The Expected Journey Ends [IC]

[Ilerien]

Darren's expression darkens.

- Who knows, our poor friends might be the next agents of the Order hounding us, at least according to the queen, - he sighs and looks at he elder. - We shouldn't burden you with out presence, unless you have more questions or there's anything else we can do for you that's within our ability.

[JNAProductions]

"I... I will take you up on the tea," she says.

Hinoka begins to set up the tea while the elder talks some more. "We haven't had anyone try to attack the dragon in years. You say you have experience, but I doubt it'll be enough. The others said the same thing. If you can, I would advise you to investigate your 'tear' before you try to be the heroes. You seem like nice folk. Hate to see you die."

[Ilerien]

Darren takes a bit of time to smell still too hot be drank tea.

- What we have to consider is the potential revenge the dragon might exact upon your people in case we try to slay it and fail, - he says softly not addressing anyone in particular. - Anyway, investigation is certainly in order. Do your people maybe know the exact location of the "tear"? Searching every nook and cranny at the base of the mountain might attract undesirable attention.

[JNAProductions]

"Geoff and Frank are usually the ones to deliver tribute. They'd know best where it is," she replies, finally giving names.

[Lentrax]

We will have to speak with them. But for now... We should rest. Is there anywhere we can do that?

[JNAProductions]

The elder waves in a general 'outside' motion. "There's plenty of abandoned buildings. Don't let yourself sleep exposed to the sky, but anything stable should suffice."

[Ilerien]

- You have our sincere gratitude, - Darren nods. - If you have any questions or maybe requests, we're all ears. Otherwise, we should consult our proverbial pillows on what we do in the morning, right? - he squints at Hinoka.

Spoiler: OOC

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I imagine we may skip to asking around for Geoff and Frank and then asking them for the location of the portal.

[JNAProductions]

"Good luck," is all she offers.

You find a building some small distance away, and set up for a good rest. Being properly weary, you do keep watch throughout the night, but nothing disturbs your rest. When everyone is ready to go, you return to the elder's home, knocking politely. A young man with a few scars opens the door. "Hello," he says, his voice reasonably upbeat. "I'm Frank-my dad's with the elder in the room."

Moving inside, you see the elder, sitting in front of the fire again; and an older man, with a good chunk of scars. "These are them?" he asks the elder, who nods. "Tell me about what this thing can do," he asks you three, "this... whatever it is."

[Talivan]

Before party enter the elder's house, Kiraz suddenly appears behind to join the party: "Missed me?...."

[Lentrax]

Actually, yes. Yes I did. it appears we will have another dragon to fight. Or not. Hinoka says, her head tilting in the way that you all know suggests she is considering something.

But come. Let us see the elder, and see what else we can learn before setting out.

Hinoka enters the house and greets the elder with a smile.

Honored Elder. This is Kiraz, one of my friends. He will help us.

She takes a seat and addresses who she assumes to be Geoff, the other one the Elder mentioned last night.

To be fair, we do not know what the holes are. Besides some kind of magical portal. It let us through easily enough, but we each have some form of magic. I do not know if it is a requirement.

[JNAProductions]

"Frank," his father says, "is reckless. He's touched it, but all it did was give him a headache."

Frank seems ready to retort, but decides against it.

Geoff continues, saying "It's about a three-hour journey from the edge of town. Ten minutes up the mountain too. But..."

"We're gonna show them, right?" Frank asks. "I mean... If it means we can leave here..."

"Yeah," Geoff nods. "Need to do anything to prepare before we leave?"

[Lentrax]

I do not need anything special, Hinoka says in reply.

Though I do wonder if we should scout this portal first, or see if you are able to use the one that brought us here. After all, all of you heading for the dragon's lair may draw its attention, whereas all of you leaving the area may just be seeing as fleeing. Assuming the three of us can do nothing about the dragon to begin with.

[JNAProductions]

"Where does that portal lead?" Geoff asks. "But that's not a bad idea-not at all."

[Ilerien]

Darren sighs.
- We don't know exactly. Just somewhere else, likely safer than the world we came from or this one. The person who told us about it was vague.

