Session
32:
Reunion
[JadedDM]: Chyroste 20th,
Sparkday; 17 bells. Having spent the
hot day resting in the shade in Nikola, it is now nearing the time for Siara to
make her appointment with the Big Boss. Videl
has not yet left his room since last night, nor has Cardel.
Kricket and Liam sit in the common room as Nabal begins preparing things
for the evening crowd. Meanwhile,
Aidan is alone in the
[Jasmin]: Jasmin sits within the
common room looking rather bored. She eyes Liam and Kricket for a few minutes
before she gets up from her chair and approaches Liam. "So do you just draw
maps, or can you draw anything?"
[Eskar]: Eskar's voice calls out
to Aidan from the man's right. "Alone, my friend?"
[Aidan]: Aidan nudges Amaris awake
with a finger, looking around him while he rides along on the mule.
Once she is awake, he mentally pushes her to fly around them, checking
their surroundings for creatures.
[JadedDM]: Liam shrugs.
"I've never really attempted to draw anything else."
[Aidan]: Aidan startles, having
just sent Amaris into the sky, he looks around, wary of any danger.
"...Eskar?" he asks, unsure if he recognizes the voice or not.
[JadedDM]: Kricket snorts and
stands up. "I'll be out looking
for supplies," he comments.
[Siara]: Siara stands before a
small mirror, attempting to perfect her appearance.
"First impressions are always essential," she comments to
herself as she adds a last touch to her hair.
She then proceeds to join the others in the common room.
[Jasmin]: "Have fun!"
Jasmin says cheerfully to Kricket before she turns back to Liam. "Well, we
aren't doing anything, so now would be the perfect time to try to draw something
other than a map."
[Eskar]: The duergar appears at
the source of the voice, and begins moving towards Aidan. Eskar's goggles are
down, he looks anything but happy. "Yes."
[JadedDM]: Kricket exits the
inn. Liam, meanwhile, shoots Jasmin
a quizzical look. "For what
reason?"
[Aidan]: "Eskar, where have
you been!" he looks as though he is about to get off his mule to greet the
dwarf, but continues riding onward.
[Jasmin]: "To keep me from
going insane." Jasmin smiles in a playful manner.
[Eskar]: Eskar moves alongside the
mounted mage. "Trouble. I am just being protecting us from traps."
[Siara]: Siara spots Nabal and
approaches him, with a tad more confidence than the evening before.
She smiles, brushing Nabal's shoulder.
"Thank you again for arranging this meeting with the Big Boss."
She pauses. "Where am I
supposed to meet with him?"
[Aidan]: "What sort of
trouble?" Aidan asks, glancing at Eskar before looking up to check on his
bat. "What 'us' are you
protecting? I left Daufer and his
group with a troll some hours ago."
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"What should I draw?"
[JadedDM]: Nabal:
"It's hard to miss. The
big building in the very back of town. That's
the Big Boss' home."
[Eskar]: Eskar gestures to the
direction he came from. "I am staying to the side of party, seeing a cloud
of dust looks like goblins. I am getting turned around and just seen you. Troll?
Why are you split up?"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks around the
common room curiously, a thoughtful look upon her face. "Well, there is
nothing really interesting in here. You could always try me I guess. I think I
can sit still long enough."
[Aidan]: Aidan hesitates before
answering. "Uh...I had a
disagreement with Daufer over how to handle the troll.
After our previous disagreement over...everything, he suggested that I
might as well leave, so I did."
[Siara]: Siara nods, her
expression pleasant. "Thank
you." As Siara makes her way
towards the exit she calls to Jasmin, "If the others look for me, let them
know I'll return this evening."
[Jasmin]: "I'll let them
know, Siara. Enjoy yourself," Jasmin calls out to her friend.
[Eskar]: Eskar gives a shrug.
"Not being such a bad idea. We should meet them up when we get a
chance."
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"Very well. I suppose it
would help pass the time." He
stands up. "I'll get some
parchment from my things."
[Siara]: Siara smiles to herself
at Jasmin's comment, stepping lightly out of the inn.
To any who are passing, Siara seems quite cheerful and fine with the
world. Her eyes are alert and
stature confident and inviting as she makes her way to the home of the Big Boss.
[Aidan]: Aidan shrugs along with
the dwarf. "Perhaps we will.
Do you know if Nikola is up this way?
I don't see any towns in the distance.
I think Gaheris said something about it being northward, nearer to the
mountains, but there they are, and there is no town."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin gives Liam a
small nod as she hops up to sit on the bar, her right leg crossed over her left.
She leans back upon her hands, as if trying to think of a pose. "Well he is
the artist. He can decide I guess," she says to herself.
[Eskar]: The duergar gives another
shrug. "If we are continuing we will see signs. Droppings of animals,
tracks, this kind of thing."
[JadedDM]: Siara approaches the
building that Nabal described. It's
nearly twice as big as any other structure in town, even having two stories.
It's very clean and well maintained, with a recent coat of paint.
A single, solitary hobgoblin guard stands at the door, appearing bored.
[JadedDM]: Amaris reports that a
small group of humanoids are following the two, moving stealthily.
They are coming up from the south.
[Aidan]: "Perhaps."
Aidan still looks slightly worried, but he turns forward, as if searching
the mountain base before them. "I
suppose there's always that cave we can rest in if it gets too late."
[JadedDM]: Liam returns shortly
with a couple of scrolls of parchment, a quill, and a vial of ink.
He sets these things down on one of the tables and has a seat.
[Jasmin]: "Do you want me to
stay where I am, or do you want me somewhere else?" Jasmin asks.
[Eskar]: Eskar shows a hint of
enthusiasm in his nod. "Yes, that is good."
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"Err...wherever you're comfortable, I suppose," he said,
opening the ink vial.
[Aidan]: Aidan looks upward to
Amaris for a moment and closes his eyes briefly.
Suddenly he turns to Eskar and whispers, "Amaris sees a group of
people following us from the south."
[Eskar]: Eskar turns looks up at
Aidan. "Daufer?"
[Aidan]: Aidan makes a face, and
then takes a moment to consider, looking up towards Amaris.
"Perhaps. I would rather
not see them, though."
[Siara]: Siara draws her hair back
behind her shoulders, and it falls loosely down her back.
As she approaches the manor, Siara smoothes out her dress and draws in a
deep breath. A few steps before the
hobgoblin, Siara bows ever so slightly, inclining her head.
Her voice is formal and soft. "I
have come to meet with the Big Boss." She
straightens. "My name is Siara
Jovian."
[Eskar]: Eskar nods. "Would
you be liking to hide for them to pass?"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin shrugs slightly.
"I'll just stay here then," she says. At this point she tries
to stay as still as possible so that Liam can get the pose down at least.
"Is Cardel still passed out up there?"
[JadedDM]: The hobgoblin guard
looks Siara up and down a moment, unable to help himself.
He finally nods. "Right,
Big Boss mentioned you were coming. This
way." He turned and opened the
door, then stepped aside to let her pass.
[Aidan]: "No," Aidan says
quickly. "I'd like to reach
Nikola before it's too late. If it's
not them and they attack us, then we'll have to run for the mountains."
[JadedDM]: Liam begins his
sketch. "Yes, although I
discovered one of the barmaids joined him when I went in for the paper and
ink."
[Eskar]: The duergar makes no
response save to grip the hilt of his blade.
[Jasmin]: "That really isn't
much of a surprise. Not many women can help themselves when it comes to
him."
[JadedDM]: As the sun begins to
dip under the mountains, Eskar and Aidan continue onward, the dwarf's stubby
legs slowing them down a bit. In the
distance, an inhuman scream is heard.
[JadedDM]: Liam glances up at
her for a moment before returning his gaze back to his work.
"No, I have yet to meet one that could."
[Eskar]: Eskar turns to Aidan.
"You are hearing that?"
[Siara]: Siara drew her shoulders
back, her hands folded together before her as she entered.
Her golden eyes drifted around the inside of the front hall, taking in as
much as she could.
[Jasmin]: "Even I
couldn't." Jasmin wrinkles her nose as she thinks back on it. "I don't
ever remember being the one seduced. If you want to call it that."
[Aidan]: Aidan looks towards the
sound, startled. Mentally, he sends
Amaris in the direction of its source, seeing what may have made it.
"I heard it, yes," he says to Eskar.
"Perhaps we should move a bit faster."
[Eskar]: "Night is not a good
time." Eskar wipes the sweat from his brow.
[JadedDM]: Siara finds the front
hall is immaculately clean and decorated with a number of paintings, small
statues, and other little works of art. The
hobgoblin guard follows her in and indicates a door on the right.
