Acqua Alta

[Umiushi]

He grunts in the affirmative and pushes the scroll into Myn's hands. It is a work of fine parchment, written in the Common language and filled with beautiful diagrams, though there are no colors or illustrations. Entitled "The Treatise of Six Keys and the Broken Gate," it describes a magical procedure to overcome warded entrances. In order to perform the ritual, a number of alchemical reagents are called for.

[Cocoa]

"Is there some reason why your boss might ward the stairs like that? And is there another way to check? Perhaps from the roof or a balcony?

"I'd imagine we wouldn't want to disturb her privacy, if that's why she warded the stairs. Do you have an easy way to determine if she was the one who did the warding?"

[Umiushi]

He brightens at Ariellana's suggestion, "The roof? Good idea! There's a ladder in the other room for cleaning the windows. It doesn't go all the way up, though. Anyone want to give it a try?

"If she didn't want to be disturbed, she could have said so. Also, I don't know why all the scribes aren't around. I suppose someone else could have done it, but I have no way of telling."

Tanglar steps forward at this point, "I remember seeing an alchemist's stand in the market on the way over here, and thinking to myself how strange it was. I can see if they have the ingredients for that spell, but I'll need money. Zephyr, the Hegumen gave you a both a coffer and a pouch. Do you still have the pouch of coins with you? If so, shall I use it for this errand?" He grins, showing his incisors, "I admit some curiosity regarding this situation."

[yukonhorror]

"I do have the money on me. But to save some money, I don't mind using the climber's kit in my pack. Being from the mountains, you learn a thing or two about climbing. I am just afraid of what MAY happen if I barge in uninvited.

Tanglar, go see how much the ingredients would be, quick. If they are reasonable prices, I guess a quick dispelling of the ward would be ok."

You see a bit of disappointment in Zephyr's face, because climbing is his favorite activity.

[Umiushi]

Tanglar nods and takes the scroll from Myn, "I'll need this for the list; it's not something I can remember on my own." He moves to leave, but pauses at the entrance.

"Why not do both?" he suggests, looking back over his shoulder. "Where there's one spell like that, there may be more. If we can afford to do the ritual, it may come in handy later, after we've bypassed this first barrier." Then he makes his exit, shutting the door firmly behind him.

[yukonhorror]

With Tanglar's comment, Zephyr gives out a little grin.

"Ariellana and Myn, help me with the ladder, please. Akaysha, could you explain the situation to any guards who may walk by? I don't want them thinking I am invading the place."

Zephyr takes out the grappling hook from his kit and secures it to his rope. As Zephyr aims, he can't help but stick his tongue out indicating his high level of concentration.

"Here goes nothing." Zephyr exclaims as he tries to make contact with the window sill.

[Cocoa]

Ariellana does what she can to help Zephyr climb quietly and safely so that he can see what's going on upstairs.

"You're the mountain climber, but I've had some experience with scaling ladders and ropes. If there's something I can do to make your job easier, let me know."

She agrees that sending Tanglar off to check on the ingredients in the market is a wise move.

[Myn]

Myn readily agrees to help Zephyr, and steadies the ladder for him as he prepares to climb.

[love2readking]

Akaysha stands a little away from the others, facing the street watching the passers-by. If a guard approaches she is ready to explain the situation to the best of her ability.

[Umiushi]

This is the thirty-second Acqua Alta main post. Players' posts in either thread are due by 11 pm, Tuesday, July 21st. The next main post will appear by 11 pm, Thursday, July 23rd.

The main part of the building is two stories tall, though the scribes' room takes up the full two stories in height. Comprising at least a quarter of the building, the black tower rises another three stories above. The ladder reaches up to the ledge of the upper windows. From there, Zephyr manages the rest of the way with his rope and grapple.

As he nears the top, a huge, golden lizard's head emerges from the edge of the roof and looks around, its breath condensing into steam. Noticing the grappling hook, it moves forward, so that its neck and shoulders are visible, along with the membranous gray-green wings attached to them. Its body looks to be a hound's in size, with a wingspan of a few feet to either side. It nudges the grapple once, stares down at Zephyr, and then spreads its wings and takes to the air with a loud, unexpectedly high-pitched chirp. Fortunately, the hook remains secure.

