Seeking Mercy IC

[Aard_Rinn]

Folks say that, in one way or another, all strangers and strange people who visit Tell's Howe find their way to the Haversow, that strange, half-forgotten tavern deep within the city. That's probably why no one looked up when the necromancer and his bone-hound walked in and ordered grits; why the goliath was given a mere cursory glance as he sidled up to the bar, and why the Assamiir was promptly seated at the same booth as the vampire. The hobbgoblin was regarded with more curiosity; they rarely travelled so far west from their homelands - but who knows what drives a servant of the gods, anyway? The human wouldn't have raised any eyebrows, even at a more ordinary bar, despite the black metal flail lashed to his belt; he blended in with the other races at the tavern as he quietly sidled up to the bar.

Eirea
It's been a long time since I was last in a city Eirea thought to herself as she milked the goblet of rich, sweet mead she had ordered at the tavern. The drink glinted like warm honey in the cast light of the candles, which gave the whole room a golden appearance. Head filled with plans for the next few days, Eirea returned to surveying the Tavern. The innkeeper, Laakim, was taking orders from a rowdy-looking trio of Raakshasa; around the bar, various members of the "savage" races stood or sat, drinking companionably with their fellows. Occasionally a harsh word or snarl would be exchanged, but a glare from the dark-haired woman at the bar brought peace almost instantly. All in all, it was one of the odder places Eirea had visited in her travels, if for no other reason then the wild mix of patrons.

Upon reflection, perhaps it had been too long since she visited a city - her vampiric nature made it hard to blend so seamlessly into the culture of city life. She had spent the last few years travelling often - hopping from town to town, region to region, as she criss-crossed the Northern continent. It might be good, then, that she was here in Tell's Howe - it would provide a chance to do some research in safety, at least, and she had heard rumors of a powerful Mage serving with the city's Guard who might be... persuaded to help her.

Returning to her drink, Eirea returned her attentions to her companion at the booth. She glanced up at the patron seated across from her - the grey-haired older woman looked worn but hardened, like old leather. Her features still seemed radiant, though - even to the inexperienced eye of the young vampire, it was clear that she was no simple human, though divining her race was beyond her limited knowledge of the other cultures of Fidel. She watched as the woman shuffled through a sheathe of paper and a map, before finally, the grey-haired woman looked up.


Grall

It was rare that Grall find himself forced to stay the night in a tavern - usually, he found shelter in one of the many temples to the Phoenix that dotted the landscape, or else slept out under the stars. As a priest of Kord - known amongst the lowland races as the Phoenix - there was little that would assail him in his journeys that could pose any real threat - as all clerics to the God-Aspect of chaos and martial combat, he was a trained fighter, and his races bulk and brawn afforded him still greater protection. Still, it sometimes served his purpose to find shelter in a place like this - better to be hunkered down with a hot meal here than to violate the cities curfew in an attempt to make it across town. It was only for a night, after all; he could make his way to the temple of the Phoenix tommorrow.

Although he and they worshipped the same god, Grall hoped they wouldn't oppose his staying their while he was in the city. During his travels in the south, he had been turned away several times by more cautious temples - those who only worshipped the healer aspect of the Phoenix, without any appreciation for the warrior. The thought was alien to him - how can one fail to honor the God's prowess in battle? - but he supposed it was their right; he had spent many a cool night under the branches of a temple's peach tree.

Now, though, he was in one of the biggest, most diverse cities on either continent - surely they would be more welcoming here? From the looks of those in the tavern, it was almost a certainty - his own strange appearance seemed to have hardly garnered a second look. He gazed around the room, examining some of the strange races within.


Drowning Fish

Drowning Fish gazed around the crowded inn, surprised at the excitement tonight. It had been three days since she entered the city and got a room at this tavern, and she had yet to see it this full. On the other hand, she had yet to see much of the city at all - she had spent a long time travelling to arrive at Tell's Howe, and she had spent the last few days recuperating in her rooms, for the most part. From what she had seen of the port city, she was surprised - it was cleaner than most trade cities, and she had been able to walk the streets unmolested, despite the fact that she was apparently unarmed. Her hand slipped to the blackjack beneath her robes, fingers trailing over the smooth wood of it's head. It was rare she felt this comfortable in a city - too often they were violent places, remniscent of the prison she kept herself trapped in at the monastary. Even now, she felt herself tense with the knowlage that the gates had closed, sealing her inside the city for another night.

Drowning Fish felt her mood lighten, however, as Laakiim brought her a plate piled high with skewers of beef and a thick wedge of cheese, as well as the tavern's characteristic thick, molassesy rye bread. The were-bear poured out a dark glass of mountain ale - a thich, wheaty mix from the highlands of the north - and hustled off to serve a new group of customers - a group of catfolk, perhaps? Their shape was strange to her, but she paid them little mind.

She returned her thoughts to her stay in the city as she began to devour the rich meat. The temple of the Phoenix was a few hours walk across the city - there and back would be a full day's trip, no doubt about it. She might be able to rent a mount; she certainly had a little money left, but with no way to make more, perhaps it would be best to reserve that - the walk would do her little harm, to be sure.

Sighing, she looked at the wooden token she had absentmindedly touched when her thoughts had turned to the faith. She didn't have a name to go on, or even the name of the place she had been imprisoned - she was relying solely on the memories of an old man to find the priest who had aided her so long ago. The insiduous voice in her mind spoke, as it always had, quieter now but no less full of venom - he was old, he was human; he died a long time ago - but as always, she focused on the wooden effegy of the phoenix to clear her mind of the poison.

Contemplating the other guests as a way to distract herself, Drowning Fish was once again surprised by how few goblinoids were there. Perhaps there is a seperate tavern that is more popular? she thought to herself as she continued to examine the other patrons in interest.


Alderon

Alderon Blackhammer nodded to the bartender as his drink was served, grabbing the glass of ale and pulling down the first heavy swallows with a smile. He had been travelling a long time, and it was good to set himself down for a while. The tavern he was in had been a bit intimidating, at first - most of the patrons were of a size to crush his skull in a single hand, for one thing - but the bartender seemed to have things well in hand, and the tavern did seem to have an excelent reputation amongst the members of the city Watch he had encountered. The entire city seemed more open, to be honest - despite the fact that many races lived and worked together peacefully in the years since the war, it was still a bit odd to find a city so full of variety.

The other people in the bar certainly seemed an interesting sort. He looked them all over with a mercinaries eye, as his father had taught him - first checking for threats, then for potential employers. The threats were easy enough to come by - while they were valuable trading partners, the savage races rarely settled in human cities for a reason, and it wasn't hard for an experienced traveller to see how things could go south. Employment was a little better - the room was full of interesting people, after all, and interesting people usually needed interesting work done, often by a stranger who would go on his way with no questions asked afterwords.

Still, he hoped that he wouldn't be forced to leave too soon - job or no, he had spent a long time sleeping on bushes or travelling through the night to want to do it again so soon. And it would be good to get some real food into Morris - the mule was reaching the age where graze and brambles weren't enough to motivate him in his wanderings.

Turning back to the pamphlet he had hunted down earlier, he once again contemplated the choice it offered - it was a important role, to be sure, enough to make any man proud, but was he really willing to give up the travelling life for a job in the town Guard?

Sighing, Alderon tucked it away and returned to checking out the room. Perhaps in a few more years, he thought to himself as he eyeballed the other patrons. When I've seen all I want to of the world.


Adrianna

Adrianna barely glanced up as the vampire was seated at her booth, returning her gaze almost immediately to the letters that she had been reading. It was hard to recieve mail on the road - often a significant pile of letters would build up as she travelled between cities. Her sons still sent her a letter, once every week, and she cherished the chance to hear from them whenever she got it. Perhaps I should head bback that way and visit for a little while... The thought niggled at her as it always did, but she shoved it away. I'm not ready... But her sons were doing well, from what they told her. Tobin was 18 now, and courting the local magistrate's daughter - what was her name? Gerti? - and Mark and his wife were expecting their second child.

Placing the letters carefully into her pouch, Adrianna pulled out her map, spreading it carefully on the table before her. On it, in her elegant script, red lines like rivers marked out the locations her wanderings had taken her - up and down the coasts of the Southern continent. She began to examine the northern half, now - perhaps it was time that she explored that region. On the one hand, the prospect brought exitement - where the south was mostly populated with elves, weres, and humans, all sorts of creatures lived in the north - dwarves, drow, tauren and the goliath, as well as the varied beasts of the Planar Chasm, through which her own ancestors had come, many centuries ago. On the other, the journey would take her far - further from her remaining family than she had ever gone before.

With a sigh, Adrianna closed the map and returned it to her pouch. I'll seek out the library in the morning - at the least, I'll see to it that I know what I'm getting myself into. Having decided that Adrianna glanced up once more to the vampire, who was now gazing evenly at her across the booth.

That's Eirea - see PersonMan's post below.


Revenant

Revenant carefully checked his disguise as he walked into the tavern, but upon catching sight of the other patrons, he guessed it shouldn't have mattered. After all, what was one undead and a bonehound compared to the wide assortment of mortals, monsters, and extraplanar beings crowding this room? It was rare that he stay the night in a city - more often he was on the move, his undead form requiring little rest to carry out his sacred duty - but his mission had necessitated that he travel to the Southern Continent, and the return trip led straight through the port city of Tell's Howe. Ordinarily, he would merely pass through, but, when the gates had closed for the night, he had found himself stranded within the walls. It had been a helpful Guardswoman who had finally directed him to this inn, telling him that even an odd fellow like you won't make Laakim bat an eye. He had doubted her, until he saw this.

Approaching the bar, he attempted to draw the bartender - Laakim? -'s attention. When this went unnoticed, Revenant resigned himself to a long wait - the tavern really was crowded, and a trio of Raakshasa seemed to be holding the bartender's attention at the moment. Taking a seat next to a red-haired girl - he couldn't quite place her, but he had never been much good at identifying living mortals - he continued to gaze around the tavern, his eyes examining one bizzare creature after another.


All (OOC):
The tavern you have found yourself in is the Haversow. It is one of the best-known inns in the city, famous - or infamous - for it's wide range of patrons. The owner, Laakim, keeps the peace with an iron fist, and her customers are unlikely to act to anger her, due to her terrifying reputation when angered. You're in the city of Tell's Howe, a port city on the land bridge between the two continents.

[PersonMan]

Eirea, her pale skin in sharp contrast with the black of her clothing, is surprised when the older woman looks up at her. Of course, she shouldn't be - while the black cloth blindfold she wears does disguise precisely where her gaze is pointed, it was inevitable that she'd notice her look. Repressing the urge to ask if she was feeling ill or otherwise near death lately, she merely nods to her slowly, the thought of offending the woman not sitting well with her. While she generally preferred solitude, it was nice to be a place of life again. Even if all it was was a sharp contrast through which to view the places of death she'd be visiting later...

"...Good, mm, evening," Eirea says slowly, her voice soft. It was smoothed by the powers within her, made somehow melodic and enchanting even when she spoke without trying to manipulate others. At least her gaze was shrouded from this woman.

[Aard_Rinn]

I'd say yeah, I guess? Maybe dimmer - the soul is there, but life has left the body?

[Sliver]

Revenant looked around the tavern, each and every one of the patrons like a bright torch for his pale blue eyes. Except for his loyal Morty. Once he made a show of trying to get a drink and failing, Revenant was content to sit down idly at the bar, waiting until the gates reopen with dawn. Feeling that the patrons might find him sitting there a bit suspicious, he decided that stiffly petting his companion will shake off any doubts that he isn't human. Only humans would perform such sentimental acts as petting a wolf, right?

The fact that it was a skeleton of a wolf and, if anything, would attract even more attention, eluded Revenant.

Then something odd caught his eye. Barely noticeable, but so unique that it was hard to miss. Revenant stood up and walked towards the woman that emitted the dim light of life that is much stronger in the rest of the patrons.

"Excuse me?" Revenant said to the pale lady in black. "I couldn't help but approach. Morty over here insisted." Revenant motions at the skeletal wolf. "Your presence is very unique..." He admitted as he forced himself to act shy by shifting his weight from one foot to another, a trait he observed some humans have when approaching unknown women. "My name is Revenant."

[PersonMan]

Eirea turns as someone approaches, her gaze resting on him from behind her blindfold. A man, dressed in black robes - for a moment, the odd thought comes to her that he is perhaps someone who might share her interests. The brief hope is dispelled when she sees the holy symbol he carries. The Phoenix. A holy man, then, no doubt uninterested in a new focus for his life. After a moment Eirea looks down, a skeletal...well, a four-legged canine of some sort, coming into view. It seemed to be following the man. Perhaps he was a necromancer?

As the man speaks, Eirea is surprised by what he says. She had expected...well, she hadn't known what to expect, but it certainly wasn't this. Generally the type of men who came to her with that kind of introduction weren't clad in robes and bearing a holy symbol.

Intrigued, Eirea nods as the man introduces himself as Revenant. Odd name for a man, but then again perhaps it was a religious title? Some kind of born-again name he had taken after a conversion, perhaps?

"Good evening, Revenant. I must admit I am surprised by your forwardness as well as your choice of companions. It is not often that I meet one who has one companion from the realm of death yet seeks out companionship from the living," Eirea says. Her voice has an odd quality to it - it's clearly not normal, but rather as if something is giving it a smooth, melodic nature. Each word seems to carry a special weight.

"Ah, forgive me, I've yet to introduce myself. I am Eirea. I have no last name," she says after a moment, expressing an aura of calm and serenity. Eirea seems utterly at peace with the situation despite her mistake.

