"Oh. Is that all?" She laughed heartily, shifting her hips and placing her left hand on her waist as the right hand lifted and twirled blatantly in a loose tuft of her wavy hair. "Well, a girl can hardly refuse that kind of offer, hm? Rory's got a good point though, I'd love to have a few more variables to this mystery myself. Especially about 'Tara. Since we seem to be getting off on such a good foot, it'd be absolutely brill if you could clear a few things up for us."

A look of great relief overtook Jub's features as he took the spell components from Aaliyah. "Thank you," he said. "You have no idea how much this means to me." He paused for a moment, temporarily forgetting the splendor of his surroundings as he considered whether he should try and summon Eighteyes now. In fact, if he was to bring her back, it might be smarter not to bring her back as a spider this time. Maybe some kind of flying creature, so she could easily scout around.

As he considering this though, he heard Brutrumukk asking about the treasures in the palace. "Yeah, I'm curious about that too," he said.

Aaliyah smiled brightly at Jub when he thanked her and she answered him, "I'm glad I could help!" She then looks to Brutrumukk as he made his comments and Jub agreed with the questions stating that he was curious.

Aaliyah simply giggled and she answered them, "I think it's better to leave the stories of how Master Ishaan got those items to Master Ishaan himself," She then adds, "They're all well guarded if not cursed, so a successful theft is highly unlikely,"

As though to interrupt the conversation, a loud sound of something fragile shattering echoes in the quiet confines of the palace. Aaliyah looks up in concern at the sound.

@XxFellsingxX@rush99999

---

Charm gives a wide grin and a seemingly sinister chuckle to Aurora before she points a long finger to Gabriel, who is lingering in the back of the group, and answers her question, "She was much more receptive to advice after your friend over there mentioned 'Widdershins',"

When Zavakri spoke and accepted the terms of the deal while agreeing with Aurora on the details, Charm turns her attention to her and answers her, "Very well. It's a deal then. I'll give you the information after I get you the dry bundle of wood and the moonlight monocle,"

She moves about behind the counter, and as promised, she places the items on the counter. She informs Zavakri, "All you need to do is to accept these items, and I will receive your payments in turn,"

Should Zavakri take the items, she would feel a little bit of magic course through her blood, and a part of herself leave her heart. She would see an illusory shield appear in Charm's hand before it vanishes once more.

After that, Charm follows through on her promise, and informs the group,

"There is a small scarecrow on the bridge. If you help him with his plight, he can guide you from Hither to Thither. You will find Bavlorna with her sister in that realm..."

She looks to Zavakri as she finishes,

"And you will be able to find your Detara in the realm of Thither,"

She also chuckles and she informs them, "It will be easier to explore Bavlorna's hut now that she's gone,"

@Lurking Krog@Dark Cloud@Fading Memory@Cao the Exiled

At the sound of the fragile object breaking, all avaricious thoughts left Brutrumukk's mind as a mix of annoyance and bloodthirsty anticipation seeped into his facial expression. "Well now we know where that fuckin' cat got off to." The bugbear gnome said before turning to Aaliyah. "Does this place 'ave an armory by any chance?" Brutrumukk asked. "I lost me weapons a while back. An' while I do 'ave some daggers now, I reckon a cat the size of an ogre will be needin' somethin' with a little more oomph."

Aurora was still perplexed as to any Charm was helping them, Rule of Reciprocity aside. At this point she figured now was as good a time as any to push the matter. "She did seem quite receptive of your advice to vist one of her sisters." Rory's tone implied that she already knew this. Yet here you are telling us where she went and how to get there. What are you playing at Charm? Why advise Bavlorna to leave only to then tell us where she went? What benefit is all this to you?" She asked these questions intent on trying to glean more of what Charm was up to. Something about this felt off and Aurora was not sure what it was yet. Regardless of Zav's disposition towards Charm, Aurora did not trust her and was feeling like she was getting drawn into more fey games.

Jub looked alarmed at the sudden sound, an expression that only grew when Brutrumukk voiced his desire to fight whatever had made it. "We don't know if it's the cat, Brutrumukk," Jub pointed out. "It could be... anything. And we're not exactly in top condition right now." The exhaustion in his voice was clear as he said that last sentence. He looked up at Aaliyah. "Would you know about anything that would be making that sound?" He was half-hoping she would say they had a rambunctious pet dog, or a very clumsy servant, or... something. Anything that meant they wouldn't have to fight right now.

Zavakri quietly packs the Bundle of Dry Wood away, then scoops up the monocle into her hand to inspect it closer. She peers through it and murmurs quietly to herself something about greyscale and a loss of warmth and tone, as well as some mumbo about being capable of adjusting for the depth variance of a single eye 'on the fly', so to speak. Truly she is a woman of many words and in this case she is mumbling almost all of them to herself. A few self-conversational spans later, and the monocle is strapped to her head and offset in a way that she can pull it down onto her eye in a moment's notice. Certainly not stylish- but somehow, so very Zavakri.

