Porthca Landing II: Lost & Found

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Virra's exploration of the tree ended soon after Tyrius cast his spell on it. At first she shared their enthusiasm for cutting the tree down, and stood behind her magic-slinging friends to egg them on as they swung at it.

Then ten minutes went by. Then twenty. She started glancing up at the clouded night sky and kicking at random pebbles. Another ten minutes, and she yawned. "You know, you guys look like you have this under control, so I'll just..." she said, excusing herself and heading back to curl up in the cart.

*

The next morning, bright and chipper, she went to check on the two lumberjacks — noting with some astonishment that they were still awake, and with a totally felled tree to show for their efforts. "Well, that's impressive," she admitted with a whistle, quickly breaking into a grin as they both collapsed. Before the others could shift the bodies, she crouched down and carefully began to roll Tyrius towards Eliza until their faces were inches apart.

She observed her work and nodded, satisfied. "What say we rest here for a half-day...?"
 
The Knight woke up fairly late and, after grumbling under his breath, threw off his blankets and hopped out of the cart. He spoke in a strange language for a moment and ran a hand over his form, his armor suddenly becoming shiny and clean. He began to look around and paused as he saw the two laying on the ground together. "Oh, er... ain't that a sight? Seems like those two had a busy night." He paused before turning back towards the cart. "Anyways, not much time ta lose. We've been lucky so far ta not run inta any bandits, but I doubt it'd hold out if we just laid out in the middle 'f the darn road all day."
 
"So, are one or both of ye gonna drag the tree trunk around now? Or what's the plan?" Tristan asks the following morning, inspecting the felled tree. He eats a quick breakfast then spends much of the morning meticulously cleaning his armor, vaguely listening to the others talk.
 
Virra rolled her eyes, still smiling at her own genius. "I didn't hear them making a plan while they were cutting it down. Maybe it was a journey over destination thing." Spotting the indignant Faust standing guard over the two, she frowned. "Don't give me that look. I think they'll see the funny side," she told him, then sighed. "Okay, fine. Come on, everyone awake!" she called out to Ander by the cart, reluctantly nudging the shoulders of both Eliza and Tyrius as she did.
 
Feeling something nudging at his shoulder, Tyrius was deep enough into his sleep that he had no idea he was lying on grass and thought for the moments he was semi conscious that he was back in his bedroom in the Silverbane Manor. Rolling over a little, he felt something tickle his cheek and wearily opened an eye. A small ladybird had taken advantage of the fact that his cheek was so close to a blade of grass to climb up onto his face and just walk across it.

"Urgh," Tyrius yawned as he sat up a little. Then he spotted the fact that Eliza was a lot nearer him than he remembered. "So, we cut the tree down." Tyrius said, realising how late in the day it now was. "Make magical staffs?" He said weakly. Glancing at the tree the pair had spent the night cutting, Tyrius cast a detection spell once again. "Huh, it's less potent than before." Tyrius said, "I - don't think the magic in that tree will last."
 
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Eliza woke up as she usually did, to tiny wet smacks on her face. “Stop! Stop! I am waking up!” Groggily sitting up she looked around her confused. It took her a moment to remember the events from last night.

Cheeks flushed she got to her feet trying to smoothen her crumpled dress before she remembered she had magic.

“Well...well...we needed the exercise anyway.” The wizard stared at the felled tree with bloodshot eyes muttering under her breath.
 
Realising that the tree was now needlessly cut down, Tyrius had an idea. Walking over to the stump, Tyrius pulled out his dagger and spent the next ten minutes carefully carving in some characters into the surface of the stump. When he was finished, he brushed the stump clean, revealing what he'd carved. In a series of rough letters that Tyrius had tried to make as careful as possible were two names:

ANTHOL & SIDWAE

Putting the dagger away, Tyrius dusted himself off and started to help pack up the camp ready to continue on.
 
Eliza decided to make the best of this whole rotten situation. She looked around for the least burnt stick, something she could try whittling down to wand-shape and after a few minutes finally found one that would suffice.

