#bikk

[aj-the-satyr]

Oriel 2.5

An Objective revealed

The Cartographer looked down at the tug on his armored tunic. Jinty smiled and presented him awkwardly with his rifle.

“Carty drop this!” They said.

“Thank you.” He replied as he took the rifle from Jinty. He then watched as the kobold headed over to the food laden table to indulge once more. In fact it appeared as if everyone had decided to move to the table.

The Cartographer made his rifle vanish with a gesture then leaned against the nearby wall.

“Impos....” He paused considering the word he was using. It was wrong. Words were important. “I thought it destroyed.”

The Cartographer watched the rest of them. The Ratkin who seemed to have taken charge was leaning back in a chair also taking stock. The other, the one with the rifle, was alert but eating. Jinty and the smallest Ratkin were decidedly focused on the food. Fidaelius looked around a bit before offering a reply.

“Turns out such an artefact is harder to destroy than you would think.”

“And you just happened to find it?” The Cartographer narrowed his eyes.

Maximus smiled and took a drink from a goblet. “I second The Cartographer’s doubt. You were looking for it.”

Fidaelius snorted. “Any Arcane practitioner worth his salt would be.”

“Few know of its existence Fidaelius.” retorted The Cartographer. “Fewer still would wish to locate such an object. My brother.....”

“Your brother was a fool!” Fidaelius cut off the Minotaur. “He made deals that bound him in ways he could not truly escape. Bound you too if I recall correctly.”

The Cartographer sighed. Fidaelius did not realise how much information he was just throwing out there without a care. He could tell that Maximus was someone who would understand the maxim ‘Information is powerful. It should be traded or earned. It can be given freely as a gift or used to one’s advantage.’ In fact The Cartographer was willing to place a wager on the fact that Maximus, even if he knew not those exact words, lived by a similar code.

“That matters not at this moment.” He eyed Maximus briefly before turning his focus back to Fidaelius. “You found it.”

Fidaelius looked smug. “I did.”

Maximus cut in. “And you brought us here to acquire it. Interesting.”

Fidaelius was smiling now. “I scouted some of the best talent I could. It wasn’t cheap or easy.”

The Cartographer huffed. “Nor effective considering the circumstances you find yourselves in.”

Fidaelius laughed. “You’ve proven that your weapon is ineffective and....” He jerked backwards as a dagger lodged in his throat.

“No mind games!” Said Bikk.

(And lo I hath written something again. Bikk has come a long way.

Anyway. Who did I used to tag in these things??

@anntar-origin @jaimistoryteller @elitefourkylewantstobattle @the-bearded-hylian

As usual ask to be yoinked/yeeted to my very sporadic updates. :)

Keep lovng your writing. )

[aj-the-satyr]

Oriel 1.8

Another time, another place

Maximus was still frowning as he stepped through the portal with The Cartographer. He still didn’t quite trust the Minotaur just yet, but no one else had the knowledge and expertise to get any of them home, so they were stuck for now. Their surroundings changed..... a little. Wait..... no. Maximus glanced around. “Really?”

The Cartographer sighed. “Yes. They have a thing for the shape.”

“Who makes a triangular room?” Maximus looked around. “What twisted crime of logic would merit such architecture?” For all intent and purposes it was a normal office space with a desk, a chair, some bookshelves and an exit, but..... triangular. It felt very, very wrong to him.

“Well...... this is different.” said Kurt appearing with Bikk through the portal.

“Welcome to the Illuminade gentlemen.” said the Cartogrpaher.

Maximus reached out with his senses. “We are not alone here.”

“I did not expect to be. I just wanted quiet while I worked. This is to be a bridge to Sigil proper.”

“And that will get us home?” asked Kurt.

The Cartographer nodded. “Sigil connects to all places.”

Maximus tuned them out. There were people here but he couldn’t quite focus enough to pick out anyone’s thoughts. He thought more about the name. The Illuminade. Certainly they wanted to be associated with light and illumination. That would explain why The Cartographer was perhaps a.... less than welcome guest here. His stance on information, which closely mirrored Maximus’ own, was probably antithetical to a group associating themselves with illumination. Unless of course they were an order of monks who specialised in the illumination of manuscripts.

