Eirina noted a twist of power up ahead, something was drawing a lot of power and magic, quite violently at that. Shadowheart stepped alongside her and the two of them started a

swirling mass of magic leaning against one of the rock faces. Eirina could make out a teleportation sigil just underneath the swirling mass. As dangerous as it looked, Eirina wouldn't

be able to walk past it. Anyone could interact with it and get hurt. And apparently, someone was trying to teleport and was failing miserably. As she approached the erratic magic, a

hand was thrust out towards her.

"A hand? Anyone?" Oh, this was interesting. The person inside the warped portal was obviously still alive. Eirina reached in and grabbed the arm, issuing a prayer to calm the magic

around the sigil. "Whatever you are doing, it's working wonders! Now a quick pull should do the trick." Ah, the hint of a Waterhavian accent, the syllables were stressed and had a

touch of fear and frustration to them as Shadowheart gripped Eirina above her wrists and the two of them pulled. Hard. They tumbled back with another well dressed man. Did these

mind flayers raid a tavern in a fashion district? And how the hells were both of these guys so clean? Eirina could feel the dirt and sweat under her armor, it had been a few days since

she had even been able to take them off, let alone bathe. She felt disgusting. And yet Astarion and this new individual looked like they had just walked out of their well powdered

boudoirs.

"Ooft," the new individual grunted as he stood, dusting himself on his way up. He was a couple inches taller than Astarion and perhaps not quite as broad across the shoulders, but

he was obviously a young human, his full head of hair and intelligent brown eyes looking at Eirina was a broad smile, "hello. I'm Gale of Waterdeep. Apologies, I'm usually better at

this." He reached forward and took Eirina's hand, giving it a good shake. This was new, Eirina wasn't used to being touched by strangers unless it was for a more ceremonial greeting.

"No need to apologies. Are you all right?" Eirina was almost tapped out for the day, but could muster up the last of her reserves if this new person, Gale, needed healing.

"A bit shocked, but friend, it's a relief and a pleasure to make your acquaintance," polite, eloquent, and obviously well educated. The mind flayers really did know how to pick them,

as Eirina thought to the other two she traveled with. "Say, but I know you, don't I? In a manner of speaking," Gale's eyes lit with recognition, "You were on the nautiloid as well."

"I was, yes," Eirina responded kindly, offering a smile back.

"Then I can only assume you too were on the receiving end of a rather unwelcome insertion in the ocular region," either he didn't interact with people or he performed as well as any

bard Eirina had known.

"I couldn't have phrased it more repellently myself," Eirina could hear a groan from Astarion and a snort from Shadowheart behind her.

"No use sugarcoating it, is there?" Gale joked once more before his tone became slightly more serious, "The insertee we speak of, this parasite - are you aware that after a period of

excruciating gestation it will turn us into mind flayers?"

"Oh, we hardly need reminding," Astarion muttered in response.

"It's a process known as ceremorphosis, and let me assure you: it is to be avoided." Gale was more than just educated, Eirina realized. The fact that he knew those details indicated

that his higher education was extensive and he was likely older than he looked. He was a walking testament to 'don't judge a book by its cover.'

"You don't happen to be a cleric, by any chance, do you?" Gale looked over the entire party at this point, taking in holy symbols on both Shadowheart and Eirina, "A doctor?

Surgeon?" He glanced over at where Astarion was cleaning under his finger nails with a dagger, "Uncannily adroit with a knitting needle?" Yup, definitely part bard, this one was

Eirina's thought.

"You seem to know enough about our condition to realize it is beyond most clerics' skills," Shadowheart's tone was neutral, but Eirina detected a hint of amusement in her words.

"Most, no doubt," Gale addressed Shadowheart, "But I find myself hoping to be in the presence of the few. You don't happen to be one of them?" His look of hope was almost

endearing. Almost. But there was something rehearsed about it, as if he had practice using his charm and wit to get what he wanted from others.

"I'm a cleric indeed, as is Shadowheart here. But I'm afraid the power to remove this parasite eludes me. I can't cure us." Eirina hated the fact that she couldn't help them. If she

could, she would give up anything to remove the parasite from all four of them right that moment. But those prayers would likely go unanswered by any deity.

Gale sighed, resigned to this knowledge. "As we've established, few enough can. It's not exactly a common affliction," he looked ahead, up the path that the others had been walking

along, "We're most certainly going to need a healer, and soon too. How about we lend each other a helping hand once more and look for a healer together?"

"Sounds like a plan," Eirina gestured to herself, "I'm Eirina. My companions are Shadowheart," a curt nod from the other woman, "And Astarion."