Miffed and grumpy she stormed back towards the cart ready to leave all of nature behind.
 
Afternoon of the sixth day | Halfway to Wyford:
Afternoon of the sixth day | Halfway to Wyford:

After having finally sorted themselves out from dealing with the tree, the day is fairly peaceful and travel is uneventful. The steady plodding of the horses is calming and the scenery pleasant as it passes by ... some conversation likely happens here and there to try and deal with boredom, perhaps a few games of "I Spy" or small magic tricks back and forth between the casters. The evening comes to a close and travel begins again on the sixth day.

Clouds that approached in the night now fill the sky, giving everything a dim appearance, there's a sense of the sky waiting to break loose and rain, yet doesn't just yet -- as if it requires a signal or trigger.

Traveling as you all are along the road, around you there's mostly flat fields, though in the distance, those with a keener eye, can note the outlines of buildings and farmlands -- the outskirts of Defallion lands -- granted more recognizable for Tyrius as this is becoming land he recognizes the closer the group travels to Wyford.

However there's something that sticks out along the horizon ... a strange door off to the side of the road seems to stand all by itself, wooden and worn, yet still perfectly clean. Stranger still is even with the clouds blocking the sunlight, it appears as though perfectly lit by the sun?
 
"Let me just say we don't actually have to poke every hornet's nest." Eliza sighed already preparing her ritual to cast detect magic. "We could just go on our way and deal with the actual problem at hand." She added in the middle of drawing corkscrews midair with her new wand. "Why waste our energy?" she said finishing with a swish of dark fog emanating from her wand enveloping the door.

A clear image came to her mind, "Conjuration, huh? Last chance to back out and continue on the road." but she had made a counterclockwise loop in the air with her wand tip from which a deep blue hand shot out and softly swung the door open. "You guys are just extremely stubborn."
 
The Knight chuckled at Eliza's complaining as he watched her work. "Where's the fun in a life without a little adventure, darlin'? Besides, never asked ya ta use yer magic. Obviously yer curious too." He peered into the doorway as it swung open, surprised to see a comfortable looking cabin lying within with a fully stocked meal. He looked over to his companions and spoke with a cheerful tone. "I don't know about all of y'all, but I could go fer a home cooked meal. Wanna go see who's home?"
 
"Curious is one word for it." Eliza remarked staring curiously at the magical reading she was getting off of the Knight.
 
Tyrius spent the ritual casting walking in laps around the door, utterly transfixed by its appearance. 'Why would someone set a door, which is clearly magical, out here in the middle of a field?' Tyrius thought to himself. He was intrigued by the fact it had sunlight shining on it which did not match the rest of the landscape. Noticing the fact that the Knight and Eliza seemed to be giving each other the third degree, Tyrius thought for a moment about the fact that the door was in the middle of nowhere.

'We're trying to track down a thief who steals the intangible - I doubt their hideaway is very mundane.' thought the sorcerer to himself. Though he quickly put the idea out of his mind, it seemed too blatant to hide a hideaway as a door in the middle of nowhere.

"Guess we should go in," Tyrius shrugged, not fancying passing up an opportunity to see some more magic he might otherwise not get to see.
 
Unable to peer over her companions' shoulders, Virra squeezed her way between them and whistled as the table came into view. "Yeah, you better believe we're going in," she said, then broke off as a noise caught her ear — the sound of humming, apparently from somewhere further into the cabin.

Stepping over to the door, she gave it a loud and rhythmic knock, then cupped her hands around her mouth. "Good afternoon!" she called as she stepped over the threshold.
 
The Knight nodded, blissfully unaware of the implications Eliza was making. He whistled cheerfully and walked over to the door after Virra, frowning slightly down at her beneath his mask at her sudden arrival. "Virra, don't ya know how ta knock?" He knocked on the door before following her inside. "'Scuse us? Sorry fer the interruption. We just saw yer floatin' door and thought it was mighty interestin' and wanted ta have a chat."
 
