Stranded in 1650: IC

[Dimers]

He goes on to speak more, presumably of other topics and is responsive to people asking for more specific information ...

Before the spell expires, Emlin struggles to express the question, "Is Hüseyin Pasha a religious man?" Ultimately it doesn't get through, simply for lack of overlap in religious symbolism. What does prayer look like here? How does one mime reverence of the gods? It's not clear.

"Holy sh*t! Maybe they don't call it magic, but they've got something here. And if our hosts can do that, it certainly helps explain why there's only one city holding out from them."

"I take issue with the language but agree with the sentiment. Whoever made that blast needs to be taken seriously." Emlin shakes his head slowly, looking out the window.

Common sense tells you this is a dressing room of some sort.

"Aha! A chance to spiffy up before the formal visit." Emlin starts removing his breastplate and paraphernalia. "Ontor, it's possible you won't be allowed before the leader without proper dress; some cultures are very strict about clothing. What will you do if they deny you a visit?" The paladin is facing a similar problem himself, though. Wearing a weapon into the Most August Presence might be impermissible. He tries to recall whether he's seen well-dressed people with weapon containers at all and whether they were peace-tied.

[Thundercracker]

Samuel inspects the robes more carefully, then decides to don them stowing his armor in his pack for the time being. If Push came to shove, they’d bar the doors to a room and suit up, but he didn’t want to offend their hosts on their first visit.

He let the others make their own decisions as to what to do.

[Toliudar]

Mama

Mama does Emlin the courtesy of turning away from him before rolling her eyes when he chides her for expressing herself. But when she sees him looking about for a way to seem less militant, she pats her shopping bag, always at her elbow.

"They seem none too eager to lay hands on me. I can fit all your swords and such in my bag, if you like."

[Evoker]

That's not a bad idea. If you'll take my sword, maybe they'll let me keep my armor.

[Toliudar]

Mama

Mama nods, and tucks away his sword in her much-smaller-than-the-sword bag.

"Yup. I suspect you're fine with all that. Nobody ever died because they were guarding somebody wrapped in armor."

[Dimers]

"A fine thing! Mama, I forgot you even had that, I'm so accustomed to the idea. This ... land without magic ... it really is a different world. Can you imagine, never having seen an interdimensional space?" Emlin looks amazed but keeps at his work figuring out how to apply the different bits of clothing.

[JbeJ275]

Emlin

While you can’t ask about the religious part properly, Ontor’s ability to comprehend answers failing before you can get the point across if you keep an eye out you will notice some things. While ou have not witnessed it yet today, yesterday you heard bells ring out across the fort well after sunset, which was then followed by the guards repeating some quiet prayer. Your hosts also have had food prepared for you but have not eaten in your presence which could be some sort of religious practice.

In regards to attire, many of the officers and courtiers go around with weapons on their hips, usually similar long curved swords to those the head rider carries on your first day here but with far more decoration. None were wearing any heavy armour though.

All

After a fair while the guards re-enter the room with Sunbul following behind them. One of the guards approaches Emlin to fix a litany of minor mistakes in his dress, though it seems he got the majority largely correct. Another makes some fixes to Samuel’s but is done much faster.

After this they try and arrange you in a square formation of Samuel and Emlin at the front with Mama and Ontor behind, eight gaurds accompanying you in two columns and Sunbul at the head. Then they begin to move, taking you back through the way you entered and approaching a conference room of some kind. Around a large table sit three men, who beckon you to sit.

Sunbul says something, of which you can recognise a little. Something something something Gazi Hüseyin Pasha this something something something Samuel and Emlin, something something something something Mama and Ontor. Something something something? Gesturing at each of you in turn as he names you.

[Evoker]

I think this qualifies as an emergency.

I'll cast Comprehend Languages, then begin translating properly.

[JbeJ275]

Ontor

You understand the foreign words muttered.

I bring these supplicants to meet the great general Gazi Hüseyin Pasha, lord of Eygpt and among the first servants of the Sultan. They hail from the village beyond, that our riders found emerging near the city of Candia. The riders you see here are their noble emissaries Samuel and Emlin alongside their retainers and bodyguards Mama and Ontor. As you have been briefed, they are skilled in some powerful form of sorcery, more real and evident than any man in the great cities of the empire, or any desert shaman I have seen, yet they are not followers of the prophet and speak no tongue of the empire. What is your desire, great commander?

