Zepher

“There was some tunnel below but it collapsed. Think we should give that another shot?”

"Don't know if its an assassin we're looking for." Boomingham chews on his cheek and catches Skuld out of the corner of his eye. "Seems to me we misread this situation somehow. Some demon or other shows up in the forest, drags itself here and makes off with the Oracle somewhere in Eubric. Not sure it's connected to the Veterans, but not sure it's not. And since apparently greenie here doesn't know much about it, I'm thinking we bring this to Zelda."

Boomingham scowls as a faint feeling of distrust tugs at him, unsure if its aimed at the witch or the Nord who can carry the cursed book with ease. ”Back to Eubric,” he declares.

Boomingham allows the others to investigate Torald - he didnt know the Nord well enough to know if something was seriously amiss. “Well, welcome back, kid. Now lets head back and see what the Hels we missed. Greenie, whats the best recourse for the book? It seems foolish to just leave it here. Is it your reaponaibility, or ours, and if it’s ours could you advise us how to carry it without going to dreamland?”

"Don't know if we need the book - would much rather leave it with you, Elpheba, then take it back to Eubric, especially if things are looking bad there. Do we need it for anything?" Boomingham glances over his shoulder. "Regardless, it seems we're backtracking instead of moving forward. We need to figure out what the Hels was summoned and figure out where it ended up and if it has the Oracle with it or not. Are we ready to go back to Eubric? Ezeran, want to give me a hand with carrying Torald?"

OoC: Is Torald still touching the book, or can we drag him around? I can't tell if Roderick is suggesting something or just being a dick. "We're not leaving him," grumbles Boomingham. "And as nice as a horrible magic book is, it's hardly what we came to investigate. We're still looking to see what in Hels happened to the Oracle. So, this Green Witch... which, you should know... you could be the green witch, if you folks are looking to name people maybe pick some names that apply to fewer of your numbers." "In Eubric we've got a few people floating around that should be dead themselves. No chance the Green Witch was supposed to be buried round these parts, is there?"

Can’t live with a bit of mystery? Just wait and find out!

“If you’re volunteering,” answers Boomingham, smirking. He never thought he’d end up wishing he’d spent more time fighting demons or listening to Barty, but now that’s exactly where he found himself. Baba and the Regret was the closest he’d come and he doesn’t recall either of them using this book. He turns to his party. “Anyone know anything about this?”

Boomingham grimaces as the Nord faints, and grimaces a second time over as he feels relief it's not one of his true friends in trouble. Even so, if not a friend this was a comrade and one under his leadership... "Damn it." He brusquely walks over and careful to avoid the book holds his hand under Torald's nostrils. "Well, he's still breathing. Haven't lost a man yet, glad we didn't have to start now." Crossing his arms he turns to the witch. "I'm guessing, from what you were saying before you were cut off by big boy's fainting spell, you know what this is?"

Boomingham hangs back, sword still drawn, keeping one eye on the flower and the other on the witch. It’s been many years since he outright distrusted magic, but that doesn’t mean it can’t still be put to nefarious purposes. ”Don’t know if I’ve ever come up against a demon before,” he says as he racks his brain. “But who in Hell knows what the Regret really was.” Turning to the Demon Germ: “what would this Rose lady want with Heroica or the Oracle?”

Even the normally jovial and oblivious Boomingham winces a little as Torald gives Eric a full out hug. “Didn’t know Nords showed that sort of affection,” Boomingham hisses teasingly to Eric. Returning his attention to the witch Boomingham rearranges his thoughts. Not Dastan but instead Babeleth, an equally foreign land though... closer to Salamanda, if his memory serves... there had been a forest outside that strange land as well with strange and beautiful creatures. “Appreciate if you don’t want to involve yourself, but one way or another you’re already playing some part. A giant flower burst through the temple and there’s a portal leading right to you in front of the flower, so you’d understand why you’re the best lead we’ve got in regards to the Oracle. You’re the ether expert. What do you make of it? Think it was a defensive fail safe she had rigged up, or should we be concerned for her?”