At once, the air is filled with answering chirps, and the party sees three other winged lizards launch themselves out of the tower above the roof. They all fly in different directions; the one that saw Zephyr heads directly south, towards the wooded area. Strikingly, their scales are bright yellow on the head and down the right side, but green on the wings, and down the left side. It is an appearance that seems familiar to everyone, even those that may not have encountered them before.

[Umiushi]

Undeterred by the creature that he recognizes as a crag-nester drake of unusual coloration, Zephyr makes his way across the rain-slick slope of the scriptorium's roof. Jutting out from the corner of the building, the tower of the Magus rises another three stories, tall and dark. The only windows appear as a band around the middle of the edifice. Fortunately, these appear to be of the more traditional variety and what's more, the two largest ones are flung wide open. As Zephyr prepares for his second ascent the reason behind the open windows becomes obvious when a chorus of agitated screeches announces the presence of several more drakes still inside.

[yukonhorror]

Zephyr yells down at his friends below, "Those bloody crag-nesters are in the tower and they are attacking someone! I hear screaming from inside. We need to help them."

[Cocoa]

Crag-nesters! I wonder what the heck they're doing up there? Why are they indoors and attacking someone? Why can't we hear them from down here? I hope that Tanglar returns soon with the reagents -- I'm sure he would have bought what we needed if the price was reasonable.

Ariellana calls to Zephyr, "Can you distract them? Toss some shiny pebbles or bits of food or something?

"Maybe you should come on down instead of climbing up the tower while fighting off a bunch of flying lizards. Don't let them knock you off unless you think you can catch yourself safely!

"How many different people can you hear up there? Do they seem scared? Hurt? Angry?"

Ariellana has read about domesticated crag-nesters. It was in a small pamphlet called, "How to Be your Drake's Best Friend", by the monks of Nuse-Keet. She wonders if these are domesticated or wild. She also wonders if they could try catching a few so that she can see if the monks' methods actually work. She's never really been able to have a pet before. Now that she's on her own, maybe she can.

[yukonhorror]

"In the tower, who are you? Are in you trouble? How many are you? Hold on, we'll try and get you out of there safely."

[Palpatim]

Rogur Kalor's eyes felt like they had been rolled along the beaches of Imareska and shoved back into his eye sockets, and his tongue--well, he'd smelled hippogriff stables that left a better aftertaste. Blearily, he cracked his eyes and tried to remember the previous night. A tavern, yes, nothing unusual about that--he'd spent more of his hard-earned silver there than he'd like to admit. Running out of silver earlier than he had hoped, and surprising himself with his own agility as he raced after... Raced after...

The woman!

His eyes shut out the light and his brow furrowed as he fought to remember. A dark alley. A well-dressed woman. Sneaking carefully after her, following her to a tower. Darkness, and a voice, speaking as if to a pet, or a falcon, "Find my apprentice."

"In the tower, who are you? Are in you trouble? How many are you? Hold on, we'll try and get you out of there safely."

Wait, that last bit.

Replaying the last 5 seconds in his head, he realized that the last voice was different, masculine, and coming from far away.

Sitting up, he pried his eyes open and began to shout, "Hello? Who's out th-" He broke off as his eyes focused on a huge, golden head peering at him curiously from inches away. In a rare display of discretion, Rogur froze instantly as he tried to identify the creature and decide whether it was safe to shout out. Considering that he hadn't already been eviscerated (which he confirmed with a quick scan of his tattered leather armor and traveling cloak), he decided it would be safe to inch carefully toward the open window and call out.

Moving slowly and as non-threateningly as he knew how, he sidled casually to the wall, avoiding the half-dozen winged lizards as he went. He leaned his head near the window and called down in a strained voice, "Hello, friend, I seem to be sharing my accommodations with several scaly, winged lizards. And how are you this morning?"

If it is morning, he thought sourly.