times, but he tried his best to at least get the gist of what was said. He didn't disagree wholly with some of what Jozer said. He let out a small chuckle at the bath comment. He pursed his lips a moment but then shrugged lightly. "Do you have an idea of how long it will before they can join us or we can go to them?"

Blue nodded along with the centaur.  "Aye, a tour'd be jes a' ting.  Keen'a see that'n sootin' door out.  Mayhaps we meet'n'is 'Telorn' out'n'a open, aye?"  He agreed.

He watched Joser eat, and sighed.  He might well have made a break for it if not for the pugilist.  Funny enough how a barred cell tended not to trouble the ex-pirate if he was alone to pull tricks out of his hat.  The others...Blue wasn't yet sure if he had an interest in them beyond the wailing spirit haunting them.  "Ifn'ye goin'a kick it, them's fine boots's claim, eh?"

Elah sat quietly giving the group time to talk as they wished or to grab a bite to eat. After a little time had passed she stood up. "Now let me show you around and then if the ladies still wish I can arrange those baths."

She leads you through the building pointing out various rooms. The main living area consisting of a dozen bedrooms with private baths, sitting areas, kitchen, dinning rooms, and pantry/storage situated in one wing. Another wing of the building contained a fairly large library and study, a room devoted to alchemy and magic studies. The main tower according to Elah only had the one room at the top that Telorn used.

The outside grounds covered maybe an acres or so with various small gardens and numerous fruit trees. What is strange and somewhat unnerving is the blackness that exists just beyond the edge of the grounds.

As Elah finishes the tour she turns to the group, "Well that is the width and breadth of my world. Are you ladies still interested in those baths?"

"Very much so.  One picks up a lot of dirt in the streets of town, and while magicking it away may make you clean, it doesn't have the same feel as a hot bath, thank you."

Joser sniff the air, then leans his head down to sniff at himself.  A quick grimace, and he looks up at Elah.  P'rhaps I coul' use a 'ot bath' as well.  I seem ta be smellin' a wee bi' ripe meself.

Bran was watchful during the tour, taking note of where things were as much as the route itself. One never knew when one might have to make a quick dash somewhere, and getting lost was never fun. Of course, he hoped it wouldn't be necessary, and that was no ill intention in their...'arrival'...at the place.

He gave a small bow of his head to Elah, "Thank you." He wanted to again press to see their 'host' but bit his tongue for the moment. His pestering didn't seem to be getting them anywhere.

He smiled at Joser. "Just because we aren't ladies, doesn't mean we don't want, or need, baths as well."

He chuckles.  Oh, I know.  Some arenas where they hold death matches will treat ya almos' like royalty.  Benn in a couple meself, but I don' like 'em.  All the big purse, wine, women, an' song mean nothin' ta me if I'm dead.  He shakes his head.  Bu', the 'hores they offer ye sure do like a man ta smell pretty.

When Joser went on about the “whores”, Basilisa stared at him with a coolness in her blue eyes that was chillier than the desolate blackness beyond the window. “We women who aren’t ‘ores’ prefer it, too.” She warmed a little as she looked back at Elah. “Thank you for showing us around, Elah, and for your hospitality.” Whatever the “Shadow” was forced to suffer in her strange existence, Basilisa didn’t intend to make it harder.