"I'm just fine," a voice says from the darkness, he having kept the invisibility up. "I'm just glad that we got out without being eaten. I have far too much left to write to be eaten right now."
Julia and Pallas will swoop down from the ashen skies and land. Julia is visibly shaken just from being near the carnivores, and Palls is inscrutable as always.
"Ask for Gar."
Is anyone going to pursue the region entrance or the girl harvesting the vis or do we call this story done?
Yes I would like to pursue this story.
Any magi want to come ? Talus, Terra ? Tartessos ?
The following morning, when the sun is already midway towards its zenith, a group will depart from the covenant and head to Mgarr. Hopefully the portal will still be there.
When they are near the regio, Nicolae will try to find out how to cross on the other side.
Talus nods. "I think Pallas and I could be convinced to help investigate."
When you arrive during the day the regio entrance stands where it did the night before. You also notice that your arrival has drawn attention and several older women appear to be keeping an eye on you, with the complete opposite of subtlety.
Don't get too close to us so it doesn't look suspicious, Talus thinks to Pallas. But keep an eye out for anything strange.
"I still don't speak the local language very well," Talus says to Nicolae. "But if the ladies should ask, tell them that I'm a natural philosopher looking at the local flora and fauna."
[hr][/hr]
Talus would have asked Pallas if she could grant him Second Sight so that he might have a chance of seeing the regio.
The ruins stand about 2 inches tall, the foundations of walls long since past. In one of these walls is a gap for where a door once stood, and that doorway is the entrance to this regio, or given the level of the aura possibly into the real of magic itself.
"I foresee a problem," Talus says. "If this is an entrance to a regio and we disappear into it, that will capture the attention of the prying ladies - and not attention we'd like to have."
Nicolae to Talus:
"No Italian".
He walks near the regio entrance and points it with its index, and sit on a stone next the arch would be. He waves at the magical owl, and if whistle to him:
"Pallas, that is akward.... Talus doesnt speak our language. Can you translate for me in italian?"
Once he learns about the old women, Nicolae will say:
"The people of Mgarr already know who you are, there is no need to hide that you are a magus. I've heard that Antonius cast some spells last year in front of the whole village or so." He smirks:
"And anyway, what do we have to fear from these venerable ladies ? Even if they have powers of their own, I am sure you can handle them.... Come to think of it, there is a younger woman too that might be in league with them, kind of shy, but still quite beautiful. Anyway, I digress. They don't seem intent on preventing us from crossing... and if we do, and they follow, they might get more talkative when the other villagers arent there... more talkative than regular old women are in general anyway. So, eager to learn what is on the other side of the door?"
"Well, if that's the case," Talus replies, "we might as well investigate."
Pallas, can you see the entrance to the regio?
[hr][/hr]
Was Pallas willing to grant me Second Sight so that I might have a chance to see the regio entrance too?
Nicolae takes Talus' hand and lead him trough the regio boundary, and with his other hand, waves at the old ladies watching them.
"Here we go Pallas !"
The women see what you are doing and run towards you yelling in both Arabic and Itallian "No, No Men! You must not go!"
Talus understands enough Italian to know that the women are shouting "No!" He pauses and turns around.
What are they saying, Pallas?
Pallas will Grant both Second Sight and Independent Study.
He will go ahead and translate the woman's caution to both Nicolae and Talus
"Ah finally we are aknowledged by the old women... it might be the time to learn more about them and this temple. Who know, I might get to introduce me to the woman with the flower basket..." thinks the shapeshifter.
Nicolae stops and stands in front of the regio entrance; he looks at the women, while Pallas translate for him:
"Greetings, this is Talus, a renowned natural philosopher investigating the local fauna and flora, and I am Nicolae, his guide. Our winged friend is Pallas, and he is our translator. We heard about a very, very special flower variety growing around here, and were looking to gather some for his research. But, we came across this... gateway leading to another place and surely this would be a most interresting place to visit."
He crosses his arms:
"However, you have kept an eye on us since we arrived; and now you are saying that we should not explore further? That is unfortunate, as we are very curious beings."
Nicolae keep quiet for a moment, pretending to think, and then says:
"But we are curious, not rude. My friends and I could be convinced not cross into the regio, but we would like some of the rare flowers we came here for, so our trip would not be in vain. You seem to have lived long years near these ruins, and probably know a lot about them and what is beyond the gateway. Would you be willing to share some of that information with us ? In exchange, perhaps we could tell you our story, and maybe help your village in exchange."
At least I don't have to worry about them asking questions of me, Talus thinks. Once the talking owl showed up, I became yesterday's business.
"Indeed," Talus says through his familiar, "we're very interested in knowing about these ruins and why you're so wary of them."
Pallas did not intend to be the go between, even assuming the woman was willing to stand by and be spoken to by a large owl, but with Nicolae standing there expectantly, he will hesitatingly relay his words to the woman.
He narrows his eyes at the thought of being treated as a servant
Funny, Talus thinks to Pallas, knowing his familiar well enough to tell what the narrowed eyes mean, Of all the people in the covenant I'd have thought Nicolae would be most cautious about offending you like this.