Adrianna, Revenant
Eirea auto-succeeds the DC 15 Bluff check to send the following simple message: she thinks Revenant is trying to hit on her.

[Sliver]

"Indeed..." Revenant nods before continuing. "I don't usually hang around the living unless it's for business, but with the late hour, it's a bit difficult to leave. But your aura is different from the living I usually encounter, which is very interesting."

[Etherion]

Alderon considers the pamphlet again, after a few minutes nursing his drink.
Steady pay, and a respectable position. But I don't believe this could be what my father wanted when he asked me to carry on the legacy of our family. No, no, I should not give up hope and take a job such as this, not yet. I may have spent years searching for a worthy cause, and I may spend years more, but I will not settle for mediocrity!
Having made an important decision, Alderon calls over the bartender for another drink, and listens to other patrons, hoping to hear rumors of trouble.

[Dreamshifter]

Adrienna

The old woman smiled at Eirea's greeting, but her response is delayed by Revenant's arrival. She seems undisturbed by the presence of an undead dog, or perhaps hasn't paid close enough attention to realize what it is. His mention of auras does cause her eyes to narrow a little, for a brief moment, and perhaps take a bit from her smile, but neither lasts long.

"Well, well. Company, at this hour? You two lovebirds have me missing my youth already." She quickly gathers her papers together, putting them in her bag. "Have a seat, Revenant, you look dog tired. Though that might not be the best measure at the moment..."

She seems done at that point, but adds "Oh, dear, since we are handing out introductions, I'm Adrienna Demos, but you can call me Old Lady, everyone seems to these days."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte of Empathy

I continued to eat as I surveyed the area, looking at the different types of creatures walk in and out, eating and drinking and singing. I glanced over at the left and eyed an odd looking trio: a blindfolded woman, a man dressed in black, and a lady that almost seemed to be glowing. They were hardly the strangest people I've seen in this inn, but the fragments of their conversation seemed quite enticing. As I took a sip of my ale, I kept my ears and eyes on the group.

[Sliver]

"I look tired?" Revenant asked, unblinking. Actually, he didn't blink even once so far. He stood there for a moment before deciding to sit down, just to not stand out. Because standing up is standing out.

"Ms. Demos, why would they call you Old Lady? I'm sure there are still many good years in you..."

[PersonMan]

Eirea raises an eyebrow, the gesture a bit odd, as it brings the slim line of hair into view from behind her blindfold. "My aura? What do you mean by that? There are...some things that I imagine could cause that, but I'm curious as to how you're aware of my aura at all," she says.

As the woman speaks, Eirea is glad for her training in keeping her outward emotions under control - otherwise, she would be showing that the woman's comments had embarrassed her. However long she was away from society, it was always the same old things that got to her...

Nodding to her as she introduces herself, Eirea smiles slightly at the nickname. "I don't think I'd be comfortable calling you that. It'd remind me too much of the really old people I knew, and they never liked their age being mentioned.

Besides, if we start with that, I'll be 'Young Lady' again, which I never enjoyed being called,"

The friendliness comes easily. Remembering her mother's old techniques and blending them with the ringing of her voice was simple enough. Eirea wanted to talk to these two - the man's undead canine intrigued her, and Adrienna seemed like a nice person to speak with. A conversation or two...it would do her good.

[Sliver]

"The living are like bright stars that fell to the world, so to speak. That's at least how I see it. And your light... Well, you seem as close to Morty as you are to Ms. Demos..." Revenant explains.

[PersonMan]

Eirea nods slowly as the tall man speaks. "I am...unusually close to the dead, yes," she says. "In fact, my entire life has been strange, for one of the living or undead,"

[Sliver]

Revenant glances at Morty before turning back to Eirea. "It does seem you are close to the dead... My current employment seems to place me at a similar position. But that's how life is, right? So you are somewhere in between?"

[PersonMan]

"One could say that, yes. I live, but I don't have some of the needs of life. I lack many of the things that make the living different from the dead. The same power that strengthens the undead empowers me as well, sustaining me," Eirea says, feeling safe to speak to Revenant. If things went bad she could always just leave, after all. It would be a shame, as there was someon in the city who could aid her in her quest, but nonetheless there was always that option.

"You ask much of me, but do not volunteer anything yourself - who are you, Revenant? I have yet to meet a man of the Phoenix who would come and speak to a woman about her strange aura and connection the the dead with only a glance to see it," Eirea continues.

[IamL]

Grall
Feeling slightly awkward, Grall looks to the bartender, thinking over his words carefully before saying them. He doesn't want to make a bad impression on one of the handful of men in the city that could set him up with some connections if need be (he figured that the bartender would know a lot of people.)
"Greetings, Bartender. Is the place usually this diverse? And how much will a night's stay and a mug of ale cost me?"

[Sliver]

Revenant ponders for a moment. "I answered a call after the great war... With so many dead, someone needed to be their voice. I am still in training and part of it is taking care of the dead. I found that people feel a little less concerned when the one who cleans up their loved one's body shares more with them than with the body, which is why I choose this appearance."

[PersonMan]

"So...you're one of the dead, then? An undead? May I ask of what type?" Eirea asks, her posture still serene. "I've had some...experiences with some in my time, but I don't think any of them were like you,"

DM:
Bluff check
[roll0]
to conceal that Eirea is in fact very excited about this news. She's burning with curiosity and is holding herself back to keep from flooding Revenant with questions.

[Sliver]

Revenant nods. "A Necropolitan I am." He says. With her own connection to the undeath, Revenant wasn't surprised Eirea didn't become upset when he revealed his deception. "I got turned in a ritual... But I do not remember the specifics. I was given a chance to do something that matters, to change lives and give rest to spirits. I guess it wasn't something I could refuse, no matter the cost."

[PersonMan]

Eirea frowns ever so slightly. "So you don't remember the ritual? You don't remember...well, dying?" She pauses for a moment, eyes closing behind her blindfold. "It seems like the kind of thing one wouldn't forget,"

"Your goal is very noble, however. I've been working on...something somewhat similar, myself. Well, in addition to my studies of death," Eirea says, brushing her robe to the side to reveal several notebooks, each bound shut by a strip of leather and stuffed full of parchment and paper. Loosely wrapped around one is a necklace of assorted bones and teeth, all cleaned but still bearing bits of dirt and other signs of their former resting places. Not very many of them look human.

[Dreamshifter]

Adrienna listens to the exchange in silence. "Well. It isn't every day one meets one of the dead. Well, meet, perhaps, but certainly not have a conversation with. It is good that I serve the Phoenix, and not the Raven-Haired Man, or I'd probably be upset right now. And the Old Lady thing was a joke. They don't make funny bones like they use to."

Her smile hardens just a little, as she adds "It is good that someone cares for the dead, though. There certainly was no shortage during the war."

[IamL]

Grall
When the bartender doesn't respond, he just shrugs. He's probably pretty busy, what with the size of this crowd and all. Hm...let me take a look and a listen around, see if anybody looks like a cleric; maybe I could travel with them...
(takes 20 on the spot and listen checks, so 24 on both of them.)

[Aard_Rinn]

Grall
You hear a group discussing the Phoenix and what sounds like a mention of the undead, but you can't hear any more over the other voices in the room. However, two seats away sits a hobgoblin, wearing what appears to be vestments of some kind under her leather armor. She is toying with the wooden holy symbol of the phoenix on a leather cord around her neck.

Drowning Fish
You hear them discussing the Phoenix and a brief mention of the undead. However, the rest of their words are washed away in a sea of voices. Before you turn your attention elsewhere, you catch the last few words said by the older woman - "...the dead, though. There certainly was no shortage during the war."

Alderon
You overhear much talk, most of it related to trade or politics. There is word of a spoilage in the rye crop in the North - apparently the drow of the Undercity have been having issues getting grain of sufficient quality - and more troubling news, of a rogue pair of rocs attacking the Dwarven city of Kloon in the Raahls Mountains. Beyond that, little of it interests you, although as you sip your drink, you notice a small group forming in one of the corners. You overhear only the words "Undead" and Phoenix as they talk.

The Group in the Corner
As you were.

[Etherion]

Alderon focuses on the group in the corner, intrigued by the mention of undead

[IamL]

Grall
The hobgoblin seems like an interesting person to hang with; even if not, it's a better position to listen in on the corner groups' conversation, which sounds interesting from what I can hear.
Grall stands up, then strolls openly up to the hobgoblin.
"Hello, esteemed colleague. I can't help but notice the holy symbol of Kor-I mean the Phoenix you wear around your neck. Are you travelling to the Temple tomorrow morning as well? If so, maybe you'd like to travel with me."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Spoken To

I turn to see a rather grey person greet me. I was rather surprised that he managed to notice the god's image on the faded wood, but I was even more shocked by his invitation. Was this the way The Phoenix's worshippers normally greeted each other? Was this a trap? Either way, the offer was enticing. I already planned to visit, and companionship would be nice, even if it ends in betrayal. I smiled and nodded, then extended out my hand for a handshake.

"I would," I said.

[IamL]

Grall
He seems nice. A bit nervous, a bit shy, but nice.
"Good! I like traveling with other followers of my god, it always gives me another insight as to another facet of our god. My name is Grall. Yours?"
Grall takes the hobgoblin's hand and shakes it, careful not to overdo it, in fear of hurting the hobgoblin's hand. That would definitely not be a good start to a friendship.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

"Drowning Fish," I said. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Grall."

[IamL]

Grall
That's an odd name...too bad I don't know more about hobgoblin culture to know if it's typical for their kind.
"The pleasure is all mine. So, Drowning Fish, what brings you to the temple? And how long will you be staying for, if not indefinitely?"

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I breathe in, worried. He was asking questions far too complex for me to answer, and I didn't know why he suddenly wanted to know.

"The answer is variable and complicated, I'm afraid. How about you?"

[Sliver]

Revenant nods at Ms. Demos' words. "Too many... I've been one of them. The last moments of my living life I remember I had fallen. Then... Pain, a lot of it. Perhaps I didn't die in battle, but I was reborn in that ritual. Perhaps the Raven-Haired Man doesn't approve of the Silent Call, but one cannot expect the dead to stay quiet when the living are in constant turmoil."

Turning back to Eirea, Revenant adds. "I would like to hear about your work more, if time will allow it." He attempts to give a slight smile, but his layered face is too stiff for such a thing to show.

[IamL]

Grall
Maybe I'm being too prying...
"I'm here on a suggestion from my mentor, the cleric J'hara, to study and train."
Then, in a hushed tone, he adds,
"Have you heard much of the conversation of the group in the corner? It sounds rather...interesting, from what little I could hear from the barstool."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I nod, pleased that the center of the conversation moved away from me.

"I have," I said, leaning in. "They speak of the undead, and of themselves. It is quite interesting."

[PersonMan]

Eirea, her own face capable of one, smiles at Revenant. "I would definitely enjoy the chance to speak to one as close to death as yourself. However, I don't think I'd feel particularly comfortable with doing so in...well, such a public, lively place.

I hope I don't offend you in saying so, Adrienna, but I feel like that will be a conversation best saved for once we have left one another's company. I have had bad experiences with speaking to living about my ideas in the past.

Perhaps we should consider other matters? I can't shake the feeling that we're being watched, for some reason. Then again, in a place like this, someone is surely keeping an eye on us..."

Adrienna, Revenant:
Eirea communicates that she thinks that someone might be watching them with the same false impression she had earlier, curious as to how Revenant's attempts to speak with her would go.

The communication is via subtle tone alterations and body language, primarily.

[IamL]

Grall
"Undead? Sounds interesting. Can you glean their intentions?"
Sense Motive check: [roll0]

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I sip my ale while giving him a quizzical look.

"It's a conversation. What intentions are there to glean?"

[IamL]

Grall
"Whether those in the conversation have common interests. Whether they have malicious interests. Whether they are old friends, or new acquaintances. What the goals and aims of each person in the conversation is.
Put more elegantly, each conversation has a purpose. The original one of the conversation we're having right now was to ascertain whether or not you wished to travel with me to the temple, and then to introduce ourselves. Now, it has come more to the sharing of information, then the attempt to glean information from another conversation. So the main goal of this conversation would be the sharing of information, no? Each part of it is an attempt to impart information upon the other person in the conversation. I was asking you if you could figure out the main purpose of their conversation, and then each person's priorities within the conversation."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

A quiz on my merit? It was odd, but I nodded and continued to drink.

"I could," I said, "But I see many reasons why I should not. It is their conversation, after all." I take another sip. "We could go and ask them directly, if you wish."

[IamL]

Grall
Grall's face erupts into a grin.
"I have the feeling that I'm going to like you very much. Let's go ask them, shall we?"
Grall stands up and makes his way to the group in the corner. A smile still remained on his face.
"Hello. My name is Grall Morthos, and this is Drowning Fish; we are both clerics. I couldn't help but notice that your conversation was...interesting, to say the least. Do you mind if we join you? Also, how's the ale?

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Apparently A Cleric

I sat in my seat and watched him stride across the room and introduce himself - and me, it seemed. There were just two mistakes he made: that I was a cleric, and that I was a tavern chair. The latter needed more fixing than the former. Amused, I stood up, walked over to the table, and pushed the chair aside before correcting him.

"The Drowning Fish he was referring to is me, not the stool," I said.

[PersonMan]

Eirea, seeing one furred and one huge, heavily muscled figure approaching, turns towards them curiously, nervous for a moment about their intentions.