"Pleasure," Astarion's drawl bordered between bored and disgusted.

"You're welcome to join us," Eirina gave him a genuine smile. A wizard would be most handy to have on the journey ahead.

"Most excellent," Gale's response was enthusiastic, "A parasite shared is a parasite halved. Or something to that effect." Eirina was beginning to wonder if she would get used to his

manner of banter or if it would always be a little on the awkward side of things.

"Oh!" Gale stopped them again a moment before they all turned to continue on their way, "But before you think you're about to embark on a journey with most ill-mannered a man:

thank you for pulling me out of that stone. It was an act of foresighted kindness I assure you, for I have the feeling ample opportunities will present themselves for me to return the

favor." The slight gleam in his eye revealed something to Eirina. His foppish attitude was actually an act. A well crafted, over rehearsed act that was apparently second nature to this

man. She began to wonder who he really was under the facade.

"Well, Gale of Waterdeep," Eirina started to speak but was interrupted by the egotistical spell caster.

"Just Gale is fine," he said, waving his hand dismissively, "we're friends after all."

"Well, Just Gale," Eirina gave him a tight smile, "I hope you're used to wilderness survival, because we're roughing it until further notice." She smirked at the frown of discomfort that

crossed the wizard's face and then laughed out loud. All three of her companions just stared at her aghast as she clutched her sides laughing.

"I'm glad that our plight amuses you," Gale was frowning now. Eirina wiped a tear away, looking over at Shadowheart and taking in the fact that the other woman was trying very

hard to keep a smile off her face.

"Our plight does amuse me," she chortled, turning to look up the path now that they had moved past the wrecked ship, "we're being forced to survive with our wits and experience

and the teacher and the magistrate seem to be so out of place that I find it amusing," she blushed, "my apologies for laughing," her words were sincere and contrite, "I just couldn't

stand to live with the morose reality of these tadpoles and our situation without finding it amusing that two clerics, a teacher from Waterdeep, and a magistrate from Baldur's Gate

are traveling through who knows what part of the Sword Coast. It sounds like the start of a bad joke from a bard in a tavern." That caused the frowns on everyone's faces to morph

into odd little awkward smiles. Eirina just turned and kept walking up the path.

Gale was definitely out of his element. He had seen both women on the ship, had watched as they had rushed the helm and he was grateful that they had managed to land, if land

was the correct word, the ship as well as they did. But that had been hours ago. He had tried to teleport off the exam table he had been strapped to when he found himself falling

through the sky. He had realized that his teleport had happened in the split second they had left the hells, and now he was going to fall to his death if he didn't focus. Mustering up all

his mental fortitude, he cast three spells in quick succession, not realizing the power of the tadpole was altering his magic. The third spell teleported him into the rock, where he had

spent the next several hours exhausting his spells to try to get out. He should have spent more time focused on physical pursuits, like rapier, as his instructors and his mistress had

always bade him to do. But there was nothing he could do about it now.

It did rankle him though that this woman, Eirina, found the idea of him roughing it so amusing. He had been on many adventures, had slept under the stars. Mind you, there was

always comfortable beds and a caravan of food and equipment when they traveled. He had been the token wizard in several parties of adventurers, traveling with a plethora of

people.

"So, Gale," the pale man with red eyes stepped up next to him, as they were trailing behind the women, "any thoughts on the fact that the ladies seem to have more survival skills

than you and I?" Gale did not care for this man much, but he wasn't too proud not to take the olive branch being presented to him at this moment.

"I mean, I am not emasculated letting women lead the way," Gale recalled a book he had read several years ago, "in fact, older cultures and a lot of nomadic tribes are led by women

because they have the ability to see beyond the ends of their noses and are competent multitaskers." At Astarion's bored look, he refocused back on topic, "I have spent the last year

sequestered away from the world and focused on my research. It will take me a little bit but," he gave a wry smile to the other man, "I suspect I will pick it up quicker than you will."

Astarion gave an undignified snort before lengthening his stride and following after the women. Where ever they were headed, it was obvious that Eirina was the unofficial leader of

this little band of misfits.

And he was a misfit. Still trying to move on from being rejected by Mystra, he could feel her in the weave, but her anger at him still burned like a red hot forge. And she was not one

to forgive easily. Oh, how far he had fallen. From Chosen to absolute rejection. Glancing up at the three people ahead of him, he felt a flicker of hope that maybe now that he wasn't

in his tower, there was a chance that he would have a connection, a friendship, again. Not a lover. He clutched the front of his robes above his chest. No, he was too dangerous to

allow that close. But a friend would be nice. And valued.