All

You do have a good opportunity to respond as the man being addressed seems to be slowly mulling things over.

[Evoker]

I'll translate quietly, trying not to alarm anyone but also not trying to attract attention.

[Dimers]

When Emlin hears his name, he executes a deep bow to the apparent target of the speech. Not wishing to interrupt either Ontor or Sunbul, he quietly muses I do prefer the sound of "skilled in sorcery" rather than "armed with sorcery" ...

[Toliudar]

Mama ponders the ramifications. Because their village seemed to pop up near the seige of their enemy, these folks might be more inclined to think them allied with the defenders. But if these are invaders, and recent arrivals, they might not understand just how recently the town had popped in here. Which could be an advantage, if a slight one.

In the meantime, Mama did her best ot seem pompous and stick-up-butt-ish, on the assumption that that's how 'retainers' acted.

[Thundercracker]

Samuel kept quiet and waited for the older man to speak.

[JbeJ275]

Eventually, Hüseyin Pasha does reply which Ontor can then translate. Tell me, what sorcery have we seen from them? One may bear the skin of fireflies, another may heal an old man’s aching joints. They may bear clothes of a style unknown from New Spain to China and perform these many parlour tricks, but that makes them little better than curiosities, to entertain children of our esteemed Sultan’s age. Hardly worth the space on a ship to the great city with our current problems. Can they do more, officer? Or are you wasting my time with heathen performers.

Sunbul seems largely uncowed, if acutely aware of the differences in rank. My lord Governor, that is the sorcery these men have worked with no powders potions or preparation. It is something wholly unlike any performer in courts has ever demonstrated. Not only that but their village, it descended into the world born atop a pillar of light that for a day and a night could be seen by our men. Those of our men who advanced into the village have reported the ground itself totally replaced, changed entirely by the events. This is no foreign crew sneaking through the blockade, this is something else entirely one day’s hard ride will show you what I refer, and no man could assume these were anything less than sorcerer’s or mages after seeing that.

With this Hüseyin falls again into quiet but intense discussion with the two men who sit to his left and right. They and Sunbul all shoot glances towards your group, waiting any displays or replies you give and trying to gage your mood.

[Thundercracker]

Samuel Arvandor

After hearing Ontor’s translation, Samuel spoke up.

“Honestly, we went looking for a way to figure out where we are and if anyone can help us get home,” Samuel said, “I don’t think these people can help us. So...”

He paused in thought.

“We need to assume we might be stuck here for a while,” Samuel said, “does it make sense to give a display of magic right here and now and get sent to see this Sultan? Or should we head back to the town for some time to talk it over? I’d prefer making something that can allow true communication first, perhaps bring an envoy in before we agree to travel anywhere distant. For all we know the townsfolk might need us there, and we should make sure everything is running smoothly before leaving for any considerable time...”

[Evoker]

I'm in no hurry to see this "Sultan". But even if we don't display magic, I don't think we'll be able to leave and return to the village.

[Dimers]

"No, I don't think they'll want us out of sight, though simple persistent passive resistance may very well win us our freedom," Emlin says quietly. "But we should avoid being shipped away for certain! We must return to Citallon."

[Toliudar]

Mama makes a shoiw of deference to her 'bosses' before murmuring.

"The more 'interesting' we are, the more likely that we end up in some bloody torture room to extract some damfool 'secrets.'

[JbeJ275]

Very well, if this village has shown so much strangeness and power we would do well to have it, and to deny it to the Venetians. Sunbul you shall take these visitors to our scribes today along with the returning scouts to codify all the knowledge we can on these visitors, their sorcery and their home. Tomorrow, you will meet with Captain Ekrem and take is company back to this village to properly enforce the laws and customs of our empire there. If these visitors can be persuaded to help with this task we may permit them to rule the village as their local fief, subject to all obligations of such folk of course. We shall wait until news can safely be transmitted between here and the mainland to then consult the sultan and the appropriate Ulama (scholars) as to whether their magic can be accepted.

Sunbul bows in response and begins to move out of the room, the guards waiting for you to follow. Sunbul looks somewhat troubled but nonetheless moves quickly through the camp.