"Big Boss will meet you in there," he says.
"Don't touch anything," he adds with an afterthought.
[JadedDM]: Liam hesitates a
moment before resuming the drawing. He
says nothing, however.
[JadedDM]: Amaris reports 11
humanoids still following them, and quickly gaining ground.
[Aidan]: "No, it's not,"
Aidan agrees. He continues riding
for a moment, checking behind them every few moments, then looks at Eskar and
his legs. After a few moments of
uncomfortable silence, he says awkwardly, "Uh... would you like to ride my
mule? We might... uh... get to the
mountains faster...." After a
moment of looking towards Amaris, he quickly adds, "There are 11 things
following us. That is not Daufer."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin watches Liam
closely, as really that is about all she can do while trying to sit still.
"What? Why did you pause?"
[JadedDM]: Liam shakes his head.
"Nothing."
[Siara]: Siara's face remains
charming with a well-trained smile. "Of
course," she replies politely to the hobgoblin.
Standing outside the indicated door, Siara licks her lips to add a bit of
shine to them. Smiling gently, she
enters.
[Jasmin]: "Liar. That is all
right though. You don't have to tell me, I guess."
[Eskar]: Eskar doesn't look
insulted, simply nods. "Quickly. If the things are catching us it is
trouble." Eskar moves to switch places with Aidan.
[Aidan]: Aidan quickly gets off the
donkey and gestures to it for Eskar. Once
he is in place, he walks at a quicker pace, pulling the mule a little more
quickly.
[JadedDM]: Siara enters a study.
The shelves are lined with books and there is a large desk in the front
of the room. The desk is black and
well polished. Some papers sit on
the desk, facing away from Siara. Nobody
is sitting in the chair. A fireplace
is to the south, and burning...yet she feels no heat from it.
It's actually a bit cool inside.
[JadedDM]: Liam shakes his head
as he continues to draw.
[JadedDM]: Eskar and Aidan hear
another inhuman scream as they get nearer to the cave.
Looking back, they can start to make out the beings following them.
They move at full speed, not seeming to get tired or winded at all.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin chews on her
bottom lip lightly. "Out of all the women that seem to drool over the
Tainted Hands, how many have you actually been with?"
[Eskar]: Eskar looks at Aidan,
concerned. "Any magics?"
[JadedDM]: Liam pauses and looks
up at her. "What does it
matter?"
[Aidan]: Aidan curses at the
creatures in the name of Shadowbite and begins to move at a trot, pulling the
donkey into a similar pace. "Do
you think we can defend the cave?" he asks Eskar.
"I have a few spells, but they could still overtake us with their
numbers."
[Jasmin]: "I'm just curious,
Liam."
[Eskar]: "If we can be
cutting off their numbers I can probably be taking them." The duergar leans
into the trot, looking wholly out of place.
[Siara]: Siara steps into the
study, allowing the door to shut behind her.
Warm gold eyes move over the contents of the room, her smile fading as
she sees no one. The coolness,
despite the fire, causes the courtesan to shiver ever so slightly.
Her shoulders stiffen and her eyes continue to move about the room.
She does not move away from the door, her brow furrowing in mild
confusion. After a moment, she
forces herself to relax and clears her throat, her voice warm and feminine.
"Big Boss?"
[Aidan]: "If you can keep them
from me, then perhaps we can take them. As
long as nothing is in the cave, then we should be able to defend ourselves with
just the two of us, I think."
[JadedDM]: Liam continues
drawing for some time before finally answering.
"Aside from you, I have been with two other women in my life,"
he admits quietly.
[Eskar]: Eskar nods. "Maybe
they will chase the mule though."
[JadedDM]: Siara receives no
immediate answer. Evidently, Big
Boss is running a little late.
[Aidan]: "Perhaps, but we need
it to reach the cave. If we can
reach there before they catch us, then we can send it off."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin seems almost
surprised at the low number, but she doesn't laugh or anything along those
lines. If anything, she seems even more curious. "Did you like either of
them on a personal level, or were they just..." She trails off on the last
part.
[Siara]: Stepping smoothly away
from the door, Siara approaches the desk, glancing at the papers scattered
across. There is a glint of
impatience in her eyes, but the preoccupation with the papers seems to diminish
it.
[JadedDM]: Just as Eskar and
Aidan are approaching the massive cave, the creatures behind them start to catch
up with them. They run tirelessly,
their long claws eager for blood. A
stench of death blows upwind from their direction.
[JadedDM]: Siara looks over the
papers, which appear to be reports of the town's growth and development in the
last recent years. She is
interrupted when the same door she came in from opens suddenly.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"The first was just a courtesan father hired for me, when I reached
manhood," he said.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin nods slightly in
understand. "The second then?"
[Eskar]: Eskar dismounts as best
he can when he thinks he'll have time to get off and enlarge in time.
[JadedDM]: Liam: "She
was...of no consequence."
[Siara]: Siara's hand freezes
before she reaches to touch the papers, hearing the door open behind her.
Her face blanks for a second before she pivots to face the door, quickly
replacing her surprise with a look of welcome.
[Jasmin]: "Of no
consequence? So she was just some completely random girl?"
[Aidan]: Aidan continues running
with the mule towards the cave, turning as he gets to the cave's mouth to look
back and reaching into his component pouches with his free hand.
Mentally, he calls for Amaris to return to him.
[Eskar]: Eskar enlarges if he's
able to, trying to get to the cave.
[JadedDM]: Siara witnesses an
attractive, slender woman with short-cropped platinum hair and brown eyes enter.
Her age is difficult to pinpoint, but she does seem older than Siara.
She is wearing a black blouse, grey slacks and leather boots.
With a cool and in-control demeanor, she steps inside and approaches the
desk. "You must be Miss Jovian,
then?" she asks casually.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"It doesn't matter," he says.
[JadedDM]: The cave seems to
stretch quite a difference. The
eleven creatures hurry forward to attack.
[Jasmin]: "Well, if she
doesn't matter, I guess I didn't much matter either?"
[Aidan]: Aidan pulls a vial of
molasses from his pouches and begins to chant a spell.
[Eskar]: Eskar turns, with his
blade in hand. "Fight now."
[JadedDM]: Liam stops altogether
and looks up at her. "Evidently
not," he says bitterly.
[Aidan]: Aidan nods to the dwarf as
he continues chanting.
[JadedDM]:
(Josh and Keith, state actions.)
[Aidan]: Aidan continues his
incantation.
[Aidan]: [1d10] => [7] = (7)
[Siara]: Training takes over at
the entrance of the woman. Siara's
body bows in the customary gesture of greeting.
Despite the unexpectedness of the woman, Siara draws in a breath and
straightens to meet with woman's gaze. "Yes,
my Lady. I am Siara."
Her head tilts slightly as she takes the woman in fully, appreciating her
beauty, but her gaze betrays her confusion.
[Eskar]: Eskar attacks the first
thing that comes to him, and uses his buckler to boot.
[Eskar]: [1d10] => [2] = (2)
[Jasmin]: "Oh, now don't
take that bitter tone, Liam," Jasmin says, taking a moment to shake her
hand from the numbness it is starting to feel from just sitting there. "I'm
here now aren't I?"
[JadedDM]: Big Boss takes a seat
behind the desk. "Have a
seat," she says, indicating the chair in front of the desk.
"Can I get you anything? Something
to drink?"
[JadedDM]: Liam frowns, and
stands up. He hands her the
parchment. "I believe I'm done
with this."
[JadedDM]:
Eskar's turn.
[Eskar]: [1d20] => [6] = (6)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin takes the
parchment from him to look over the drawing. "Is there anything I can say
or even do to get you to forgive me?"
[Eskar]: Eskar's blade whistles
past the first creature without striking it.
[JadedDM]: The drawing is fairly
good, actually. A very nice
likeness. Liam shakes his head.
"Forgive you for what? It
makes no difference, remember?"
[JadedDM]:
Ghouls' turn.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks up from
the drawing to look Liam in the eyes. "I think it does though."
[Siara]: Siara obeys quietly, all
the while attempting to recollect her thoughts.
She slides into her chair, bringing one leg over the other.
"Water, if it's no trouble."
Her throat was suddenly drier than normal.
[JadedDM]: Five of the creatures
surround Eskar, clawing at the dwarf. But
he is able to keep them at bay with his shield and armor.
The remaining ones begin to charge toward Aidan and his mule.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"I somehow doubt it."
[JadedDM]: Big Boss taps on the
table, and suddenly a pitcher of water and an empty glass appears on the desk.
She pours the water into the glass and sets it before Siara.
She taps the desk again, and the pitcher vanishes.
[JadedDM]:
Aidan's turn.
