Back to Basics Chapter 1: Where are we ?

[ewancummins]

Sara paces around nervously. Then stops for a second and says:

"I agree that is strange if a mage used his spells for the mine, but maybe he did that to go faster, maybe at the lower levels is a mineral more precious than silver, like gold for example. In that case the mage might be paid from someone to dig fast and make the mine safer. Or the mage can be the one that discovered the mine and the mineral. Master Ping seems a powerful mage, maybe he is the one that made the mine and he just doesn't want to tell us. In fact he might have told us about the portan so we clear it for him. I don't know why but I don't trust this man. Anyway, I believe we will get some more answers tomorrow when we head to the lower level. As about the box, it is the first one I see that is so hard to open. For sure contains important stuff but alas, we have to wait till we finish the open till try to figure out a way to open it."

Dalorna answers-

''Hmmm...or maybe the right spell would open that fancy lock? I'll have to research that. As for Ping-- <yawn>he's been helpful, but yeah,I'm dead certain he's not telling us everything.''

She pulls off her boots.

''I find it strange that such an obviously powerful mage would send us to the mine or dungeon or whatever it really is. Why not check it out himself? Is he afraid of something? If he wanted to know about a portal, you'd think he could find out without our help, no? "

[Zilfer]

Arnulf scratched his head for a moment, with everyone not trusting Ping. He hadn't seemed like such a bad man but they were right he hadn't trusted him. At least not with his sister. "We could always report that we didn't find anything, maybe he'll act confused. I know I'd be confused if I knew but someone told me different. If I wasn't thinking I may say what I know. How do we know the Ping is powerful again?"

[ewancummins]

Arnulf scratched his head for a moment, with everyone not trusting Ping. He hadn't seemed like such a bad man but they were right he hadn't trusted him. At least not with his sister. "We could always report that we didn't find anything, maybe he'll act confused. I know I'd be confused if I knew but someone told me different. If I wasn't thinking I may say what I know. How do we know the Ping is powerful again?"

''Oh, I wouldn't lie to him. That's wrong. Besides, he might have a way of knowing if we are telling the truth. We can be pretty sure he's powerful because he is wealthy, he has numerous magic items, and I've seen part of his collection of spells. If he isn't a powerful wizard, then he's a very rich man with a respectable talent for magic who is trying very hard to look like a powerful wizard. My bet is on powerful wizard, though. Just how powerful? I don't know."

[VAN]

"Yes I agree with Dalorna, lie to powerful wizard might be risky. Maybe he didn't have the time to search the mine or he did and he failed to clear it and that's why he asked us. As about that he is powerful I think the villagers said that he protects the village just when the monkey men kidnapped the children he was away. But I might be wrong, was a long day afterall and my memory might fail me at the moment."

Turning to the others she asks:

"Do you remember if Ping was at the village during the monkey men attack?"

[ewancummins]

''We were told he wasn't here, I think. That makes sense. I do wonder where he was, though....You said this kingdom, ahhh- Nova Vaasa, is unfriendly to wizards. How much travelling does he do?"

Dalorna props up on her bedroll, feeding crumbs to her raven.

'' I'm pretty sure we all agree that checking out the rest of the mine is a good idea. We can do that, or at least start that, tomorrow morning. We definitely want a look inside that safe. I'll see what I can do with magic- but that's a prize that may have to wait. If we do find a magic portal in the mine, maybe deeper down, how would we know where it leads? Hmm...."

[Zilfer]

Arnulf thinks about it for a moment, first he thinks about throwing something threw it to see if its safe but then realizes nothing would probably come back. Then he thinks about sticking one's head through the portal but may not like what they see. Then he remember's his sister has a talking bird and birds are usually ignored, who could go through and possibly come back.... he'd dare never suggest that to his sister however as he looks away from the bird....

