Life at Tallinn's Tower - Part 1

[Greylen]

Tallinn was a bundle of very focused energy as she ran around the room pulling out various books and items, occasionally stabbing a finger at someone ordering them to grab something else. That someone, more often than not, was Trident. The pint sized gnome grumbled a bit as he was torn away from his purusal of Tallin's 'old' spellbooks yet again, to grab a regent he'd never even heard of... Behir claws?

After a time, Tallinn suddenly sighed and looked around the room. "I think it was time you were all elsewhere." she stated matter-of-factly. Arahana glared at Tallinn, the snakes about her head hissing softly. "Mistress, why must I share my room, when you have that mansion all to yourself?" her lips curve into a small, but very cute pout as she sees her glare not having the effect she was hoping for.

Tallinn laughed, "Oh stop it, Arahana, I'd totally forgotten about that room. I think that a FINE idea." she grinned and with a small gesture, reveals a shimmering portal between two bookcases on the wall.

"Arahana, please get them settled in there. The servants will take care of everything. I'll expect you all for dinner in an hour." She smiled brightly as she turned back to looking at the stone. "And a word to the wise, if I am in my spell circle, with my spell book open, do be dears and BE QUITE!" she emphasized the last two words, her lips thinning into a grim, wintery smile, not even bothering to look back up.

Taking the hint, everyone grabbed their stuff and headed to the portal. Arahana stepped through first, everyone following quickly after. The portal opened up into a magnificent entryway, with many hallways leading off and stairs leading up to some double doors. Many liveried servants, semi-transparent, stood ready. "These are guests of the mistress. Please get them settled in the west wing." Arahana nodded to everyone, "I'll be back in the study. I have much to do." She headed back out as the servants took any bag, or other items and motioned Eli, Malgrim, Solaster and Trident to the right hallway.

There certainly seemed to be plenty of rooms and the servants settled Malgrim and Trident in the first two corridor facing rooms, with Solaster and Eli in the next two. Each room was cozily furnished and an old-fashioned bath stood invitingly behind a screen in each room, already filled with steaming hot water. No one had to be asked twice as the gear came off quickly and they each settled into the hot water with a small sigh of contentment.

After about an hour, each door was politely knocked on and a unison, "Dinner is ready, sirs." was heard by each member of the party. Opening the door first, Eli found one of the semi-transparent servants gesturing down the hallway. "This way if you please sir." said the voice from unseen lips. The phrase was repeated three more times as the other stepped out of their own rooms.

The servants led the group to the entryway stairs, taking them up to the second floor, where the double doors had been thrown open, displaying a lavish banquet hall. The food was overflowing on shortened table with cushions instead of chairs around it and semi-transparent servers stood all along the wall ready for any request.

Tallinn and Arahana were seated cross-legged on their cushions at the head of the table. "Welcome and please be seated." Tallinn smiled at the little group. Arahana rolled her eyes slightly as she turned to recline a little.

"I hope your accommodations were adequate?" Tallinn inquired as the servants poured the wine and as she started picking some honey glazed roast and some wildberries off the serving plates.

"They were... very nice." Malgrim replied attempting a smile despite his usual disdain of 'human decadence'. Eli and Solaster nodded as well, however, Trident was even more effusive.

"Good? Master dwarf they were spectacular! I've never seen anything like this Tallinn. What do you call it?" he fairly gushed.

Tallinn laughed, "Oh just a little spell I learned ages ago. Mages Magnificent Mansion was it's over pretentious name. I haven't studied it in years, though at the time I built this tower, I had cast it with a permanency spell to be sure I had space to... entertain. But it's been a very long time since I've had THAT desire." She smiles again, "present company exempted, of course."

The dinner was delicious and of enough variety that everyone was able to find a favorite something or other. The conversation ebbed a little as everyone ate, though Tallinn kept up with a few items while everyone filled themselves.

"I was able to reach Charles Suha via sending after you left to get settled. I wanted to make sure I had his blessing to keep the arch piece for a while. He was quite a charmer and agreed to let me keep it for as long as I needed it, though we haven't gone into any details yet." Tallinn nodded with a small arch of her eyebrow. "He did mention, though, that someone named Tymora had returned and brought news of the stone giants already. Seems that was what were raiding villages to the west as well, he asked me to tell you." She sighed. "I'm really quite exhausted from all the sendings it took to get just this information." her lips quirked wanting to smile.

Tallinn cocked her head to the side as she eyed the party members, "Tomorrow I will be using a scrying and message combination to speak further. Is there anything you wish to send as well?" Tallinn reached out and cut off another portion of the roast as she waited for the party to reply.

(DM's NOTE: Please reply if you want to say anything here. Otherwise on August 30th, I'll move the story along and your character will just be played in default mode. *smile* 2 RP's for any reply's by then.)

[Zanther]

“Magic, magic all around me. Three days they say we can stay and then we must head north to the cold. Three months would not be enough for me!” Trident thinks to himself.
“O Arahana, I need to find some time over the next three days to spend with her! Spells I can steal from mages and effects of spells cast on others I can move to myself, but to have the ability to copy an ability like Arahana has… now that would be incredible. And here I sit next to a medusa, and she is not trying to make me into lawn ornament. I hate those things, so insulting. Anyway, how do I talk to a woman about using her as… subject, in some magical practice? I know I can do it, copy, if you will the flesh to stone effect of her glance. Maybe not today but with time and practice I know I will be able to copy that power, even if for only a short time. But I need time with her; I may never have such an opportunity again.”
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Behir Claws! What in the name of grand aunt Glowdust’s gold eye is a Behir!

“Spells, so many spells…” “What Tallinn? Mummy wrappings? Bottom shelf?” At least it’s on the bottom this time.
“I need to make note of what Tallinn is doing. Feeling like a glorified runner.” Trident grumbles. “Hah” snickers Trident to himself as he reaches for the box with Mummy wrappings in it. “ In this place you really are not much more useful than an a runner.”

“O what I could learn. If only I had some time…”
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“A dimensional mansion! Now that is a spell I will need to learn.”

“A hot bath… That I can use.”

“Now to make some notes.” A floating table set before him in the hot water of the bath.
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"Tomorrow I will be using a scrying and message combination to speak further. Is there anything you wish to send as well?" Tallinn reached out and cut off another portion of the roast as she waited for the party to reply.

“Well, other than we will not be coming back to see Charles anytime soon.” Smiles the gnome. “I am not sure I want to tell everyone were we are going. The less people know where we are going the less likely we are to find more Giants sitting on the road waiting for us. Maybe we should just tell him we are going to check on a lead and leave it at that.”

“What say you all?”

[Just Rob]

Solaster looks at Trident and in response to his question, he says "Sure. Sounds good. By the way, I'm practicing keeping my responses short in comparison to what I have done in the past. How did I do this time? Everyone grateful? "

[Greylen]

Awsome! Keep it going guys... and Rob, just for the record, I really liked your long-winded speeches! I think they are perfect for your character. So don't let my ribbing your first response keep you from being as long-winded, punctilious, exacting, painstaking or meticulous as you wish.

Oh and Scott. 2 extra RP's for your FIRST response in a vera long time.