The witch from the marketplace. Stranger things had happened, but Boomingham can’t feel but nearly everyone is coming out of the woodwork. When was the last time the heroes had seen her? ”Well, night as well lay out cards on the table. Don’t know how much you know but the Veterans, original variety, have shown up and kicked us out for our... siding with dubious causes in the past, it would seem. Not that I have to answer for that. Must have been the rest of these vagabonds. We thought the Oracle might have an answer or two for us but her Temple was invaded by some plant and we found a portal which took us here... where exactly is here, by the by, and what were they?” Boomingham indicates the skeletons with his sword.

Boomingham now tries more desperately to recall if he's ever been to Dastan. Save for short excursions to the North, Strivvi, and Salamanda he barely recalls leaving Uland since he arrived. Still, the winged skeletons don't look good: either they'd been dead for a while, or worse, something has stripped them of their flesh quickly. "Well everyone, looks like this chap might have a little something to do with our plants." Boomingham drinks a mead and a nostrum and draws Scupperer. "Don't turn it into a fight unless we have to." Boomingham walks into the clearing and clears his throat. "Howdy, there. You look lost. Need some directions?"

"Dastan?" ponders Boomingham. "That's a far way from home." He runs his hand over some of the disturbed brush. "Looks like we'll have to go further still. Look alive, and someone leave us a trail of breadcrumbs or what not." Boomingham follows the tracks.

"Don't think anyone will be forcing you one way or another, Demon, but remember we're all wanted men and women now, so safety comes in numbers. I'm relatively sure I'm safe in saying most of us will be stepping through that portal, but if you want to head off to the market all on your lonesome you're more than welcome." Boomingham glances at the others, particularly Skuld, making sure everyone is ready. "One of us has got to go first I suppose. Onward and upward." Boomingham steps through the portal.

"Wouldn't worry about it. We were going down the hole eventually one way or another." Boomingham gives the Tiny Shroom and Emerald to Torald, the pickled mushrooms to Germ, Ezeran, Eric and Petaldan, and keeps the 20 gold for himself, along with the Rose Bouquet. "Well, hate to say it but it looks like a bit of a dead end. Unless one of you mages thinks you can open this passage back up." Boomingham surveys the room and the plant to see if there is anything else of note.

OoC: I can’t recall if Doomed would kill us this round if we failed to kill the spore - looks like it doesn’t matter since we all remedied up, but it would, right? Boomingham shifts around in his bag, preparing the apple he got with Eric the previous time they fought together, but the Norseman tosses him a remedy instead and Boomingham repeats his attack. “Aye. Here’s hoping the thing that actually kills me at least knows it’s doing it,” he notes, staring down the irksome and inanaimate shrooms.

Same Battle Order.

Snarling from his failed offensive, Boomingham digs in his heels and attacks the spores twice from the back row.

OoC: Ugh, sorry! Will be attentive, just slipped when there was a break in the quest (a totally understandable break, of course, but still just threw off my rhythm of checking the thread). Boomingham attacks Fungal Fighter B and Fungal Fight A, both from the front row. Battle Order Boomingham Boomingham Eric Eric Torald Skuld Ezeran Petaldan Germ

Boomingham attacks Rot Summon A and the Dark Druid from the front row. "Got to make this fast!" Battle Order Demon Germ Eric Eric Boomingham Boomingham Petaldan Ezeran Ezeran Skuld

"Well, weapons out everybody, I guess." Boomingham glances at Skuld. "Just in case." Boomingham opens the door to the atrium and leads the way in.

Covering his nose with his handkerchief Boomingham lumbers through the room as the heroes spread out to investigate. He looks around for any further doors, or any hint as to who set up the riddle. “That riddle,” he asks Skuld, “you think the Oracle set it to protect herself, or someone who can’t by later?”

"Of course we get a riddle about burying people." Boomingham scratches his cheek. "Well, I've to half a guess but not much else. Seems like the kid is more or less right - got to be one of the big ones, best I can tell." "Course, the other answer is a Gods damned river."

Boomingham ignores the Demon who seems to imagine he has attacked him, watching the vines intently instead. "That's your move?" he asks Ezeran. "I remember when mages used fire. You need a ruby?"