The Cartographer had gone over to a door and peeked out into whatever room connected to this one. “Clear, for now. We should move.”

“Why?” asked Bikk. “No make glowy thing again?”

The Cartographer shook his head. “No. I need some materials. They have a library.”

“And you couldn’t just breach us in there directly?” scoffed Maximus.

“Not without alerting everyone here. I figured we should keep a low profile.”

“You mean you wish to keep a low profile. I have no issue with this organisation.” Maximus looked around “Well other than this triangular room.” He shuddered a little.

Kurt placed a hand on his shoulder. “Look. You can play arrogance fight later. Lets get out of here.”

Maximus gritted his teeth, Kurt was right but it did not mean he liked the fact. They let The Cartographer lead the way. Maximus grabbed the Minotaur’s shoulder briefly as they went. “There is someone in there, if I read where you are going correctly.”

“I am relying on it being a certain someone I know.”

“And if it is not?”

“Then we improvise?”

Maximus sighed. This was just as bad as the King’s agents. Plans would be tossed aside on a whim in favour of ‘instincts’. “Lead on then. You are The Cartographer after all. Any reason you did not just take us to Sigil rather than here?”

“I wanted to leave a trail Fidaelius could not trace.”

Maximus nodded at that. That was at least something he could understand.

The door to this library swung open easily to reveal a very large library indeed, with many floors of books on view surrounding a central reading area with many desks, each of which seemed to have its own light so everyone could read in peace. Maximus approved. Losing oneself in a book was often ruined by close proximity to others.

A robed figure stepped out of the shadows of the far shelves on the ground floor and pulled down the hood to reveal a metal face. Maximus had not seen anything like it. It seemed that whatever else this day was bringing the reveal of things he had only heard about in rumour was on top of the list. First the explosive projectile weapons and not this, a humanoid construct. It spoke first.

“You cannot be here!”

The Cartographer smirked. “Seven. I think the word you are looking for is shouldn’t as clearly I am.”

The construct showed no emotion on its face for it could not but the voice carried its confusion well. “No.... you.....” there was a brief pause “You are here twice.”

“Oh.” even The Cartographer didn’t have a reply to that.

Maximus stepped in front of him. “Maximus Delapore. Forgive our intrusion but we are relying on him” He indicated The Cartographer “To get us home after we were brought to a place against our will. This is merely a momentary pause on that journey.”

The construct nodded. “That does not change....” they paused once again as Kirt came into view. “Kurt von Renniger the third. You are also here?”

Kurt looked around briefly. “You know me.”

“You are also here twice.” said the construct.

(Holy Moly did I just update this thing on back to back days??? What is happening? Anyway...... onto the tags

@elitefourkylewantstobattle @anntar-origin @the-bearded-hylian @jaimistoryteller 

As usual ask to be Yoinked or Yeeted to/from this list of people who put up with my incredibly random update schedule.

Wow..... twice in 2 days. Man......

HAVE FUN WITH YOUR WRITING!!!!)

[aj-the-satyr]

Oriel 1.7

Escape

Maximus frowned. Just..... just what. He sighed. Bikk was a mystery. Here was this unassuming Ratkin. Nothing about him set off any alarm bells. He was seemingly an expert in remaining in the background but that comment about travelling around and saving his people. No. Helping them be free. Words were important, that was at least something he could agree with The Cartographer on. He turned away from focusing on Bikk to watch the Minotaur as he worked. It was clear whoever he was he knew a lot about the magics of transport and breaching worlds. Maximus had always heard there were many worlds to visit from his time with the Fae, but unless they showed him such he was limited to his one. Well now he was here with two of his kind, one of whom held a great many secrets. Satisfied that The Cartographer was fine on him own Maximus strode across the room towards Bikk.

“Bikk.”

The smaller Ratkin looked up. “Yes yes?”

Maximus frowned yet again. The simple repeated speech patterns. The seemingly simplistic logic applied to things. Was this really what his people were? “You said before that you travel around setting your people free.”

Bikk nodded. “Yes. Part of deal.”

Deal. Now they were getting somewhere without much effort. He could feel Kurt lingering nearby. Another mystery for another time. “Deal? Who have you made deals with Bikk?”

Another shrug. “Bikk not know name.”

“Do you know anything?”

