A Collection of Strangers on Walkabout

Rikia turns and faces the tower as a rope launches out and wraps around her body. As her body is lifted up and towards the tower she braces her legs against the tower to avoid slamming into it and continues climbing up and over the parapet.

Skeeve has tied the rope securely around his waist, and awaits the signal from Khaguran.

From his perch, Khaguran yells down to the now-materialized figure, "Don't move! I am magically sending a rope down to pull you out!" Startled, Rikia freezes as instructed. Khaguran fires the rope with the crossbow at her and it quickly binds her, temporarily pulling the rope taunt. Khaguran yells, "The rope got her!"

This causes Skeeve to immediately jump down to the floor below. Unfortunately, the rope momentarily catches, yanking Skeeve off-balance, causing him to land with a thud. Quickly collecting himself, he runs for the stairs and starts to quickly descent to the lower floors. Fortunately, the rope does not catch significantly again.

Yanked into the air by the rope that has magically bound itself to her, Rikia tries to anticipate the inevitable collision with the wall of the tower. She is able to successful twist around so that she lands with her feet to the wall. However, as she is about to start walking up the side of the tower, the rope pulls her harder than she expected as it rips her towards the top of the tower. This causes her to bang up the side of the tower the rest of the way.

Khaguran works to guide the rope up to the top and when Rikia reaches the top he tries to catch her and tell Skeeve to stop running. Unfortunately, he positions himself wrong and she instead crashes into him as she clears the top of the parapet. This prevents him from calling out to Skeeve. Now also tangled in the rope, both are dragged towards the trap door, but are not pulled in as Skeeve has reached the bottom floor and stops.

Nursing his bruises, Skeeve calls up, "Is everyone safe and unharmed?"

"We got her onto the tower. We're still checking on the 'unharmed' part!" called back Khaguran.

By the time Khaguran untangles himself and unties Rikia, Skeeve has managed to limp back to the top of the stairs, and introductions are made.

Rikia squints her eyes and takes a step back from the two strangers that pulled her up.

Who are you and why did you bring me up here?

Khaguran points to himself. "Khaguran, a wanderer. You seemed...stuck? We were trying to help, in any case."

Skeeve says, "And my name is Skeeve. Believe it or not, we were told by a phantom that you were trapped there by the tower and that if we didn't pull you out, you'd be lost forever. So, we yanked you out. We do apologize for the suddenness of every thing, but we only had a few seconds to operate in. And now we wait until we are able to escape from the tower. I am sorry to say that when you escape with us, you will be in our time, not when you came from."

Skeeve will then insist on getting downstairs and being ready to leave when their time appears. He will make sure we keep the door open and will be diligently watching for the time. On the second floor, he will point out the normal crossbows and offer for Rikia to take one if it still works.

Khaguran shakes out his bedroll, sighing at the large torn patch that reminds him of his prior encounter with a griffon. It chafes him to know his curiosity trumped his better judgement, as it's prone to do now and again. He folds it neatly into a thick square, then uses it as a cushion to soften the hard pavers of the tower's floor.

In so many words, he haltingly asks Skeeve if he might be able to keep the spyglass, should they part ways further along, as he was very taken with its utility, simple beauty, and skillful make.

Skeeve is cool with that. He just want to make sure it is taken because it could prove useful later.

After asking and getting the brief story of his encounter, Skeeve is duly impressed that Khaguran was face-to-face with a griffon and survive basically unscathed.

Rikia's countenance drops as she finds out that she's left "her time". How would she find Zastan now. Also to think that the Great War is over, she didn't think it would ever come to an end considering how long it had been going on. Trailing behind the two men as they head down the tower she ponders what to do next.

Where do you plan to go after we leave this wretched tower?

She sits up against a wall and palms her mentor's talisman. After some conversation if nothing else occurs she'll take a small nap.

"I am not sure. I was trying to find my way when I saw Khaguran enter the tower and followed, not knowing it was cursed. He was following a caravan, so I figured I'd follow along to see where that goes. I'm guessing that we probably increase our chances of success by sticking together, at least until we find a town."

Okay.

Rikia studies the area around her, nods slowly to herself, and then sighs. She sits against a rock and palms the talisman again. After a few deep breaths she stands up.

I can take first watch.

During her watch she paces back and forth. Keeping an eye out for danger as well as thinking.

Skeeve volunteers to go second. After they finish talking he hits the unrolled bedroll.

Skeeve is up for either.