[video]

[bitofafop]

[Who the hell is this grumpy looking guy on your screen now? He must be new, though scowl aside he looks like he's otherwise unfazed by both his arrival and the fact that he's been watching monsters walk past all morning.]

[But it's several seconds before he actually says anything, seeming to be focused on further inspecting his new phone. When he does finally speak, his voice is gruff and clipped.]

Can anyone hear this?

[A beat. He did follow the instructions correctly, right...? Is it possible for him to look even more disgruntled than he already was? Because somehow he's managing it beautifully. Everything about his situation right now just screams wizardry, which he is all kinds of not okay with, but.]

I need directions to the nearest tavern.

[Because he's in desperate need of more information. And a drink. Especially a drink.]

Comments

[Video]

[youfool]

[Hey, Ted hates wizardry too! Mostly. Conversely, he loves pranking these grizzled lushes into a place that's the exact opposite of a rough-and-tumble saloon.]

I can! And I'll be happy to provide directions, provided I get a name in turn.

[bitofafop]

[It works!! If he looks relieved he does a great job not showing it, but hey. At least the scowling is...less.]

Call me Entreri. And if you happen to have any information on who happens to be in charge of this place I'd be grateful for that as well.

[youfool]

[He'll see if he can't work out a smile.]

Mary, Mary, quite Entreri. All right; about four blocks to the east on Laurel and 20th, you should find what you're looking for.

[It's a karaoke bar. Hope he likes amateur singing.]

"Ah, our leaders are the native spirits. They're very shy and mysterious, like most numinous things, so you can't expect to converse much. There's the CPU, which you can message, but its responses are characteristically tinny."

[bitofafop]

[Yeeeeeah, he's just going to ignore that. Especially when there's something more important to focus on there:]

Native spirits. Makes threatening my way back home a little more difficult, doesn't it.

I think I'll find that tavern first. Who am I thanking?

[youfool]

[What white teeth he has!]

Hah, always the stick, never the carrot with you all, eh? Not that even a spiritual stick would avail much, I don't think. They seem in a desperate way as it is.

Oh! I'm Ted, at your service.

[bitofafop]

I don't much care how desperate they are. Perhaps if they hadn't spirited me away to gods know where I'd be willing to show more civility.

[Especially because that's somehow more disturbing than wizards being to blame. Ugh. If he didn't already have a headache from all this he's sure getting one now.]

You know Jarlaxel?

[Since said drow was kind enough to spare him a warning. How long has he been here???]

[black_black_heart]

The nearest tavern is on that one street by the thing.

[bitofafop]

[Groans gods grant him strength.]

Seems I just passed it, then.

I hope the rest of your city is so helpful.

[black_black_heart]

Not to worry, there's another one just south of wherever.

[bitofafop]

[Can you hear that long suffering sigh?] By that place that sells the stuff, I assume.

[No, you know what, this is fine, he can wander while having this ridiculous conversation, it's cool.] Is it out of the question to ask who rules this region?

[black_black_heart]

No, no, no, across from the place that sells the stuff.

And I have no idea.

[bitofafop]

So you are capable of giving a straight answer. I was beginning to wonder.

video

[acheat]

[ARTEMIS]

Well of course I can!

[ARTEMIS. ARTEMIS HI. HI ARTEMIS.

DID YOU MISS ME.]

[bitofafop]

[Oh. OH. THAT really gets his attention.]

[SCOWLING INTENSIFIES.]

Where the hell are you?

What did you do?

[Does that answer your question Jarlaxel CLEARLY YOU HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS GDI.]

[acheat]

[That is the tone of a man who missed him]

I'm in Fayren.

[Because you know where that is right]

As for what I did, well I woke up today, had myself some wine for breakfast, found a few pleasant young women to spend the afternoon with, took a walk around town, bought a new pair of boots, I pet a few cats-

[You asked.]

[bitofafop]

[He did ask. And no one regrets that more than him right now.]

Stop.

[On one hand? A friendly face is reassuring! On the other? He's probably going to punch it.]

[Buuut at least he's moving now. He has no idea where the hell this Fayren is, no, but all he needs to do is find a ridiculous looking hat and he'll probably find Jarlaxel. Right?]

Just tell me that dragons aren't involved this time.

[acheat]

[Don't punch his face, Jarlaxle is in love with it.]

Well not yet, the only one I found is about the size of a housecat and doesn't appear to be able to assume a human shape.

But the moment I find one that is otherwise, you will know.

Eventually.

I'm sure.

[Video]

[justicereigns]

That seems to be the usual request for anyone with brains when they first get here.

There's a few in your area assuming you didn't go too far, but you can also try going to Fayren for ones a little more accustomed to outsiders.

[bitofafop]

Fayren? [Well, that explains why Jarlaxel is out there, at least.] I'm already going that way to meet someone, so that sounds promising. Thank you.

Though the way you say that makes this sound like a common occurrence.

[justicereigns]

About every other day or so, yeah.

That's why Weiss made the hologram to try to explain things.

[bitofafop]

[?????? speak Common pls]

That spirit by the bay, you mean? Because that leaves more questions that it answers.

[justicereigns]

Right. [Smoker can't help it, he only speaks tsundere.]

Lay 'em on me, I'll see what I can do to help.

video;

[bloodheels]

A lot of people can hear this when you don't private it, but I assume you weren't meant to.

[She didn't really go to bar or taverns though, so she had no way of knowing where the closest one would be.]

As for your other question, I dont really go to them to know, but I guess others here would know better than me.

[bitofafop]

Some have been more helpful than others. But yes, I'm meeting a friend in... Fayren? It seems the most popular suggestion.

How do you mean "private it", though? [Did he somehow miss that information??? Probably, he was kind of in a hurry to get a message out...]

[bloodheels]

There is a city called that, you are correct.

[She paused, trying to think of the best way to explain how to private.]

It's... hard to put into words. But this device has something where you can private any message to select people by using the list of names you get when you get the device.