[Aidan]: Aidan finishes his
incantation, pointing the hand with the vial of molasses at one of the six
creatures charging towards him.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin hands the
drawing back to Liam, yet she doesn't take her eyes from his. "A lot of
people have been doubting me recently, but it doesn't make what I say any less
true."
[Siara]: The glass appearing was
not at all what Siara had expected, and her lips parted in amazement, forgetting
in that moment to maintain composure. Woman
or not, Big Boss was not to be taken lightly.
Her eyes moved to meet the Big Boss's, questioningly.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"How can I possibly believe anything you say?
What reason do I have to trust you?"
[JadedDM]: Big Boss seems to not
notice Siara's puzzlement. Or if she
does, she intentionally ignores it. Making
herself comfortable, her brown eyes meet Siara's golden ones.
"So I understand you are a performer?
Quite a good one, or so Nabal says."
[JadedDM]: All six of the ghouls
heading toward Aidan start to fall behind, as if slowed down considerably.
[JadedDM]:
(State actions for Round 2.)
[Jasmin]: "You never had
much reason to trust me, Liam," Jasmin points out. "Yet you took a
chance. Despite what you might believe, I never lied to you," she says,
crossing her arms.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"So you weren't just using me to improve your own standing with the
Tainted Hands?"
[Aidan]: Aidan takes a few steps
backward as he pulls a fragment of plate mail from his component pouches,
beginning a new incantation.
[Eskar]: Eskar tries to move with
the pack of Ghouls towards the cave, and also takes a swing at one with his
sword.
[Eskar]: [1d10] => [4] = (4)
[Aidan]: [1d10] => [2] = (2)
[Siara]: Realizing the interview
has begun, Siara straightens, recovering a neutral expression.
"I like to think so." Her
tone is calm with an underlying confidence.
She takes the glass of water and sips at it.
"Nabal seemed to think that you'd be interested in hiring an
entertainer. Should they meet your
standards."
[Jasmin]: "Why would I do
that?" Jasmin asks. "I...I don't even think I would have thought of
that to be honest."
[JadedDM]: Siara finds the water
cool, clean and refreshing. Big Boss
nods. "I admit, I am a fan of
the arts, and that includes music. It
would take a rather extraordinary minstrel to convince me to hire her,
however." She tents her hands
and observes Siara's reaction.
[JadedDM]: Liam crosses his
arms. "Very well.
If what you say is true, then...then what do I mean to you?"
[JadedDM]:
Aidan's turn.
[Aidan]: Aidan gestures with the
plate mail fragment in a wide circle before him, finishing his incantation.
Once he is finished, the fragment dissolves in his hand.
[JadedDM]:
Ghouls' turn.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin opens her mouth
to answer the question, but she suddenly closes it as she thinks about his
question. She uncrosses her arms, and leans against a table. "You mean tell
you exactly what you mean to me, risking possible embarrassment and all?"
[Siara]: Siara half-grins, setting
down the glass, her throat no longer dry. "I
see." Sitting up straighter,
Siara relaxes her gaze, peering back at the woman.
"Shall I sing for you?" Her
voice holds a richness and a pride as she refers to her talent.
Her smile spreads, as if she expects she will not disappoint.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"It matters not then," he says, turning to walk away.
[JadedDM]: Big Boss:
"Please do."
[JadedDM]: Eskar fights off his
five ghouls, who manage to get in a few hits with their claws.
He feels numbness in his wounds, but the sensation quickly passes.
[JadedDM]: Aidan's magical armor
helps protect him some, but the ghouls still manage to surround him and start
attacking.
[Jasmin]: "Wait!" she
exclaims as she reaches out to take hold of Liam's arm before he can get too far
away.
[Aidan]: [1d20] => [14] = (14)
[Aidan]: [1d20] => [17] = (17)
[Aidan]: [1d20] => [3] = (3)
[JadedDM]: Liam pauses as she
grabs hold of him.
[Aidan]: Aidan opens his mouth to
shout as some of the zombies claw at him, but he goes rigid as the last one
passes through his invisible armor, stopping his shout before he can make a
sound.
[JadedDM]:
Eskar's turn.
[Jasmin]: "I..," she
hesitates. "I...care a great deal about you, and I'm not sure what to do
about it."
[Eskar]: [1d20] => [14] = (14)
[Eskar]: [2d4+3] => [3,4,3] =
(10)
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"And Gaheris?" he asks.
[Siara]: Siara nods, rising from
her chair. She stands and draws her
shoulders back to open her airways. The
song begins softly, Siara's voice just carrying far enough to reach the other
woman's ears. As the song continues,
her voice lifts and begins to fill the room, and yet does not overwhelm the
listener. Siara sings of two lovers
on their wedding day, raising her voice to their story.
How they had met. Fallen in
love. Their journey together.
The bard's face seems to ease and her eyes brighten throughout the song,
as if the music itself is filling her. The
ballad ends with a softer verse about the two lovers walking along, hand in
hand. At the completion of the song,
Siara quiets, remaining standing and watches carefully to see how her audience
reacts. Her chest moves slowly up
and down as she regains her breath from the singing.
[Eskar]: Eskar's blade comes up
and across, severing the ghoul in half.
[JadedDM]:
Eskar's turn.
[Eskar]: [1d20] => [13] = (13)
[Eskar]: [2d4+3] => [3,3,3] =
(9)
[Jasmin]: "I won't lie. I
care about him too, and I hate the very idea that I do," Jasmin admits
while finally letting go of his arm. "It is hard to care about someone that
doesn't exactly care much for you."
[Eskar]: With the same motion,
Eskar's gigantic broadsword now comes down and takes off another ghoul's
shoulder and head.
[Siara]:
(whispering): [1d20] => [20] = (20)
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"So what do you want from me?" he asks.
[JadedDM]: Big Boss listens
intently, but hides any emotional response from the song.
Instead she simply nods. "Where
did you learn to play?"
[JadedDM]:
(Actions for Round 3?)
[Eskar]: Eskar turns his blade to
the three remaining ghouls, slowly making his way towards Aidan.
[Jasmin]: "I suppose I want
a chance." Jasmin looks a little embarrassed at this point. "I think
you have been the only one that actually cares about what happens to me."
[Eskar]: [1d10] => [9] = (9)
[Aidan]: Aidan remains rigid where
he stands near the mule.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"A chance for what?" he asks, puzzled.
[JadedDM]:
Ghouls' turn.
[Siara]: Siara took a breath or
two more before responding. The bard
smiled sweetly at the question. "My
father." Her hand rested on the
back of the chair. "He taught
me to sing and play the harp." Her
hand drew a few stands away from her face, tucking them behind an ear.
"And how to dance."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin runs her fingers
through her hair slowly. "A chance for more than what I have from you
now?" Jasmin says questioningly. She looked as if she was getting ready to
fidget nervously, but she managed to stand still.
[JadedDM]: Big Boss:
"Ah, so you are not merely a one-trick pony then.
You sound like a one-woman show."
[JadedDM]: Liam shakes his head.
"I'm not certain I understand."
[JadedDM]: The three remaining
ghouls on Eskar continue fighting him as he turns to face them.
[Jasmin]: "I can't exactly
explain it better than that. I'm not certain how to."
[Siara]: Siara bowed her head
before reclaiming her seat. "Thank
you." Her words were genuine.
"My father taught me well. And
I've had need to hone my skills. A
woman must fight hard to care for herself."
She raised a brow at the other woman.
"As you might well understand."
[JadedDM]: Four of the ghouls on
Aidan break off to attack his more defenseless mule.
[JadedDM]: The remaining two
ghouls continue trying to bypass Aidan's armor.
One manages to scratch him.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"And Father? And Cardel?"
he asks, uncertain.
[Aidan]: (...doh.
can i have it run, or should you have it run on its own...?
morale check?)
[JadedDM]: Big Boss:
"All to well, my dear. All
to well."
[JadedDM]:
(Roll 2d10 for a morale check.)
[Jasmin]: "What about
them?"
[Aidan]: [2d10] => [9,6] = (15)
[JadedDM]:
(Yeah, the mule panics.)
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"I know you have been with them both, and you even said no woman can
resist Cardel."
[Aidan]: The bleeding mule makes a
panicked sound and turns away from the creatures, bolting towards the other end
of the cave.
[JadedDM]:
Eskar's turn.
[Eskar]: [1d20] => [2] = (2)
[Eskar]: Eskar misses the ghoul as
it lunges at him, the blade harmlessly passing through air.
[JadedDM]:
(Aidan's paralyzation wears off. Actions
for Round 4?)
[Jasmin]: "I don't think I'm
going to be with your father again. The same goes for Cardel."