"Of course, it's always nice to find others to speak with," she says, easily drifting out of her momentary truthful state. Now it was time for empty words and meaningless chatter. It was always about that with the living - well, not all of them, but certainly these types.

"Although I am curious as to what you heard," Eirea continues, eyes shifting from one to the other behind her blindfold. Again, she is outwardly calm, expressing a serenity far greater than that which she felt.

Adrienna, Revenant
Eirea thinks it'd be a good idea to change the topic if they haven't heard too much already.

[IamL]

Grall
"Oh, not much, I just heard you mention the undead, and the Phoenix, so I was interested. Though I'm not sure how much Drowning Fish has heard."Sense Motive: taking 10, so 14.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Living Creature

I look around and take note of the large group now surrounding this blindfolded woman. For a second, I worry, but her words assured me, and I spoke.

"Oh, not enough to worry about," I said.

[PersonMan]

Eirea is suspicious. They had heard enough to be interested in their conversation, yet apparently only snippets that didn't matter much? Of course, they hadn't given her any distinct reasons to make her distrust them, so...

Smiling, Eirea first turns to the hobgoblin (presumably - there were other, more uncommon, races that might look as she did). "I can sometimes find myself worrying about very little things, perhaps it would be worth a moment to be more specific? After all, it's hard to speak to one without knowing how much of the topic they know..."

"Ah, yes. I assume you are another holy man, then?" Eirea asks, speaking to the large man now. He looked unusual - not for this place, but compared to normal humans - and him being a holy man wasn't the best of signs. Yes, Revenant had proven to be friendly, but who knew if he was?

[IamL]

Grall
Another?
"Yes, I am a cleric, or, as you put it, a holy man, but what did you mean by 'another?'

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I address the shaded woman-

"Fair enough. The topic was on the war, I think."

-And then the grey man.

"I believe she is referring to me, Grall."

[PersonMan]

Eirea smiles slyly, her gaze resting briefly on the large man's own for a moment before she looks down slightly. A habit she formed before wearing her blindfold.

"Well, I'll let the circumstances decide if that's for you to know or not," she says, a bit teasingly. "But here we are, discussing such things and I haven't even introduced myself. My mother would have my head if she heard of this-" Tsss. She'd have it either way.

"I am Eirea. No last name, and...no real profession," she says, gesturing to herself with one hand. It's clearly the one of one who doesn't do much hard labor, but the fingers are calloused all the same, too much to be an idle noble.

To the furred one: "Yes, in some aspects. The war and the great deal of death it wrought," she says. "And no, I'm not. You couldn't be a holy man, after all - not unless I've made a significant error in assuming you're a woman,"

Revenant
Eirea is being deliberately vague so that Rev can decide if he wants to tell them or not.

[IamL]

Grall
"No sense prying where I can't, Elrea. I suppose if you want to tell me about this other holy man, you will, though may I inquire as to why you wear the blindfold? Being a cleric, I'm rather interested in the 'why' of things."

[PersonMan]

"Eirea," Eirea corrects, the corner of her mouth twitching towards a smile.

"My blindfold I wear because...well, my gaze tends to have a very strong effect on people," she explains.

[IamL]

Grall
Well, that's one mystery solved.
So you're a vampire, then, no? Considering the reference to undead and the mention of a gaze, plus the fact that you appear human, it would be a logical step.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Wondering

Happy that the conversation was continuing, and curious about her gaze, I slid into a seat before listening.

[IamL]

Grall
I slide into the seat next to Drowning Fish. (I'll be switching to first person...I like that a bit better than third.)

[PersonMan]

Eirea glances down at Grall's legs. "Hmm. Well, with such strong limbs I'm not surprised that you are adept at jumping to conclusions. Clearly, anyone who discusses the undead is one, and the medusaekin do not exist. Why do you even connect an unusual gaze with vampirism?" Eirea's tone is light, as if she's about to laugh - it's clear that she finds the goliath's conclusion patently absurd.

As the two seat themselves, Eirea slides a bit away from them, keeping a good amount of personal space. One hand slips down to where she has her notebooks and necklace, feeling the contours of an oddly-shaped tooth on what seems to be a necklace of claws, fangs, teeth and bones.

[IamL]

Grall
I smile, but it is not a smile of the foolish or the sucker. Rather, it is a smile of someone amused by an attempt to make me one of those two.
"The medusaekin are...rather distinguishable, to say the least. You look more or less human, and it was a reasonable, logical step."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I remembered a few titbits of Vampire lore from my studies, and attempt to correct Grall.

"Vampires have a gaze that can dominate a person in both mind and body, but it's entirely voluntary and controllable," I explain, "A vampire wouldn't need to wear such a thing."

[IamL]

Grall
Eh, true enough.
"Who would, then?"

[PersonMan]

Eirea lets out a brief 'hmmph' at Grall's comment, turning to Drowning Fish. "'You look more or less human'," she begins, briefly imitating the goliath's speech. "Is he always so tactless?"

"Really. If you're going to discuss what you think I may or may not be, then go off and do it by yourselves. I don't enjoy being talked about as if I'm some attraction to gawk at," Eirea says, for once her calm cracking, venom in her voice. Her tone isn't just angry, though - it's more like a parent chiding their children on their immature behaviour that went to far than someone expressing annoyance to an equal.

[IamL]

Grall
:smallredface:
"No, I reserve my tactless moments for when I've been traveling for days on end and I meet a new person. That way, I always get off on the wrong foot, and everyone dislikes me." I say, in a jocular tone.

"I'm sorry, we seem to have started out on the wrong foot. Let's try again.
I'm Grall, staying here for a rest stop on the way to the Temple."
I still believe she is a vampire, call it a gut instinct, I just don't want to push it and alienate a potential ally.

[PersonMan]

Eirea nods, content with her victory. She had never enjoyed her mother's lessons, but at times like these they became quite useful. While his apology, to be frank, was sorely lacking, she knew that it would take more of her mother's means to extract more from a stranger like him. Precisely what she would want Eirea to do - precisely what she had decided not to do, when the time had come.

"The way to the temple? You are a traveler, then? I am as well - although I am searching for something I doubt a temple would provide," Eirea replies to his new start, offering a bit of information to appease him after her scolding.

[Etherion]

A vampire? Willing to walk into a tavern full of people? And how would she do so in broad daylight? I think this may require closer observation
Alderon walks to the group in the corner.
I too am a traveller. All of you seem to be as well, and armed. Now, my family used to run a mercenary company, and here I was thinking of starting one myself. Would any of you be interested in such a job? I admit, the pay may not be as steady as it was during the wars, but I have done quite well.

[IamL]

Grall
Hm...sounds interesting, but I don't particularly like the idea of being a hired swordsman. Could be fun though. Maybe.
"Depends on who would be hiring me. I'm not a sellsword, but I'll fight for a good cause, and money's a bonus."

[Etherion]

I have been searching for a good cause for many a year, although there aren't many to be found. My search is the reason why I would like to form a new company actually. Some traveling companions would make the search more bearable, to say the least.
Alderon grabs a chair and sits with the rest of the group.

[IamL]

Grall
"So not really a mercenary group, rather, an adventuring party?"

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I glance at the stranger, surprised. Did he manage to see my weaponry? I had it well hidden! The job he offered would have to be refused, too. 'Mercenary' was just another way to say 'murderer for money,' and I had killed enough. I shook my head at his request and spoke.

"Stranger," I began, "I'll have to refuse your bargain. You'll note that I am unarmed, too."

Skill Checks:
Sleight of Hand; Takes Ten. [23] for weapons except for the dagger, which is a [25].

[Etherion]

I suppose you could say so. Besides, only said I was looking to form a company, never said what kind.
Presumably a spot check would negate sleight of hand?
[roll0]

I suppose you are right, my mistake. Although you are not the only one here.

[Sliver]

Revenant stands up, letting the others enter the booth deeper as he himself would rather sit closer to Morty. Then he sits quietly as he listens to the living and partially living talk. Eirea wasn't quick to give out the secrets of others, which was good. Although one of the observed secrets was a bit odd and amusing. As Grall ponders about the mysterious holy man Eirea might be referring to, Revenant draws a small cloth and cleans his obviously visible Phoenix holy symbol. His own weapon, the guisarme, was quite obviously visible as well. Wasn't his only weapon, either.

At the prospect of a mercenary career, Revenant glances at Grall, showing no actual interest because... There wasn't really any. Revenant was in training, and had a career already. Besides, he wasn't even addressed, so he turned back to Morty and the mental game of chess began. Morty wasn't a great player, so Revenant had to help him.

[Dreamshifter]

Eirea, her own face capable of one, smiles at Revenant. "I would definitely enjoy the chance to speak to one as close to death as yourself. However, I don't think I'd feel particularly comfortable with doing so in...well, such a public, lively place.

I hope I don't offend you in saying so, Adrienna, but I feel like that will be a conversation best saved for once we have left one another's company. I have had bad experiences with speaking to living about my ideas in the past.

Perhaps we should consider other matters? I can't shake the feeling that we're being watched, for some reason. Then again, in a place like this, someone is surely keeping an eye on us..."

Before the others arrive, Adrienna responds to Eirea's comment. "Oh, don't concern yourself with offending me. I really don't offend easily, and I'll respect your privacy. I don't judge anyone, though. Not my job, never was."

With the arrival of extra people (including some more not at all humans), she listens to the conversation, saying little. But at the mercenary company offer, she does speak. "I think Grall's answer covers me as well. A bit of spending money would make the rest of my travels a little easier. Of course, company would do that too, and the destination is less important than the journey."

[Etherion]

Well, two is a good start I think. So, what exactly do you two specialize in? I myself favor close combat, the flail being my weapon of choice.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I scratched my neck before addressing the stranger.

"Yes, this lack of information is why I'm not joining. I don't know your name, your profession, and what type of company you're creating. The last time I agreed to join a group without knowing what they did..." I shuddered at the memory, then noted a man wiping a holy symbol of The Phoenix. I gestured at him.

"You're another worshipper of The Phoenix?"

[Sliver]

Revenant looks away from Morty, noting who speaks to him. "Yes." He says before turning back to his companion. He didn't find worshipers of the Phoenix too interesting or special. The atmosphere at the table was quite lively, and Revenant didn't feel there was need for him to add his raspy voice into the crowd. Only Eirea really interested him in the current crowd.

[Etherion]

I am Alderon Blackhammer. You may have heard of my family, there have been many famous warriors bearing the Blackhammer name. Ever since my parents died, years ago, I have been searching for a cause worthy of a dynasty of master fighters, hoping to take my place among the ranks of the great. As the Goliath here said, I am more forming an adventuring party than a mercenary company. I have skill at fighting, and I want to put it to use. I have no interest in slaying innocents, if that is what worries you. Nor will I suffer those who do.

[IamL]

Grall
"I am Grall Malthos, fighting cleric of Kord, the god of strength, warlike aspect of the Phoenix. I was sent to the Phoenix Temple to train, though fighting and living an adventurer's life would take care of that for me."
I stand up and draw the greatsword that I keep sheathed on my back. I spin it and level it towards Alderon.
"I wield the Greatsword, the favored weapon of my god, and I am stronger and tougher than most. Provided your bark is not worse than your bite, you have an ally."
And with that, I spin the blade again, reversing the grip and sliding it neatly back into its scabbard.

[Etherion]

A cleric, always a valuable companion. I welcome you to my party Grall Malthos.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Not Fighting

Presumption confirmed, I nodded in response, then turned to face one Alderon Blackhammer, an ambitious man. I still turned him down.

"I am not a fighter," I said, "And I have little interest in being one. However, I thank you for your offer."

I moved my eyes over to what appeared to be a skeleton of a dog, and the man that was playing with it.

[IamL]

Grall Malthos
I say to Alderon, using 'chief' as a jocular term,
"So, chief, have you a job in mind? Has anyone hired you?"

[Etherion]

Not a problem, if fighting and adventure is not your calling, so be it.

No one has hired me as of yet. In fact, part of the reason I came over here is because I heard mention of undead, thought there might be a job afoot. So, any undead scourge plaguing the populace? Or was it simply an academic discussion?

[IamL]

Grall
I turn to Drowning Fish, and, in a hushed whisper, add,
"Come on, Drowning Fish. It'll be fun. You don't have to be a fighter to help out in an adventuring party."
Then, to Alderon,
"I would have gleaned the topic of conversation had SOME people not been more vague than an oracle on hallucinogens, and more secretive than Vecna was before the Event," he says, flashing a look towards Eirea, then smiles.

[Sliver]

At the mention of undead plaguing the populace, Revenant looks up. "Morty would never do such a thing."

[Etherion]

Alderon takes a look at the dog.

So, an academic discussion. Of a sorts. May I ask how you came by such a unique... pet?

[IamL]

Grall
So, who's with Alderon and me?

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Unconvinced

I answer Grall, not bothering to speak in a soft voice.

"Grall," I said, "Didn't you want to visit the Temple?"

[Sliver]

"He's my companion. We've been traveling together for many years." Revenant says as though it answers the question.

[Etherion]

A necromancer then. You should be more carefull, sometimes secrecy and dodging questions can be very revealing.

[IamL]

Grall
I respond to Drowning Fish.
"Yes, and I still do. After all, we don't have a job yet, so we'll still have time to study at the temple, and maybe use it as our base, since it has an extensive library that would serve research purposes well.
And then, as an afterthought, to the whole group,
"Does anybody know where someone could buy metal in this town? I'm a decent armorsmith; I could craft something."