“Bikk know lots of things.”

Maximus ground his teeth together. Talking to him was..... he sighed. “Do you know anything about the person you made a deal with?”

“Yes.”

Maximus heard The Cartographer chuckle from across the room.

“Bikk. I would like you to tell me what you know about this person you made a deal with.” said Maximus through gritted teeth.

“Ok.”

Maximus threw his arms wide. “Well?”

Bikk tilted his head. “What what?”

“Are you going to tell me?”

“No.”

Maximus felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Kurt. “Calm down. If Bikk wishes to talk he will. For now I would prefer our focus to be on leaving.”

“The Cartographer has that handled, apparently.” Snapped Maximus.

“Then relax. We’re alive and not under someone’s control thanks to Bikk there.” Kurt smiled.

Maximus knew he was right but he felt...... it didn’t feel right to not have all the answers. He felt a tug on his coat and spotted Jinty looking up at him,

“Carty needs help now.” They said before wandering back towards the Minotaur.

“Now you need help.” muttered Maximus.

“Bit more power. Unless either of the others are magically inclined.” said The Cartographer.

Kurt shook his head. “Not me that’s for sure. Bikk? Magic?”

Bikk shook his head. “Bikk no magic.”

Maximus narrowed his eyes, he very much doubted that indeed. Bikk was a mystery that he would peel apart. “Fine. It appears we are the magically inclined here.”

“And yet neither of us noticed the working.” The Cartographer smiled. “Interesting what some will notice and others will not.”

“Don’t remind me.” Snapped Maximus before adding his own magic to whatever working The Cartographer had been working on. Much to his surprise a portal bloomed into life giving the room an eerie silver glow. The surprise must have been clear on his face because The Cartographer simply chuckled.

“It’s not any of your homes, but it most certainly isn’t here.” The Cartographer said. “Small steps. Also....” He paused and took a breath. “I may not exactly be the most welcome visitor of the place I’ve..... breached.”

“Breached?” Maximus raised an eyebrow. “Interesting choice of word.”

“It will be a surprise visit for sure. Hopefully one of the quieter parts of the compound.”

“And just who are we visiting?” Asked Kurt from behind everyone else.

“Whom.” replied The Cartographer. “And they call themselves The Illuminade.”

(And lo this silly project of mine continues.

TAGLIST>>>> @elitefourkylewantstobattle @anntar-origin @the-bearded-hylian @jaimistoryteller

Thanks for enjoying my nonsense that updates on an incredibly random schedule. And a special thanks to @anntar-origin for those last 2 words.

As always..... enjoy your writing. )

[aj-the-satyr]

Oriel 3.9

A surprise visit

Kurt found that words were not his allies at the moment. The Warforged was clearly distraught, even with no way to convey emotions on their face their voice carried with it enough signs that he noticed even Bikk was looking concerned.

“Bikk confused.” was all that the smaller Ratkin saw fit to add to the conversation at the moment.

Maximus shook his head. “I believe the phrase from the frying pan into the fire seems to be apt.”

The Cartographer snorted. “It just means Fidaelius was playing with more threads than I thought.”

The Warforged looked around. “You......” Their hands waved around as if searching for the right words in the surroundings. “Lord Renniger.”

Kurt narrowed his eyes a little. “How? I don’t know you yet you know my name.”

The Warforged was clearly out of their depth. Luckily for them it was The Cartographer that spoke up next. “So..... twice.... Interesting. I mean if I meet myself we can at least past it off as my twin brother.....”

“NO!” The horror was evident in the Warforged’s voice.

“That settles that then.” said The Cartographer with a smirk.

Kurt waved his hands around and hissed. “WHAT IS GOING ON!?”

Maximus also had a smirk. “It appears our arcane captor had the gall to play with the temporal as well as the physical. We might not even be from the same moment. I imagine that complicates your rescue effort somewhat, no? The Cartographer.” The last two words were said with a sneer.

The Warforged did their approximation of a blink again and ushered the group further into the library. “How...... Does everything you touch Teskos become a complicated morass of interwoven threads?”

The Cartographer gave him a look. “The Cartographer, Seven. Unless you would like me to give these people your full designation?”