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"You don't think?" he asks, skeptically.
[Aidan]: Aidan mutters a spell and
gestures at the nearest ghoul.
[Aidan]: [1d10] => [10] = (10)
[Eskar]: Eskar moves for the two
ghouls attacking Aidan.
[Eskar]: [1d10] => [1] = (1)
[JadedDM]:
Eskar's turn.
[Siara]: Siara leans back against
her seat, resting her hands in her lap. "I
believe it, what with how you've been able to turn this town around in such a
short amount of time."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin sighs softly.
"I'm certain on Cardel," she says. "I'm relatively sure on your
father as well especially after this little venture we are on."
[JadedDM]: Big Boss:
"So, you have heard about that, did you?
I feel at a disadvantage, though. Tell
me, Miss Jovian...why are you here? Surely
a talented woman such as yourself can find work in a bigger city, like Voxis?"
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"I need some time to think."
[Eskar]: [1d20] => [6] = (6)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin sits down in a
chair and gives a nod to Liam. "I figured as much."
[Eskar]: [2d4+3] => [4,1,3] =
(8)
[Eskar]: The sword continues into
the next ghoul attacking Aidan, flinging its now quite dead body some distance.
[JadedDM]:
Aidan's turn.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"I've never really been in a situation like this before," he
confesses.
[Siara]: "Nabal speaks kindly
of you." She shrugs, her gaze
lingering on the woman's beautiful face. "I
am here on a competition with the Tainted Hands.
The prize for victory is quite enticing," she explains.
"I only hope to do well for myself.
But when Nabal spoke of the possibility that I could serve someone with a
true appreciation for the arts, I found myself unable to resist."
Siara smiles wryly as she continues.
"Voxis has little appreciation for beauty."
[Aidan]: Aidan completes his
incantation, four missiles firing from his fingertips towards the two nearest
ghouls.
[Aidan]: [2d4+2] => [3,4,2] =
(9)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks up to him.
"What is the situation exactly?" Even she seems confused about it.
[Aidan]: [2d4+2] => [2,1,2] =
(5)
[JadedDM]: Big Boss:
"And what is this prize, if I may inquire?"
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"That's what I was trying to figure out."
He scratches at the back of his head.
[Aidan]: One of the ghouls striking
Aidan falls to the ground, even further dead, as it is struck by two of the
missiles. Two more missiles strike
one of the ghouls attacking his mule, and it, too, falls dead to the ground.
[JadedDM]:
Ghouls' turn.
[JadedDM]: The three ghouls
Eskar turned away from go straight for his backside.
Two of them managed to grab a hold of the dwarf and bite at his exposed
flesh.
[Siara]: "No offense, my
Lady, but I do not wish to influence your decision about me with such
details." Siara reaches for the
glass of water, sipping from it. "The
prize is merely of personal interest to me."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin lets out a
laugh. "Well, whatever the situation is, I'm sure I have never dealt with
it before myself."
[JadedDM]: The remaining three
ghouls chase after Aidan's mule, tearing into it.
It bleats in pain as it's torn to shreds and the creatures begin to feed
on it, ignoring the dwarf and human entirely now.
[JadedDM]: Big Boss:
"Fair enough," she says with a subtle smile.
"So I assume you wish to complete this 'competition' before anything
else?"
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"Nor I."
[JadedDM]:
Eskar's turn.
[Eskar]: [1d20] => [16] = (16)
[Jasmin]: "If you aren't
sure what the situation is, what exactly do you have to think about?"
[Eskar]: [2d4+3] => [2,1,3] =
(6)
[Eskar]: Eskar turns to face the
ghouls attacking him, skewering it with his sword then tossing it aside.
[Eskar]: "This was trouble.
Good job, Aidan."
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"I want to try and puzzle it all out."
[Siara]: "That really depends
on you, my Lady."
[JadedDM]: Two ghouls continue
to attack Eskar. The remaining three
feed on the mule. Actions for Round
5?
[JadedDM]: Big Boss:
"Oh? You would give-up
employment with the legendary Tainted Hands to work for me?"
[Eskar]: Eskar tries to kill the
two attacking him.
[Eskar]: [1d10] => [5] = (5)
[Aidan]: Aidan pulls a throwing
knife from his bandolier and aims at one of the ghouls attacking Eskar.
[Aidan]: [1d10] => [3] = (3)
[JadedDM]:
Aidan's turn.
[Jasmin]: After a few moments of
silence, Jasmin pushes herself up from her chair only so that she can wrap her
arms around Liam. "Maybe this will help."
[Aidan]: [1d20] => [3] = (3)
[Aidan]: Aidan throws the knife at
the ghoul he has the clearest shot at, but throws it too short of the target.
[Siara]: "The way I see it,
my skills are best suited to the arts. And
as far as the Tainted Hands are concerned," her voice was edged with
distaste, "I do not believe they are really all that legendary."
[JadedDM]: Liam, puzzled, places
his own arms around her.
[JadedDM]: Big Boss smirks.
"Oh-ho! I would advise
you not to say such things in the public domain.
They are considered great heroes among the locals."
[JadedDM]:
Ghouls' turn.
[JadedDM]: The two ghouls on
Eskar continue to scratch and claw at him. The
other three remain eating Aidan's mule.
[JadedDM]:
Eskar's turn.
[Eskar]: [1d20] => [2] = (2)
[Eskar]: Eskar's sword comically
misses another ghoul due to his overconfidence.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin lets him go
after a few seconds. "By the
way, the drawing was pretty good. If you ever do decide to start traveling, I
might have to tag along."
[JadedDM]:
Aidan's turn.
[Siara]: "So I've
heard." Siara returns the Big
Boss's smirk with a half-grin of her own. "And
I would sing songs of their glory, if you desired, my Lady."
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"What? Just you and me?
Traveling the world?"
[JadedDM]: Big Boss:
"Hmm, but wouldn't you miss the lifestyle of a slayer?"
[Aidan]: Aidan pulls out another
throwing knife and aims again.
[Aidan]: [1d20] => [3] = (3)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin raises an
eyebrow curiously. "What? Is there something wrong with that idea?"
she asks playfully. "I think it would be fun."
[Aidan]: Aidan misses, the knife
falling far too short again.
[JadedDM]: Liam chuckles.
"Perhaps so. But I doubt
either of us can walk away from the Tainted Hands so easily."
[JadedDM]:
(Actions for Round 6?)
[Eskar]: Eskar continues to attack
the ghouls. "I am thinking we are lucky to walk away from this."
[Eskar]: [1d10] => [2] = (2)
[Aidan]: Aidan tries his throwing
daggers again.
[Aidan]: [1d10] => [5] = (5)
[Aidan]: "Lucky, or far more
talented than Daufer and his lackeys."
[Jasmin]: "How would they
stop us from just leaving?" Jasmin asks curiously. "I realize they are
your family, but they aren't mine."
[JadedDM]:
Ghouls' turn.
[JadedDM]: The two ghouls do not
relent on their attack of Eskar. He
receives another scratch. The slowed
ghouls continue to (slowly, of course) eat Aidan's mule.
[Siara]: Siara chuckles at that.
"It was never the lifestyle of a slayer that I craved.
My father was a treasure-hunter in his youth and into his later years.
I share his love of treasure." Her
glass made a soft sound as she set it down on the desk.
"But I must tell you, Boss, there is less and less treasure to be
had. I am beginning to think it
would do me better to accumulate treasure with the gifts my father gave
me."
[JadedDM]: Liam suddenly turns
serious. "It's one thing to
joke about, but...it's not as easy as you make it sound," he says, shaking
his head.
[Jasmin]: "Why?"
[JadedDM]: Big Boss seems to
think this over silently. "Very
well, Miss Jovian. Perhaps I could
use you here. Power is difficult to
obtain in Nikola, and even harder to maintain.
Having someone sing my praises to the people could help in solidifying my
rule here."
[JadedDM]:
Eskar's turn.
[Eskar]: [1d20] => [17] = (17)
[Eskar]: [2d4+3] => [2,3,3] =
(8)
[Eskar]: Eskar cuts the legs out
from one of the ghouls, taking its mobility and unlife.
[JadedDM]:
Aidan's turn.
[Aidan]: [1d20] => [12] = (12)
[Aidan]: Aidan hits the remaining
ghoul attacking Eskar with a throwing knife, lodging the dagger in one of the
creature's thighs.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"Father simply would not stand for it."
[JadedDM]:
Eskar's turn.
[Eskar]: [1d20] => [3] = (3)
[Jasmin]: Jasmin places her hands
on her hips. "And just what would he do about it?"
[JadedDM]: Liam scowls at her.
