OOS 81

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 Korrinoth 9, returning through the Needlegrove after collecting the shadows to repair the tower. It occurred between sessions 36 and 37.

## Transcript

Teer:

*Teer approaches Ephemera, who is presumably in charge now that the party is back on the road.* "May I speak with Kiono for a moment?"

Kiono:

*Ephemera considers a moment, then nods and once again indicates to Concludion to take charge and drops back to wherever Teer wishes to be to have the conversation. She and Kiono switch places, and Kiono timidly walks beside Teer and waits for whatever is about to happen.*

Teer:

*Teer doesn't fall back far from the group, not seeming to care all that much about privacy. He digs through his coat pockets and produces a ruby, holding it up.* "You were looking for these, right? I found one hidden in the building."

Kiono:

*Kiono's eyes brighten and she holds her hands out for it.* "Yes, they-- I use them for components for a... useful spell."

Teer:

*Teer hands the ruby over.* "What spell is it?" *There's no accusation in his voice, just curiosity.* "You might have already told us, but I can't recall."

Kiono:

*Kiono examines the ruby eagerly. Somewhat distracted, she says,* "Blood Transcription. It creates a spell scroll of a spell a fallen mage knew in life."

*She looks back to Teer and enthusiastically continues,* "I can add scrolls to my spellbook permanently given the time and money."

Teer:

"Oh! I can see how that would be useful. Have you gathered many spells from it?"

Kiono:

*Her smile transitions into... regret?* "I've only had the opportunity to use it once. We haven't actually... killed any mages that, uh, I've had the opportunity to use it on."

Teer:

"Hm, I suppose that's true, we haven't fought many mages... successfully." *He pauses.* "Still, it's something to keep an eye out for."

"Are there any other items, spell ingredients or otherwise, that we should keep watch for?"

Kiono:

"It, ah, is a higher level spell. Its is difficult right now to have the ability to use it if we do successfully defeat one..."

*She considers the question a moment, then shrugs noncommittally.* "Spell scrolls and magic ink for recording them in my spellbook are the most important for me, I think."

Teer:

"We do seem to use a lot of resources when we do take down foes. And then having time to stick around is another matter all together," *he muses.*

Kiono:

"It doesn't take long to cast... Just a matter of seconds. It... generally is the level of spell that tends to be the difficulty for me. Resource management and... that sort of thing..."

Teer:

*Teer considers this.*

"Well, if you need us to drag a body along until you've had a chance to recover... it may look suspicious, but could be manageable."

Kiono:

"The, uh... the body is viable for twenty-four hours for the purposes of my spell," *she says, oddly hopeful at the prospect of dragging around a body for a while.*

Teer:

"I see. How much of it do you need?"

Kiono:

"The head and upper torso, the blood," *she says, counting the items off on her fingers.* "They won't have their magical knowledge stored in their legs or arms, but the blood lost from intentionally removing limbs might be too much to allow the spell to work."

Teer:

"Ah, noted. In the future I will attempt to strike down mages through blunt trauma rather than inciting blood loss, then."

*Teer regretfully remembers the cubes incident.*

Kiono:

"The blood is the ink for the scroll, so as long as there's enough for that, it should be fine."

"I successfully used it on Elaina, and the halberd took *her* down, so I'm not concerned unless we chop them up for transport."

Teer:

"But Elaina is still... Oh, right, the pendant." *Teer seems to consider this a moment. Then he looks at Kiono.* "Wait, could you use the pendant to kill someone, gather one of their spells, and then just bring them back to life?"

Kiono:

"That would require a fair amount of premeditation, but I suppose so. That is... exactly what happened last time."

Teer:

*Teer has realized that we could kill party members to transfer cool spells to Kiono, but it only takes a few more seconds of thought to realize there isn't a scenario where he'd be down to facilitate any of his party dying, even briefly.*

*Also,* "I don't have any blood."

"Which is a shame, I can do some interesting things with my magic."

*Teer shakes his head.* "Ah, nevermind. Anyway, I will keep those things in mind while we're in the field."

Kiono:

*Kiono smiles.* "Hopefully I have a chance to use the spell soon. Izora taught it to me."

Teer:

"The two of you seem to get along well. Has she taught you much?"

Kiono:

*Kiono nods.* "She's given me a lot of information and help. Most of the work we've gotten done in preparation for the ley lines is because of her help."

Teer:

"It seems that we owe a lot to the Burnett's... and extended family." *He pauses a bit.* "I was always sort of surprised by how... hospital everyone in this time is. Or maybe it's just life on the ground."

Kiono:

*Kiono is quiet for a moment.* "I... hadn't considered that. I suppose they... didn't have to help us as much as they have."

Teer:

"We did save their daughter from the drow, but, we were also the reason she had been kidnapped in the first place. Not to mention I doubt Izora wouldn't have been able to break free herself, at some point, given her power." *Teer says, half thinking out loud.* "They also helped Evelynn and the rest of the elves find a new place to call home. I think the Burnett's are just... kind people, perhaps."

