Shorebound, Day 535
Little update: Mom has covid and felt bad enough to go to the hospital. They say no pneumonia, and gave her some scripts for antivirals and something to break up the congestion. She hopes she is past the worst of it, and I really hope that is so. On to the story!
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I can't help it, I keep winding up on the beach. The tourists are starting to arrive in large numbers - it seems like everywhere in the city is getting more crowded by the day. But I found a little secret! If you follow the crowds to the fishing pier near the outer wall, there is access to the "reconditioned" beach area. If you go under the pier the other way, there is a little shore section where things were left alone. Not so many visitors there, but a nice spot where the pebbly beach and protected pools behind bits of fallen cliff draw the fish. And a little group of regulars who go there to catch them! I sat on the rocks to listen to the waves, and the first thing I noticed about the people fishing was that their lures were pretty bad. Hey, a useful skill from Dad! After getting a headache from reading about Savings and Loans, and Tanners, and shady payday lenders, I gathered up some materials after dinner that night and wrapped a proper lure.
The next day, I asked an older lady I had seen there a couple of times if she would like to try a Soarer Special. She said sure. She was there a couple days later, and pressed a few coins into my hand, and said she had been catching like mad with my lure. A couple of her pals asked if they could get ones also. I guess I have a little side gig? Talia's Hand Tied Lures? I made them their lures, and in return got some silvers from each. I wish I had thought of this months ago! The rest of the squad found ways to occupy themselves - I think Visandus slept the whole week, Aja practiced her sketching, Kromnir visited the kitchens often, and Kiarra was practicing songs that seemed nonmagical in nature! I found out why one evening - she was putting on an impromptu street performance. She really is quite good! She was getting plenty of applause and a fair amount of ogling; she'll no doubt be flying high for a while. I tossed a silver in her basket along with MANY others.
Duty came calling, after reading through all of those papers over the course of the week and comparing notes, we decided that the most promising lead was Stonesworn Savings and Loan, which had reported strange vibrations that they thought might be someone illegally digging - perhaps trying to tunnel to their underground vault? We donned our Watch tabards and headed out back on the official beat! The owner of the place, Rohka, was waiting for us, and she looked pretty banged up. She assured us she would be fine, she had been an adventurer for a number of years and knew her way around a mace and battle medicine. She had found the source of the vibrations - it was a pair of Ether Spiders - they apparently normally can shift extraplanar, but the defense spells on the bank vault had stuck them firmly in our reality. She asked if, since we were there already, we could take care of it. Having just had a bout with spider venom, and someone having mentioned that Ether Spiders are supposed to be somewhat intelligent as well as HUGE, I wondered aloud if they would just leave if given the option. Rohka looked thoughtful and admitted that once she saw them, she started swinging her weapon. Perfect, she made them mad and they will want to eat us. UGH spiders.
Visandus produced a scroll of Speaking to Animals from one of his many hidey pockets or pouches...but no one could cast it. The rest of the team still liked the idea of seeing if they would just go on their way. Rohka said she would open the vault, but asked us all to look away. I totally saw Kiarra peeking at the secret door combo and gave her a little smirk. The doors opened...and my GOD, they were even bigger than I expected. They oriented on us but didn't immediately attack, which was promising. All of us slowly backed away from the vault door. I made really good friends with a wall near Visandus. As we were moving, a weird...IDK, sense of mild pressure or vibration hit us. Visandus, looking rather suprised...said they were trying to decide if we were there to help or harm. Since when has he spoken spider? Another hidden talent surfaces. He carefully spoke back...THAT was what the vibration was...he told them they were free to leave. He said he wasn't really sure how he knew the launguage, but it worked! Do not look the gift spider speaking mage in the mouth, eh? The first creepy stalked out and looked at us (internal screaming) for a moment before it just phased away. The second one followed and paused in front of Visandus for a moment...there was more of that vibration and then it too just...disappeared.
I was about to start laughing with relief when Visandus sprouted a scimitar blade in the chest. A...THING...had suddenly phased INTO view right next to me and the mage. The thing BIT Visandus for good measure and he went as stiff as a mast. Kromnir was still by the vault doors...he came rushing in, grabbed Visandus, and tried to spin him away from the ... whatever it was. All well and good but it hit the mage again, and I'm pretty sure he was done for or near to, but I didn't get too much time to think about it because that left ME alone next to it. I was freaking out, but my actual job is to fight the good fight when needed, and the best defense is supposed to be a good offense, so I dove at it - and the thing simply dodged everything I had. Conventional Wisdom can bite me. It had too many arms, too many weapons, and I was not as good at dodging everything IT had. Ok, so Convention Wisdom was on the side of the ...whatever is was. In what felt like a couple seconds it had taken out the mage and sliced and diced me pretty well. Aja came flying in to save us. But not for long - the thing bit me and I found out firsthand about that whole stiff thing. Kromnir and Kiarra finally got some whacks in while I just stood there paralyzed. Aja got Visandus back on his feet somehow and was really carrying the day. The thing (Visandus shouted that it was a Xill) proceeded to beat up Kromnir next, since I was out of it. Kiarra and Aja were keeping the crew in the fight, and things were kinda turning around. But then the Xill paralyzed Kromnir too. At least by then the thing was finally looking just as bad as we were, and was turning its attention to the last ladies standing when I finally felt the paralysis break. I stepped in behind it and slashed right down its back, it didn't see it coming. It dropped finally.
And then Kiarra stepped up and kissed Kromnir right on the lips to "lay on hands" him. I guess magic doesn't really care about the hands part as much as the lay one on part! I think Kromnir went from olive green to emerald...is that an orc blush? And then I DID start laughing. Hysterical? Likely. But we didn't make it out of a murder hotel to get taken out by some extraplanar freakshow!