"Good, and all I need to do is avoid thinking about how ludicrously horrible de-"

She immediately clams up, tears welling up in her eyes. She bites onto her lip with some viciousness. Her entire body trembles as the tears burn hotly down her face and she begins to expel a not insubstantial volume of snot from her nose.

"I-I erm." She manages, rummaging into her pockets, her voice strained. "I-I need just a moment. Rory...R-Rory's, erm. She's got my vote, whatever we need to d-do."

She pulls out a handkerchief and steps aside, temporarily losing herself from the conversation at large as she blows her nose into the cloth with immense fervor.

Aaliyah answers Brutrumukk first with a shake of her head, "My apologies, but we don't have an armory. My Master values knowledge more than martial prowess," She then looks to Jub when he makes his point and asks his question, "I'm not sure. It could be Master Ishaan's challenge for me today,"

She then tells Brutrumukk and Jub, "I'll go and investigate. Why don't you two rest here, and take some time to summon your familiar? You two are guests after all. I'll be back as soon as possible,"

After saying so, she does leave the gnome and the goblin to themselves in this room and heads off to investigate the noise. Looking around the room they're currently in, they would notice that it is well furnished with numerous plush cushions against the walls. There is a window for them to look outside if they wanted to. The center floor is open, to allow for Jub to commence with the ritual for Find Familiar if he so desired.



@XxFellsingxX@rush99999

---

Charm simply chuckles at Aurora's question, letting Zavakri have a moment to herself. She answers her question, "It is simply as I have stated earlier, young 'Rory': You were helpful to me back in Bavlorna's Cottage, so I am simply returning the favor,"

It seems like there's more to Charm's answer, but what lurks underneath the surface remains unclear to both Aurora and Zavakri...

She then clarifies, "I should mention: When it comes to the bridge I mentioned, look for the one with the chattering bullywug heads. You can't miss them,"

After doing so, she claps her hands together and she asks, "Now then, is there anything else you would like to purchase?"

@Lurking Krog@Dark Cloud@Fading Memory@Cao the Exiled

Aurora shook her head. "No, I believe we have what we need from you. Farewell Charm." She said, perhaps to sharply, before starting down the path. The awe and wonder of the Fey wilds, or at least part of it, was wearing thin for her. The dodgy answers and what seemed like double dealing reminded her to much of home. With her mood soured more, she waited for Gabriel, and Zavakri to catch up. She did keep an eye out for Tsak as it seemed she had split off from the group again.

For a moment, Brutrumukk genuinely considered Aaliyah's suggestion to rest. Grankhul was no longer sapping his energy, but that didn't mean that everything that had happened since the bugbear gnome's reincarnation had left him tired out. But after a moment of consideration, he decided rest could wait a little longer. He had enough energy for one good fight left in him before he needed to crash, and by the gods he was going to use it to kill the cat that had brought them here. "I'm gonna go find that fuckin' cat." Brutrumukk told Jub before unsheathing the daggers he had taken from the Darklings and heading towards the door.

Jub waited until Aaliyah was gone before he started setting up the ritual for Find Familiar, and was just about to use his arcane focus to light the ingredients on fire when Brutrumukk said he was going to find the cat. "Oh for the love of..." Jub's words turned into a couple of goblin curses as he stopped what he was doing and turned towards the barbarian. "Do you want us to get kicked out? Aaliyah said if we're found wandering around without supervision, we were going to be in big trouble!"

"I think me eyesight's good enough to count as that." Brutrumukk said. "An' if it ain't, Alley-Ya's lookin' fer the cat as well. If I just follow 'er, all should be well."

"Hm, no thank you that will be more than enough from you." the swordsman said dismissively, frankly at the moment he would have given his left foot to be back home in Waterdeep rather than this backwater fairytale land. With a sigh he bid Charm farewell, adjusting his pack upon his shoulders as he trudged along to catch up with a rather annoyed looking elf woman.

"So, the charm of the Feywild is wearing thin for you too huh?" Gabriel mustered up a mirthless but well-meaning smile maybe to distract whatever thoughts his companion was having for the moment.

Zavakri stands outside the shop, rubbing her eyes repeatedly as the others emerge. She sniffles a few more times, her eyes red and still watering, but she slowly moves to walk behind her companions. As she moves, she seems to calm. After several paces her hands fall from her face and she takes a deep breath.

"Thin is one heck of a word for it. This place is utter madness. It's looney."

The palace is quiet as Brutrumukk and Jub talk amongst themselves. The winds billow through the rooms and halls, causing clothes and hair to flutter. There doesn't seem to be any other sign of life echoing through the halls yet.

....Nothing happens as the two of them remain in the same room.
What do they do?



@XxFellsingxX@rush99999

---

Charm waves to the group as they leave, and she bids them farewell,

"Very well. See you later, Adventurers,"

After a while of walking, and some distance away from Charm's shop, they would notice something should they turn to look back. They would see that the storm cloud air balloon is floating away and into the twilit skies. They can see the shop dangling at the bottom, as an air balloon basket.

The shop is no longer available in Hither...



Soon the party would find that Zavakri's description of 'Looney' was an understatement of a lifetime!