"How about put a bounty on our heads!"
[Eskar]: Eskar has a coughing
attack in the middle of his swing and misses.
[JadedDM]:
Aidan's turn.
[Jasmin]: "...He would do
that simply for leaving the Tainted Hands?"
[Aidan]: Aidan pulls another dagger
and throws it at the same ghoul.
[Aidan]: [1d20] => [4] = (4)
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"You don't know him like I do. You
don't know what he's capable of..."
[Aidan]: The dagger flies too far,
going past the ghoul.
[Jasmin]: "Maybe you should
tell me what he is capable of then," Jasmin says. Obviously, she isn't much
liking the sound of any of this.
[Siara]: "I would be honored
to sing for you." She smiles at
the other woman kindly after a moment. "May
I inquire as to payment?" she
asks politely.
[JadedDM]: As the last ghoul
continues to attack Eskar, the other three (still slowed) begin to stand up,
having finished their meal. Actions
for Round 7?
[Aidan]: Aidan watches the other
three ghouls rise and begins to cast a spell.
[JadedDM]: Liam shakes his head.
"Look...forget it. Even
if we wanted to leave, we still have this Abelard thing to deal with."
[JadedDM]: Big Boss leans back
in her chair. "Do you have an
asking price?"
[Eskar]: Eskar turns to engage the
three ghouls, nodding to Aidan. "Get the last one, my friend."
[Eskar]: [1d10] => [1] = (1)
[Aidan]: [1d10] => [7] = (7)
[JadedDM]:
Eskar's turn.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin shakes her head
slowly. "I'm not going to give up on the Ruins. I need to help my brother,
but I would still like to know what your father is capable of. At least then
I'll be prepared...just in case something happens."
[Eskar]: [1d20] => [8] = (8)
[Aidan]: Aidan looks at the dwarf
questioningly, though he doesn't interrupt his incantation to ask.
[Eskar]: [2d4+3] => [4,1,3] =
(8)
[Eskar]: Eskar's sword ends one of
the ghouls before it even turns around.
[JadedDM]:
Aidan's turn.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"Let me put it this way...when Gaheris suspected you were helping
us, what did he do?"
[Aidan]: [1d4+1] => [2,1] = (3)
[Aidan]: [1d4+1] => [3,1] = (4)
[Aidan]: [2d4+2] => [3,4,2] =
(9)
[Jasmin]: "He yelled at
me."
[JadedDM]: Liam shakes his head.
"Father would have slipped something into your drink.
You would have never woken up the next day," he says grimly,
crossing his arms.
[Aidan]: Aidan completes his
incantation, gesturing at the three remaining ghouls.
Four magical bolts of energy fire from the tips of his fingers, killing
the last ghoul that was attacking Eskar, and wounding the two slowed ghouls.
[JadedDM]:
Ghouls' turn.
[Eskar]: Eskar takes a moment to
give an approving nod to Aidan.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin's eyes widen in
surprise. "So...if I decide that me being with the Tainted Hands isn't
going to work out, he will try to kill me?"
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"The only way I could see us getting out is if the Shadow Bats were
eliminated or we found suitable replacements."
[JadedDM]: The last two ghouls
launch themselves, very slowly, at Eskar. Even
the stout dwarf is able to easily evade their blows.
[JadedDM]:
(Actions for Round 8?)
[Eskar]: Eskar continues the
attack.
[Eskar]: [1d10] => [10] = (10)
[Aidan]: [1d10] => [10] = (10)
[Jasmin]: "But..." she
starts to say, but stops herself. Instead, she merely frowns. "I don't like
this."
[Aidan]: Aidan readies another
throwing dagger.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"Now you know my own dilemma."
[JadedDM]:
Ghouls' turn.
[Siara]: Siara is silent for a few
moments as she considers this, her eyes gazing into space.
"8 gold a day." Her
eyes met Big Boss's and held them. "With
the assumption that that comes with your protection within Nikola."
[JadedDM]: Again, the two slowed
ghouls are unable to strike the well-armored dwarf.
[JadedDM]:
Aidan's turn.
[Aidan]: [1d20] => [15] = (15)
[Jasmin]: "He can't restrict
someone's freedom like that though! We aren't here just to do his bidding."
[Aidan]: [1d3] => [1] = (1)
[JadedDM]: Big Boss' eyes light
up with amusement. "Eight gold
a day? That is a hard bargain.
How about 7 gold, plus I will cover your room and board."
[Siara]: "And the
protection?"
[JadedDM]: Big Boss nods.
"Very well."
[Aidan]: Aidan's dagger strikes one
of the oncoming ghouls, but merely makes a gash along the creature's side.
[JadedDM]:
Eskar's turn.
[Eskar]: [1d20] => [18] = (18)
[Eskar]: [2d4+3] => [4,2,3] =
(9)
[Eskar]: The duergar does away
with the second to last ghoul. "One left. Thank Renos."
[Siara]: "Excellent, my
Lady." Siara beams, bowing her
head in gratitude. "Then you
have my services." Her
golden-brown eyes hold respect for the other woman.
"Shall I continue to address you as Big Boss?"
[JadedDM]:
Aidan's turn.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"There's nothing we can do about it," he says, resigned.
"He cannot be reasoned with."
[JadedDM]: Big Boss:
"In public. But in
private, you may call me Elle."
[Aidan]: [1d20] => [4] = (4)
[Aidan]: Aidan tosses another
dagger, but it falls short yet again.
[JadedDM]:
Eskar's turn.
[Eskar]: [1d20] => [14] = (14)
[Eskar]: [2d4+3] => [1,3,3] =
(7)
[Jasmin]: "At least with the
Shadow Bats, I had the freedom to do what I wanted," she says with an
almost dejected sigh.
[Eskar]: The duergar's broadsword
ends the pair's trial. Eskar falls onto his knees and shrinks back to normal
size. "We are strong."
[Siara]: "As you wish.
When would you have me begin? And
where shall I bring my belongings?"
[Aidan]: Aidan hunches over, taking
a few breaths after being exhausted from the run and the battle.
Once he takes a few moments to collect what throwing knives he can, he
walks over to the remains of his mule, checking if anything remains of his
saddlebags or their contents.
[Eskar]: Eskar lets out a sigh and
gets back to his feet. He goes to clean his blade but realizes no gore clings to
the blackened blade. "We should be hurrying."
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"To be honest, I had hoped I could leave once you and Siara agreed
to join. But this Abelard thing only
made it worse. Father is determined
to beat the Shadow Bats above all else and become nobles."
[JadedDM]: Elle:
"You can begin tomorrow. As
for your things, I can have a room arranged for you in a few hours.
By tonight, at the longest."
[JadedDM]: Aidan finds his
saddlebags and their contents are relatively untouched.
The ghouls were only interested in the mule's meat.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin rolls her eyes.
"Gaheris is the same way when it comes to the Tainted Hands. They are both
determined to beat each other, and I'm not even sure I understand it."
[Siara]: "Thank you.
Do you require anything else from me tonight?"
[JadedDM]: Elle stands up.
"Not at the moment. But
I look forward to working with you."
[Aidan]: Aidan adds the rations and
water to his backpack, then looks at the remains of the beast.
"I feel almost guilty for bringing it out this far," he says to
no one in particular. After a
moment, he turns to Eskar. "Where
should we be hurrying to? I still
haven't seen this Nikola, and we likely won't get far while the undead are
out."
[Eskar]: Eskar takes a moment to
consider what Aidan said, then slowly nods. "You are being right." The
duergar scans the horizon for anything out of the ordinary. "What should we
do?"
[Siara]: "Your pleasure is my
pleasure." Siara stands as
well. She begins to turn to leave,
but hesitates, glancing back at Elle. "One
more thing. Nabal speaks very highly
of you. Is there anything other than
friendship between you?" She
seems to be asking for her own interest, and asks carefully.
[JadedDM]: Elle smiles slightly.
"Nabal is a good boy, and he is very useful to me in the information
he sends my way. After all, every
traveler and merchant stops by his inn. But
our relationship is professional, nothing more."
[Aidan]: "Perhaps we'll have
to set up camp in this cave. The
smell might be overwhelming, but I don't see much more of an option."
Aidan begins to walk farther into the cave.
[Siara]: Siara merely smiles and
nods, bowing once more out of respect before leaving the room.
She smiles and winks at the hobgoblin guards as she leaves Elle's home to
make her way back to the inn.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"If only there was some way around this."
[Eskar]: Eskar follows Aidan,
sword still in hand.
[JadedDM]: The intrepid pair
find the tunnel stretches much further than they thought.
However, as they descend further into it, the darkness begins to grow.
Eskar has no difficultly seeing, but Aidan does.
