synopsychic | I want my Scimitars. :[

Oh. All it does is glow? That's useful, I guess. [That's not as exciting as he had been expecting - but it's not alarming either.] What's a fire demon?

Very useful. I know how close the danger is by how strongly it glows. [Alarming isn't good, no.] Well, that's not the proper term of it... but it banishes evil demons with fire characteristics back to their planes fairly well. They walk our plane of existence sometimes, you see. Perhaps sometime I could tell you a story about one of my adventures facing one.

Does it grow more strongly if it's more dangerous? [He's curious - that would also be useful, though it would cause problems in telling if the danger was close by or simply overwhelming.

Then Drizzt answers his question - sort of - and it only leaves him with more.] What do you mean, 'plane of existence'? Do you mean how back home was a different universe than we're in now?

The more dangerous and closer it is.

[Drizzt is happy to answer questions. Children are good at asking them.]

In a way, yes. They are not always like our own, and the ones known to me are mostly filled with horrific nightmares. And one was so unlike our own that it was circular--if you fell, you eventually came around to the same space, and would fall for all eternity unless something changed your course.

Is it hard to tell if something is really dangerous or just really close?

[That's good, because Imriel has an almost endless supply of them - particularly since he's asking about a different universe entirely, with different species and technology and magic, and nearly everything else.]

What kind of nightmares? [He considers a circular world where you could fall forever.] That sounds very interesting. It might be almost fun, at first.

But you can get from one to another? So it's not really a different universe, at least not like the ones the Arcana send us to are.

Usually if it is really close, I can hear it! And as a ranger, I usually know my quarry, so I know what to expect.

[Oh, Drizzt is happy to answer a child's questions for answers.]

Mmm, a description will not do without a story attached. Or without hands to guide the words.

[And it was interesting, just... not very fun since the love of his life kinda nearly died while falling but. Otherwise, it would've been interesting indeed!]

Ah, but we use magic! Portals and the like. Similar to the ones we use here to go back into Liminal Space.

But you might not know what it is if it's something that's chasing you, right? Does it have to be danger directed at you? Or would it shine if there's going to be an earthquake or an avalanche or something?

[There's a considering pause.] Well, you could tell me the story sometime, then.

...But you can get back, when you use a portal, right? Could you go to any world with your magic? Could people from your world turn up while we're on a jaunt somewhere? Could they take us home?

[oh this kid has so many questions that Drizzt has to fight to remember them all. Even if the last bit of them bring an awful pang to his heart.]

It's possible I may not know, and yes, danger at the wielder. Usually enemies--but perhaps it would work against a natural disaster.

I can tell you the story once I have scimitars on my belt. [He's not going to make a child wait for long, because that would be brushing the child aside.]

... I'm afraid I don't have the ability to create portals; that is only the realm of wizards. But I suppose there is some small possibility that we could be found in such a way, although unlikely.

Is it hard to make something magic like that? Could you set up detectors that would just respond to danger from one source, like natural disasters? Or that could tell you what the danger was from? And then set them up within range of each other so you could always warn people and evacuate if something was coming?

...Could it help sailors if a bad storm was coming? Maybe you could make magical navigational tools, that would help bring the ship through the safest path.

Okay! I'll be waiting at camp.

[Then there's a pause, but it's actually more thoughtful than sad or disappointed.]

...But if people from your world can create portals like that, that means that it's probably possible that people somewhere else can too. That means we just have to find someone who can do that - it doesn't have to be someone from your world.

[Drizzt is both amused at all the questions, which he quietly lets Imriel ask, and also quietly sad at the hope they can all go home so easily.]

I am afraid I do not know much about enchanting magical items. There should be ways to create spells or items sensitive to certain events, but I do not know how. Such things would be useful.

... I do not know. One can usually feel and see a storm from far off if one knows what to look for. And there's no best path if the storm is powerful enough. I have been through a powerful storm before, and it was not pleasant.

Even if we do find someone, I do not know if they can help us. The way that the Arcana work is mysterious to me. Power of gods... only even more of concepts than gods.