[Sliver]

"I haven't done anything that would require suspicious behavior, nor plan to. It is my choice to not entertain a glory seeker." Revenant says in his always dry tone.

[IamL]

Grall
I turn to Revenant, and try to cheer him up.
"His jump to conclusions was only half as bad as mine was about Eirea, no?" Also, a glory seeker he may be, but at least it'll be a bit of fun, no? Plus, something tells me it was Fate that brought us together, so we might as well test that hypothesis."

[Dreamshifter]

Adrienna nods at Revenant's comment. "He is a good dog, better than I've seen in a long time."

She turns her attention back to Alderon. "I am Adrienna Demos, grandmother. I held other titles once, but that was a long time ago. And I'm not unwilling to tag along. At the least, I should visit the Temple here, see if there is any news. Or orders, though Id be shocked if there were any of those..."

[Etherion]

I did not mean to offend, nor do I have a problem with your particular application of magic. I merely made an observation. My apologies... ? I'm sorry, I don't think I got your name?

So it seems we shall be going to the temple later.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Hater of Fate

I bluntly shot down Grall's conclusion.

"Fate is, in kind terms, a jerk. I've met Fate before, and she is rude." I sigh before continuing. "One time, Fate tried to throw me into an abusive relationship with this human. It did not turn out well."

[IamL]

Grall
Hm...Adrienna sounds interesting. I wonder if she holds any secrets...seems like everybody does nowadays.
"You say you want to see the temple too? Are you a cleric also? Or perhaps a paladin?"
Then, to Drowning Fish:
Sounds rather interesting; I'm intrigued. But the thing about Fate is, she might be a jerk, but she's a rather persistent jerk, and we'll all end up together anyway, no? So why fight it? Why cause more pain to ourselves than you have to?"

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Upset Hobgoblin

I glanced at Grall, outraged.

"Did you not hear what I just said?! An abusive relationship!" I lowered the volume of my voice. "Fate the the cruellest being out of all, and I refuse to obey her commands."

I sigh and speak to Grall. "If you truly believe that Fate will put us together," I said, "I will travel to the Temple without involvement in this party."

[Sliver]

"Thank you, Ms. Demos." Revenant says before turning to Alderon. "Well, you did not ask if we were discussing any undead helping build an orphanage. But I'll accept the apology and not mention that looking to hook up with strangers in a tavern at late night is more of a horny girl's behavior than a honorable man in pursuit of ridding the world of evil."

Turning to Grall, Revenant decides to chime in. "I wouldn't call a stranger looking for people to do nothing together to be a sign from Fate. Your price is low and you could look for fun in many other places."

[IamL]

Grall
As a general statement to Drowning Fish and Revenant:
"Very well. I am no oracle, so I could be wrong. But testing fate is generally not a wise idea. Also, my price may be low, but excitement is always excitement, and it will give me a chance to hone my combat skills and casting skills, too, with the added bonus of doing the world good."
Then, to Drowning Fish,
"Anyways, would you still travel with me? Alderon could me about any jobs that pop up, knowing I'm at the temple, without involving you, and I'd still like a companion."

[Etherion]

Ah, but you could be playing into fates hands. It might be that you were fated to reject my offer.
And as for you, whoever you may be, you have a strange way of not mentioning things. I did not come here to hire companions, however the opportunity came up. You rejected the offer, and have said your piece, and I would advise you to be done with the subject. Let others decide as they will.

[IamL]

Grall
I could be, though Fate would have a way of teaming me up with you whatever the case may be, if that were the case.

[Sliver]

"Is this a threat, or a general habit of silencing strangers? Or perhaps you are practicing on your leadership qualities?" Revenant muses. "Or it might be you are insulted by my lack of introduction. If the last one is correct, then I apologize, you can call me Revenant. If it's any of the other reasons, on the other hand, you can deal with it by shoving it up your offended arse. You came to this table trying to sell an idea, so it is within my rights to speak as I see fit, unless Ms. Demos or Eirea find it offensive."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I direct my shaking head to Grall.

"No," I said sadly, "I don't think I will."

[Etherion]

I think I am starting to like this "Revenant". Interesting character, to be sure...
Ha! And I suppose you were offended by my assumptions on your profession. Or is it the assumption that it was an undead scourge, rather than a well-tamed pup?

[IamL]

Grall
"Okay. I understand."

[Sliver]

"It would not take a great mind to conclude that the man followed by a skeleton might be a necromancer rather than a normal guy haunted by tamed undead. Your assumption is correct, but I do not mind admitting that it was your misplaced prejudice against those playing on the wrong side of death to be the cause of my hostile tone." Revenant says. In the same raspy monotone of his. His tone never changed, so it's up to you to decide when his tone was more hostile.

[Etherion]

Well, unless controlled, the undead to tend to be fairly destructive. I have fought my share of undead with my family. Uncontrolled, they seek to destroy what life they can, at least in my experience.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Failing Acolyte Of Empathy

I nod at Grall, pleased with his empathy and understanding: two things I needed to work on. I search through my small pouch and pull out a wee silver rod before handing it to him.

"It's not much," I admitted, "But consider it a parting gift for your sympathy."

[IamL]

Grall
Thank you very much, Drowning Fish.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Thanked

I nod in response to his greeting of pleasure.

[Sliver]

"It is good to know that your prejudice is based on personal experience." Revenant says. If he could, he would have looked amused. "No Morty, don't growl at the man." Revenant holds his hand, blocking the unmoving skeleton. "You heard him, he is righteous. I hope you are aware that it is uncommon for undead to rise naturally and they do not roam freely like a carefree deer. If you encounter the undead without a necromancer, then there is something corrupt nearby. As thanks for the efforts of the dead to rise with their old and dusty bodies to inform you of the corruption, you destroy them. Your inability to understand them is what helps you continue living in your bubble of righteous ignorance. And if it is undead that led by a necromancer that you encountered and destroyed, then they are as evil as any other tool or weapon and your prejudice should be against necromancers, and even then it shall be misplaced."

[Etherion]

Ah, so when I come upon a village, full of the undead slaughtering the inhabitants, I should leave them to their devices, maybe look around for some great evil nearby? But leave them intact, they are just poor victims.

[Sliver]

"I doubt that is the entire story. The undead did not just roam into the village. No, you shouldn't leave the living to be preyed upon by the undead, but the undead are a symptom, not a cause. You should treat both, but instead you sound like you treat the symptom and continue on your merry way. But if the undead rose because a necromancer is hiding nearby or an artifact hidden nearby exuding it's magic, which one you will aim your fury at? If a man bleeds, should you wipe away the blood and be done with it, or should you make sure the wound is clean so it will heal?"

[Etherion]

Hmmph. Fair enough. Although, sometimes the undead are merely the remnants of a deceased necromancers experiments.

[Sliver]

"Are you sure the villagers you speak of aren't too stupid to live? Only chance of that happening is if the necromancer died of natural causes while living in the village, which would mean he is either accepted by the villagers or threatening them. If he's threatening them and later dies, the undead are still not at fault, and are still merely a symptom. If he was accepted, he should have cared enough to not bring his undead to the village when he was close to death. If he didn't care or wasn't aware of the risks, it just the same as any other wizard tapering with risky magic he doesn't fully understand. There are consequences with necromancy just as there are to any other magic. If the necromancer died by a party of adventurers, well, why didn't they clean up? Just because you treat the wound, doesn't mean you shouldn't clean the blood.

Sir, you should have been taught to not argue over undead with a necromancer, nor semantics with a man who has nothing to do until they open the gates at dawn."

[Etherion]

But I for one, am enjoying our little chat. And I do not have much to do for now either, as Grall and Adrianna are visiting the temple, and it doesn't seem anyone else shall be joining us. And I appreciate the education on fighting the undead. It may come in handy in the future.

[Sliver]

Revenant considers Blackbeard for a moment. "I must admit, it is refreshing to meet someone who is willing to let go of their ignorance when presented with the truth. Many treasure it and will defend it unconditionally. My opinion of you has considerably improved. I hope you will remember that not all undead are to be fought with."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Happy

I smile, pleased with this moment.

"This is a wonderful breakthrough in empathy," I noted, "We should buy some alcoholic drinks to celebrate."

[Etherion]

Well, I haven't tried to kill your dog, have I?

As for drinks, I agree wholeheartedly.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I don't wait for Revenant's reply before happily hopping out and moving to the bar to purchase some drinks.

"Bartender," I said, "How much for six of those mountain ales?"

[PersonMan]

At the continued mention of fate, Eirea hmmphs again. "Fate is a lie," is all she says to that topic.

"Five," Eirea corrects Drowning Fish as she orders them ale. One thing she and her mother agreed upon was the...less than adequate taste it had. Unlike her mother, however, she was also vulnerable to its effects. Perhaps enjoyable for a normal person, but there was always risk involved in every loss of control...

[Etherion]

So, you have been quiet. What say you to a life of adventure?

[Sliver]

"Might as well go with four." Said Revenant. He wasn't going to deny at first, as drinking was nothing but a show for him, but with Eirea not drinking, why not him too?

[PersonMan]

"My life is already an adventure. However, depending on the group, I could imagine traveling in a group rather than alone, although my focus would be more on my studies than on combat," Eirea replies, blindfolded gaze resting just below the man's eyes. One could never be too careful, after all.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Ale

The two of them didn't want to drink, but it was too late. I had already ordered the beverages. I jumped back into my seat and waited for the ale to come.

"There will be six drinks," I said, stubborn. "You can either drink it or dump it."

[Etherion]

Well, the group appears to be myself, Grall, Adrianna, and you if you decide to join us. Maybe the other two, if the reconsider, however they do seem quite set against it.

[Sliver]

Revenant shrugged, some things weren't worth arguing over. "Well, as long as you are aware that you'll be paying. I do not carry any coin at the moment."

Then he turned to look at Blackbeard. "I was not aware the offer extended to me as well, or when I rejected it. I simply commented on how silly it sounded. I will not be joining a group that doesn't share my goals without first consulting my church, and it's a bit of a trek from here."

[Etherion]

The offer was extended to everyone at the table, and judging by your comments, I would not think you were interested.

[Sliver]

"A solid assumption, but an assumption nonetheless. One can insult an idea and still accept it. Of course, that's not the case. I'm just musing out loud. You didn't try convincing Morty though..."

[Etherion]

So your companion has a taste for adventure?

[PersonMan]

Eirea raises an eyebrow - the same one that wasn't entirely concealed by the blindfold due to her earlier gesturing with it - at Drowning Fish's response. Well, that was certainly unusual. Then again, her name was Drowning Fish.

"Perhaps we could form one group and, once a cause, employer and mission have been found, those who do not wish to dedicate themselves to what we have found simply leave," Eirea suggests.

[Sliver]

Revenant turns to look at Morty, who remains motionless. "Well, answer him." Revenant insists, yet Morty remains motionless. "I'm sorry, he's not used to the living asking about him. It might be because you are asking him through me, but he never did seem to like talking with people... I think he's shy."

[Etherion]

Seems reasonable.

And I honestly can't tell whether or not you want me to talk to your wolf.

[Sliver]

"You can try, but he only converses with me. On good days. Sometimes he is just a sourpuss..."

[Dreamshifter]

Adrienna's smile pops into a full grin,and she stares intently at Morty. "Well, Morty? What do you think, you coming with us? It'll be fun, having you around. Maybe we can play fetch! And I bet you know all the tricks, don't you. Sit, Morty! You are such a good dog, yes you are!" It really is impossible to tell if she's seriously expecting a response from the undead dog, is poking fun at Revenant, or has just lost her mind entirely. It might be all three. "There, I'm sure I saw his tail move. That's agreement, I'd say."

[Sliver]

Revenant would look amused, if his expression ever changed. But then Morty sat at Ms. Demos' command. "Hey, you are supposed to listen to me alone! What are you doing?! Stand up!" Morty doesn't react. "Oh come on! You know we shouldn't... You know what? Fine! We'll accompany them for a bit, but when it all blows up in our face, it will be your fault."

[IamL]

Grall
Heh...this conversation has been rather amusing.
"So Eirea and Revenant are with us? That makes five members in this fellowship so far."

[Aard_Rinn]

As your group argues amongst itself, the rest of the bar empties - those who work during the day heading up to sleep, while those who prefer the night head out into the city. Soon, only a handful of people remain; your group, the bartender, and the redheaded woman at the bar.

When you call for a drink, the bartender nods and waves. A few minutes later, however, it is the redhead who wanders over, sliding the tray down onto the table. She is short, only about 4'11", and dressed in a white cotton robe, but she has red leather shoulder pauldrons, and by her side is a sword, sheathed in red leather as well. Her hair is copper coloured, and her eyes are warm and hazel. In one hand, she clutches her own drink, and on that hand sits a topaz ring, set in silver, which glitters brightly in the dark tavern.

Having "served" you your drinks, she gives you all a nod, and a brief, "Hello!" before squatting down besides Morty and looking him over, ignoring his snarls. When she is done, she stands up and looks over at Revenant.

"He your dog? He's cute; used to have one just like him in the company."

Seeing the looks of bewilderment of some of your faces, she extends a hand. "Nice to meet you, by the way. Th' name's Shaada. I couldn't help but overhear -" the grin she gives makes it clear that she could, in fact, have, "You guys are looking for something to do?"

Shaada -


http://i610.photobucket.com/albums/tt184/x--mzzofficur/Axela.jpg

[IamL]

Grall
Well, I suppose it is fate, then.
"Yes. Well, all of us except for Drowning Fish, who has politely declined Alderon's offer. What do you have in mind? Also, 'the company?'"