[Evoker]

When I translate this, I sound somewhat angry, but also worried.
Hmmph. What would be the most expedient course of action here? I vote that we go with the soldiers sent to 'Enforce' their laws, and ambush them when we are far enough away that they will not receive any reinforcements. Hopefully that will buy us some time to figure out what to do.

[Toliudar]

Mama grimaces.

"Leastwise, we can agree that we want them to let us leave this place, escorted or not. Let's all nod and scrape right now, and work out details later."

[Dimers]

"Fair enough," Emlin agrees. "Recover our mastery of our own fate first, then we'll be able to react to other developments appropriately. Perhaps -- I can hope -- the leader will prove virtuous and just and wise. Or perhaps we'll find a way back out of this odd world and not need to make a choice at all."

[Thundercracker]

Samuel

“I don’t like the sound of it at all, and our host seems uncomfortable with the idea,” Samuel said, being careful not to use Sinbul’s name.

“At any rate, I suggest not telling them anything of import,” he said, “as soon as we get back, we need to secure all of the scrolls in the library, hide them away in an extra-dimensional space maybe. The question is do we stay and wait for the soldiers to escort us back or so we try to escape during the night?”

[Evoker]

Escaping would seem to be a bad move. We would have to escape without getting spotted, and even then they still know where the village is located, so our escape might just prompt them to spend more soldiers. Not to mention the fact that sneaking away in the night is hardly honorable when compared to challenging soldiers we know are threatening our independence. I have no desire to kill some halpless guards.

[JbeJ275]

Sunbul takes you to a separate room. There are many scribes here, but no gaurds are inside the room. He asks no end of questions, mostly yes or no questions and sets out three small sticks corresponding to yes no and maybe for you to answer unambiguously. This lasts until comprehend fades, then a good ten minutes more through increasing frustration.

(Generally how honest are you? Any topics in particular you want to mislead them on?)

After this you are put in a corner where many scribes speak loudly and slowly at you, but you can only grasp a few unconnected words. They examine your worn equipment, but don’t go so far as to take it or touch inside anything. You learn a few things in return, as you see a map of the island, Crete, that you apparently now live on.

There are a few other observations and opportunities. Twice during this process, bells ring out from afar, then all the scholars leave the room swiftly, only to returnperhaos fifteen minutes later. You can also here the sound of men marching outside, and once or twice a rapid series of brief explosions can be heard from outside, though it doesn’t seem to faze any scribes.

[Evoker]

I'll not give any specific information about the town's defenses, security, etc, if they are asked. I'll also remain vague on the exact things our "sorcery" can and cannot do, although I'll try to explain that I can only sometimes understand them because of how that magic works. Other than that, I'll default to the rest of the party as far as what to or what not to answer.

[Dimers]

Emlin tries to get a sense of the map's scale. "Ontor, are any of the writings on this map a key to distance?" If his friend can't help, he'll ask a scribe, using a 'fingers walking' motion to suggest travel and a vertical semicircle arm sweep to mean 'day': How many days to walk across the land, end to end?

[Toliudar]

Mama steps back, trusting Ontor to take care of the town's best interests. Instead, she focuses on memorizing what details she can from the map itself - rivers, the locations of what she'll assume are towns, any other markings.

[Thundercracker]

Samuel

They definitely wouldn’t be able to convey anything the scribes would really be after, so Samuel likewise let Ontor handle the answering until the spell ran out.

“We might consider pretending the spell ended early,” he suggested after a minute or two of questions.

[JbeJ275]

Emlin.

Working it out with a little prompting they answer that it would take about seven days to go from the east to the west if you avoided the hills. Crossing north to south is said to take three days despite the much shorter distance likely due to the hills you have seen.

Mama

The towns dot the shore of the island, some settlement whereever there is a natural harbour or stretch of arable land. The three largest cities are Candia, which you know to be near Citallon, Chania where you are now and Rethimno where you called in yesterday. Mountains run from the east to west of the island, with a particularly large mountain south of Citallon.

All

After you stop responding to the questions you are shown to other accommodations with your previous clothes returned to you alongside nightgowns. You are not fed until after dusk falls but you are gaurded throughout. You know in the morning they will come to escort you back to Citallon. Do you do anything that night or plan to do anything before arriving back in Citallon?