Afternoon of the sixth day | Doorway & Cabin:

After the strong smell of the cooked food wafted through the air after the doorway had opened, some of the group stepped through -- Tyrius, Virra, the Knight, and Eliza's familiar Faust. Each of them, as they crossed the boundary felt another wave of the wonderful smells wash over them -- the humming Virra heard pausing before resuming its tune.

However before the rest could truly register it, their attention became fixated on the table, everything set to be served -- even what looked like the right amount of seats for each of them with room to spare for the others! Before they realized it they felt compelled to seat themselves -- Faust even climbing up onto the table to pick at the food on offer -- and Eliza, affected by the senses of her familiar couldn't resist stepping through the door and joining them all.

Plates piling high with food -- probably more than could even reasonably be eaten, it didn't seem to effect what was on the table as the humming returned louder, glancing to the side as you all begin to eat, a very obviously elven woman steps around with a platter of even more food, setting it down somewhere and somehow on the cramped table. Her skin, hair, eyes -- everything were a vibrant tint of red, her clothing seemed to be made of autumn leaves and dark leathers, while deep blue and violet flowers were woven into her hair. Faint traces of runs were visible on her face, shifting in the warm light of the cabin as she smiled, seating herself at the head of the table -- a place none of you had felt compelled to sit at yourselves.

Steepling her delicate hands in front of herself, she rested her chin on her hands as she smiled, speaking in a lilting voice that somehow gave a sense of falling leaves underneath her words, "Oh my! If I knew I was going to have guests, I would have made more." She peered around the group, noting the door was still open and waved to those yet outside. "Please! Come in, come in -- for you look like weary worn and worried travelers in need of a freshly made meal, do you not?"

She tilted her head this way and that as she looked over the group, smiling, "I am Pyria, who are my interesting and intriguing guests if I may ask?"
 
The Knight happily took a seat at the table and removed his helmet, smiling to the woman despite his grin appearance. “Well hello there, darlin’. Ya can call me ta Salted Knight. It’s such a pleasure ta run inta such a gracious host in our long travels. What’s such a fine young lady doin’ out here in ta wilderness?”
 
Virra audibly gasped as the mistress of the house came into view. A real-life elf, and such a nice one too — she couldn't help but stare even as her hands continued to move by themselves, piling food on her plate. She had meant to ask if anyone could check it for poison, but that didn't seem important anymore.

"Nice to meet you, Pyria! I'm Virra, and these are my friends," she gushed, cutting in at the end of the knight's sentence. "Yeah, he's the Salted Knight, and she's Eliza, and he's Tyrius. I mean, they can introduce themselves. But Pyria, this house, and the food... it looks so nice. You look so nice," she went on, totally beside herself with excitement.
 
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Smiling at Pyria, Tyrius felt comfortable in her home. She seemed so welcoming and the food smelled delicious. It was all Tyrius could do to remember his manners instead of just diving right in and shovelling food into his mouth.

"It's very nice to meet you, Pyria. Thank you for serving up such a delightful meal." Tyrius said as he sat down and started eating.
 
Afternoon of the sixth day | Doorway & Cabin:

Pyria seemed to glance at something outside the doorway before frowning, "Your friends won't join us? I saw at least one take a peek before leaving, lonely and hesitant."

Turning back to those at the table she smiled widely, "In the wilderness you say, you ask? Why this looks like a friendly cabin to me, not some wilderness." Pyria nodded at Virra's compliment, "Well thank you little one! Very sweet, aren't you." Leaning back she gestured across the table, "Please, eat as you lovelies like, I have a troubling tendency to cook more than is necessarily needed."

The elf's eyes moved across the group, "Where are such wandering wanderers headed to?"
 