[Etherion]

What, exactly, did you have in mind?

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

While contemplating Eirea, I started drinking my ale and gestured the others to do so. The red-haired woman started to blabber about a company of sorts, as well as a job. I certainly hoped that this was not Fate manipulating the scene; I had enough of her nonsense.

[IamL]

Grall
As I see the hobgoblin drink slowly from his mug, I decide to knock it back myself, only a lot faster. Drinking contests are rather common in Goliath culture, and this reminded me of the positive aspects of my home a bit. I finish in about four seconds, then belch loudly.
"Well, that's damn good ale you make. Almost as good as ale produced by actual mountain nomads. Reminds me of home."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I watched as the grey man gulped the ale down, then slowly nursed mine. Mountain Ale tasted best when consumed in small quantities, after all.

[Etherion]

Alderon starts drinking as well.

[Aard_Rinn]

Shaada grins at the group, grabbing one of the seats left at the booth. "Well, here's the thing. I'm a traveller, a nomad, if you will. I wander the countryside, doing odd jobs for old friends from the CA to pay for my meals, for the most part. But I was recently hired, by a very close personal friend of mine, to escort a certain artifact from here to the Temple of the Phoenix in Tenebris. I'm looking for travellers headed that way - or who lack a particular direction to head. With the holidays coming up, the Temple here can't spare anyone, and I dislike travelling alone - I figured I'd ask you lot when I heard you were planning to look for work."

She gives a grin. It is wide, and just a hint toothier than it should be, and he eyes flash in the light as she continues. "I can't pay you directly, of course - most of my worldly wealth is in this armor - but the temple pays well, and their gold glistens with the profit of a good deed... A good deed as will keep a man well-fed, if you catch my meaning. They've given me a stipend to hire with."

She pulls out a small, paper-wrapped cylinder from her pocket, and separates five coins from the roll, crisply laying them flat on the table, one by one. Glancing over at Drowning Fish, she adds a sixth, laying it on the table by her. The coins are copper, with a smaller ring of silver on the inside, and polished like the sun. On them is a symbol that you don't recognize, carved into the metal rather than stamped, and on the other side, the coin is blank.

Ѧ

"My mark." The answer to the unspoken question hangs in the air for a moment before she continues. "So, what'd'you say? Up for a trip?"

She looks at the group as if she is already confident of an answer, although what the expected answer is is beyond any of you. As she speaks, she draws you in - her flip patter dizzying and enticing at the same time.

[Etherion]

Well, a few of you said you wanted to visit the temple. This may be a different one, and a bit further away, but still. I am willing to take the job, what about the rest of you?

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I sipped mountain ale while eyeing the woman and coin suspiciously. I had no what the artefact was, nor did I know why it would be transferred there. She wouldn't even pay us! I pushed the coin aside and spoke.

I growled, "This artefact - what is it, where is it, and what does it do? For all we know, it could be a magical trap to destroy the Temple."

[IamL]

Grall
"I was thinking somewhat the same thing. How do we know we can trust you? I want to trust you, but I see no reason. I also don't want to jeopardize my chance at studying and training there."
Then, as an aside to Alderon, he adds,
"It is the same temple; I'm merely staying here to avoid breaking curfew."

[Sliver]

Revenant turns to Alderon. "I finished my business at Haardac and was headed to Raahlsheim, so I don't mind accompanying you for a while. I'll only ask for the temple's pay if I accompany you up to Tenberis, of course."

[Aard_Rinn]

"Hey, if you need someone to vouch for me, I understand. This is official Church business - I'm picking up the artifact at the Church of the Br- Phoenix here in town to transport it, on orders of the Prelate himself. You guys were saying you were headed there anyways, right? Well, let's meet there in the morning and I can introduce you to the High Priest."

She leans back in her seat, arms behind her head. "So, how old're you lot? Any of you soldiers, or just a bunch of kids? I was with the Sixth Company, myself - the Eurii Cutters."

The name rings a bell in your head, even in only a passing comment. The Company is renown - the Eurii Cutters were swordsmen, famed for their unerring precision and their complete loyalty to their commander, Jeraam Eurii, whose name they continued to bear even after his death.

Shaada turns to Revenant and Alderon with a smile when she hears the former's acquiescence. "Excellent -good to know I'll have some company!" She slides two of the coins towards the pair. "Take these - show them to the acolytes and they'll help you find me tomorrow."

TaiLiu
Knowledge - History
The symbol itches in your mind, burning brightly like a word on the tip of your tongue. However, it eludes you, leaving you only with the dizzying ache of a memory forgotten...

IamL
The symbol is vaguely familiar, but you don't remember where from. You don't think you've ever seen it anywhere special, though...

[IamL]

Grall
Hm...I noticed that stumble, almost like she worshipped one of the Distant Gods like me or something, or maybe she does have malicious intent. Trying to remember god's names or god's order's names that would help me with this.
"I am twenty, as of tomorrow. I did not serve in the war, as I was but a babe when the war ended, though my father served in Liliander's honor guard. He was a noble, honorable soul, though he-.
I cut myself short, abruptly, realizing what I was about to say.
Damnit, that's strong liquor.

Knowledge (religion) check as to what gods have names, titles, or cults/orders that begin with "of the br": [roll0]

[Etherion]

I am 35. I saw some action in the war, with the Blackhammer mercenary company. Afterwards, my family and I traveled, doing mercenary work.

So Grall, you'll be coming along then?

[Sliver]

Revenant takes the coin and examines it with his fingers before putting it into his pouch. "I was born fifty years ago. I've seen my share of the war and changed profession due to an incident involving a weapon collision with my body. On the battlefield."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I continued to eye her cautiously. I could have sworn that she misspoke, and something about her body movement seemed suspicious. Her technique of quickly changing the subject was one that I occasionally used, too.

She also subtly avoided my question: she did not give me any information on the artefact. It seemed fairly likely, then, that she was an adept liar.

I did not know what she was trying to pull, but it was certain that she was a dangerous individual.

"The artefact," I repeated, "What is the artefact?"

Skill Checks:
Sense Motive: [roll0]
Knowledge (Religion) on her words: [roll1]

[PersonMan]

Eirea sits silently for a few moments, intrigued by the coins. She concentrates, awakening the latent power in her gaze to full strength, extending her sight past the visible. This one wasn't one of her mother's tricks - she had developed it on her own shortly after fleeing. Ensnaring others wasn't the only thing her eyes could do...

"I was born after the war, a little over seventeen years ago. My mother told me about it in great detail, however. She also often reminisced about the time before the Children's War began, although I must admit I was not the best listener," Eirea says. "As for this trip to the temple...It certainly sounds interesting. I am also curious as to the nature of what we will be carrying - after hearing a story about a group who were delivering an item and ended up being killed by it, I'm cautious about such unknown devices,"

DM
Using Detect Magic, SLA, CL 3, interested in the coins but probably catching plenty of other things in the cone.

[Dreamshifter]

For the first time in a while (and certainly since the others have known her), Adrienna's smile fades, and she looks a lot less like a grandmother, and more like a hardened warrior. "I fought in the battle of Sagen Hoch, and most of the war that followed, so not exactly a child, no." She picks up the coin, staring at it coldly. Then, almost as quickly as the coldness blew in, it is gone. "One way or the other, I'll travel with you. Though the more we know, the easier the job will be."

[Aard_Rinn]

Shaada listens as you each tell her your stories, face passive. However, she smiles, a little sadly, at Adrianna's words. "I lost my brothers at Sagen Hoch, when the North Keep burned." She stares at the coin in the silver-haired woman's hand for a long second, her face blank. "They would be old men, by now... It's hard to believe that it's been fifty years, somtimes..." She falls silent for a moment, before jerking up, as if forced from a dream.

"Anyways - the artifact! I don't know many specifics, as yet - I'm supposed to find out more tomorrow, this was kind of an impromptu arrangement - but I do know that it's a relic of the Godsfall. apparently it's a sword of some kind, made of metal that was first purified by the Phoenix's flame as he smote the gods, or some such - very valuable, supposedly powerful, but it can only be wielded by a "true and perfect servant" to the Phoenix, whatever that means. According to the priests, as long as it's wrapped up, it won't do any harm."

She adjusts her own blade on her belt, smoothing it so it lays flat against her tunic. "I've done this before, several times - moving artifacts around is a fairly safe gig, typically. Most of the trouble comes from bandits; and those are scarce enough, along a major trade route like the Howe-Raahls. I'm not to worried about it - I just don't like going it alone."


Grall
The gods bear many names, and you sift through those you can remember, searching for a name that sounds like her misspeaking. Finally, you remember one that might fit - a rarely used name for the Phoenix - The Broken God. However, which group would call him that eludes you, for the moment...

Fish
You watch Shaad warily. To all your senses, she appears to be honest, open, and jovial - it is only when you pause to contemplate it that you realize that she has told you little, if anything, of true importance about herself. Nothing she has told you strikes you as a lie, however; it is some indescribable quirk of mannerisms that sets you on edge.

Eirea
Using your inherent ability to sense magical energy, you reach out across the table to the coins, allowing your power to reach out and lightly skim across the room in a loose beam. When it touches the coins, it bounces and skitters, presenting a faint glow to your magical "sight". As your power lightly touches the others at the table - more due to the loose control you are exerting over them than any true curiosity - only Blackhammer and Drowning Fish lack the glow of faint magical power, although some glow brighter than others. A handful of smaller pinpricks of light glow too, presumably items imbued with magic, and a handful of ward-marks light up on the surface of the table, as well as on the walls around you. As your power brushes Shaada, however, it leaps from her, flaring wildly and brilliantly in your vision.

[Sliver]

The only thing Revenant heard was that Shaada was older than he was. He rarely met those...

"Where will you be staying for the night, in this inn?" Revenant asks. He hoped she didn't. He would accompany her for the night, perhaps find out more about the old human. Revenant looked at his untouched mug and slid it to Grall. If someone else would enjoy a drink, no point in pretending it affects him. If he would be questioned on it...

Revenant wasn't very patient. His patience was standing around unmoving, and he hated feeling like a corpse. As long as he was active, he was alive. Kinda.

[Etherion]

So, we have told you of ourselves. What's your story?
As Alderon speaks, he grabs one of the coins off of the table.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I raised an eyebrow and sipped my ale. This artefact certainly sounded interesting, but what really interested me was my gut feeling of something amiss: she didn't tell us anything about herself.

Of course, she had her rights to privacy, but it did seem foolish of her to recruit a group of nobodies merely for companionship. I shrugged; people had odd mannerisms.

The odd this was that...

"This artefact is neutralised by cloth?"

[IamL]

Grall
I grab the mug that Revenant slides towards me eagerly, giving a nod of appreciation as I take a long drink, though this time, much less quickly. "Some artifacts are strange that way, especially since it's a device that could kill a powerful force of good if they accidentally touch it and aren't the 'perfect servant' to the Phoenix, and the Phoenix probably knew this would need to be transported eventually, so he built a backdoor. Either that, or the cloth itself is magical."
Well, once I get to the temple, I'll be able to research "the broken god." This could be rather interesting.
Grall casts
"Read Magic," trying to see if the symbols are magic runes.

[IamL]

(Spellcraft roll for my Read Magic spell):
[roll0]

[PersonMan]

Eirea, her curiosity yet unsatisfied, continues to examine the coins and the others, most interested in the small semi-magic bits of metal and their new...employer than the others auras.

OOC:
Is it normal to see magic auras around spellcasters (or similar), or is this an unusual occurrence? By the normal spell rules, I only see auras of active (or recently shut down) spells or items.

Also, I'm going to be concentrating for 3 rounds to see the strength of the auras (the spell description (http://dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Detect_Magic) has the rules definitions of those).

Also, Spellcraft to determine the school of magic on the coins:

1: [roll0]
2: [roll1]
3: [roll2]
4: [roll3]

[IamL]

Grall
"How much will a night's stay at this place set me back?"
I ask, a sudden non sequitur.
"The bartender never responded when I asked, though it was a busy time when I asked."

[Aard_Rinn]

At Drowning Fish's question, Shaada nods. "Not so much that it is prevented - the power of the sword only effects it's wielder, and it is odd to wield a sword wrapped in cloth - apparently, that doesn't count." She smiles. "Probably a good thing, seeing as apparently the consequences to using it can be quite... dramatic, from what I hear."

She sighs at Alderon's question. "Oh, you know how it is. I fought for pretty much the whole war - I lived near Sagen Hoch, and when my brothers joined the CA, I had nowhere else to go. After the war, I decided that I wanted to see the world - I had no family to take me in, so I traveled a lot, helping rebuild. Now I do odd jobs, mostly." She seems set on edge by the question, but her words ring with honesty - it is a common enough story, after all.

When Revenant asks her his where she plans to spend the night, she pauses, eyeing him with a touch of suspicion, before shrugging it off, seemingly happy to have something else to talk about. "I've got a permanent set of rooms here - me'n Laakim are old friends. I'll see if she gives you the Abarati fee, though. One sec - Laakim!"

The woman at the bar looks up. She is a tall, black-haired woman, with the dark skin of someone from the far south. Even in the warm air of the tavern, she wears a fur coat, although the cloths she wears beneath it are much less conservative. As she checks your group out, you can see that her eyes are yellow.

"What!?" She calls back, sounding a touch irritated.

"The fee for my friends here?"