[Jasmin]: "I don't think
there is a way around it right now," Jasmin says after some thought.
"Though, maybe after the ruins."
[JadedDM]: Siara returns to the
inn a few moments later, to find Jasmin and Liam still there, talking to each
other.
[Aidan]: Aidan reaches to grab a
hold of Eskar, and then closes his eyes to concentrate, seeing through his
familiar's eyes.
[Eskar]: Eskar removes his goggles
and takes the lead. He relays the surroundings verbally. "It is feeling
like home again." Eskar feels the side of the cavern with his free hand.
[Siara]: Siara enters the inn,
making her way first to the bar, scanning the room for the barkeep, her eyes
dwelling on Jasmin and Liam for a moment or two.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"Perhaps, assuming we survive that death trap."
[JadedDM]: Eskar and Aidan walk
the twisting path of the cavern until they come to a large, wooden gate
reinforced with steel. Two guards,
both hobgoblin, stand guard before it. Eskar
immediately notices one of the clasps on the gate is damaged.
The guards, each carrying a spear, tense at the sight of the two
intruders. "Hold, and state
your purpose!" one says.
[JadedDM]: Nabal is behind the
bar, having been idly wiping down the same spot on the counter for the past
twenty minutes.
[Jasmin]: "There has to be a
way to survive it." Jasmin
looks quite serious at this point. "I know your father would leave me
behind if I was too badly hurt, but would you?"
[Eskar]: Eskar remains silent, but
lowers his blade as a sign of good faith.
[Siara]: "Nabal, I need your
best drink. Two actually."
Siara grins leaning in forward to speak with Nabal.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"What do you mean?" he asks.
[JadedDM]: Nabal:
"Two hellwines, coming up," he says, preparing the drinks.
[Jasmin]: "Would you leave
me behind?"
[Aidan]: Aidan looks carefully at
the gate, and the two guards, and then says slowly, "We were attacked by
ghouls. We were seeking shelter for
the night."
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"No, not if I had a choice."
[JadedDM]: Guard:
"Ghouls? Did they follow
you here?" he asks, tensing further.
[Siara]: "One's for you,
Nabal. We're celebrating."
She leans a bit closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially.
"Don't say anything to anyone yet....but my meeting with the Big
Boss went exceptionally well." She
grins playfully.
[Aidan]: "No," Aidan says
firmly. "We killed all 11 of
them, though they caught my mule."
[Jasmin]: "That gives me a
little comfort," she says before she kisses his cheek. As she kisses Liam,
she takes note of Siara at the bar.
[Eskar]: Eskar nods grimly at his
partner's comment.
[JadedDM]: Nabal grins boyishly.
"Ah, I knew it would! Cheers
then!" he says, raising his glass.
[JadedDM]: The guards look to
each other. "You killed them
all? Just the two of you?"
[Aidan]: "Yes," Aidan
says as if it were no large task. "Is
that a problem?"
[Eskar]: The duergar sheathes his
sword meaningfully, to accentuate Aidan's statement.
[JadedDM]: The two guards look
incredulous. "Must be
slayers," one comments. The
other nods and bangs his fist on the gate. "Open
up! Travelers seeking refuge!"
A loud clanking sound is heard as the gate slowly opens.
[Siara]: She raises her own class,
clinking it gently against Nabal's. "To
Nikola." Siara downs the glass
of hellswine, grimacing as it burned its way down her throat.
"Ha!" She gestures
for two more.
[JadedDM]: Nabal downs his own
glass, and then immediately proceeds to bang his hand on the bar a few times.
"Whoo...I forgot what a kick that drink has."
He refills both glasses.
[Aidan]: Aidan nods to the guards.
"So this is Nikola?" he asks.
"Where is the nearest inn?"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks oddly
confused at Siara's actions. "I'm going to let you go do that
thinking," Jasmin says to Liam before she moves to the bar. "Things
went well then?"
[Eskar]: "We are the Shadow
Bats. The rest are coming here too." Eskar looks through the gate, and
takes a few steps in.
[Aidan]: "Unless they've been
eaten by a troll," Aidan mutters under his breath.
[JadedDM]: Guard:
"Aye, it is. First
building on your right. You can't
miss it," he says as the two walk past.
Although night has now fallen, the town is partially illuminated with a
number of street lamps. The small
town is nowhere near as big as Voxis' slum sector, and appears to be nestled in
a valley, completely protected from attack.
[Aidan]: Aidan takes a quick glance
about the town, and then heads towards the inn's door.
"I think I need a seat after that battle.
And after walking through the desert.
And losing my mule." Aidan
looks progressively more exhausted after each statement.
[Siara]: "Very well."
She grins at Jasmin like an old friend.
Her voice is a tinge raspy from the alcohol burning her throat.
She clinks her glass against Nabal's once more.
"To sweet, sweet Destiny."
A moment later, she's finished the second glass.
It burned less but her eyes watered slightly.
"Jasmin. Would you care
for a drink?"
[Eskar]: "Is there temple for
healing?" Eskar slowly follows Aidan while waiting for an answer.
[Jasmin]: "No, no drink for
me." Unlike her friend, she doesn't seem to be as in high of spirits.
"Sweet, sweet destiny? What exactly happened?"
[JadedDM]: Nabal downs his own
drink again, just as the door swings open and two strangers enter.
One, a duergar wearing rather ominous looking black armor, and the other,
a battered young man dressed as a simple traveler.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin's attention
turns from Siara to glance at the newcomers. "Aidan and Eskar?!"
Jasmin says in surprise, her eyes widening a bit as she looks upon the two.
[JadedDM]: The pair are covered
in fresh scratches and cuts and look exhausted.
Liam takes a step back, as if unsure how they'll react.
[Aidan]: Aidan moves to take a
seat, but stops, realizing he's being stared at.
He looks up towards the bar. "Jasmin?
Siara?!"
[Eskar]: Eskar stares at the
opposition with pure black eyes and moves for an isolated seat at the bar.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"By the gods," he mumbles at seeing Eskar's unearthly
appearance.
[Siara]: Siara laughs, her skin
warming and face flushing. She
begins to answer Jasmin when her attention is redirected.
Her face falls, the color still remaining in her face.
"Uh....Eskar....I thought....where did you come from?"
Her eyes narrow a bit as she looks to Aidan.
"Aidan, are the others with you?"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin eyes Eskar.
"The Nightmaster said he made a deal with the dwarf."
[Siara]: Siara's eyes slid to
Jasmin, as if she was surprised by what she said.
[Aidan]: Aidan looks around,
finally noticing Liam, but instead moves closer to the bar and the other three.
"No, I left them to figure out how to out-think a troll.
How are you here, Siara? I
thought they left you in Voxis."
[Siara]: Siara raises a brow
indignantly. "What do you mean?
You don't know?" Her
voice was a bit incredulous. "You
just figured you left me in Voxis?"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin turns her
attention back to Aidan and Siara. "They obviously didn't seem to care too
much that they left you behind," Jasmin points out with a small smirk.
[Siara]: Siara glanced at Jasmin
with darkened eyes, the shadow of a snarl in her smile.
"Amused?"
[Jasmin]: "No, it just
proves my point that the Shadow Bats don't really care."
[Aidan]: Aidan looks incensed at
Jasmin's words. "Daufer doesn't
care about any of us. The others are
just foolishly following him." Aidan
turns back to Siara. "Why are
you here, Siara? What, did you join
the Tainted Hands, too?"
[Jasmin]: "Gaheris has
allowed Daufer to take control?"
[Siara]: Siara sighed at both
Jasmin's comment and Aidan's accusation. She
looks sympathetically to Nabal. "One
more, love?" Back to Aidan.
"Such venom, little mage. What
would it matter to you?"
[JadedDM]: Nabal pours Siara
another drink, listening to all of this with intense interest.
He does not pour himself any more drinks.
[Aidan]: "Gaheris is a drunken
idiot," Aidan says offhandedly. "It
would matter to me because I was under the impression that this was all Daufer's
fault."
[JadedDM]: Seemingly
uninterested in this confrontation, Eskar takes a seat and orders a mug of ale
from one of the barmaids.
[Jasmin]: "A drunken idiot?
He has taken up drinking, has he?"
[Siara]: "He didn't drink
with you?" Siara inquires
curiously.
[Aidan]: "I thought he'd just
driven everyone away by not caring for the rest of the group, and left you
behind. If you went off on your
own...." Aidan shakes his head,
taking a seat at the bar. "He
had been drinking the night before the Shadow Bats left Voxis."
[Siara]: "What would you have
done if you had been left behind, Aidan?"
Siara scoffed, playing up Aidan's take on the story.
