Hounds Rising

Mr. Muffins’ mind started to flutter.

“What was that?” He asked her.

“Oh, I have the ability to quicken some spells from time to time. With enough practice, I’ve also learned how to slow them down. Because of this, I could cast a script illusion spell at a slower rate, allowing others to copy it down for themselves.” Helena answered back with a smile on her face.

His mind started to come into focus. As she kept talking with the rest of the group, he pulled the book from his pocket and moved past the section with the ripped sheet. He started to take notes and build a new diagram.

Would it work as glasses, though? That would be the easiest way to carry it.

Something that could collect sigils and equations…

Maybe even making a section with a removable pearl to cast the spell for identifying magical objects?

If he had not been inside his head for so long, Mr. Muffins might have caught it sooner. Thankfully, he was able to catch it early enough. Above him, he could hear the branches sway in the wind, except there was no wind…

He let the rest of them talk as he tried to listen in. One… Two… Three… There were at least four creatures in the nearby trees. He had to act fast; tipping his party off would only cause the creatures to know he knew.

He tilted his head slowly and looked up toward the tree above him. Hidden among the leaves and branches, a large creature covered in fur with a hyena-esque snout, a gnoll stood above him. He lowered his hand to Jimbo and took a deep breath.

Unlatching his weapon from his holster, he raised Jimbo and took the shot. It scattered amongst the branches, alerting the creature and the party. Mr. Muffins pulled a small octagonal orb from his pocket and let it fall to the ground beside him. As the gnoll above him howled out and bared its fangs, the metal grew and transformed into his eldritch cannon. As he raised his hand to fire again, the gnoll leaped out to him.