Hearing this, the woman at the bar seems to relax a bit. "Whatever - I had a guest leave early, so the southside rooms are free. You can get them set up, right?"

Shaada nods easily before turning back to your group. "A gold a night, per person, then."

When she hears Grall's exclamation of "Read Magic," Shaada grins. She waits until his focus returns to the group, from the coins, then responds. "It's my name, that and enough of my power for anyone to confirm the coin came from me. No tricks."

Eirea
The smaller magical items seem inconsequential - mostly small bits of metal or other trinkets coated in the residue of older spells. Likewise, your teammates glow faintly with magical power, although it seems not to be bound in any sort of spell, merely the usual vague swirls of magic that are present on all of the magic races. However, the spells upon Shaada are more clear - what they are eludes you, but you sense the traces of a glamour spell of some kind amongst the various strands of power.

Type of magic on the coins - Arcane, Evocation, Fire\

IamL
The spell responds, and you identify the mark as the arcane glyph for the word "Unrepentant".

[Etherion]

So you said the temple will pay well; how much?

[Sliver]

"Two gold coins for me and Morty is a bit too high. I don't even have enough just for Morty here. Can we compromise for this?" Revenant asks as he pulls out Shaada's copper coin. "It's quite unique." Knowing that it's not going to work. "Don't bother, this chair is comfortable enough. Me and Morty will be fine just here."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I looked at him, sighed, and wondered what he did with his money before realising and remembering my main goal. I pulled out my pouch and placed seven shiny coins onto the table.

"Rooms for all of us, please."

[Etherion]

Thank you. You are quite generous.

[Sliver]

Revenant turns to Fish. "There really is no need to waste your coin on me. I am usually on the road at these times, so a chair is very luxurious."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

No. No, he would not ruin my mission of empathy! I turned and gave him an annoyed stare.

"You can either sleep in your room," I said, "Or you can sleep here and leave the room alone. Either way, I'm paying."

[Sliver]

"If you insist on paying..." Revenant turns to Grall. "You can enjoy mine and Morty's room. Although I believe taking out walls to combine the rooms will be frowned upon, but if you need the storage space or wish to throw a party, it's yours."

@TaiLiuI thought empathy also involved not doing stuff for others when they didn't want you to do them. :smallamused:

Your version is "You'll accept my kindness whether you want it or not!"

[IamL]

Grall
"And what sort of party would a member of the clergy throw?"

[Sliver]

"Back at my temple, when we really wanted to have fun, we emptied someone's stomach and hung them up using their own intestines while they were alive. Then we danced around, smearing the victim's blood over ourselves until someone vomited." Revenant goes silent for a moment, looking around him. "It's a joke." He decides to elaborate, since such a thing might be missed with his monotone voice. His jokes sometimes were awkward. "I'm sure you'll figure something out, if you want. How about cards?"

[PersonMan]

Eirea is about to mention that, like Revenant, she wouldn't be taking a room, but when Drowning Fish so...aggressively decides to pay for one, she decides that she might as well take it. She wouldn't be sleeping - she had never been able to actually get a good night's rest outside a coffin. But it could be nice to simply recuperate for a time and study her notes.

[Aard_Rinn]

Shaada listens to you all chat with a smile on her face, one that only barely flickers even at Revenant's talk of disembowling people. When there is again a lull in conversation, she speaks.

"Well, now that we're all squared away... I really should go to bed. I'm going to head out early tomorrow morning - you probably won't be up - and head over to the temple. Meet me there around noon - we'll get any final issues settled, and head out." She jestures to the three coins remaining on the table. "Take these. If you show them to the priests, they'll point you towards me."

With that she heads over to the bar, neatly springing over it and clambering down what is presumably a trap-door.

Just do a few lines on what you do with yourself during the night and I can cut to morning, if you'd like.

[Sliver]

Revenant doesn't bother correcting Shaada's misconception as she leaves to her chambers. As the others disperse, he decides to help Laakim clean up so she doesn't object to him staying in the dining area. Then, he moves to sit by the window and reads over his prayer book by the light of the stars.

When morning dawns, Revenant would insist on joining Shaada in her walk to the temple.

[IamL]

Grall
I drain the mug Revenant gave to me, bid everybody good night, walk up the stairs, and slip off my armor as I fall into bed, praying to Kord for guidance in this new adventure, and reciting the chants that are customary before sleep.
I curl up in the bed that is about two and a half feet to small for me and sleep. I'm a light sleeper and I wake up two or three times during the night time because of outside sounds, but I don't need a lot of sleep anyway. In the morning, I prepare my usual spells with the following exception: Augury instead of Owl's Wisdom.
I head down the stairs very early in the morning in an attempt to catch Shaada before she leaves so we could travel together to the temple. She interests me.

[Etherion]

Alderon finds his room, and goes to sleep.

[Aard_Rinn]

Grall and Revenant

It is a little after four in the morning when Shaada finally comes downstairs. She is dressed again in her robes and armor, but now she carries with her a leather pack, and the sword at her side is now accompanied by a pair of daggers.

"Well, what do you know? You are up early enough to walk with me, after all." Her voice rings across the room, distracting Grall from his meal and finally dislodging Revenant from his book. "Come on, then, if you're coming - it's quite a walk, and I want to get to the Church before First Bells." By the time she is done speaking, Laakim has brought her a small basket, presumably containing her breakfast. It is covered in a small checkered towel, but from the smell of steam escaping it, you can tell that it's probably full of meat pastries.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15336444


Everyone Else

It is already bright the next day when the four of you regroup in the tavern. Grall and Revenant are both nowhere to be found, but a quick interrogation of Laakim reveals that they have both gone on ahead with Shaada. Breakfast is simple and heavy - Laakim serves up a hamper of pastries with various fillings and a large ceramic flask full of tea, but beyond that, you see little of her - the tavern is already full of patrons eager to get about their day.

By the time you are ready to head out into the city, it is nearly eight o'clock; the city streets are already full of people going about their business. The Daywatch stands smartly at attention in the streets, providing directions to travelers and managing the flow of traffic through the city's busy intersections - where merchant's carts and traveler's mounts jostle for space with the less mobile carts of the street vendors.

You stand outside the Haversow, with the Church of the Phoenix in the distance on the other side of town.

[Etherion]

Well, let's be on our way.
Alderon starts off towards the temple.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I spit out my tea, surprised at his recklessness. We were warned of thieves! They were uncommon, admittedly, but it never hurt to be cautious.

"Hold!" I cried, "Shouldn't we get a map, at the very least?"

[Etherion]

Alderon points.
We can see it from here.

Based on the post, we can see it in the distance

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I finished my tea and poured fresh cups for the both of us.

"It's also a few hours away, and because we don't have a map" - here I sip my tea - "we don't know which routes to walk on, or any dangerous paths. It's simply safer to be careful."

[Etherion]

Fair enough I suppose. Although, do you know where we may find a map?

[TaiLiu]

I sipped my tea as I pointed out the Daywatch giving out directions.

"We can ask them to led us to a cartographer," I said.

[Etherion]

Well then, what are we waiting for? Don't want to be late getting to the temple, and yt looks to be quite the walk.
Alderon walks up to one of nearbye guards.
Excuse me, but could direct us to the nearest cartographer?

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I make hand gestures behind Alderon and ask for the location of the nearest Coach Cab service.

[Aard_Rinn]

The Guardsman smiles at your trio. "It's down the lane a few blocks - just keep going straight," he replies to Drowning Fish's question.

[Etherion]

So, I just need to grab my mule from the stables, then we can be on our way.

Alderon walks to the stable to retrieve Morris.

[Aard_Rinn]

When you reach the stable, Morris is already bridled and wearing his pack - one of the handlers is below him, cinching it tight. The stablehead nods a greeting, and growls out, "Laakim said you'd be wanting him ready."

In the other stalls stand a few scattered animals - horses and mules, mostly, but in the larger stalls on the opposite side stands a pair of Pegasii, and in the loft above slumbers what appears to be a large gryphon, one broad wing hanging loosely over the ledge.

[Etherion]

Thanks.
Alderon tosses him a silver coin.
For your trouble.
Alderon leads Morris back to the group.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I hear the clip-clopping of hoofs and turn around to see Alderon and his mule.

"Perfect timing," I said, "Do you want to take the silver-coloured Cab or the white-coloured one?"

[Etherion]

I would prefer the silver myself.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I nod before entering the Cab, and gesture for the others to enter as well.

[Etherion]

Alderon ties Morris' bridle to the back of the cab with the reins, then gets into the cab.

[Aard_Rinn]

The cab you clamber into has only one other passenger, a young man wearing white-and-orange robes. He glances up with a gentle smile when he sees you - his eyes are a warm shade of brown, framed by his grey hair.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y274/lykei/drawings/archbishop_m.jpg

When you are all seated, he speaks. "Hello. I am Thanat, priest of the Kirin. Are you headed to the Temple of the Phoenix, as well?"

As he speaks, the carriage, now full, begins to move, heading out into the streets with Morris following behind.

[Etherion]

We are. So, may I ask why a priest of the Kirin would be going to the temple of the Phoenix?

[Aard_Rinn]

"Oh, I'm going over there to pick up my older sister - she's one of the priestesses of the Phoenix. My family has served the gods for generations - we've always done ministry, but my sister and I were the first two in many generations to study in a temple; most of our traditions have been passed down over many years. Our ministry is in Ventra's Slip - we've maintained the temples there for the last six hundred years, even when there were no temples."

Thanat seems proud of this part of his heritage, despite his mild tone of voice. His eyes light up when he speaks of his family.

"What brings you to the Temple? You aren't from around here - are you travelers?"

[Etherion]

We are travellers. We are going to the temple because they want an artifact delivered.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I looked at Alderon, wide-eyed and shocked. Why would he speak so brazenly? We could not trust this priest - if he was who he claimed to be. It was far too dangerous to expose information.

I needed a cover story, quick! I pulled out a dark, black feather, and displayed it to the priest.

"This is the artefact," I lied, "It's called the Fallen Sun."

Skill Checks:
Bluff: [roll0]

[Etherion]

Why lie about the artifact? I said nothing of what it is, or where it is going, or even who in the temple wants it delivered.

Alderon watches Drowning Fish, slightly confused.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I glance back at Alderon, giving him the Hobgoblin Death Glare.

"It's a little dangerous to show this," I said, "But we can trust him."

Skill Checks:
Taking Ten on Bluff to Deliver a Simple Secret Message: [18]

The message is: "Why?!"

[Aard_Rinn]

"The Fallen Sun?" he asks, taking a good look at the feather. "Does it do anything, or is it merely some relic of the God? I will admit, I am little acquainted with the Phoenix and his legends - before I came to this city, I had only ever seen one artifact from the Godsfall - my family has a scale that belonged to the Kirin. We bring it out a few times a year, at feast days, and the locals touch it and pray to it for Her blessing." He smiles brilliantly.

"It's truly amazing, what they have in larger Temples. Here, it seems there are more artifacts and relics and writings than one could believe, all passing through on their ways to the university, or else to the littler churchs. My teacher says that he'll let me and some of the other young priests from villages further east take a few of the relics there to tour, if we apply ourselves to our studies. Imagine - bringing a major artifact to some of the far cities! Ventra's Slip hasn't had a temple-trained priest of the God in over three hundred years, let alone something so sacred!"

It is clear from his demeanor that Thanat is a talkative young man, eager to discuss the church. He speaks with a fire in his voice now that belays his pride, but it doesn't sound like conceit - rather, he seems proud to serve his family in such a prestigious way.

When he notices the two of you glancing back and forth, Thanat furrows his brow, looking confused. His eyes suddenly widen as he catches on.

"Oh! You don't have to worry about having shown me this, I promise! I won't steal it, or tell anyone you showed me if it's supposed to be secret! That would be an awful thing to do!"

[Etherion]

Alderon shrugs casually, as if to say why not

You must be eager to bring a relic to your home town.

After Thanat mentions keeping it a secret, Alderon adds

Well, it's not as if you know anything important about it. And regardless, from what we were told, it is a very minor artifact, barely worth anything.

[Etherion]

skill check:
[roll0]

[Aard_Rinn]

Thanat's eyes light up. "Oh, of course! A very minor artifact!" he says with a win, loud enough for the driver to hear, before leaning in conspiratorially. "So what does it do?" he asks with an ill-concealed grin, his voice low but filled with barely restrained excitement.

[Etherion]

No idea. Just delivering it. Although they said something about being carefull not to drop it.

[Etherion]

Skill check
bluff so he thinks it's volatile or something
[roll0]

[Aard_Rinn]

Wow. You are a dismal, dismal liar.

Thanat looks thoroughly reproached at your words. "Oh. Right. I'm sorry for prying - didn't mean to be a bother." He falls silent for a minute, staring at his folded hands. His shoulders are slumped, and he seems saddened by your words.

After a little bit, however, he perks up. "So, where are you from, anyways? I'm assuming it's from the south - I know the Phoenix is the primary god there. Up North, we rarely hold services in His name, only on feast days and during the ceremonies - part of the reason my sister trained as his priest is because we know so little about the proper services to honor him."

[Etherion]

I am not really from anywhere. I have been on the road for my entire life, really. My parents were mercenaries, and I followed in the footsteps. Literally, for a long time. We travelled together after our mercenary company was disbanded.

[Aard_Rinn]

"Oh, mercenaries? How interesting! I've never actually done any fighting - the guard in Ventra are very strict, and they've always looked kindly on our temple. Not much trouble in our parts, really!" He grins, rolling his shoulders back.