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I can't help it, I keep winding up on the beach. The tourists are starting to arrive in large numbers - it seems like everywhere in the city is getting more crowded by the day. But I found a little secret! If you follow the crowds to the fishing pier near the outer wall, there is access to the "reconditioned" beach area. If you go under the pier the other way, there is a little shore section where things were left alone. Not so many visitors there, but a nice spot where the pebbly beach and protected pools behind bits of fallen cliff draw the fish. And a little group of regulars who go there to catch them! I sat on the rocks to listen to the waves, and the first thing I noticed about the people fishing was that their lures were pretty bad. Hey, a useful skill from Dad! After getting a headache from reading about Savings and Loans, and Tanners, and shady payday lenders, I gathered up some materials after dinner that night and wrapped a proper lure.
The next day, I asked an older lady I had seen there a couple of times if she would like to try a Soarer Special. She said sure. She was there a couple days later, and pressed a few coins into my hand, and said she had been catching like mad with my lure. A couple of her pals asked if they could get ones also. I guess I have a little side gig? Talia's Hand Tied Lures? I made them their lures, and in return got some silvers from each. I wish I had thought of this months ago! The rest of the squad found ways to occupy themselves - I think Visandus slept the whole week, Aja practiced her sketching, Kromnir visited the kitchens often, and Kiarra was practicing songs that seemed nonmagical in nature! I found out why one evening - she was putting on an impromptu street performance. She really is quite good! She was getting plenty of applause and a fair amount of ogling; she'll no doubt be flying high for a while. I tossed a silver in her basket along with MANY others.
Duty came calling, after reading through all of those papers over the course of the week and comparing notes, we decided that the most promising lead was Stonesworn Savings and Loan, which had reported strange vibrations that they thought might be someone illegally digging - perhaps trying to tunnel to their underground vault? We donned our Watch tabards and headed out back on the official beat! The owner of the place, Rohka, was waiting for us, and she looked pretty banged up. She assured us she would be fine, she had been an adventurer for a number of years and knew her way around a mace and battle medicine. She had found the source of the vibrations - it was a pair of Ether Spiders - they apparently normally can shift extraplanar, but the defense spells on the bank vault had stuck them firmly in our reality. She asked if, since we were there already, we could take care of it. Having just had a bout with spider venom, and someone having mentioned that Ether Spiders are supposed to be somewhat intelligent as well as HUGE, I wondered aloud if they would just leave if given the option. Rohka looked thoughtful and admitted that once she saw them, she started swinging her weapon. Perfect, she made them mad and they will want to eat us. UGH spiders.
Visandus produced a scroll of Speaking to Animals from one of his many hidey pockets or pouches...but no one could cast it. The rest of the team still liked the idea of seeing if they would just go on their way. Rohka said she would open the vault, but asked us all to look away. I totally saw Kiarra peeking at the secret door combo and gave her a little smirk. The doors opened...and my GOD, they were even bigger than I expected. They oriented on us but didn't immediately attack, which was promising. All of us slowly backed away from the vault door. I made really good friends with a wall near Visandus. As we were moving, a weird...IDK, sense of mild pressure or vibration hit us. Visandus, looking rather suprised...said they were trying to decide if we were there to help or harm. Since when has he spoken spider? Another hidden talent surfaces. He carefully spoke back...THAT was what the vibration was...he told them they were free to leave. He said he wasn't really sure how he knew the launguage, but it worked! Do not look the gift spider speaking mage in the mouth, eh? The first creepy stalked out and looked at us (internal screaming) for a moment before it just phased away. The second one followed and paused in front of Visandus for a moment...there was more of that vibration and then it too just...disappeared.
I was about to start laughing with relief when Visandus sprouted a scimitar blade in the chest. A...THING...had suddenly phased INTO view right next to me and the mage. The thing BIT Visandus for good measure and he went as stiff as a mast. Kromnir was still by the vault doors...he came rushing in, grabbed Visandus, and tried to spin him away from the ... whatever it was. All well and good but it hit the mage again, and I'm pretty sure he was done for or near to, but I didn't get too much time to think about it because that left ME alone next to it. I was freaking out, but my actual job is to fight the good fight when needed, and the best defense is supposed to be a good offense, so I dove at it - and the thing simply dodged everything I had. Conventional Wisdom can bite me. It had too many arms, too many weapons, and I was not as good at dodging everything IT had. Ok, so Convention Wisdom was on the side of the ...whatever is was. In what felt like a couple seconds it had taken out the mage and sliced and diced me pretty well. Aja came flying in to save us. But not for long - the thing bit me and I found out firsthand about that whole stiff thing. Kromnir and Kiarra finally got some whacks in while I just stood there paralyzed. Aja got Visandus back on his feet somehow and was really carrying the day. The thing (Visandus shouted that it was a Xill) proceeded to beat up Kromnir next, since I was out of it. Kiarra and Aja were keeping the crew in the fight, and things were kinda turning around. But then the Xill paralyzed Kromnir too. At least by then the thing was finally looking just as bad as we were, and was turning its attention to the last ladies standing when I finally felt the paralysis break. I stepped in behind it and slashed right down its back, it didn't see it coming. It dropped finally.
And then Kiarra stepped up and kissed Kromnir right on the lips to "lay on hands" him. I guess magic doesn't really care about the hands part as much as the lay one on part! I think Kromnir went from olive green to emerald...is that an orc blush? And then I DID start laughing. Hysterical? Likely. But we didn't make it out of a murder hotel to get taken out by some extraplanar freakshow!