Seven sighed, an interesting echoey sound from their construct body. “The fact you know the full designation that my creator decided to give me is no longer impressive Teskos. Seven is good enough. Now please help me before something even more disastrous that your mere arrival happens here.”

Kurt followed along. This.... Seven knew him. Knew his full name. No one knew that or so he thought. But how? He...... He’d met several of these constructs at the Academy after his awakening but he never really interacted with any of them anyway, they were always treated like machines and not really people. He didn’t even know that they had names. He looked down at a tug on his coattails, it was Bikk.

“Kurt ok?”

He shook his head, noting they were falling a little behind the others. “No. I’m here twice? What does that mean?”

“There two of you now.” Bikk offered.

Kurt smiled a little. “But there should only be me.”

“Bad wizard do bad magics.”

There was a chuckle from up ahead, The Cartographer. “Exactly. Trying to grab the best versions of each of us for the heist.”

“HEIST?!” Seven stopped dead in their tracks. “HEIST?!” They repeated. “What are you mixed up with now Teskos?”

“The person he called Fidaelius apparently wanted something called The Crystalline Heart I believe.” supplied Maximus.

Kurt wasn’t as much of an expert at reading people as seemingly Maximus was but even he could tell that the mention of the heart almost caused this Seven to just shut down entirely.

The Cartographer, rather rudely, tapped on Seven’s head. “What aren’t you telling us?”

“What! What!” Added Jinty who was seemingly just excited to be on an adventure with their Minotaur friend.

Seven looked up at The Cartographer. “Information is valuable, Cartographer. It should be traded or earned. It can be given as a gift or used to one’s advantage. You have taught me that much.”

“It’s here.” Said Maximus. “Right now, at this moment, it is here.”

Seven blinked again but remained silent.

The Cartographer decided swearing was the best use of words right now.

Kurt just sighed. “It’s in the box........ It’s in THE FUCKING BOX!!!!!!!”

(And....... well this continues. Taglist time

@elitefourkylewantstobattle @the-bearded-hylian @anntar-origin @jaimistoryteller

Ask to be Yeeted/Yoinked as per usual but be aware my updates are sporadic at best.

ANYWAY. KICK WORDS AND TAKE ADJECTIVES to all the cool writers of Tumblr [That’s all of you btw] )

[aj-the-satyr]

Oriel 1.1

The Other Guest

Maximus had a smile on his face as he entered the newly revealed hallway. It was dimly lit with a blue glow that came from globe lamps in the ceiling. He pondered the idea of this place, wherever they had all ended up having a hidden art gallery in it. Just why would such a thing exist? Maximus trailed fingertips along the wall as he went. Smooth and cold. Clearly a very designed passageway. He stepped out onto quite the scene.

It appeared that they had found the other Ratkin and he and The Cartographer were now in a stand off, pointing rifles at one another. Maximus had heard of the experimental gunpowder based weapons but all the stories around their many mishaps meant he was never likely to ever use one or come across a living wielder of them. But here were two, right in front of him.

“Bit close for those is it not?” Maximus smirked. Neither of the two moved. Very well. Different tack. “Maximus Delapore. The Minotaur you have objected to is The Cartographer.”

“Your cow friend drew first as a matter of fact.” replied the Ratkin.

“Just met them. Jinty” he pointed at the Kobold who was still seemingly attached to The Cartographer “And.....” He looked around. “Bikk is very good at remaining unseen. I take it you’re not the one who brought us here?”

“Afraid not.” The Ratkin lowered his own rifle. “I thought there might be others.”

The Cartographer narrowed his eyes but reciprocated with his own rifle.

Maximus smiled. “Good. No need for violence just yet. I’m sure that will come later.”

“Bikk no want fight. Bikk fight too much already.” came a voice from the corner of the room.

The Other Ratkin raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Impressive stealth skill indeed.”

Maximus looked around at the room. It was lit well enough but seemed to only have a few crates in it. A doorway lay just behind their mysterious new Ratkin. “I trust you have explored the place then? What about it made you feel there were others?”

“There’s a dining room with a table set for six.”

The Cartographer huffed and walked past through the doorway.

“Charming fellow.” Said the Ratkin.

“It appears so.” Said Maximus. “Might I have your name?”

“Kurt.” He tipped his hat to Maximus, it was a very nice top hat, a pair of goggles were hung around it.