The Knight frowned as well when he heard the disappointment in Pyria's voice and stood up, leaving his barely touched plate with a longing look. "I'll be back in a flash, darlin'. Food looks amazin', but I ain't gonna stand fer my friends ta miss out on yer cookin'." He pushed in his seat after him and nodded to Pyria before walking back outside, shaking his head to himself as he tried to understand why his friends wouldn't join them. "Hey, Ander, where the devil're ya goin'? There's a kind an' lovely woman in there offerin' us a meal! Come on in, take a load off!"
 
Eating enthusiastically, Tyrius felt right at home in the elven woman's home, eating her food. 'How did she get these roast potatoes so crisp yet so soft on the inside?' the sorcerer thought to himself, glancing around at the sight of his friends enjoying their food, including Faust who seemed to be trying to outpace Eliza. As he continued to keep eating, Tyrius felt some magic fade and realised he'd been charmed.

'Okay, so something must've charmed me,' Tyrius thought, already trying to work out how to tell his friends without giving away the fact he was no longer charmed. 'Let's see - I know!'

"We're just off further into the Plains," Tyrius said between a mouthful of roast potatoes, "Just going to visit a good friend of ours named Cyne. Cyne Lestone." Keeping his eyes roaming the room to avoid staring at anything or making any meaningful movement with them, Tyrius added, "It's a shame he's not with us actually, he'd love this wouldn't he Virra." Tyrius said, at last giving a small look to Virra that he hoped she would pick up on.
 
Ander was drawn away from his prayers by an odd sight. He stayed away from the door for a while, until multiple of his companions decided to go inside. He peeked through, but couldn't bring himself to trust a magical door to nowhere in the middle of a field. As he bagan to walk back to the cart, the Salted Knight called out for him to join the party. Ander thought to himself about how uncomfortable this all made him, but he also didn't want to be rude. He sprinkled a little of the silver powder he used for polishing his armor onto his own shoulder and whispered a prayer to Lathander, feeling a spark of magical protection before crossing the threshold into the odd dining room.

He enjoyed the smell in the room, but didn't quite get why the others seemed so enthralled with it. "Thank ya, ma'am. I always do 'ppreciate a home cooked meal, even if that home is a strange portal in the middle of a field." He smiled politely, but the concern was hard to hide from his face. "My name is Ander, servant of the Rose-and-Gold God. What, may I ask, are ya doin' with a magical door standin' the middle a' nowhere?" he tilted his head slightly at the strangely red woman.
 
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Lush vegetables. Rich meat. Dark, sweet stuff that Virra didn't even know the name for. She flitted between all of it like it'd disappear if she stopped moving for a second, and was halfway through joyfully chewing a mouthful of warm bread when she picked up on Tyrius talking strangely. Directed at her, even. "Uh, yeah," she said, quirking an eyebrow in his direction. A few seconds passed before it occurred to her that his behaviour might be deliberate, and she reluctantly opened the telepathic link. "Okay, Ty, what's the matter? Still tired?" Halfway through "speaking", she saw Ander enter the cabin and stretched up to wave at him. "Ander! Come sit over here! Pyria made food for us!" she called, oblivious to his concern. Oblivious, too, to the fact that she was sitting in her chair with her legs uncrossed, like a normal person.
 
Cabin:

Pyria watched Tyrius with a smile, "The Planes? Which planes might these be? The Material? The Feywild? Shadowfell? Elemental -- oh Astral? That one is so interesting ... everything is so ... absolutely abstract!" The elf clapped her hands as she laughed before quieting again, "Cyne Lestone sounds like an interesting person. Would truly be a small universe if they were somehow related to a fellow I knew named Lestone, wouldn't it?"

Her attention wandered before she grinned widely at Ander's arrival, "Oh welcome welcome!" She chuckled, "Seems my dimensional doorway decided to wander -- and brought me such pleasant guests! Greetings Ander, I'm the pleasantly surprised Pyria." She leaned forward to study Ander, whispering almost conspiratorially, "Well, if ya'll believe it, I'm appearin' to host guests! Who knew this' where my day'd end up?"
 
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