Abelard - Chapter 15 - Abelard - Lesson Taught, Lesson Learned

Sun fully set behind the gray Shroud horizon, Abelard closed his current book and looked to where Zigras and Trillium were discussing what the party needed to do that night.

Abelard followed with them to the doors, but paused just outside the doors to the Tor, letting Zigras and Trillium go ahead. "I am going to stay here. I'm just going to set some ground rules with my new... um... companion. I will not leave the Tor, I promise!", he says at a suspicious glance from Zigras, and sits down in a shadowed spot beneath the Tor garden tree.

As the 'Rood Ladies', (Hey. Abelard liked that one!), headed out the Tor back gates and off to who knows what mischief, Abelard opened his cloak to look at the small cage he was holding within.

Eyeing the tiny shadowy black form within, the Half Elf drew his belt dagger, most specifically NOT using his summoned pact weapon for this, and poked a finger tip to draw a tiny bead of blood.

Shielding his hand from Gnozz, (Surely it was just his imagination that the Invisible little Imp was suddenly leaning closer!), he slowly slid the blooded finger tip into the cage under his cloak to offer his new companion, the shadow bat Shusshru, a snack, and a hope at beginning to bond closer with the tiny little Shadowwing.

Careful to keep his hand still and safe, he watched the bat's reactions with curiosity as he returned his dagger to his belt, licked clean of any remaining blood. As the tiny form unfurled itself from the corner, nose snuffling at the air, Abelard cooed to it softly. "Hi there Shusshru. I'm Abelard. I am your new home. Your protection. You are safe with me! Abelard. Home. Abelard. Safe.", he continued to repeat calmly. Only adding the 'I hope' in a silent mutter. He repeated the statements in Common, Elvish, and Draconic, just to see if there was any difference.

Shusshru, tiny, featherlight wings wide, clambered down the side of his cage awkwardly (hard to walk gracefully with wings attached to your arms) to investigate Abelard's proffered finger. The half-elf felt the tiniest, delicate licking sensation as the shadowbat lapped up the warlock's blood. There appeared to be something anesthetic in Susshru's saliva, as any tenderness on the pricked finger immediately was soothed away. If Abelard wasn't watching as it happened, he wondered if he would even realize he was being fed upon? The Shadow Bat chittered happily while it fed, the one small drop of blood seeming more than a meal for the little Shadow Bat.

As it fed, and Abelard continued to whisper the safe mantra calmingly to his new pet, the bat's prodigious ears swiveled about and focused on the direction of the half-elf's voice. Abelard could see it's little mousey black-furred face look up myopically, trying to get a better sense of who its new protector was.

Abelard smiled happily, continuing to coo down softly. "I'm Abelard. I am your new home. Your protection. You are safe with me! Abelard. Home. Abelard. Safe.", he repeated as he withdrew his hand, careful not to drop or startle the little form. "That's enough for now, Shusshru. Back to sleep. You are safe. Abelard Home. Abelard Safe."

Abelard mentally tallied up the prodigious list of things he needs to read up on, adding 'Bat Training' to the list.... somehow. . Slipping the tiny cage back under his arm to sit at his back shoulder and closing the cloak about it, Abelard reminded himself there was more to do!

Turning, now instinctively, in the direction where his other, less easily appeased sidekick, sat on his shoulder, Abelard mentally shored up his defenses, still uncertain about how to handle all that had happened oh so quickly today. Was it really just today that had started with a Druid's innocent glance in a pet shop window, and ended with a prodigious cleanup bill, a traumatized Trillium, a citywide monkey hunt, a temple full of gloriously loud and bright Parrots, and Abelard with not one, but TWO unexpected new companions bought and paid for? "I just wanted to see the Shadow Bat!", Abelard whined to himself briefly. "That's it!"

Was 'Like a Druid in a Pet Store' a saying for when things went bad? Cause it sure should be!

"Ok, uh, Gnozz. Let's give this shared sight thing a try, shall we? Let's take a look around the Tor and see if we can spot anyone watching, or paying unusual attention to the place?", he sent telepathically as he closed his eyes and concentrated on seeing through the link to companion number two, (Who would undoubtedly wreak havoc for Abelard if he ever overheard himself referenced in that manner.), Gnozz the Imp. "Don't let anyone see you or take notice of you. No messing around... yet. Here's what we are looking for first!".

Abelard focused his mind, attempting to 'send' images to Gnozz of people to be on particular look out for. (Four Shadows, Slink, Kobolds, the Father from the Church, etc.)

"On it, boss," Gnozz acknowledged deftly. Abelard felt the air buffet his left cheek as the invisible imp's wings stretched, flapped, and then the little devil effortlessly lifted off the warlock's shoulder and immediately he lost track of the Imp's location. "Well that could prove handy!", he thought to himself.