“Three Rats, a Minotaur and a Kobold.” remarked Maximus.

“Bikk smell food.” Was all Bikk added before too vanishing through the doorway.

“You said six.” Maximus’ mind was already shuffling around the facts and making connections.

“Yes.” said Kurt.

“So either we are all the guests plus a space for the host...”

“Or there is another.” Finished Kurt. “Interesting. You work quickly.”

“Hazard of my profession.”

“Oh?” Kurt tilted his head a little. “And what would that be?”

“Poet Laureate.” Said Maximus with a smile before heading through the doorway himself. He found another small hallway and then the aforementioned dining room. “This feels like.....” Maximus paused.

“An isolated structure.” Said The Cartographer around a bite of an apple. “Not a real place with a door to the outside.”

“No.” Maximus shrugged and took a seat at the table. It was quite a spread, which Bikk and Jinty were wholeheartedly attacking already. He turned at a sigh and gave Kurt a smile. It appeared that he didn’t approve of the table manners on display. From the hat and formal attire Maximus suspected that Kurt had led a more.... upmarket life than either of Jinty and Bikk. Bikk very much seemed to be the archetypal Ratkin, especially compared to himself and Kurt. He helped himself to some of the fare in front of him and wondered if The Cartographer’s earlier dismissal of his notion of this being Fae related might be wrong. But he did seem to know where they were, probably that almost mythical sounding ability of his race to never get lost.

“So... The Cartographer seems to know where we are.”

“Really?” said a surprised Kurt. “Not just a grumpy cow with a rifle.”

“Sigil.” The Cartographer looked at Kurt.

Kurt frowned a little and put a hand on his hip. “Sigil..... rumours and stories, nothing more. It exists?”

“And we are there.” Said The Cartographer. “And Blue here seems to believe we were summoned, as it were. Something that would be very hard to organise.”

“Oh, Incredibly hard indeed.” Said a new voice.

(And lets keep this going for now. It’s kinda fun, if a bit silly to crossover my current batch of D&D characters. Most of them anyway. And yes I do have a tendency towards playing Ratkin. Also a tendency towards Rogues :) Should tag the usual suspects. Let me know if you would like me to stop tagging you in this nonsense or if you are not yet tagged and would like to be....

@anntarinsanitymaterialized @the-bearded-hylian @elitefourkylewantstobattle @jaimistoryteller think that was them all for now...... cool. Remember to have fun with your own art be it writing, drawing, singing, dancing or whatever.)

[aj-the-satyr]

Rat in the Library

Silas yawned. At least it was quiet. He smiled as the candle he was using to light his work flickered rather violently.

“Gotta stop saying that.” He said out loud.

“Ledger.” came a rather familiar voice in reply.

Ledger? There was only one person who ever referred to him like that. Only one raw, fidgety, nervous recruit that seemed to take everything literally much to the annoyance of everyone else. But...... here? Now?

“Bikk?” He asked.

A shadow pulled down a hood revealing the rodent features of the only Ratkin the Treasures and Antiquities Guild has seen fit to hire so far. In fact the only one that Silas himself had ever even heard of.

“Bikk need help.” The Ratkin was far from the twitchy recruit Silas remembered. He was still and even though Silas knew he was there he was barely visible among the gloom.

“Help? With what?” Silas frowned and put down his quill carefully. This certainly wasn’t the same person. It had been a couple of years for sure, but just what had happened?

“Ka’Var.” said Bikk.

“Ka... Var?” Asked Silas.

The Ratkin nodded. “Ka’Var.”

Silas sucked in a breath. “Well.... we don’t have much.” He turned to the wall of shelves behind him that housed the Guild’s information all stored in neat volumes with titles that only he knew the cypher for. He grabbed a slim volume and placed it on the desk.

“Rumours.” Said Bikk as he reached for the book.”

“You sure?”

Bikk nodded. “Very.”

Silas knew where it was. In fact he’d just gotten done adding a few paragraphs to it only last week. Most of them involving the very person stood before him. He laid it down next to the first.

“No one knows your here.”

“No.”