"My brother decided to join the guard when Cay left to join the temple here. He's in his third year as a senior guardsman - he got promoted a few months before I came to the Howe! He's the head of the guardhouse on the warfs - the Slip is famous for its fishing industry, and he's in charge of making sure no one is smuggling things through the port - he got a commendation from the Governor a few months ago, for catching someone trying to move a half-pound of White Opal through the city."

[Etherion]

Incredible. You must be proud.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I take out the cups and pour all of us some tea.

[Aard_Rinn]

"Well, typically our whole family works in the temple, but Renault has always loved to study the law. My mom was upset, for a bit, but we talked her around - she likes that he lives close by, and he still helps out with services and taking care of the shrines. Dad thought it was great, though - he was so proud when 'Nault got in, he sold one of his goats so he could afford to buy him a new set of armor and a sword 'as befits a Gottsbeil'. Got it repainted with the family crest and everything."

Thanat gratefully accepts the cup of tea from Drowning Fish. "Ah - thank you! I have to admit, I didn't get a chance at breakfast this morning - I had to get up really early to finish my daily tasks before I could head out; I just barely managed to make it to morning prayers! Senior Priest Thurge was so annoyed at me - I nearly ran over his cat trying to make it to the carriage-stop on time. He whacked me with his stick!" He pulls up his sleeve, showing what looks like a big bruise from a staff.

"He's always whacking folks, though, so it doesn't really matter. The High Priest had to get two of the paladins to help pull him off of one of the visitors after the man bumped into him!"

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I almost spat out my tea. The Senior Priest had problems with his control? This was vital to my searches! Inflated with hope, I had to ask.

"This priest of yours," I began, "Has he ever tried anything to hold back his violent nature? Research of some sorts, perhaps?"

[Aard_Rinn]

"Thurge? Nah. He's just an angry old guy - he's gotta be like a thousand! But he's really good at keeping the records - he remembers everything about everybody. He just gets really pissy with us - the younger priests, I mean - when we mess up his records. Or breathe too loudly while we're in the same room as him.Or exist on the same plane as him..." The last is said in almost a whisper, and Thanat glances around, almost as if frightened that his bogeyman of a superior will pop into existence within the cart.

"The High Priest is nice, though! He's got a little box in his office that he spelled to keep full of ice - he uses it for his drinks, but he's always willing to let us take a bit if we get thumped real hard in training, or if Thurge gets us - I just didn't have the time to stop by this morning. Maybe I can get someone at the Temple of the Phoenix to make it stop hurting?" He seems to contemplate this as he sits, poking the injury and hissing in pain every time he does.

[Etherion]

You shouldn't let him hit you like that, especially if it is not even for discipline. You priests need to stand up for yourselves.
Alderon starts drinking some tea.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I winch as I watch his pain-filled reactions. This was how empathy worked, right? I decided to go a step further and assist him; I reached into my pouch and pulled out a watery piece of ice before offering it to the priest.

[Aard_Rinn]

Thanat gratefully accepts your chunk of ice, pausing only momentarily to glance at you in bewilderment, wondering where on earth you had procured it from. He looks over at Alderon with a grin. "Oh, he's not so bad. He can only catch you if you're slow, anyways, and he doesn't go after the little kids - just those of us he thinks should be able to outrun him. It's our own fault if we can't; Promptness is one of the Goddess's virtues." His voice changes into a strange falsetto at this last line, as if he is quoting an oft-repeated phrase. He sighs. "Sometimes it seems like the Goddess's only virtues are the things I'm bad at" The grin returns quickly, however. "And patience: for some reason patience is never one of the Goddess's virtues, so it must be that she is a very impatient woman. But they say the Goddess loves mathematicians, and no one is more mathematical than I, so I suppose I shall do in the end!" He seems inordinately pleased with that last bit, his smile broad and beaming.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I looked at him, confused. What did he mean by that?

[Aard_Rinn]

Note: This is a time-skip post, meant to advance your half of the party to the reunion of both halves. There will be two posts in the IC thread, one for that half of the party only, and one for the reunited halves to read together. The one for that half only will be spoilered, with this note at the top, and the one for the whole group will be posted after that.


You continue to talk to Thanat, sipping the hot cups of tea, as the coach carries you to the Temple. Finally, the bumping ride ends, and he gathers up his possesions. "We should be here, now!" he says, pushing open the doors to the carriage, and holding them as you dismount. A woman stands waiting nearby, her hair the same sandy grey as his, and as you watch, he runs over and embraces her. Grabbing her hand and pulling her torwards you, he introduces her with a smile.

"My sister, Caydidae - these are the folks I travelled with on the way here, Cay! Drowning Fish and Alderon!"

Caydidae gazes at you curiously. It is clear she is a calmer sort than her talkative brother, and she blinks owlishly at you for a few long moments before she finally offers you her hand. "Call me Cay." Once she has shaken each of your hands in turn, she returns her gaze to her brother. "We should go, Thanat. The carter is waiting."

Thanat nods. "Yes, we'd better go..." He frowns for a second, then brightens. "Listen, if you're ever in Ventra's Slip, look my brother up. His name is Renault, like I said - I'm sure he'd be willing to put you up for the night, if you're ever passing through! Just ask any of the Guards there!" He gives you a wave as he gets back into the coach, shouting a goodbye out the window as it pulls away, leaving the two of you standing on the side of the road, Morris contentedly munching on one of the temple's well-pruned shrubs.

A few coppers have one of the temple's servants leading the mule to the temple stables, and the two of you begin to search for Shaada and your other companions. Your search is fruitless for a long while, until Alderon remembers the heavy coin in his pocket, marked with Shaada's symbol. As soon as you show this to one of the priests, he leads you inside and down a long hall, before sticking his head into a side room. He converses with the occupants for a few moments befor backing up and waving you inside.

The room you enter contains a table, around which are seated many people. You recognize about half - Shaada is there, as well as the other three who were at the table last night - Eirea, Grall and Revenant, if your memory serves. The other four are strangers - one wears the red robes of a High Priestess of the Phoenix, but the other three have no such identifiers - one is clearly a local guardswoman, and another an acolyte at the temple, but the third doen't even give that much away by her dress - she wears a pale blue cape over a white linen dress, her pale face impassive behind dark hair.

Shaada rises when you enter. "Alderon, Drowning Fish, welcome! Glad you made it here! Come, have a seat - we were just waiting for your arrival before we got down to business. There's breakfast, if you want it."

Gesturing at each of the strangers in turn, starting with the High Priestess, she introduces them to you. "The Lady Nydia, High Priestess of the Phoenix. Naii Uue****aadema, captain of the Mage's Guard. Lady Brede of Ffjolknir, and Virill, guardian of the Sword."

Nydia
http://www.mooncostumes.com/image/27386

Nydia herself has chestnut hair that reaches her chest, and dark brown eyes. She also carries a wooden staff capped in gold as symbol of her office.

Naii
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSX1Liq0MpJ9375xvMKvCwyoSvjSFzDO LiAfYSP6P5bZHmw-Ufr

Brede
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Selendina_sunmoon/Anime%20and%20Layout/3.jpg

Virill
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e219/doggiequeen910/Anime/priestess.jpg

[Aard_Rinn]

When you are all seated, Nydia whispers a few words in Virill's ear. The young girl nods, and strides over to the wall, where she retreives a long, wrapped package as Shaada clears the serving dishes from the center of the table. Virill slowly, carefully, begins unwrapping the blade, occasionally removing a small charm or precious stone from the folds in the linen as she does so. When the blade is bare, she lays it carefully in the center of the table, the wrap in a small pile besides it, and the charms tucked away in a small velvet pouch next to them.

After making sure that it is properly laid out, she speaks. Her voice is soft, but she projects confidence as she discusses the blade under her stewardship.

"This is the Ruugukhan Blade - the Blade of the God's-Forge. It is said that, a millennia ago during the Godsfall War, there lived a swordsmaker of incredible skill - the craftsman Orren Kwuul. He made many of the ancient blades still known today, and even now he is known as an unsurpassed master of his craft. According to his legend, he crafted blades of all different types - regular steel blades of exceptional strength and measure, silver blades to slay weres that were reenforced with magic and cores of cold iron, and weapons of a stranger, more exotic sort. Blades wrot of diamond, of living wood, of stone or fire or light itself - miraculous weapons, the likes of which might even slay a god. And they did, or some of them did - they were tools meant for battle, even as they were works of art.

However, Orren was always seeking new materials. He sought the strange and the bizzarre - blades made of noise or air or nothingness - but it was not until the end of the Godsfall that he found the perfect material - or more precisely, the perfect forge.

Some say he stole the feather - others say he was given it - but he found one of the Phoenix's burning feathers either way, and, taking a steel blank, he forged it into a blade - the Ruugukhan." She pauses dramaticly, allowing a little time for the full impact of her words to sink in, before continuing in a much more casual manner, now seemingly more at ease with your group.

"Then, presumably, he swung it - he died with it in his hands, and it kills anyone who wields it and is unworthy, so it's assumed that that's what killed him. Worthy to craft it but not to wield it, as it were. After a while, it made it's way into the hands of the Temple of the Phoenix, and it's been held as a holy relic ever since. It travels from Temple to Temple, being shown to the worshippers. It's convienient because it's so safe to transport, see - some relics are unpredictable, but as long as no one starts swining it around, this ones completely inert."

The blade on the table does look fairly harmless, as blades go. It has an elegant, narrow blade, and though it is clearly made of iron, the metal does seemt to have a faint orange tinge.

"So we just need you lot to escort it, and me, to Raahlsheim. It should be safe, but it's unseemly for a priestess to travel alone with something so valuable, even on a well-trod road."

She takes a seat, a blush overcoming her pale features at these last, hurried words, and smiles appreciatively when Nydia arises. "So, a simple enough mission. I leave it to you, Shaada, to arrange the specifics with your party, if they choose to accompany you. Now, do you have any questions about anything?" Next to her, Virill begins to re-wind the blade's shroud, and Naii and Shaada have returned to chatting with one another, having clearly already been briefed on this mission.

[Etherion]

Has anyone ever been able to wield the sword?

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

"How do we know we can trust you?"

[Aard_Rinn]

At Alderon's question, Virill shakes her head. "The sword is said to be only wieldable by the true servant of the Phoenix. Since it is so dangerous to anyone else who makes the attempt, it has not been... experimented with, as some other artifacts have. Instead, we simply wait, putting our faith in the Phoenix that He will guide the blade to His chosen when the time is right." She finishes tucking away the wrapping on the sword, leaning the finished bundle against her chair before taking the last of the meat pies.

At Drowning Fish's inquiry, Nydia listens impassively. With a laugh, she offers her reply, although both Virill and Brede look offended at your rudeness. "Well, I have given you no reason not to trust me, haven't I? The truth is, I have no need of your services; I have full faith that Riishaad and Virill could safely escort the blade to Raahlheim on their own, but Riishaad wished me to allow her to hire some companions for the journey, and I would be loathe to deny her so small a favor. Why she has chosen you, you will have to discuss with her, but I have faith in her as a judge of character. You will be paid handsomely - two hundred gold, each, upon the blade's delivery, plus a stipend for travel to be held in Riishaad's care. Plus, of course, a letter of recommendation, signed by me, to the High Priest there, requesting he aid you in whatever ways he can - Riishaad has informed me that some of you are pilgrims yourselves?"

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

Upon hearing about a letter of recommendation, I perked up. It was not a promise, but it was a good chance for assistance in my affairs. Still, perhaps I could take care of my affairs now...

"Do we have any time to rest before we go off? If so, is there a library I could use?"

[IamL]

Grall Malthos, ruminating about fate
"I second that inquiry, but I give my word that I will deliver the sword to the other temple."

[Aard_Rinn]

Nydia opens her mouth to speak, but Shaada shakes her head. "We should set out - it's a long trip to Raahlsheim, and if we leave soon, we can make it to the first waypoint before dark." She looks to Verill. "I want to be out of here by Third Bells."

[Etherion]

Well then, lets go.

[IamL]

Grall
"Yes, we should leave, though I would like to look at this temple's library when we return."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I raised my eyebrow, confused.

"Are we in a rush?"

[IamL]

Grall
Yes, third bells will be going off pretty soon."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I keep my eyebrow raised.

"What about it?"

[Etherion]

Weren't you listening? If we leave soon we can get to the first waypoint before nightfall.

[Aard_Rinn]

"Yes, if we don't head out soon, we'll have to ride in the dark. And I'd rather not wait until tomorrow - the locals will be travelling into the city for the weekly market, and that'll force us to stay here until Morag'sday - I have no desire to remain in the city another three days, and we do have to get this to Raahlsheim before the end of the month - they're holding a ceremony to elect a new Prator, and they want this artifact to make their sacrifices to." Shaada seems more professional now, not the relaxed, casual character you met last night.

"Virill - go and get your things and mine, and be ready in the courtyard. Nydia and I have a little business to attend here."

Virill nods and rises, with a deep bow to Nydia and a shallower one to Shaada. "Of course, Shaada." Taking the sword, she walks out of the room.

"So, you will all accompany my Riishaad on this venture?" Nydia asks your group, after a pause.

[Etherion]

I am willing to go.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I grumble, annoyed that I could not access the library, but quickly reminded myself of the potential assistance. I sighed and agreed to go.

[IamL]

Grall
"If it serves the Phoenix, I shall do it."

[PersonMan]

Eirea, glad to have been able to stay an observer for the meal, nods in response to the question, her meaning clear: she will go.