The flat wood-plank bridge, which spans an arm of the lake, is lined on one side by rows of decapitated bullywug heads on wooden spikes. All of them are talking and chattering amongst themselves, as though they're still alive! They may very well be still alive! ...They are alive!

At the center of the bridge, a small figure sits with its feet dangling over one side. The figure appears to be talking to itself in bemoaned tones. But then the severed bullywug heads nearby erupt in a cacophony of voices—some indignant, others sympathetic. A few in a more distant row yell, "What? I couldn't hear what they said!"

One of the heads notices the trio, and the trio would recognize this head as King Gullop's! He yells, "Ah! It's you blasted lot! How dare you traitors come here?!"

Another head chides him, "Now, now! I know you're new, but surely you saw it coming? It happens to all Bullywug Royals eventually,"

The scarecrow looks to him and makes a slight joke, "There's no sense in...losing your head now,"

The scarecrow with a gourd for a head seems to turn to regard the party.

@Lurking Krog@Dark Cloud@Fading Memory@Cao the Exiled

The silence stretched between them, thick and tense, as Brutrumukk stared Jub down, waiting for a response. Jub however, remained silent. The goblin's mouth opening briefly before closing again, as if words had escaped him entirely. After a few more moments of awkward stillness, Brutrumukk gave a small, triumphant nod, taking Jub’s silence as a clear sign of concession. With a satisfied grin, the bugbear gnome turned on his heel, leaving the goblin behind without a second thought. His focus shifted to Aaliyah and without hesitation he set off after her, prepared to follow her lead to wherever she intended to go.

Jub had been struggling to try and think of what he could say that would stop Brutrumukk from running out of the room... but ended up taking so long that the barbarian ended up doing so anywhere.

"Wai- Sto- URRRGH!" Jub stammered out. He places his face in his hands for a moment, before looking over his shoulder at the ritual he had already laid out for Find Familiar. Then looked back at the door that Brutrumukk had just ran out of. He gave a loud curse in goblin before running back over to the materials, gathering them up as quickly as he could in his bag and then charging after Brutrumukk.

Aurora nods her heard wearily to Gabes answer. "To be honest it started loosing it's charm awhile ago. We've been here what, a day, maybe two? In that time we've learned that this Bavlorna Blightstraw has been terrorizing this area with her brute squad of rabbit people, stealing things from people to make them miserable, trapped people here ,and attempted to trap us here. We all watched Brut wander around that hut in some strange drunk hallucination only coming out it after getting eaten by divines know what in the mirky water. We've help with a coup in the Bullywug court, which I am now second guessing as I was going to call in them to help us fight Bavlorna. You heard Charm, Bavlorna has fled as she has told her to. Now we have to help a scarecrow so we can even remotely have a chance to get out of here. We have no clue where Jub and Brutrumukk had gotten off to, let alone where exactly we will end up if we help this scarecrow." She paused trying to collect herself and not continue to just spew out all the things that had started to bother her.

"Sorry to just drop all that on you two. You both have been dealing with it all just as well as I. All these dealings, double dealings, and manipulations reminds me to much of the politics of Aglarond. To many petty and easily offended nobles who would never speak strait. The only thing that could get them to fully cooperate was when Thay would attack the borders. Even then there was some political backstabbing or what not. " Aurora let off another sigh and turned to look at Gabe and Zav, only glancing at the head king Gullop briefly in annoyance. "I believe this is the scarecrow that Charm spoke of." She turned to fully face the scarecrow. "Greetings, we were told that you might be able to help us. Provided we help you of course. We are seeking to find a way to leave Hither and find someone. What can we to help you?"

"Ha, ha." the bard's humor had been long exhausted especially when it was puns and especially bad one's at that sarcastically laughed "Your shitty puns aside, I too have something or rather someone I am seeking." Gabe reluctantly rustled through his pockets, and retrieved a small pouch the size of one's inner palm seemingly empty before shoving it back into his pack "A set of dice, an old friend of mine gave me."

"If we help you, I want to know where they are and where he is." he added not looking at either Zav nor Rory knowing full well how ridiculous he sounded but he felt something going through these blasted lands. His gut told him what he was looking for had to be here, it just had to.

"Blimey, that recap really served to bring me back to reality. I mean, it utterly grounded me to focus back on what's at hand. Right on, Rory! When you put it that way, things are damnably curvy for sure."

She places her hands on her hips and stretches her back mightily as she walks, twisting once and creating a very satisfying 'pop' sound.

"It is a bit like Baldur's Gate in a certain way. Just, if there were revolutionaries the Fist would have cracked down on them, the Duke would have held a parade, I would have gotten a bonus and a day off- not that the stars stop moving just because the government says to stop looking."

She smacks her lips as they approach the scarecrow bridge and the heads and--

She starts sobbing quietly.

"Oh, by the heavens, we are a blasted lot ain't we?" She weeps to herself. "Look at what we did-- 'e lost 'is 'ead 'cos of us."

She was distracted, falling back from the others several paces.

"E-Ello mister Gullop. I-I'm awful sorry about your 'ead an' all 'at." she managed through sobs.