Editing Durzibethinus

It was one day's journey back to '''Terakai''' after leaving the '''Pericles Hills'''. Adrian and '''Dave''' attempted to identify the raven figurine along the way, discerning that it was magical in some way but not how to activate it. All of the living as well as deceased children ('''Garland''' the 4-year-old [[Halfling]], '''Anton''' the 5-year-old [[Human]], '''Rupus''' the 7-year-old [[Human]], and '''Huru''' the 9-year-old [[Half-Orc]]) had reverted to their original forms as they reached the outskirts of town. It was the late evening and the team decided to come up with a plan for how to deal with the children before re-entering town, opting to take them to '''Silence''' as she seemed well-rehearsed in dealing with conflict amongst the townsfolk. '''Merys''' relayed this plan to the oldest child '''Kylie''', and she relayed it to the younger surviving children.

When morning finally came, Adrian walked past '''Merys'''' door hoping that he was also up as he did not quite feel ready to brave downstairs alone. Luckily, '''Merys''' was walking out at that exact moment and they both went down together. '''Ashe''' and '''Dave''' also re-entered the tavern in that moment through the front door. They all sat at a table except for '''Dave''', who started trying to clean all around the room as if nothing had happened. '''Silence''' descended the stairs with a yawn, seemingly back to her normal spirits, and called to the kitchen for four morning sunrise platters. She sat with the team, apologizing for her impatience the night before as four platters of food floated towards the table and were placed in front of each of them.

During the team's slumber, '''Merys''' dreamed of a ritual that could strengthen his bond with his familiar and improve their communication. However, he would first need to gather several spell components in order to perform it. Upon waking up in the morning, '''Merys''' went downstairs to the tavern to find Adrian already having breakfast. It was not long until '''Dave''' also wandered in and met back up with them, after having already entered two other buildings they had mistaken for the tavern.

Adrian briefly experienced the nauseating sensation of falling before landing on his feet inside a cavernous, seemingly barren room. It appeared completely dark except for a spot of light which hung directly overhead. '''Maple''' soon materialized alongside Adrian and they began jokingly taking bets for how long it would take the other two to catch up with them. Eventually, however, '''Merys''' and '''Dave''' also appeared with them beneath the spotlight. A voice began to echo throughout the room to which Adrian replied "you must be that pointy-toothed guy that '''Dave''' saw in the mirror." The voice confirmed this fact and even offered up his true name—'''Locanth'''— after more prodding from Adrian. '''Locanth''' offered the team one thousand gold each if they agreed to drop their investigation into the child abductions. Suddenly, two mind-controlled children descended into the room carrying a treasure chest and '''Maple''' recognized them—like she had with the child from the basement at the '''Yellow-Bellied Baron'''—as being missing '''Terakai''' children. The team questioned '''Locanth''' why he targeted children and he simply remarked "they're easier to persuade." Adrian questioned what he was after—asking if he desired the black pyramid from '''Les Talismans'''—to which '''Maple''' revealed she had concluded the pyramid to be fake. '''Locanth''' also offered them the two children carrying the chest—claiming "they aren't needed anymore"—and suggested that the team could "return as heroes" back to '''Terakai''', having rescued two more of the town's missing children. But they refused his offer, believing that children would only continue to disappear if they didn't stop the abductions at the source then and there. Additionally, '''Locanth''' had hinted there was at least one child still in the custody of the abductors.

The previously hypnotized children dropped to the ground unconscious, but still visibly breathing. '''Dave''' inspected under a table and discovered a cross brace—the type used to control marionettes—embedded with glowing gemstones like the shield they had recovered from the '''Shrieking Caverns'''. A sinister quietness fell over the room as the team was left to stew on '''Locanth's''' final words.

