Well, here's a miracle -- a post two quizzes in a row! As happened last time, Jen and HD totally took over and told me what I was going to write, regardless of what I already had written down... not that I mind, it's just that I'm supposed to be working on a job description for a new position and a presentation for next week instead of madly transcribing their conversation.
Your comments and critiques are very welcome as always. Thanks much to Zan for the research resources. I've read the episode many times now - hope the typos etc are limited -- I'm cross-eyed right now. (And I could hear Leo saying that the first part is more show than tell, but I just couldn't get it to flow otherwise.) *sigh*
Ok, now for the moment of truth....holds nose, closes eyes and pushes post...
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Jen sprawled across the window seat staring out into the pleasant little garden. The crickets had begun their evensong and dusk crept across the yard. She found the crickets' song to be comforting and friendly.
As she stared out the window, she thought back over the past couple of weeks. Finding the planar gem sure turned my life up side down. Now I'm a stranger in a strange land. She had to admit though, that once she had gotten over the shock of being in Faerun, she had found the change exciting.
She was lounging in the sitting room of Nalia's former Nanny. After Jen and Haer'Dalis's failed attempt to go through the portal, Tristan's party had returned to Athkatla and the Five Flagons Inn. At first, Jen had thought to remain with them – after all, they were the only people she knew in Faerun. However, they had immediately plunged into another quest that involved tracking down a serial killer. It was a dangerous undertaking, particularly for one unaccustomed to self-defense from swords and other such weapons. In the end, Jen's desire to fend for herself coupled with a lively sense of self-preservation had lead her to step out of the investigation and seek other employment. Fortunately, Nalia had remembered her beloved Nanny Bea and had gone to see her in the hopes that she could assist in finding Jen a job.
Nanny Bea was now getting up in years. She was a tiny little thing, so small that she could almost have been mistaken for a halfling. She had tremendous energy, curly white hair and mischievous green eyes that sparkled with the joy of living. She loved to laugh and “visit” as she called it, talking constantly about her garden, her grandchildren and her former life with the D'Arnise family. Although quite spry for her years, she had suffered a bad fall not long before and her daughters were pressuring her to sell the little house and move in with one of them. Nanny Bea treasured her independence and had been more than willing to take Jen in as a companion. The two of them had hit it off immediately and Jen felt she would have been happy to stay with Nanny Bea indefinitely except for her desire to lead a more active life as well as to see own home once again.
She heard footsteps and turned, thinking that Nanny Bea was coming into the room. However, the steps moved more briskly than Nanny's aged shuffle and so she wasn't entirely surprised to see Haer'Dalis a few moments later.
“Why so quiet, my Kestrel?”
She laughed, “Quiet? How could things be quiet now that you've arrived? I AM glad to see you Haer'Dalis. Sit down and tell me, did you find the killer?”
He grinned back and instead of taking a nearby chair, pushed her legs off the window seat and dropped down beside her. “Ah, you think this sparrow is the town crier?”
“So you just want to keep me in suspense do you?
“It occurred to me." He admitted. He paused dramatically and then went on, "However, since you've shown this sparrow such an amiable welcome, I will compensate by keeping you in suspense no longer, little hawk. Yes, we did find the killer – it was the local tanner. Unfortunately he escaped although not before killing the worthy Lieutenant Aegisfield along with a number of others. We found the bodies and made a number of other unpleasant discoveries including that of a piece of armor which appeared to have been made from human skin.” He stopped and added thoughtfully, “Although the tanner has fled, I believe the matter to be far from closed.”
She shuddered at the description of the armor of flesh. “Ewww – sounds rather nasty. I've never considered myself to be squeamish and I was going to say I've missed traveling with you, but I'm glad to have missed this particular adventure!”
“We are all very glad to be back as well.”
“I'll bet. And I'm very glad you're back. I've been feeling just a little twitchy. I've been thinking about the conversations on our way back to Athkatla when you talked about there being other doors leading to Earth and just having to find them. I'm anxious to start looking for those doors. Nanny Bea is wonderful, but as much as I like her and am beginning to enjoy life here, I also want to go home.” She sighed. “I'm just not very good at sitting around.”
“I know,” he said and reaching out he gently touched her cheek, his strong, supple fingers tracing the outline of her face and chin. “That's why I came tonight. I knew you would be restless. If you like I'll tell you more about methods of planar travel.”
“Please do.” She settled herself more comfortably and looked at him expectantly.
“Well,” he began, “as I told you, there are many ways of traveling between the planes including portals, spells and conduits.”
“Conduits?”
“Conduits are shafts that connect the Primes to the Outer Planes,” he replied. “There are two types – young and mature. As conduits pass through the Astral Plane it is said that they twist and writhe like snakes, but fortunately the ends remain stable. Now, assuming a berk steps through a mature conduit, he can depend upon ending up in pretty much the same place each time he comes and goes. But a berk stepping into a young conduit will find he doesn't have a way back.” He glanced at her. “Are you still with me?
“Absolutely – there are many ways to travel between the planes and using conduits is one of them. A mature conduit will allow one to go back and forth although a young conduit is a one way trip. Have it I got it so far?”
“You do; now to continue the lesson - the only problem with mature conduits is that something unpleasant may well step through with you. One also has to understand the nature of conduits. There are those that go between planes and those that go through levels of the same plane. You can't pick where you're going to land either. You simply end up where the end of the conduit is anchored.”
“Huh? I thought you said. . . oh - never mind. I get it. If the end of the conduit is anchored in say, Peoria, then that's where you'll land even though you really want to go to Portland. However, if you don't know where the end of the conduit is anchored, you don't know where you'll end up. Is that right?”
“The places you mention are unknown to me but in essence you have it. Now, the entrance to a conduit can't be seen - they are invisible unless you have some method or instrument to help you find them. But if you do spot them, they look rather like a cloudy mirror.”
“Interesting. Would it be easier to find a spellcaster that could send me home?” She grinned, “On my planet, the conduits would be well marked and you'd probably have to buy a ticket. At the very least there would be a toll for their use!”
“ Toll?” He looked puzzled.
“A toll is a use fee”
“Ah.” He laughed. “Well many beings come through the conduits and not all carry coin. And I doubt there are many who would be foolhardy enough to consider a discussion of fees with a Bhaalor or some of the other beings who use the conduits.”
She smiled back. “OK,” she said, “what about maps -- if your folk have been traveling the planes for so long, surely you have maps showing the locations of conduits?
He nodded, “True, there are maps, but one must be cautious in the purchase as there are as many cheats as there are true mappings. There are other ways to find the entrances such as use of True Seeing spells. Your portal gem should also aid us. Actually, that leads to the main purpose of my visit tonight. I came to tell you is that I have located a scholar living in Athkatla said to be a former planewalker. I believe he may be able to help us find a means of locating a route back to your world.”
She looked at him and said slowly, “You used my gem to open the portal, so why do we need this scholar to help us use it to find a conduit?”
“It is true that I have traveled between the planes many times but I have rarely done so using a portal gem. Raelis was the more knowledgeable and it was she who opened the conduit for the Sigil Troupe.”
“Oh, well then off to your scholar we'll go! Does he have a name?”
“He does. His name is Cambrel.” He rose and stretched in feline fashion. “I must be off my dear. However, I will return on the morrow and take you to him.”