“Ok.” Silas nodded. He liked Bikk. He genuinely liked most of the people that Val recruited and was worried that he had not seen her in months. He knew that Santino seemed to have something against the Ratkin, but had merely dismissed it as racism or similar. Looking at Bikk now, perhaps Santino was right to be scared of him. He was reading at a pace that was unexpected for how he talked. The Slim volume was done in moments and that larger book of rumours was being devoured at a similar pace.

“You read quick.” commented Silas.

Nothing. Bikk was focused.

Silas frowned as Bikk pulled out a pencil and marked several of the pages as he read them. What was he doing?

“Real.” Bikk slid the book back to him. “Hope that pay for use of books Ledger.”

Whatever had changed the fact that he still called him Ledger made Silas smile as he looked at the marked pages.

“Are....... are you.... sure?”

Bikk nodded. “Bikk there. Bikk know.”

Silas took a deep breath. “Yeah..... and you never need to pay me Bikk. You’re part of the Guild.”

“Not sure for how much longer.” and with that he vanished the candlelight flickering as he went.

Silas let out the breath slowly.

“Just what have you gotten yourself involved in young one?”

The door creaked and a head came around the wood.

“You ok? I heard voices.”

“Just me. Trying to make sense of this.” Silas gestured to the books.

The Guard frowned. “What now?”

“Ka’Var.”

“The Riefenport business?”

“Among other things, yes. Who is he and what is he after?”

“It’s just one man.”

Silas glanced at some more of the marked passages.

“Who isn’t from this world....”

The Guard chuckled. “C’mon Silas! Why’d you even write that down.”

Silas gave him a blank look. “Got to account for everything until proven otherwise.”

“Gonna drive yourself mad. Anyway stop talking to yourself. Thought someone had snuck in or something.”

“In here?” said Silas. “Past all the guards to get to me? That’s what..... twenty men isn’t it?”

“Twenty Five.” replied the guard. “Guess you’re right.” he grinned and then shut the door again.

Silas tapped a finger against the book. “May the Gods watch over you Bikk.”

(As usual gonna tag my lovely DM in this @elitefourkylewantstobattle )

[aj-the-satyr]

Oriel 2.6

Change of Plans

The Cartographer reached out with his arcane senses. Yes..... There were very fragile thread there, barely even strong enough to hold a working, yet...... He glanced at Bikk. The small Ratkin was unassuming. Very good at hiding. Wanted to be in the background, go unnoticed.

Maximus threw down a fork in disgust and swore in a language that while The Cartographer did not know, it was very obvious the other two Ratkin did.

“Problem?” Asked The Cartographer.

“That type of working is my speciality. I should have sensed it.”

“Well I, for one, am thankful that Bikk did. Might I inquire as to how?”

Bikk blinked. “Cow mans can ask. It’s ok.”

The Cartographer chuckled a little. It was almost like conversing with Jinty, something he’d come to very much enjoy doing. “Thank you. How did you notice it before other who I will assume are far more proficient with the Arcane than you are?”

Bikk looked down and took a breath. “Bikk...... Bikk lose own mind too many times. Bikk not very strong ‘gainst mind magicks. Bikk learn to notice early and stop it.”

Maximus had risen and checked on their host. “Very accurate throw as well. But......” He waited until the others were focused on him before showing off Fidaelius’ corpse. “No wound. You clearly threw the knife into his throat. He is, as far as my ability to tell is concerned, very much dead.”

Bikk shrugged and said nothing,

The Cartographer nodded in approval. “Doesn’t matter. He’s dead, or at least this facsimile is.”

Kurt was sat quietly smoking on a pipe taking everything in. “Facs..... fake? Are you sure?”

The Cartographer stepped forward away from the wall he was leaning on. “It’s very much his style. No reason to risk actually being here.”

“And you neglect to mention this!?” Maximus snapped.

“Information is important. It should be traded or earned. It can be given freely as a gift or used to one’s advantage.” replied The Cartographer.

Maximus narrowed his eyes. “Any other snippets of wisdom you would like to share? We’re in Sigil and there was talk of this place being self contained.”

The Cartographer sighed. “Yes. It’s......”

“I understand the principles behind the Arcane workings Cartographer” Maximus cut him off.

“The Cartographer.” smiled The Cartographer.

Maximus blinked. “Is this really the time to be picky about your title?”

“I’m not in a rush.”

