It's ALL About the Copper Necklaces.

[Prince Kai-Mijo]

Had to love it. Earlier that morning they had just been wandering around Waterdeep as usual, reading their journals and collecting items four at a time and reporting back to that annoying-as-fxck paladin something or other (she had her own freaking theme song), when all of a sudden mister-evil-sorcerer-man-who-probably-has-no-plot-significance-whatsoever-other-than-to-start-this-stupid-thread decided to pop out of nowhere and give the epic duo a piece of one of the nine hells (why were there nine? Lucien could never understand that). Nonetheless after plenty of whining and bitching on the sorcerer's part (something about how he swore he bought a legal copy but he couldn't get the damn thing to work) and plenty of whining and bitching on Lucien and Calia's part ("WHAT is that shiny magical swirly thing you're herding us into?!"), the two found themselves falling...and falling...and thud.

A long string of blasphemies followed. Many of which had something to do with Lucien's hair. Or feathers. Mostly the hair.

Eventually though he seemed to have recollected himself enough to sit up and notice that something was a bit strange. No, it wasn't the fact that they'd just been pushed through what was most likely a level nine gate spell (he knew he should have taken Epic Spell Resistance -- and no, not just because it had the word 'epic' in it); nor was it the fact that yet again that annoying ring sound had sounded in their heads, consequently and inexplicably causing their journals to pulsate with an ominous glow ("Did we ever figure out how to make that stop?"); and neither was it the fact that their maps were once again shrouded in an inky black substance that only seemed to go away one they'd wandered around in circles (or more like squares) for long enough....no, it was the fact that the scenery was much more pleasant than from where they had come initially.

"Are those rice terraces over yonder?" the vampire questioned skeptically, quirking a brow in disbelief as he finally made the effort to push himself to his feet. Ick. Dusting off his coat, he immediately commenced the meticulous process of rearranging his curls, though he was still eyeing the far-too-conveniently-picturesque backdrop that was far from anything their previous location had granted them. Funny, then, how the scenery was noted first. Because out of freaking nowhere, over 9000 soldiers. Eastern, judging by the garb. The sheer numbers nor the ethnicity of the clothing were what was worst, however. It was...

"Is it merely a trick of the sun, or does every single one of those soldiers look exactly the same?" Cloning spell? Surely there could not be this many high level wizards in one place...simulacrum was a very high level spell. "Come to think of it, they all sound the same as well." Yes, the twenty or so of them that had just gone flying from around the corner of a wall of what was probably a fort (correction: base) all yelled in horror and in pain and...in perfect pitch and volume synchronization.

Blinking stupidly, Lucien glanced to Calia and shrugged. "Well, shall we?" After countless stupid and repetitive situations that all had the odd feeling of déjà vu (really, how many times could one collect four items and then deliver them and then move onto another place and then collect four more items and then deliver them and...he knew that paladin was onto something! Never trust paladins, no matter how fabulous they were!), this was actually a refreshing change.

With nothing else for it, Lucien turned and headed straight towards that fort. While obviously there for strategical militant purposes (unless it was just a supply base, meaning obviously just because they were a supply base didn't mean they can't fight), at least it would have people. Usually captains. Captains guarded bases right? Especially Guard Captains. They liked to Guard things like Bases. Hopefully said Guard Captains would at least be able to point them in the vague direction of home. Though, with a halfhearted glance towards the inky black map, Lucien was highly doubting that any of them would even have the slightest idea as to what 'home' was. Well, if it had Fuego Ladies that'd be homey enough for the vampire.

Just as they had rounded the corner to the entrance, however, another soldier sporting blue regalia rather than the red of the clones from before came charging out waving a flag, followed by several other soldier-clones. And then a rather excited looking general happened to zip by as well, waving frantically to Calia and Lucien as he passed them on by.

"Hey! I defeated an officer!"

Right.

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[Princess Nazaki ♪]

Calia blinked and looked around. Something was not right. A second ago she had been in your standard stone dungeon (had anyone else noticed that they were all build with the exact same bricks? it got a bit disorienting after a while) with her hand down a random box, fishing around for anything worth more than a handful of coins ("Another copper necklace? Hmm. Well, I'd better grab it anyway. I wonder if Lucien wants this scroll? Better take that too"). She hadn't exactly been paying attention to whatever guy was talking to them; she usually just let Lucien take care of that. If it was anything important, she could ask him what had happened. Or read about it. How was it that her journal always knew what was going on, even when she didn't? As if on cue, a strange ringing sound came from one of her many packs. Ahh. So something had happened. The wizardly-looking guy over there apparently was important. She'd have to ask what he'd wanted.

Just as she began working on the lock of the next chest over, however, Calia suddenly realized that she couldn't see; everything had gone all glowy and white. Had something gone wrong? Was she suddenly going to pass out and reappear at the last place they slept, suddenly lacking all the lovely things she'd picked up since then? She knew they should have stopped more often. But no, she still felt okay. Had she failed to disarm the trap on that last chest? Was this some weird poison that made the scenery disappear and....wait, what?

They were outside now, in a place that Calia was almost certain she had never been to. A glance at her ink-covered map confirmed this. She scowled. "I think there was something good in that one, too. I saw steel. Coulda' gotten ya' a new sword or something. But noooo we're...where are we? And why?" She dug through her "Important things that I can't seem to be able to get rid of" bag, pulling out her still-glowy journal. An evil magician has transported me to a land that I don't know. Maybe local villagers will have some idea of what I should do to get back. Right. That didn't even sound like her writing. And her journal-self never seemed to remember Lucien was there. Weird. Anyway.

"....Yes, they all look the same. Maybe they all have the same things. Wonder where they keep their stuff. Even copper necklaces would add up if ya' had that many of them. Can we look that way tonight?" Calia followed Lucien towards the fort, tilting her head in confusion as an excited-sounding officer ran out, followed closely by an angry-looking female officer making what Calia figured was a rude hand gesture at him. "Weird people here, huh? By now the base was next to empty, all its defenders off elsewhere. It was practically an invitation. Without looking if Lucien was following, Calia slipped into the base, staying in the shadows as she rummaged through the pockets of fallen guards. Well, he wouldn't be needing this steamed bun anymore. Or these boots. Or these very funny-looking coins. No one would mind if she liberated them.