As the half-elf closed his eyes, he reached out through the mental bond and suddenly he was seeing what Gnozz saw... Abelard's own body and the back door of the Tor falling away as the imp took to the sky.

Through the eyes of Gnozz, the Tor appears different to Abelard. For one thing the windows were all blackened and opaque with fog, making it impossible to see through them from the outside... even with Fiend assisted Darkvision. Even the door, which Abelard knew was partially open, was a wall of indiscernible fog. Abelard quickly concluded there must be some manner of shielding magic on the Tor that, as an invited guest, was not affecting him directly, but was imposing itself upon the senses of the far less welcome Gnozz.

For another thing, the Tor was falling away beneath him... Something it most certainly did not do when looking at it from the ground. Abelard was suddenly very glad his body was sitting down. Gnozz, Abelard playing back-Imp Pilot, took to the air & spent a few minutes spiraling up and around the stone outer walls of the Tor, confirming that all Windows and doors had the same protections. "Gnozz, let's check my room window, just to be extra sure!", Abelard thought to the Imp.

When Abelard directed the Imp to look in his bedroom window, or at least where his window should be, the warlock learned that the location of windows on the outside of the Tor appeared to be displaced from where they are positioned from the inside. Yet another added layer of security. Clearly the Tor had been subjected to the protective spells of multiple generations of wizards, overlapping and adding upon themselves. All in all, quite a handy foil to any of the standard means of illicit spying.

As Gnozz reached the top of the Tor, Abelard continued to feel a little dizzy from the disconnect between feeling his butt on the ground while also soaring over the city of Lusterlin and seeing the settlement spread out below him from nearly a hundred feet up. The roof of the Tor remained as Abelard remembered it from the one time the party rushed up to rescue Raj. The trap door leading to an open stone floor, encircled by battlements, with a large telescope and writing desk its only furnishings. It appeared it had been some time since anyone had been up there.

While the view of the city of Lusterlin from on high was different, it also was no more illuminating. There was no signs of anyone showing undo attention to the Tor, or to Trillium & Zigras, who Abelard could see talking with the party's new best Market friend, Maroosh. The only people out seem to be the usual passers by strolling to and from the Central Market, or along the riverbank.

"Where to next, boss?", asked the already bored again Gnozz. From the spins in both his vision and his stomach, the Imp appeared to be entertaining himself by flying in figure eights and, from his mental chuckle as Abelard gulped, he was perfectly aware of the effect it was having on the Half Elf.

Abelard, glad he had decided to sit before trying that experience for the first time, paused to let his stomach settle and nodded appreciatively. "Very good. Most excellent in fact."

"Ok. The Tor is quite well warded it would seem. This is good to know. I suppose I need to see about getting you added to the guest list to be allowed in. Although... Eyes and ears outside while I'm inside might also be handy.", Abelard let his senses return to his body, but kept the communication going. "But let me see about getting you invited inside. The Wizards are very conscientious about their security. Getting you a backstage pass might be a challenge. Keep an eye out. I'll be back."

"You got it Boss. I'll just run over and tease the temple guards!", came the reply

"No, Gnozz. Just keep an eye out for anyone approaching the Tor, or paying too close attention!", Abelard replied.

"Ok boss. And then I follow em?"

Ugh. "No. You stay here and notify me so I can decide what to do.", Abelard countered.

"But what if they are Reeeeealy suspicious. I should stick em then, right?", Gnozz redirected.

Abelard, suddenly seeing how his future with Gnozz would shape, and not being willing to spend the rest of the evening in a word duel, replied, "Gnozz. Stay within the walls, stay unseen/unnoticed, and keep an eye on anyone watching the Tor. If you see something suspicious, you are to notify me immediately and not take any other action until told to.

Uh.. By me. Told to by me! No telling yourself to. I will return."

"You got it, bossinator. I'll be here when you need me.", the Imp replied as if he had never even considered doing otherwise.

Abelard, shaking his head and wondering if this was to be his future, stepped back inside the Tor library, closing the door behind him. Once in the doors, Abelard did a quick test to see if Gnozz can still communicate from outside the warded chamber.. "Does the bond work through the wards?", he asked telepathically as he leaned against the wall & concentrated to see through Gnozz' eyes again.

”Loud and clear. The bond is unbreakable, Bossa Nova,” Gnozz replies telepathically from outside. ”Just like the contract!”, he answered far too happily.

Looking through the Imps eyes from within the Tor, Abelard was still able to see, with perfect clarity, as Gnozz wandered over to start pestering the horses in the stable. But, one snorted warning from a very alert Hellfire seemed to be all it took to keep Gnozz at a safe distance.

"Well...Excellent.", replied Abelard, with much less conviction or cheer.

Abelard nodded to Wyleth & Sophia, still ensconced in their places in the library, bade his goodnight, scooped up his book, and headed upstairs to read aloud to Shusshru.

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