[Lentrax]

No. We do know. It leads to the Duke's castle. Of course, he may wonder where all these new people come form, but he did not seem to be the sort to turn down people in need.

[JNAProductions]

"This duke... Is he... Well, friendly?" Frank asks.

Geoff laughs. "He could hardly be worse than the tyrant we have here! I say we set off."

Unless anyone objects, you gather the needed supplies and make haste for the portal you came through. It's still a trek, but knowing the terrain a bit better and with the help of your newfound comrades, the journey's a bit shorter than before.
When you arrive, you can clearly see the portal, a quiescent ball of green-tinged energy, waiting to be opened. Geoff and Frank seem to have trouble seeing it, though.

[Talivan]

I'm ready to move, Kiraz pick up supplies and start walking

[Ilerien]

- Oh, that portal. I got them confused. I'm not even sure it's possible to get back where we've come from. One could try, of course, and the Duke's domain is indeed safe. Anyway, we should indeed go.

Spoiler: OOC

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I hate posting from my phone. Every now and then I miss something. :(
Darren's answer refers to the moment before they set off to the portal we've come through.

[Lentrax]

Hinoka will walk over to the portal, and reach a hand out, trying to see it it reacts to her without actually touching it.

[JNAProductions]

The portal begins to open at Hinoka's almost-touch. When she gets directly next to it, you can see the dungeon room through it.

Geoff and Frank do not appear to see it, at least not fully.

[Lentrax]

Hinoka stretches out her hand, and holds the end of her walking stick up, making it glow the same green color as the portal, and traces out a circle in the air, around the outline of the portal.

Here it is. As promised. Another portal to a place far away from the dragon plaguing you.

She turns back to the two men.

I advise some caution, however. I do not know how long it will remain, or if you could come back through if you enter. But at least across this barrier is a far better place than the fear you live in now.

[JNAProductions]

Seeing the outline traced, Frank approaches first. He walks into it, and as he steps through, simply ends up on the other side, in the same realm.

Geoff lets out a bitter laugh. "Knew it couldn't be that easy."

Frank doesn't respond, as he nurses his head in his hands. "Agh... I felt something, but it didn't feel right."

[Ilerien]

- This is somewhat expected. The laws of the genre are hard to circumvent, I imagine, - Darren, who was quietly observing the attempts to make the portal work, says, pursing his lips for a couple of seconds. - The queen said something like we had obtained the ability to see the portal after at some point. Likely it extends to the ability to pass through such openings. I wonder if our encounter with the Order is the trigger.

[JNAProductions]

Geoff raises an eyebrow in curiosity, but doesn't ask. What he does say is "We should be going to check the other one, then. If you can find some way of getting us out of this hell... Well, we'll be in your debt."

[Ilerien]

- Dealing with the dragon directly is, I'm afraid, the only reliable way to rid you of the immediate danger I know of. We'll definitely check the other one, but I don't think it'll behave any differently. Unless my dear companions have any ideas how to make this work?.. - he looks expectantly at the others.

[Lentrax]

It might work better, actually, Hinoka says in thought.

After all, they can see that one, unlike this one that they needed help to find...

Hinoka takes her pipe from is pouch and begins to prepare it.

[JNAProductions]

You start the trek back, this excursion having been a bust.

Do you plan to take time in the settlement, or just go straight to the other portal?

[Lentrax]

You will forgive me if I am prying too much, Hinoka says, her ears twitching.

But yesterday, I heard a comment on agents of the dragon? Is there anything we need to be on the watch for?

[JNAProductions]

Geoff shakes his head. "We don't think they're the dragon's. Or, at least, maybe not?" he says, his voice unsure. "One of them showed publicly, but only once, long time ago. They had a red cloak. And something about them just felt off. Wrong. Vicious... Since then, we've seen glimpses of things like that."

"We still don't know what exactly they wanted," Frank adds. "And it's hard to remember much detail-thinking about makes your head feel like mine did, when I tried to walk through."

[Ilerien]

- Ominous and likely tied to all this travelling-between-worlds business.