Winnings is enough to purchase 10 slaves to free, preferably female as Carigmoor is not a great place to be.

Ef picks up on the fact that we’re being followed by House Cavindish affiliates. They themselves are being followed by a female Githyanki with a funny looking metal hat.

He messages Etsuriko and me that we’re being followed. I suggest that Etsuriko and I teleport behind the Githyanki and battle begins.

Githyanki summons a weapon and shakes her head at us .“Don’t…”

Don’t what? We’re just here to talk, you’re the one following us. She’s wearing a mithral tinfoil hat. Does it work? I usually don’t give them a chance.

I haven’t tested yet. Do you know where they are so we can test it? Follow us and you’re sure to get that chance. Excellent!

Finn – Good sirs! (waves) I believe your’e looking for me! Don’t go anywahere! He says as the Cavindish guys decide to leave.

Shall we go somewhere more discreet where we can talk? Finn heading back to Gertrudes. Melchior wraps his arms around their shoulders and begins to preach the word of Murlynd. Have you heard the good word? He puts a glazed expression on their faces.

Ef explains family circumstances to the Githyanki. Is there anything these humans can’t do?

Servants balk abit but let us in to the estate. Finn and Melchor talk to Cavindish men (Earl and Roderick) on the porch as Etsuriko watches and rolls her eyes. Finn orders servants around to get drinks and snacks.
They’re never that respectable to me! – Ef

Cavindish men had heard about us at the fights. They’re rank and file so they have zero influence. Except now they’ve been seen on the front porch of the Sorpic House, haven’t you?

Justin Cavindish favors The Silver Feather brothel on the Western Port if you want to try to run into him. He gives them each a gold piece as he announces loudly his thanks for their help and dismisses them.

I hear you might be looking for someone and I know where you can find this person. We sweep off the table and she rolls out the map to point out her location. I try to sweep a candlestick holder into my bag as Etsuriko picks it out and sets it back again.

Map points out the route – Carigmoor → Yggdrisil → Plane of Shadow → Astral Plane → where they’ll be in 3 days.

What’s your angle? I heard you were friends of the Seven Stars and I admire this group very much. I want to work with you. It works for me, any enemy of the Mind Flayers works for me, honestly. Flattery will get you everywhere, especially with Finn.

Well met, you’re fluent in Githyanki! Fluency is a specialty of mine. Is THAT what they call it?

Any particular encounters with the Illithids to set you on the path? Or is it more of a cultural thing? It’s a cultural thing.

Finn is pretty sure she’s a Slayer and asks her. She’s had one too many hits by tentacles so she wears the hat. Drug addled and eyes bulging, Kenari passes her the bowl to takes the edge off. She appreciates the hospitality.

I offer to teleport and say Are you sure? I can’t aim… So about this ship… oh come on, I haven’t tried it yet! Can we go now? Sure, hold hands and sing kumba ya! She elbows next to Finn to hold his hand.

Ef – You know, we could rest first as Etsuriko pats his shoulder and wipes blood off her hand. Blood, shmud… look at my shirt! Lenatta rolls her eyes. I mended your shirt, Kenari. Oh yeah! OK, we can rest (pout) and do it in the morning.

Dinner – I prefer my carapaces extra crispy, please. – Squick!

The Lady of the house returns and raises an eyebrow at the flurry of activity of the staff. Ef humbly approaches and explains what’s going on as Kenari points at Finn. She pinches his cheek. You always were a good boy. SLAP! ASK next time.

I would next time! Slap him too! Ef points to Finn as he shovels the BS and smoothly explains his actions. What an artful architecture of complete BS! I’m really impressed! It’s still my house though! SLAP!

You could learn some social graces from him! Squick is curious about this social interaction as I explain it’s a way family greets each other around here. NO IT ISN’T! says Ef.

Squick cuts up food and offers it to Kenari explaining Githyanki saliva is a delicacy. I try it but it’s not good at all as I cough up a hairball. Cat saliva is useful too, but I don’t share it with everyone. I was just trying to be nice and share with you!