[BigBadQDaddy]

Professor Huln Aumnoir finishes his journal entry, dating it with the day month and year it would have been back in his homeland and a question mark. He stows away his supplies and catches the exchange between his fellow travelers.
"I would have to agree with much of the thought processes you have all come up with. Given the uncertainty of what we have got ourselves involved in that is a small comfort. One thing i can say for certain is this land holds strange properties. For example I haven't needed the assistance of my cane to walk since we first arrived. I also have felt a renewed sense of vigor and strength which due to my condition had been lost for many years. Has none of you experienced anything like this?"

[ewancummins]

''Um, well, no. Nothing has changed about me."

Dalorna looks down for a moment in silence.

''I don't know how far away we are from home, or how we'll ever get back. I just hope the portal is real, and that it leads back to Cormyr or at least some country not too far from there. Of course, there's really no reason to be optimistic about any of that. It might not exist, or it might exist but lead someplace else we've never been..."

She flops down to lay flat on the bedroll.

''I'm taking a nap. Wake me , please, if there's any trouble, or when it's time for supper."

[Zilfer]

"Nothing that I can recall," said Arnulf in response trying to remember. (que questioning look at DM) Then shakes he head. He notices his sister seems to be sad about being so far from home, he hadn't realized it was affecting her so.

"It's ok Sis, we'll get home. Even if we have to walk the whole way," says Arnulf sounding totally convinced and assured of himself. "Yeah lets get some sleep. I'm really tired now anyways..."

Arnulf lays down and tries to fall asleep. The question of where the portal leads promptly in the front of his mind as it passes to oblivion.

[VAN]

Sara was getting out her bedroll and putting it beside Dalorna's when Huld said that he felt strangely better.

"This is weird, I have never heard that before. Maybe is the water or something we ate or even the air of this village. Not get me wrong professor I'm glad you don't need your cane anymore and you feel stronger but this isn't natural as far as I know. I think we should ask Master Ping or the villagers about this as well. Do any of you recall seeing any villager weak, or limping or something similar? We need to figure out if it's something that has to do only with prfessor's physiology or has something to do with this village."

[Lord Skybolt]

With the morning the party is refreshed with there uninterrupted sleep through the night .
Al has gone fishing with the rest of the men with dawn as normal . When asked about extra or renewed vitality being given to someone coming to this village or land as far as anyone remembers no one has ever been given either as result .

On exiting the Hut given over for there stay here . The little girl that has led the parties members to Ping in the past ask for them to see Ping before they go to the cave again .


Arnulf recalls nothing that has affected the professor doing anything to him at all .

[ewancummins]

Dalorna gets ready for the day, and then follows the little girl to meet Ping...

[Zilfer]

Arnulf stretches lazily as he wakes up and goes for his gear sleepily putting it on, and then realizing they will be going back to the cave which seems to renew his vigor. Something awaits down at the bottom, and he can almost smell the adventure from here. When the little girl comes to take them to Ping he makes sure to ruse most of the group who may still be sleeping while thinking, 'No use in wasting daylight.'

OOC does this little girl have a name? If not kind of rude not to ask and Arnulf will ask.

[Lord Skybolt]

When asked her name"My name is Amy silly !! Didn't the Old man* with you ever tell you that ?" And with that reply she skips along on her way to do some other morning errand she seems to be leaving to go on .







*Old Man=Huln

[VAN]

Sara wakes up only when Arnulf repeatedly called her name, she is still feeling tired. As getting her armor and weapons on her minds go back to St. Ronges and her family. Do they miss her? She has never actually asked a permission to leave and follow the adventuring life. She just knew that she wasn't cut for the aristocrat's life and she just announced them that the next day she will leave. Sara still believes that she made the right choice, but deep down she is a bit scared. She is among people she doesn't know that they come from an unknown land and they are now in a village rulled by a mage that send them to clear a mine. Despite this sounded pretty exciting at the beginning now that the real problems have started to appear Sara realizes that the adventurer's life isn't that easy as she thought. With a final sigh though she checks her guns, puts a rope at her backpack and joins the others.

"So are we ready to go visit Mister Ping?"