Aspen & Parvil: A bit of Improv

Parvil being the mouth of the two of them stayed on the streets, investigating and asking questions. He did get a few odd looks giving he knew how he looked it wasn’t a shock. But luckily he was just normal looking enough to pass for a weird half-elf. Aspen for her part had gone to get some of the supplies Parvil needed for his spell and then back to the inn to go over what they’d found already, to narrow down the best place to cast the spell and to prep the ingredients according to his notes.

“The Gods have a sense of humor to make someone as gifted as him insensitive to the weave.” she thought, shaking her head, gathering up all the notes and going over them again and again until she could remember them without looking and saw no new threads in the tapestry of information. “Still a lot of holes to fill.” she thought.

Parvil did have some modicum of luck, a very helpful baker had managed to point him in some semblance of a direction. Or more accurately she’d seen and given a fairly accurate description of the pair they were looking for. Though some things didn’t quite line up. Sure some of the more murderous queries he and Aspen had chased could blend in, act civil, appear as nothing more than another face in the crowd until they were driven by their need to kill again. Whether it was because they were bored or they were driven to it for one reason or another. This didn’t seem like an act or at least not an act to obfuscate a prior act. He had been told the girl was a very polite child, that made sense she was the child of a duke and a dutchess. The odd bit came from how she’d described how the rabbit man had cared for her and refused a hand out even if it was just a pastry. Typically someone with the profile that fits would just take the deal as to not draw attention and move along quickly. Parvil jotted all the story and his thoughts down. “Thank you for your time.” he told her and bought a wienerbrød for Aspen, to repay the women for taking up her time.

As Parvil walked back to the Inn he saw more of the men in white. Lord Calabrix’s men. Everytime he passed he kept his head down to avoid their gaze, but after passing the third man he heard the voice creep back into his head.

“F' ah ymg' nnn, ymg' kadishtu.” (They are watching you, you know.)

“I am aware.” Parvil thought. “Not much I can do about it.”

“C' ahor f' ah'n'gha.” It replied. (We could kill them.)

“No we couldn’t, there are too many people around.” Parvil snapped back.

“Y' ah nafl kadishtu.” it responded. (I do not understand)

“Of course you don't, you aren’t human.” Parvil said but added. “Or mortal, doesn’t matter what. Unless they attack first we’re just going to ignore them.”

“Ah cahf nafl ahf' shuggothh uln mg'lloig?” it asked. (Is that not what humans call insane?)

“Making the same mistake and hoping for a different result? Sure. But isn’t going to convince me to potentially kill a bunch of innocents to eliminate a singular threat.”

“F''d nafl ymg' goka ahehyee...” the voice paused as if trying to find a word and failing to find it in its own tongue. “Kindness.” (They'd not give you the same…)

“Yes but I am not them.” Parvil answered. “Does your…whatever you are not have a word for that?” he asked.

“C' ah nafl. h' ah nafl aimgr'luh c' mgep llll ahuaaah.” it answered. (We do not. it is not a word we have use for.)

“We’ll talk later.” he said, pushing the door to the inn open, and cut the voice off again, heading up stairs to his rented room.

“I might have found something,” he said. “Though its usefulness is still debatable.”

“I can help judge that.” Aspen said, then pointed to the parchment package he was holding “More food? Really?” She asked.

“If you must know I got it for you.” he said, “The person I talked to was a baker and felt it was rude to waste her time and not buy something.”

Aspen sighed. “Thank you for thinking of me, but you know I don’t really like…”

Parvil cut her off. “Wienerbrød.” he said shaking the bag. “Last I recall it was your favorite.”

“How do you remember all these things?” She asked.

“You mean a lot to me and knowing people I care about is my specialty.”

While Aspen ate, Parvil explained what he learned. “So…you think he’s innocent?” Aspen asked between bites.

“I wouldn’t say that. I don’t doubt he was the one who killed those mercenaries and guards…but, and its a crazy thought might have been in defence of the child over everything so…maybe he can be reasoned with.”

Aspen finished her treat and dusted the crumbs off her robe and hands. “I will follow you if you want to try and make verbal contact first.” she told him. “But….” she said looking outside. “Are you ready for this?” she asked, putting everything in their bags.

“I don’t have many choices.” he said. “If I take more time to figure this out who knows how far ahead they’ll get.”

After another hour the two went back at the fountain, looking around and seeing no guards Parvil quickly took out a piece of chalk. He knelt and drew three strange symbols forming a triangle. “Blood.” he whispered and took it when Aspen offered it. Parvil held the vial between his pointer and thumb and shook it hard. Making sure it was well and truly mixed.

“Okay, get ready.” Parvil said, placing the vial upright between the three runes.
Parvil began to mutter something intelligible under his breath that made Aspen feel a bit ill to her stomach and like the pastry might make a return. But soon after his chanting and hand gestures stopped and he said one final word “mgah'n'ghft” (Find). And smashed the vial under foot. Twisting his foot to erase the markings in chalk.

When Parvil opened his eyes again they were glowing green and casting slightly visible light, like a hooded lantern. He started to move, Aspen following on his heels. Seeing that Parvil wasn’t going to stop for the gate guard, she jogged ahead and flashed a silver symbol to the guard who moved out of the way. Parvil kept walking like he was being pulled along by an unseen lead. Until he stopped suddenly swaying on his feet, and sitting on the road. “Spell ran out…” he panted. “But they spent some time here so we know for sure they are going in this direction,” he said.

“Smell that?” Aspen said, “Blood.” She waved a hand casting an orb of light. “There, There, and There.” she pointed to larger patches of blood. “There are smaller spots to…looks like he’s up to trouble again and you might be wrong.” she said, offering a hand up to Parvil. “We need to keep moving.