[IC] New Crobuzon & the World Beyond

[Selina Parcellus]

Selina rubs her eyes, grumbling because metal hurts, and pinches the bridge of her nose briefly to stave off the tension, then leans in to give the man a kiss on the cheek for his compliment.  "Herding cats.  I'll have to remember that one" she whispers huskily in his ear.  She makes sure to collect her weapon, wipe it down, and return it to its scabbard properly as she follows her companion over to where...a very tall, living cactus is currently speaking.  Surprising herself, Selina understands it...mostly...partially [[She picked up a skill point's worth of Ragamoll]].  Still, Simon being a local, takes charge and she is more than willing to allow him to do so.

[GM Marvel]

When Selina gives Tomeal the kiss on the cheek, he smiles and his cheeks subtly flush.  He watches her collect her weapons then looks away and exhales a deep breath.  

"Ahh... yeah... Simon, the cactus isn't replying so maybe you should give it a try."

Simons steps to the mouth of the cave and asks in Ragamoll, "Hello.  I'm Simon and these are my friends.  We are no threat to you.  How did you find yourself in the den of these creatures?"

[Crozar the Sunspot]

Hearing proper Ragamoll, Crozar takes a step forward, still shielding its eyes from the light.  It looks from one of the speaking humans to the other, finally settling on Simon as the clearer speaker.  "I am Crozar, Simon. Pleased to meet you and your group.  Apologies for startling the short one.  Those Sanshad-cursed torque-touched curs have kept me trapped in here for more than a day.  Every time I would try to slip out they would set on me like a chew toy until I froze again.  Did you kill them, or just drive them off?"

[Selina Parcellus]

Selina decides to try her hand at this...odd language.  "We killed them.  We had help."  And she glances around at the friendly little Fur-bees.

[Kubo]

kubo stands there with his head cocked slightly to the side, stroking his long red beard, listening to his new friends speak a strange language, until he realizes he is starting to understand what is being said.

[Crozar the Sunspot]

Crozar smiles a menacing looking grin full of needles and points. "Good," it said, "Glad to hear it.  I was exploring in the Ribs in New Crobuzon, walking around a bend and suddenly stepped through a portal.  It closed right behind me, leaving me trapped here.  I must have wandered through the glade outside into this cave while those beasts were chasing vermin.  Most of the creatures in this area seem little interested in plants other than your buzzing companions.  But those wolves were drawn to movement, and I am not a particularly quiet person, so anytime I tried to leave they would notice me again and knock me about until they got bored and stopped moving again.  Are we still in or near New Crobuzon? I am pretty sure we are still on Rohagi."

[Ningalu Baal'urki]

[OoC Ningalu is fluent, not just pidgin, last level he spent the full two skill points.]

[Ningalu Baal'urki]

Ningalu hust quietly listens letting the others speak. He has been fluent in Ragamol for ahile now, [several lvels] ago], but has not let on to anyone.

[GM Marvel]

Crozar smiles a menacing looking grin full of needles and points. "Good," it said, "Glad to hear it.  I was exploring in the Ribs in New Crobuzon, walking around a bend and suddenly stepped through a portal.  It closed right behind me, leaving me trapped here.  I must have wandered through the glade outside into this cave while those beasts were chasing vermin.  Most of the creatures in this area seem little interested in plants other than your buzzing companions.  But those wolves were drawn to movement, and I am not a particularly quiet person, so anytime I tried to leave they would notice me again and knock me about until they got bored and stopped moving again.  Are we still in or near New Crobuzon? I am pretty sure we are still on Rohagi."

Simon says to the outworlders, "The Ribs are one of the defining features of New Crobuzon, located right next to Bonetown. As the name suggests, the eponymous ribs are the half-buried skeleton of a gargantuan creature that once roamed Bas-Lag. The ribs stand about two hundred feet above the ground.  They say, proximity to the ribs causes tools to break and building projects to crumble into dust.  Despite the bad luck, the ribs are one of New Crobuzon's defining landmarks. The area around the ribs is home to hawkers, buskers, salespeople, and acrobats.  And yes, we are still on Rohagi." Glancing at the outlanders he adds, "Rohagi is the largest Continent on this world."  Turning his attention back to the Crozar, he continues, "We're actually just on the northern edge of the Cacotopic Stain, fairly close to Neovadan.  We air-dropped from an Air Ship into a giant crater because we're looking for some strange energy readings that are similar to the energy readings I detected when these people rode a wave through a portal.  We hope this place might hold some answers to getting them home and back to New Crobuzon so they can pick up their friends who didn't come with us."

[Crozar the Sunspot]

A look of fear and concern produces an almost wilted looking appearance on the face of the cactoid.  "I should have known," it says, with a defeated tone, "I was following rumors that there had been a small torque wave in the Ribs when I wound up here.  I had hoped to not come near the Stain again.  I had a very bad experience on the south side of it."  It sighs and looks at the group with a small smile before continuing, "As I am in need of returning to New Crobuzon as well, would you allow me to accompany you all? I am competent at defending myself, often either intimidating to or ignored by many of the creatures here, and know something of portals and planar travel as well so may be helpful with Simon's research to return you all where you come from."