But you don't know about them? [He thinks with a slow deliberation.] So that means that, even if they might exist, they can't be very common where you come from.

[Of course it's possible that such a thing is impossible, or prohibitively expensive, or simply difficult enough to be beyond the scope of mass production. But Imriel immediately suspects greed and self-interest as reasons why they wouldn't be everywhere. That the people who might have the means don't do so because there's no profit in protecting commoners.]

But there has to be a best path. Or at least a better one. If a storm's bad enough to be dangerous to a ship, there are going to be some paths that the ship will survive and others that it won't. Magic that can really sense danger might be able to steer the ship between the two.

But we'll never know if we don't try! [There's a surge of anger and defiance through the network.] Gods don't scare me. And neither do the Trumps - there has to be a way.

More that I am not a wizard. I have three magical items of my own, and I have seen one enchanted before, but my lot in life is to not deal with those sorts of things.

The edge of a storm or completely outside of it, I suspect. I am certain such a magical item is possible, but it would be easier to create ways to avoid the storm from afar, I would imagine.

[Drizzt is hearted by the child's bravery.]

You are right. I will keep my eyes open for such opportunities. A wizardly sort would have more knowledge of such things.

But if they were common, and used to warn the public of danger, then the public would at least know they exist. Since you don't...

Whether it's designed to guide you around the storm or through it, either way, it would keep a lot of people safe. [There's a light pause.] ...Is there anything that magic can't do, in your world?

[In truth, it's anger and hurt and stubbornness more than bravery. Ever since Darsanga, he's been defiant of all the gods - even his own.]

We just have to find a wizard, and do something to distract the Trumps so he can get us away. I'm sure we can work something out.

Items that warn of danger, other than Twinkle, are not common, I am afraid. At least, not in the lands I have traveled. As for what magic can or cannot do.... [Drizzt shrugs.] I truly do not know.

[He lets out a small mental sigh.]

A wizard or priest can only take so many with them. We cannot leave the rest.

But if we find somewhere with a wizard, there will probably be more than one. [He shakes his head again.] I guess it's not something we should worry about now. Just something we should be looking for, so we're ready if the time comes.

Indeed, I will keep my eye out for it. As you say, there is often more than one wizard about a place.

Well... I'll be waiting for that story, then.

[Chuckles.]

I will not forget.

By camp, do you mean outside of liminal space?

Yeah. Where everyone's been staying when they aren't in liminal space.

All right. I will bring a bedroll and Guenhwyvar in a short while.

[And a short while later, Drizzt is doing exactly that, bedroll thrown over his shoulder and Guenhwyvar walking next to him. He has some nice new ordinary scimitars strapped to his belt]

Okay.

[When Drizzt turns up at camp, he'll find Imri far off to the side, laying on his stomach on a smooth rock sticking up about ten feet into the sea - his arms in the water, trying to coax a fish to come close enough for him to touch.]

[Drizzt smiles wide when he sees Imriel trying to play with fish, and he sets his sleeping bag down before he slowly makes his way over to the rock, rolling up his pants legs to wade in the water if there's no dry way there. It isn't long before he, too, leans a hand into the water. After a few moments, he spots a small part where the sea floor is high enough for him to touch, and with some gentle movements, he unearths a small sand dollar. He grins as he watches the creature start to bury itself again, very, very slowly.]

This is a nice spot.

[Imriel startles when he hears Drizzt approaching, tensing quickly and turning, reaching behind him as if for a weapon - but the motion is quickly arrested as he sees who it is.]

...It is. [His hands remain out of the water now, folded in front of him as he's looking sideways at Drizzt.] It's different from back home, but not in a bad way.

My pardon. [Drizzt says gently when he startles.]

It is quite different. I hadn't a chance to really explore an island like this the last time I traveled to one. [A light laugh.] It was haunted. [Not supposedly. Actually.]

Like I said, I didn't really see the ocean much last time. I grew up in the mountains - it's different from the streams and lakes there. Different fish, too.

[He looks at Drizzt uncertainly.] Haunted?

I want my Scimitars. :[

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Onward to the story?

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