We’re having so much fun and we’re going to fight Illithids together! SQUEE! She offers food to Lenata next. I’m good, really!

Etsuriko just barely manages not to laugh as her jaw twitches but we know her and recognize it.

I GREET YOU AS FAMILY! SLAP! (Squick) Lenata prestidigitates most of her food onto Finn’s plate. He shovels the BS as Squick feeds Finn and the BS doesn’t stop with how good it is.

Etsuriko loses it finally and LOL as she thanks Gertrude for the best time ever.

Squick obviously considers slapping Gertrude on the back of the head as a greeting as Ef Utan notices and grabs her wrist to stop her.

Are we wrestling now? Nice lady they told you a lie, don’t slap Gertrude. Gertrude turns around and stares us down. KNOCK IT OFF, CHILDREN!

We eat dessert in silence and kick each others shins and bite our lips as we try not to laugh. Squick holds her breath as she thought breathing was the only thing she was doing. She turns blue and falls unconcious for a minute before she wakes up again.

Is that Githyanki custom? No, she’s just literal. The skittermander crawls out of Vedis’ coat as the tentacle reaches out to grab food off the table. Squick looks around the table to see if the tentacle is coming out of Finn.

Squick says “That’s just wrong!” as she sees it (ala Tribbles). Vedis sighs and puts the harness on the Skittermander and puts it back in her coat.

The next morning we clean up, drink some coffee and Kenari focuses on the Astral Plane as we hold hands in a circle. The plane shifts into the bright light of the Astral Plane where all spells are Quickened.
We scan the area and at first don’t see anything. Ef sees way off in the distance relative West a glint of something off of a reflective surface. He points it out and then it’s gone.

We ask if Lenata can commune with the Plane to see if we can find where we are and where Corvus is. We’re about 50 miles from the mark on the map. That’s not TOO bad, right? Could’ve been worse!

The mark is probably a color pool but it’s not on the map. There aren’t any powerful beings between here and there. Corvus is not in this area.

We jump and fall in the right direction as we take off towards the spot on the map. About 50 ft from where we stop is a black color pool about 30 ft across. Finn says this one goes to the Shadow Plane. Black=Shadow? Who’d have thought, right? – Vedis

Ef sees a reflection again and it’s gone. We’re probably being followed again…

Portal = Key is a 2 in black sphere of marble – No special circumstances to use. 2-Way portal. For one round you’re able to see what’s on the other side = On the other side it’s dark. Stunted leafless trees, black in color. Swirling darkness. 200-300 feet off is a road.

Etsuriko and I Flickering Step in the general direction where we think we see the glint. At first we dont’ see anything but then it looks like a humanoid made out of clear glass. We looked through it before it registered and is 15 ft to our left as we hide. It doesn’t seem to be moving. Nothing I’ve heard about Planes-wise.

Etsuriko says hello to it with no reaction. Kenari, ONE of us has to touch it. What if that’s what activates it? Etsuriko grabs my hand and we move as it follows us. Well THAT’s not creepy.

Kenari is the voice of reason for once and Etsuriko says “Well I’m going to touch it.” Reverse psychology, everyone. Now Kenari has plausible deniability. Nothing happens. Well the heck if I know what to do about this thing.

We flicker step back and it copies us.

Vedis uses knowledgs Psionics. It might be an Observer. They tend to turn up at big events and fixed points in time. They do not directly interfere in things for the most part. All the things we’ve done and NOW is when it shows up? We have an interstellar audience now – Finn.

One or two tales of Observers who intercede, but probably BS. They are ridiculously powerful. Sent out into the universe by one of the great psionic godminds. Vedis concentrates and examines it. She sees it’s view of us except for Melchior because of his guns. Apparently his magic guns keep him from being seen.

For just a moment the image shifts and she sees Wildspace and 6-8 asteroids joined by big transparent tubes. Behind them a flickering array of colored lights of unstable planar rifts that lead to multiple planes of existence.
(Edge Station Laboratories). When she sees it the Skittermander starts sqwacking and squirming. It reminds me of something that Falak-13 said. Could the Skittermander be from this place? Seems to make sense that they’re from it to me.