She sips at her third drink, attempting to maintain a buzz.
Her surprise at Eskar's and Aidan's appearance burning away at some of
the alcohol's effects.
[Jasmin]: "He usually didn't
drink while I was with the Shadow Bats," Jasmin says in answer to Siara.
[Aidan]: Aidan pulls his waterskin
from his backpack to take a drink. "I'm
not sure we did leave you behind. You
were not there at the gate when we were supposed to meet."
Aidan takes a glance at Eskar. "And
I believe I heard the Tainted Hands were not to be seen the night before we
left. Who left who in Voxis?"
[JadedDM]: Liam and Nabal remain
silent, soaking this all in. Eskar
receives his drink, pays for it, and starts to drink it down hastily.
[Siara]: "Hmm."
Siara half-grins back at the mage. "I
suppose the story looks different from each angle."
Her gaze lingers on Eskar curiously before turning back to Aidan.
"Can I buy you a drink?"
[Aidan]: Aidan narrows his eyes at
her and the barkeep. "I'm fine
with my waterskin, thanks."
[Siara]: "Suit
yourself." A shrug.
[Jasmin]: "I'm curious on
how none of you noticed that Siara stayed back with me and the Tainted Hands at
the Viscount's home."
[Aidan]: "I had assumed she
was trying to change your mind. Daufer
and his lackeys were busy trying to figure out how to deal with those pyrolisks."
[Siara]: "Hmm."
At this point, Siara notices the intensity with which Liam and Nabal are
watching. "How terribly rude of
me. Nabal, this is a friend of ours
from Voxis. Aidan."
A pause. "Aidan, Nabal." Siara
grins as she looks to Liam. "Liam,
you remember Aidan, right?"
[JadedDM]: Liam crosses his
arms. "I'm surprised you made
it this far in one piece. I assume
your companions were not so lucky?"
[Aidan]: Aidan looks at the two men, nodding towards Nabal and simply looking at Liam. "Eskar and I handled some ghouls. The others were busy with a troll the last I saw them."
[JadedDM]: Nabal:
"Ghouls? Impressive!
I heard even the slightest cut can paralyze a man, leaving him
helpless."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin moves closer to
Liam to lean against him a bit, yet she says nothing at this point. She simply
listens.
[Aidan]: "Yes...That
happened." Aidan looks slightly
awkward at somewhat recounting the story. "We
finished them, but they took my mule."
[Jasmin]: "So why exactly
did you spilt from the Shadow Bats?" Jasmin finally asks.
[Siara]: "Indeed.
Impressive." Her voice
is flatter than usual. "Yeah,
you didn't leave them behind like you did with me, did you?"
[Aidan]: Aidan is silent for a few
moments, looking between the two women, and Liam, then says, "Daufer and I
had a...large disagreement. Daufer
suggested that I should leave, so I did."
[Jasmin]: "Disagreement
about what?"
[Aidan]: "Over the troll.
I said we should avoid it, and Daufer suggested we lure it out of our
path somehow." Aidan looks at
his waterskin. "Not to mention
that I have no real desire to go off fighting pyrolisks," he says under his
breath before taking a swig of water.
[Jasmin]: "The pyrolisks was
something that Gaheris agreed to, not Daufer," Jasmin points out. "So
really, the disagreement was with the both of them," Jasmin looks up to
Liam. "And people wonder why I left."
[Aidan]: "The Shadow Bats are
a mess," Aidan says quietly, looking to Eskar.
[Siara]: "Tough luck."
Siara eyes Aidan's waterskin as well.
"You sure you don't want a drink?"
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"Really?" he asks, interested.
"Could this be the end of the group then?"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks to Liam
for a few moments before turning her attention back to Aidan.
[Aidan]: Aidan glances at Siara,
and then puts his waterskin away. "Fine,
I suppose." He looks towards
Liam and says, "I'm sure they'll endure through their stupidity."
[Siara]: Siara pulls out a few
coins and lays them on the counter. "Nabal,
would you give Aidan a hellwine?"
[Jasmin]: "I wonder what
Kricket would think of this."
[JadedDM]: Nabal protests.
"Your money is no good here, Miss Jovian.
Especially if your meeting with Big Boss went as well as you say."
He pours Aidan a shot of hellwine.
[JadedDM]: Liam looks to Jasmin.
"If the Shadow Bats are no more...the competition is over.
The Tainted Hands win by default."
[Jasmin]: "I still need to
go to the ruins though," Jasmin says almost sadly. "My
brother..."
[Aidan]: Aidan examines the shot.
"Excellent," he says. "So
much for pyrolisks." He sips at
the drink, rather than taking the shot all at once.
[Siara]: Siara caresses Nabal's
face with her fingertips. "Too
charming." Siara's eyes drift
to Aidan and linger there. "That's
not how you drink that, Aidan."
[Aidan]: Aidan makes a face and
massages his throat with his other hand after the first sip.
"That's...strong." Aidan
rolls his eyes at Siara, setting the rest of his drink on the bar, saving it.
"You have a brother, Jasmin?"
[Jasmin]: "Older brother,
and he is actually here. He lost his arm, and well...I just need to go to the
ruins."
[Siara]: "About that, Jasmin.
You and I need to talk before you leave for the ruins."
[Jasmin]: "Before I leave
for the ruins?" Jasmin raises an eyebrow. "You make it sound as if I'm
going by myself."
[Aidan]: "He...what?"
Aidan looks confused. "That
is a lot of information. Has he
always been here?"
[Siara]: "Of course not.
But I still need to talk to you. I'm
not entirely comfortable with everything that happened last night."
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"Brother? The man you
were talking to here at the bar last night?"
[Aidan]: "How long have you
two been here?" Aidan asks, looking between Jasmin and Siara.
[Jasmin]: "Later on tonight,
Siara," Jasmin says with a smile before turning to Aidan and Liam.
"Yes, the man I was speaking to last night was my brother," she says
in answer to Liam before answering Aidan. "He hasn't always been here. He
joined the war effort when I was younger."
[Aidan]: "Should...should I
have known that you had a brother? All
this information seems rather overwhelming."
[Jasmin]: "Actually, you
never asked Aidan. No one really has."
[Aidan]: "I keep my personal
life private. I assume others wanted
the same." Aidan takes another
sip at his shot.
[Jasmin]: "Actually, the
only person that really knows anything about me is Gaheris," Jasmin points
out. "The rest of you don't really know anything. Well, Siara now knows I
was once a slave and that I have a brother."
[Aidan]: "...You were once a
slave?"
[Siara]: Siara snickers, glancing
toward her empty glass, knowing she shouldn't ask for another one.
[Jasmin]: "My mother sold me
into slavery when I was eight to pay off her debts."
[Aidan]: Aidan opens his mouth to
respond, then closes it awkwardly. "Oh,"
he says finally. He takes a final
sip at his shot.
[Eskar]: Eskar moves from his
table to over to the group, seemingly having listened for long enough. He stands
by Aidan.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks between
all of them. "Anything else you wish to know?" Jasmin asks curiously.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"I have a question. Assuming
your companions are dead, what will you do now?" he asks Aidan.
[Aidan]: Aidan looks at Liam,
considering for a few moments before answering.
"I suppose I'm not sure. I've
just been walking through the desert and fighting 11 ghouls, so I haven't
thought much about what's next. Why
do you want to know?" Aidan
looks suspiciously at Liam as he asks that last question.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin's lips twitch a
bit as she tries to hold back a smile.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"I suppose I'm just wondering if there will be any kind of
confrontation between our two groups or not."
[Aidan]: Aidan holds out his arms
as if inviting Liam to attack. "Yes,
Liam, I have every intention of killing all of you now that I've wandered in
from the desert."
[Eskar]: Eskar looks at Liam, with
a scowl. "I am hoping not. It would be trouble."
[JadedDM]: Liam shakes his head.
"Fair enough."
[Siara]: Siara laughs, shaking her
head.
[Jasmin]: "I was half
expecting the two of you to at least be mad about all of this. Instead, you both
are standing here speaking to us."
[Aidan]: "I suppose the rest
of your family will want to kill me in my sleep?"
Aidan asks Liam sarcastically.
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"Only if they perceive you as a threat."
[Siara]: Siara's eyes dart back
and forth between the three, as if anticipating a confrontation.
[Eskar]: Eskar's scowl fades.
"It is not uncommon for the trading of sides where I am from. It is not
unexpected too."
[Aidan]: Looking to Jasmin, Aidan
rubs at his eyes and says, "I don't know what to say to the two of you,
Jasmin. I can see very well why you
left." Turning to Siara, he
points a finger at her. "You, I
am annoyed that you went off to join them without a word."