Kurt snorted. “You two ladies can settle this later. I have people to get back to. Bikk?”

Bikk shook his head. “Bikk friends think Bikk gone. Bikk now travel around helping his people be free.”

Kurt puffed on his pipe slowly. “I’m...... I’m sorry.”

Maximus was frowning. “Protect...... You were here for us?” He gestured between himself and Kurt. “We were in danger of being enslaved.”

“Bikk here. Bikk help. Now it cow mans job to get us out.”

The Cartographer felt another tug on his tunic. It was Jinty again. “Jinty no want stay here now.”

“So we won’t. Maximus.”

The Ratkin was focused on Bikk but replied. “Yes?”

“I Think it is time those experienced in the Arcane got to work.”

(Wow!!!!! 2 Updates in what...... a month, a year? A century? :)

Anyway onto the taglist.

@anntar-origin @the-bearded-hylian @elitefourkylewantstobattle @jaimistoryteller

as usual ask to be Yoinked/Yeeted and remember to enjoy what you write/draw/dance around/eat/etc)

[aj-the-satyr]

Oriel 1.3

And new Alliances

Fidaelius stood unharmed before the group and sighed.

“I offer you a chance at greatness and this is how you repay me?”

Maximus snorted. “You have offered nothing. I learned your name from the person who just attempted to kill you. By the way those things are loud, can't you do something about that?”

The Cartographer pulled the lever on the side of his rifle with a KLAK and slid another cartridge into the breech. “No. Silence is not one of the many spells that I have learned. Until then this remains as loud as it is.”

“You can.... huh. Artificer and Cartographer.” Maximus smiled. “If we survive this I, perhaps, can help you with that.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” preened Fidaelius. “I brought you here, an accomplishment of no....”

Kurt cut him off. “You’ve done the power play before Fidaelius. Might I remark how annoying it is to learn you name from someone else and not your own lips.”

Fidaelius looked affronted. This clearly wasn’t going according to plan.

Maximus merely held his smile. “So. Do you try to fight or do you acquiesce to our polite request for information?”

“Polite!?” Fidaelius would have spit out a drink if he’d been doing so. “He shot at me!” He indicated The Cartographer. “And you did nothing to prevent that. What would you have done had I died?”

Maximus blinked slowly. “Trusted in The Cartographer to return us home. You have provided no welcome to any of us, despite the fact we arrived at different times. You clearly waited for us all to be here before introducing yourself. Not a particularly good host, especially since the room we arrived in had no visible exits.”

Fidaelius coughed. “Given your various skillsets I thought that nary a problem.”

“Ah.... Inconsiderate as well. You are certainly not doing yourself any favours here.” Maximus ate some beef that was on the end of his fork. “Although the food is good.”

Fidaelius slumped a little and eyed The Cartographer who had reloaded his rifle. “Why persist with that thing?”

Maximus just chuckled. “If you don’t know that then there is no hope for you at all. I’ve been entertained by many Fae and you make a poor showing in comparison.”

It was then Bikk struck using the distraction everyone was providing. His dagger bit deep into the side of Fidaelius who cried out in shock and collapsed to his knees. In a moment Kurt had a smaller version of his rifle in a hand and had moved closer to the downed Fidaelius and pulled back a small part of it with a thumb. The metallic KLIK seemed to echo around the room.

“It seems we have you at a disadvantage sir.” Maximus stood wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Now. You will answer some questions or we’ll be finding our own way out of here.”

“I doubt that!” Snapped Fidaelius as he made a gesture with a hand. Everyone watched as nothing happened. “WHAT?!”

“Oh.... did you underestimate with whom you were dealing?” Maximus strode forward as he spoke. “I’ve been prepping countermagic since I arrived. Youa re far too enraptured in your own magnitude to even consider the fact that I could outwit you in an Arcane battle that you focused on the physical threat of the others, while forgetting about Bikk it seems. Something that I don’t think people do more than once. So. Talk. Or that other option I mentioned, that is still on the table.”

(And yay! The goat does more of that writing thing.

Usual tags. Ask to be added or yeeted as appropriate.

@anntarinsanitymaterialized @the-bearded-hylian @jaimistoryteller @elitefourkylewantstobattle

YAY WRITING!!!!!)