 

Adrian and the rest of the team make it out of the tent with two more rescued children before splitting up to find the quickest and most affordable way to travel back to '''Terakai''', then '''Maple''' strikes a new deal in her dream and Adrian is shaken awake by the child who had been presumed dead…

Just as '''Dave''' reached out to try and grab the gemstone-embedded cross brace, everyone inside the room felt a pressure pressing upon them as the mirror shattered and they were all launched out of the demiplane. As the team regained their bearings, they found themselves back inside the tent…albeit scraped up from the shards of glass. They looked around and realized none of the items from the demiplane—such as the cross brace—had been expelled with them. But the two children—a [[Half-Orc]] and a [[List of Races#New World Crossbreeds (After 0 BR)|Half-Elf]]—sat on the ground completely disoriented. '''Merys''' and Adrian darted over to the children and checked them over while trying to talk to them, but they remained in a state of shock. Adrian suggested grabbing the children and carving their way out of the tent with his shortsword to avoid the [[Yuan-Ti]] guard posted out front, but the [[Yuan-Ti]] heard him and called out "if being discreet was your goal, you have already failed." Adrian exasperatingly picked up the [[Half-Orc]] child and beelined towards the only obvious exit, with '''Merys''' close behind carrying the [[List of Races#New World Crossbreeds (After 0 BR)|Half-Elf]].

 

As the team emerged from the tent, the still-disguised [[Yuan-Ti]] snidely remarked "so you all made it out alive…that has never happened before." Adrian was very determined to leave the whole situation and simply replied "well if you aren't intending to try and stop us then we'll just go," as he speed-walked away from the scene with the child in tow. '''Merys''', however, lingered behind and attempted to coax more information from the [[Yuan-Ti]] about his boss. At the same time, '''Dave''' asked several earnest questions regarding the traveling circus. The [[Yuan-Ti]] plainly explained to '''Dave''' that the rest of the circus had travelled south, but that they would be unwise to try and catch up with it. '''Merys'''' line of questioning quickly devolved into an argument in which he stormily asserted "you henchmen are all the same." The [[Yuan-Ti]] snapped back "you're just a fucking highborn," disparaging the noble class as morons while strongly urging '''Merys''' to "leave like your friend" and not pick a fight while holding a child in his arms.

 

Once Adrian realized the rest of the team was no longer close behind, he halted at a safe viewing distance to make sure a fight was not about to break out. As soon as '''Merys''' noticed Adrian waiting for them to catch up, he walked away from the argument along with '''Dave''' and '''Maple'''. Adrian quipped "I hope you got what you wanted out of talking to him,” as the team walked back towards the '''Gorothair''' gates.

 

As they re-entered the city, '''Merys''' realized that he had forgotten to pick up his payment from the '''Razorwind Mercenary''' guild for their trial job, so the team agreed to swing by the guild hall before returning to the '''Welcome Rest'''. Along the way, they discussed their next move and seemed in agreement about returning the rescued children back to '''Terakai''' as soon as possible. Adrian urged '''Merys''' to ask his guild about the best place to acquire a cart and horse. '''Merys''' did so, learning that there were typically carts for rent and sale along the edges of the city near the gates. However, '''Merys''' feared that these carts would be out of their price range and suggested formulating an alternative plan as they walked back to the inn. Seeing as '''Maple''' had initially rode into '''Terakai''' with a caravan, it was suggested that the team offer their services as protection for a caravan headed back in that direction. Adrian still wanted to at least get a quote for the price of a cart and horse…so when they got back to the '''Welcome Rest''' and gathered in '''Merys'''' room, the team agreed to split up. '''Merys''' would hang back and babysit the children, '''Maple''' and '''Dave''' would explore the market to figure out where in the city caravans typically launched from, and Adrian would visit the tradesmen around the city gates to get a price on a cart.

 

 

Meanwhile, '''Maple''' and '''Dave''' visited the market to track down the caravans. '''Dave''' approached a stand selling fish and asked the vendor how he got his produce delivered, to which he pointed them in the direction of the '''Merchants' Guild'''. The pair decided to pay the '''Merchants' Guild''' headquarters a visit and upon arriving, they were met by a man at a desk who seemed immediately bothered by their presence. They declared their intentions, hoping to offer their team's services as protection for a caravan in exchange for aid in transporting three children. However, the man at the desk assumed the children—as well as the two absent teammates—to be liabilities who would require additional protection and refused their offer. After some further back and forth, the man conceded by offering passage to just one child in exchange for the pair's services. He also questioned them as to whether they understood how a caravan operated, as it would likely take longer for them to reach their destination than if they simply traveled on their own. Having gathered that such an arrangement would not meet the team's needs, '''Maple''' and '''Dave''' left to meet back up at the inn.