[Jasmin]: "Siara was
actually the one to convince me to join them," Jasmin says with a small
shrug. "She simply noticed how miserable I was, I suppose." Jasmin
smiles faintly. "I guess that is what makes her such a good friend,"
she says more to herself than to anyone else.
[Siara]: Siara makes a defensive
gesture, throwing her hands up. "I
didn't see any need to inform you. If
you had so much as asked me, I would have told you."
Siara peers back at Aidan with a wicked grin.
"Don't make this personal, Aidan.
You know it's not." Siara's
eyes lower, glancing away from Jasmin at her comment.
[Aidan]: Aidan looks confusedly
between the two women again. "I
was under the impression that you hated Siara, Jasmin."
[Siara]: Siara shakes her head.
"No. Hate is a strong
word, Aidan." The courtesan's
teeth are slightly clinched together.
[Aidan]: "I don't recall an
opportunity to have asked you, Siara. One
moment you were with us, and the next you had disappeared."
[Jasmin]: "I don't think it
is a strong word. I did hate you." Jasmin wrinkles her nose.
[Eskar]: The duergar stands
awkwardly to the side, observing the conversation.
[Aidan]: "...And so you
decided to become friends and join the Tainted Hands together?
After hating her?" Aidan
looks to Jasmin.
[Siara]: Siara looks at Jasmin
without much amusement. "Good
thing we've moved past that." Her
gold eyes had darkened slightly and shifted to Aidan, her voice edged with
poison. "I was looking out for
her. Gaheris was cruel.
She deserved better."
[Aidan]: Aidan raises an eyebrow.
"How were you looking out for her when she hated you?"
[Siara]: "I don't expect you
to understand our friendship, Aidan."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin almost looks
confused at all of the questions, and she looks to Siara as if asking silently
for some help. "I don't know what changed. I just don't hate her
anymore."
[Aidan]: "There wasn't any
particular reason?" Aidan
carefully looks Jasmin up and down.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin shakes her head
no.
[Siara]: Siara steps clearly
between them. "Stop it, Aidan.
You won't turn us against each other to serve your own purposes."
To Jasmin. "Don't listen
to him, Jasmin."
[Aidan]: Aidan looks suspiciously
at Siara. "...Excuse me?
How am I turning you against each other?
I'm just wondering how you two are so friendly so suddenly."
[Jasmin]: "Like I said, I
don't know what changed," Jasmin says with a shrug.
[Eskar]: Eskar scratches at his
beard and pops one of his few remaining pieces of charcoal. He crunches on it
loudly. "That is right my friend, it is strange."
[Aidan]: "That's
very...odd." Aidan narrows his
eyes at Siara, clearly suspicious.
[Siara]: Siara looks a little
uncomfortable. "You don't find
it odd, do you Jasmin?"
[Jasmin]: "I don't know why
it would be odd." Jasmin looks completely confused by all of this.
[Aidan]: "It's odd because
this is a very drastic shift. You
really didn't like her before we fought...at the temple.
What happened in those weeks after that?"
[Siara]: "We were able to
overcome our differences."
[Jasmin]: "Well, I did
attack her at the temple," Jasmin points out. "But after that things
were fine."
[Aidan]: "I'm sorry...you
attacked her at the temple? How were
things fine after that?"
[Jasmin]: "They just
were!"
[Aidan]: "When did you attack
her? While I was silenced?"
[Jasmin]: "I think. Maybe. I
don't really know."
[Eskar]: Eskar shakes his head and
retires to his room.
[Aidan]: Aidan faces Siara.
"...What did you do?"
[Jasmin]: "She didn't do
anything to me, Aidan."
[Siara]: Siara rubs her temples in
frustration. "Aidan.
This is ridiculous. I didn't
do anything. We had a long talk
afterwards. It was hard, but we
understand each other now."
[Aidan]: "...I remember you
attacked all of us at the temple, Jasmin. You
breathed fire at all of us, like one of those priests had charmed you."
[Jasmin]: "Well, that priest
did charm me. I remember not wanting to hurt all of you, but I had to stop
you."
[Aidan]: "How did you break
that charm?"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin shrugs. "Siara
dispelled it."
[Aidan]: Aidan raises an eyebrow
and looks at Siara. "You can
dispel such things? Why didn't you
dispel the silence charm placed on me, or the globe of darkness that was on
Gaheris?"
[Siara]: Siara glares at Aidan.
"There was no point, Aidan. Jasmin
was far more valuable to the team. And
I couldn't let her hurt the team."
[Aidan]: "There was no point
in adding two more members of your group to a battle?"
[Jasmin]: Jasmin looks between
the two of them, once again rather confused by all of this.
[Siara]: "It's a very
difficult spell." Her eyes move
to meet Jasmin's. "He only
wants us to hate each other again, so he can win the title of nobility for
himself."
[Aidan]: "I'm sorry, what?
I have no desire for a title of nobility whatsoever, and the Shadow Bats
were likely dismembered by a troll. I'm
simply wondering why you might dispel an enchantment after two of your
companions had been enchanted by very debilitating spells."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin gives a slight
nod to Siara in understanding.
[Siara]: "Honestly?
Jasmin attacked me. Something
neither of you two did. I'm sorry,
but I did it to protect myself." She
looks to both of them. "She had
that fire potion. She could have
killed me." Siara looks away.
[Jasmin]: "I almost killed
her with the potion and my swords."
[Siara]: "I knew it wasn't
what she wanted. And I certainly
didn't wish to die." A sigh.
"I did the only thing I could."
[Aidan]: Aidan narrows his eyes,
thinking. "What spell did you
use to do this?"
[Jasmin]: "I don't
understand any of this."
[Siara]: "Dispel magic."
[Aidan]: "Really?
You own a copy of that spell? Might
I be able to take a look at that? I
have been thinking of examining Malik's copy but I'm not quite sure how valuable
it is. Perhaps if I look at your
copy I might be able to decide."
[Siara]: "I'd rather not help
a member of the Shadow Bats." Death
glare. "No offense."
[Aidan]: "I left Daufer and
his lackeys to play with their troll. I
wouldn't consider myself a member of the Shadow Bats."
[Siara]: "I would."
[Aidan]: "This is simply a
scholarly interest." Aidan
pulls his own spellbook from his backpack and begins rifling through the pages.
[Siara]: Siara rolls her eyes.
"Not my concern. I still
don't wish to help you. Especially
after all you said about me and Jasmin."
[Aidan]: Aidan raises an eyebrow.
"Mmm. Surely you must
admit how strange it is that you were able to turn your relationship around so
quickly."
[Siara]: "It is strange.
But I am grateful nonetheless."
[Jasmin]: "Siara hasn't done
anything to me, Aidan."
[Aidan]: "Yes.
Apparently." Aidan is
clearly disbelieving.
[Siara]: Hate for Aidan seems to
emanate from Siara. "I think
we're done here. I have nothing else
to say to you." Siara manages
the weakest of smiles for Nabal. "Thank
you for the drinks." To no one
in particular, "I'm going to go walk this off."
[Jasmin]: "You can believe
what you want, Aidan," Jasmin says as she stands from her chair. "Siara
knows me... a whole lot more than you know me. I trust her."
[Aidan]: "And it's interesting
how that happened."
[Jasmin]: "How is it
interesting? It didn't seem all that interesting to me."
[Aidan]: "Like I said, you two
managed to turn your...extreme dislike of each other into a friendship rather
quickly. That's rather
interesting."
[Jasmin]: Jasmin shrugs a bit.
"If you say so, I guess."
[JadedDM]: Liam:
"Perhaps things will be clearer in the morning," he suggests.
[Aidan]: Aidan closes his spellbook
and pushes it back into his backpack.
[Siara]: Siara growls to herself
and steps out of the inn.
[Jasmin]: Jasmin watches Siara
step out of the inn with a frown. "Nice, Aidan. Very nice," she says
with a shake of her head. "You don't have a right to be questioning our
friendship. You don't know, just like most of the Shadow Bats don't know me. So
why do you care?"
[Aidan]: Aidan narrows his eyes,
looking at Jasmin carefully. "I
was concerned. Maybe you might
otherwise realize that." Aidan
stands and turns to Nabal. "Are
you just the barkeep, or do you look after the inn, also?"
[JadedDM]: Nabal:
"I can set you and your dwarf friend up with a room, if you
like."
[Jasmin]: "Doubtful,"
she says hatefully before turning, brushing past Liam, and toward her room.
[Aidan]: "That would be fine,
thank you," Aidan says to Nabal, ignoring Jasmin as she leaves.
[JadedDM]:
(Okay, let's call it a night here.)