"If the situation had been reversed, and the Burnett's had arrived looking to a noble sky elf house for help..." *Teer trails off, gloomily.*

"Well, nevermind, it's not like that could've happened anyway." *Teer is aware that he is rambling now.*

Kiono:

*Kiono listens, thoughtful.* "My clan would have killed them after pretending to offer them safety." *It is a statement of fact.*

Teer:

"To keep their secret?"

Kiono:

*She nods.*

Teer:

"Dreadful. But perhaps not that much worse than if the sky elves had turned them away at the door."

*He thinks about it.* "Maybe the world isn't more hospitable than it was, I am only seeing more."

Kiono:

"How so?" *she asks, cautiously curious.*

Teer:

"When I lived amongst the elves, it was my whole world. I was aware that other people did things differently, but people outside that world didn't matter to me." *Pause.* "I never... got to explore the world all those years ago, beyond a few caves or patches of wilderness, so I can't say what things were like back then. I'm finding out there are still people who remind me of the elves... but that not everyone is like that, either."

*He looks at her.* "Does that make sense?"

Kiono:

*She nods, thinking. Hesitantly she asks,* "You think they... the other people out there... that they may have been..... better than you were told?"

Teer:

"Oh, certainly. The elves had a low opinion of everyone who wasn't them."

"And there are plenty of people on my journey so far that I'm glad I've met."

Kiono:

"Like who?" *she asks, genuinely curious.*

Teer:

"The party." *Teer gestures around.* "Sir Andy and Amber. The Burnett's. Rigg. Cecily. Pronza. Belxari." *Pause.* "*Scabacca.*"

"Among others," *he adds.*

Kiono:

"I guess those people are all pretty alright people."

"How about people you aren't glad you've met?"

"Not, like, Varren or Micah. People who... I guess that we haven't decided to kill?"

Teer:

*He tilts his head to the side.* "Xelbari."

Kiono:

*She snrks.*

"Just the one person, though? I'm... hm. I don't know whether to be surprised by that or not."

Teer:

"I suppose I don't really care for Dorianus either, but we never decided we're *not* going to kill him."

"Oh! Uh... your brother."

Kiono:

*She looks at him, curious.*

Teer:

"You uh... that is..." *He glances away.* "I'm not entirely clear whether he's supposed to be on the list."

Kiono:

"You're not sure?"

"Why not? About what?"

Teer:

*Teer closes and uncloses his fingers.* "If Kitano comes after us again, and one of these times he's not peaceful, are we capturing him alive? Like Micah? Or...?"

Kiono:

"I don't think he will," *she says, leaning toward certain, but with minor hesitancy. She almost never sounds fully confident.* "I would... rather we not kill him."

Teer:

*Teer considers for a moment, then nods.*

"So yeah, your brother and Xelbari."

Kiono:

*She considers him in turn, then nods as well, taking him to mean that he will endeavor to aid her in not killing him. She has now enlisted two people to help her — well, sort of. She considers something else for a moment.* "You like more people than you dislike."

Teer:

"Indeed."

Kiono:

*She seems troubled for a moment. She glances at Concludion, seems contemplative once more, then nods. In a soft voice she says,* "Okay."

Teer:

*Teer tilts his head quizzically.*

*But says nothing.*

Kiono:

*She is mostly staring at the ground, thinking. She has absolutely forgotten they're in a dangerous location.*

Teer:

*Teer looks at the halberd for help, but neither him nor Ephemera have a face, making nonverbal communication a little bit difficult.*

Kiono:

*After a few minutes of thoughtful dirt-gazing, she sighs and mutters,* "I'll just do it later." *She looks back at Teer, frowning, then her eyes go wide.* "Oh. I... I'm sorry, I, uh... got distracted... We, uh... we were in the middle of a conversation..."

Teer:

*Teer glances up.* "Oh! Um, it's alright."

"What's on your mind?"

Kiono:

"I.... I thought I'd, um, make a list of.... of the people I've met that I like and those I dislike... But there are.... a lot of people. I can't do it mentally." *She frowns again, this time in concentration.* "Well, no, I could, but it's much easier to use paper."

Teer:

*Teer nods.* "That makes sense. I didn't try to list everyone, but I am worried that I could be forgetting people."

Kiono:

"What do you mean, forgetting people?" *she asks, almost defensively.*

*Teer:*

"Oh, like - Edger! He was alright."

Kiono:

"Oh." *She is almost relieved.* "He was.... he was weird."

Teer:

*Teer does his best approximation of a shrug.* "To be quite fair, I am not sure what is normal. I am an ancient robot possessed by a dead dragon, who has decided to become clothes."

Kiono:

"You are weird," *she agrees, smiling, amused by the silly phrasing.*

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