 

As '''Merys''' waited in his room babysitting the children, they seemed to break out of their state of shock as the [[Half-Orc]] fully passed out. The [[List of Races#New World Crossbreeds (After 0 BR)|Half-Elf]], however, remained conscious and began to fuss over the scrapes they had received earlier in the day from the shattered mirror…which quickly turned into a full-blown meltdown. '''Merys''' attempted to comfort the child and got them to calm down enough so that their cries were at least not audible to other guests in the inn. The rest of the team reconvened at '''Merys'''' room around the same time, walking into the scene of one child bawling and another entirely passed out. They checked over the [[Half-Orc]] and confirmed that they were still okay before running down to the tavern on the ground floor to grab some soup for dinner. They brought the food back up to the room and offered portions to the children, which was enough to stir the [[Half-Orc]] child awake as they immediately began scarfing down the soup that was given to them. Even the [[List of Races#New World Crossbreeds (After 0 BR)|Half-Elf]] child's basic instinct for sustenance soon won out over their crying and they settled down to eat their soup.

 

Upon finishing their meals, the children seemed as though they could have carried on eating as it was clear they had not been sufficiently fed while in the custody of '''Locanth'''. However, they were satiated enough that the team was able to coax them to bed with the promise of more food in the morning. As the children passed out asleep on '''Merys'''' bed, '''Maple''' and '''Dave''' reported to the rest of the team that the caravan idea was probably a dead end. Adrian also reported back regarding the cart and horse, noting that the prices seemed to surprisingly fit within the team's budget. Seeing as they weren't in a huge rush to escape '''Gorothair'''—especially if they intended to avoid catching up with the southbound circus—the team decided that a donkey would be sufficient to help haul the children in a cart while the rest of them walked. Each teammate handed Adrian a portion of gold to help cover the cost and he returned before sundown to the cart vendor, who let him know that the cart and donkey would be ready for the team by the next morning.

 

With the team's transport back to '''Terakai''' secured, '''Maple''' retired to the '''Razorwind Mercenary''' guild hall for the evening. While sleeping, '''Maple''' had a vivid dream in which she encountered a child-sized clockwork monkey who repeatedly echoed the phrase "busy day" before addressing '''Maple''' directly…claiming to be a representative of the '''Dealmaker'''. The monkey explained that the '''Dealmaker''' was offering to renegotiate their deal…instead of being required to obtain the '''Crystal Xhr''', she would instead be entrusted to care for a small, furred creature with clawed feet. This renegotiation would also come with the benefit of enhanced physical strength…in exchange for her connection to magic. '''Maple''' lamented that her connection to the arcane was what allowed her to operate her dominant mechanical arm, but the monkey offered a solution…cut off her biological arm and reattach it to the left side of her body so that she could retain the use of her dominant arm. '''Maple''' ultimately agreed to this new deal and the monkey carried out the ritual, mirroring and reattaching her biological arm in the place where her mechanical arm used to be. When she awoke the next morning, '''Maple''' realized that the changes made to her body carried outside of the dream…and she found a small, furred creature resting on her chest.

 

Meanwhile, '''Merys''' chose to stay with the pair of children in his room and sleep on the floor with his bedroll. '''Dave''' also opted to stay in the room with the children "for protection," so he stood vigilant and unsleeping to ensure nothing happened to them. Adrian retired to his room next door, inspecting underneath his bed for any disembodied spying eyeballs before checking the sack—still propped up in the corner of the room—to confirm that the dead child was still there. He cautiously went to sleep and got a full night's rest, only to be shaken awake by the feeling of someone pulling at his arm. He first assumed that it was some sort of breeze and tried to ignore it…but after the shaking increased in intensity, Adrian rolled over to see a child covered in dirt and with matted hair standing at his bedside. The child pleaded that they were hungry and, as Adrian sat up in his bed, he realized that the sack in the corner of the room had become visibly empty.

Being new to '''Lyaphaire''', Adrian can come off as endearingly naive when encountering new things. He hides a chip on his shoulder due to feeling forsaken by his god, [[Sardior]], after sacrificing himself for the [[Dragon#Gem Dragons|Gem Dragon]] god's resurrection and being consequently discarded in an unfamiliar realm. He speaks about his past in vague terms and is often reluctant to talk about it since he is doubtful that anyone would believe him, yet alone be able to provide the sort of closure he desires. Optimism is a shaky habit to kick, however, so he hopes for a day when he is able to prove his worthiness to the [[Dragon#Gem Dragons|Gem Dragons]] once again and reclaim his emerald essence…and maybe even return home to learn whether his efforts to revive [[Sardior]] had paid off.