[Aard_Rinn]

"Excellent." Nydia smiles at you all, before taking Shaada's hand. "Come, Riishaad." To your group, she adds, "Please, excuse us for a moment," before pulling her through a door at the back of the room. The door shuts, and you can hear the sound of the two of them talking after a few moments.

Only two other people remain in the room with you, now - the guardswoman Naii and the woman in the blue robe - Brede. Naii is leaning back in her chair, staring up at the ceiling and thoughtlessly chewing on a leather strap she seems to have pulled out of nowhere, but Brede is not so complacent - although she has not spoke a word to your group, she sits fixated on you, her chin leaning against steepled fingers.

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I drum my hand against the table, waiting in the silence. Eventually, I grew bored, and pulled out my flask of tea, planting it on the table with a thump.

"Is anyone thirsty?"

[Etherion]

I am fine, thank you.

[IamL]

Grall
"I'd love a cup, thank you."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte Of Empathy

I nod to Grall and take out a cup before pouring the tea, now cooled from hours of travel.

While handing the cup to him, I asked, "How was your travel?"

[Aard_Rinn]

Ok, so I wrote up a longer post to hopefully get things rolling again - this is everything from where you left off to a ...later that evening. Not much to happen so close to the city, and you rolled a 00 on the encounters table for today, so I just moved ahead to the evening, where you can interact with each other easier. I suggest you get some chatting in now - opportunity to do so will vanish fast once things start picking up more plot-wise.

After about half an hour of what sounds like a heated discussion from the other room, Shaada reenters the room and begins to speak. She holds up a bag of coins. "I've got out stipend, and our payment is with the church in Raahlsheim." She hands each of you a piece of parchment - a heavy black square, about 3 inches on a side, onto which a thick pool of pearly white wax has been poured and marked with a seal depicting a phoenix, talons clutched around a serpent. Inset into the twin eyes of the serpent are set two blue stones, and in the phoenix's lone visible eye a polished carbuncle is seated.

http://images.elfwood.com/art/c/a/carrie/phoenix_c.jpg

This is basically it, only in a relief, rather than pencil, obviously, and the snake has two eyes.

"Take care of this. It's to identify you to the Temple - and a promise of the Temple's assistance. If you are looking for knowledge or assistance, just show this to those who's help you need - if it's theirs to offer, it will be provided."

Picking up her sword and pack, she shoulders the bag before heading to the door. Looking over her shoulder, she calls back to your group - "Come on!" She waves a brief farewell to Brede and Naii before starting off down the hall, with you at her heels.

This time as you walk, you are given a chance to examine the hallway in more detail. It is covered in murals - some simple pictographs, others complex oil paintings done in minute detail. Other pieces of art are also displayed - some artifacts, displayed under glass or left open to be touched by worshippers; others, statues or carvings of the Phoenix or, more rarely, the Kirin. As you leave, what had seemed upon your entry to be merely a massive stone slab can now be seen to be a massive, painted carving, nearly forty feet high, depicting the Phoenix and the Kirin entwined around the universe, which is clutched in the Phoenix's talons.

When you leave, Shaada heads left, striding towards the same stable that Morris is stabled in. Virill is already standing in front of the gate, her hands on the halter of another horse - a dusty-red pony carrying two large saddlebags. At her belt, she has tied the Ruuguhkan, as well as a second sword, presumably her own. No longer is the Blade of the God's-Forge bound in linen - now it is in a simple sheathe made of brown leather and blazoned with burning white runes - <₹₣₰₢ὠ₪₹₸>. A silver chain is wrapped around the hilt, binding it firmly into the sheathe so the blade cannot be drawn - it gleams in the sunlight and with the light of the runes.

When Alderon passes his chit to the stablemaster, the man calls for a hand to bring Morris. The tawny mule is led out on a rope, which is passed back to Alderon, and the stablehand vanishes back into the barn. As soon as they notice each other, the two horses begin to regard each other warily. Morris snuffles and steps closer, but the pony snorts at him, one foot pawing the earth. After a few minutes inspection, the two look avert their gazes and seem to pointedly ignore the other.

It takes only perhaps an hour to prepare yourselves for departure, as there is little to be done, only the reorganizing of packs and the like. Finally, you depart the city, heading north along the Raahls-Howe.

Your group converses amongst itself for a few hours, as the sun continues to rise in the sky. Shaada and Virill quickly paced out to the front of the group, walking perhaps twenty feet ahead of the rest of you, alongside their pony - who, Virill had promptly informed you, was named Rhys - and pouring over a handful of documents together: a few pamphlets, a large, thin book, and a map, which they regarded with seemingly no attention to the cobbles beneath their feet. Similarly, they pay no mind to the other caravans on the road beside them, heading the other way as they travel to Tell's Howe for the fair.

Talk amongst your group quickly turns to tea-related matters, quickly devolving into an argument over the appropriate way to serve tea to monsters. You continue along, the convesation light and the travel quick, until, with the sun is just hitting it's zenith, Shaada pulls out a package of cheese, bread, and a flask of wine. She passes it around to those of you who accept some, before splitting the remainder with Virill as they resume their discussion.

As you get further from the city, the carts thin out, until you are seeing them perhaps twice an hour, instead of once a day. The travel is easy - the road is flat and paved, and the sky is covered in a thin veil of cloud, blocking the worst of the sun's heat. A stiff breeze rolls across the fields, bringing with it the first of the cool winds of autumn, as well as the heavy must of dry soil and the scent of ripening grain. Alongside the road are two thin strips of grass, where a few of the larger wagons have pulled off the road and set their animals to graze. As you pass, their riders wave to you from around recently-kindled fires as they begin to lay camp for the coming night.

Just as the sun begins to sink towards the horizon, Shaada beckons you off of the main path. Leading you to a stand of trees, she speaks. "This is the first campsite on the Raahls-Howe heading north. Since we aren't travelling with a caravan or a wagon, spots like this are set aside for us so we can more easily make shelter - although it's suprising no one else is here; usually there are at least two or three other travellers. They probably found shelter with the wagons - I would suggest we do the same, but the Sword would probably make them uncomfortable."

As she gestures to the clearing at the center of the stand, you can see that it has indeed been used many times as a campsite. Three stone-ringed firepits are spread out across the clearing, the ash from their last uses still fresh, and a small pile of wood sits next to one, damp from the moist leaves beneath it. First glancing around, as if to check if anyone's watching from the woods, Shaada kicks a larger hunk of it into the nearest firepit, giving your entire group a grin and a sly wink to Eirea, Grall and Revenant as she raises a single hand.

"This isn't cheating - I promise -" she says with a smirk - and she snaps, and the log erupts into flames, thick curls of murky red-and-yellow fire mixing with the pale steam of the vaporizing moisture in the logs.

"There we go. Now let's get dinner cooked - we can set up for the night later, that's easy now we've got a fire going."

In addition to your IC posts, I need two things from you - in the OOC, please post how you liked this post, and if you had any way you preferred to RP travel, or if there's changes I could make to make it more fun for you. There will probably be actual encounters at some point next day, but other than that, tell me what you want, guys.

Also, I need each of you to roll me this list -

*1d20
*1d20
*1d20
*1d20
*1d20

*2d10
*2d10
*2d10
*2d10
*2d10

*1d6
*2d6
*3d6
*4d6
*5d6

*1d100
*1d100
*1d100

divided up like that. Thanks!

If you really want to do something other than what happened in this post, or want to change something specific, post in the OOC and I'll see what I can do. I just don't want to see this game stop as we slowly got you guys out of the temple and travelled down the road, and I thought a change of scenery might do us some good.

[Sliver]

Revenant walked silently along the others. He haven't traveled with company for a while and wasn't sure how to join their conversation. He didn't feel the need to do it, and it didn't seem they would mind.

As they reached the campgrounds, he offered to help setting up to anyone who wanted before speaking up, the first time for quite a while since they were at the temple.

"I will keep watch along with Morty. Not many things can escape our sight."

[Aard_Rinn]

Shaada nods easily. "Yes, that sounds good. I will also be keeping watch, so together, we should have everything under control." She turns to Virill. "How are you holding up, V? 's been a long time since we've done a road trip together - you've kept sharp at that temple of yours, though. How're you holding up?"

Virill looks a little worn, but her eyes are still bright. "Well enough, I suppose - and you? You're getting old, after all, even if you don't know it." She grins at the other, and they laugh, as if sharing some secret, private joke.

Shaada turns to the rest of you. "We're making good time - if the weather holds, we should pass through Luuren inside of two days. It should only be about three more before Raahlsheim, after that."

[TaiLiu]

Drowning Fish, Acolyte of Empathy

I nod in satisfaction, weary from travel.

"I've brought tea," I said, "What foods do we have?"

[Aard_Rinn]

Shuffling through the pack on Rhys's back, Shaada examines several parchment-wrapped bundles, rattling off a list of foodstuffs as she goes. "Some bread - looks like cheese - ooh, dried apples - chestnuts, I know how much you love those, Virill - hm, some smoked sausage, nice..." Finally, she pulls out a thicker package, this one in a wicker box rather than a mere paper wrapping. "And I believe this is for tonight..."

Inside the box sits a flask of now-cooled broth, a head of some sort of light-grey mushroom, a large, dirty-looking onion, and a cloth pouch full of meat scraps. Unhooking a small metal pot from Rhys's saddle, she puts the broth on to heat as she begins to chop the other ingredients.

"The temple usually sends good foods for trips like this, but we can restock if we need anything else - they gave me some money for the journey."

Once the ingredients are cut to size, she dumps them into the now-roiling pot unceremoniously, with the air of someone who has prepared and eaten the same stew many, many times. Covering it with the heavy lid, she turns to Virill again.

"I'm going to set the wards. You can handle that blade of yours on your own, right?"

Virill nods, looking a touch annoyed - "I've only been doing so for the last eight years, Riishaad. I think I've got this."

"Don't you go getting snippy with me, private." Though the words are harsh, the tone remains light, and once again the two seem to be silently laughing at some shared and oft-told joke.

"Revenant, you coming?" Shaada asks as she stands. "Or do you want to stay and eat?"

If you want to stay: Upon hearing your decision to remain with the group, Shaada looks puzzled, but nevertheless smiles and says, "Keep an eye on them for me, then," before heading into the woods surrounding the clearing.

If you want to go: Shaada grins at your acquiescence. "Bring Morty, why don't you?" she call back, waiting for you to catch up before she strides of into the woods with you beside her.

Virill glances around awkwardly once Shaada has left, seemingly uncertain of how to react to the rest of your party. She rises to stir the soup, seemingly striving to buy herself time, but finally, she is forced to speak, clearly ill-at-ease now that she is alone. Finally, she blurts out, "She really just picked you guys up at a bar?" Immediately after this outburst, she flushes, her face turning a deep and embarrassed maroon.

[PersonMan]

Eirea is quiet for the trip, happy to let the others speak, at first silently filtering through their words for anything important but eventually just listening to their conversation. For much of the time, she has one hand on the half-concealed array of bones and teeth she carries with her. Disinterested with the food, she instead watches the reactions of the others, more curious about their preferences than the food that she would not be eating. Perhaps if there were leftovers that would otherwise be wasted, or if it was especially good...but Eirea had not eaten in weeks. After the first few days, she found that the cravings stopped entirely, subsumed by the power that fed her through more direct means.

As the young priestess blurts her question, Eirea smiles - such an outburst reminds her of her own youth (which had ended nearly a decade ago), when such a thing was, barely, permitted rather than strictly punished by her mother.

"Indeed she did, young miss," Eirea says, her voice halfway between the softest silk and the ringing of a delicate bell, filled with subtle charm. "You yourself seem to have significantly more history with her - where did she pick you up?" The last part of Eirea's question is clearly a reference to Virill's own wording, briefly mimicking her intonations to make it clear without having to outright state it. There's no specific 'tone' to it - it's not mocking or annoyed or similar, it's as if she's verbally pointing to it and saying 'that's an unusual choice of words'.

How Eirea manages to get all of that across with the tone of three words is a mystery.

Auto-succeed on Bluff to send a message to everyone, written into the above, it's basically "pick you up? That's an odd way to say it".

Oh, and Diplomacy 24, taking 10. Eirea isn't putting special effort into charming Virill, but she wants to make a good impression. This is after a minute of conversation, so I don't think the effects would be immediately obvious.

[Aard_Rinn]

Virill smiles, leaning in closer to you as if relieved that you chose not to take offense at her inquisitiveness. "We used to fight together, a long time ago - after the war, we spent a few years hunting bandits in the south together before I decided to join the temple. She often comes by to visit me, and now that I am responsible for the Sword, she often travels with me."

She leans in as if to confide a secret. "I think she gets lonely, to be honest. She's not got any family or anything, so she's just walking, all the time. Folks let her stay, but she always goes on to the next place before long." She leans back. "I think she misses... well, I shouldn't say. But Riishaad always looks sad when she has to leave."

She pauses and contemplates the soup for a while, giving it another stir. Then she looks up. "That's why you're so odd - she's traveled with strangers before, but she's never brought them along with her when we were traveling together..."

As she speaks, the fire flickers, casting moving shadows over the trees as the sky continues to slowly darken.
There are about 45 minutes of daylight left.

[PersonMan]

"You must have been quite young, then, if you fought 'long ago'," Eirea mentions to the priestess. She silently absorbs the information, committing it to memory even as she wonders why she's still following her mother's old teachings.

"I see. Perhaps we've charmed her already," Eirea's tone makes it clear that the second is meant as a joking comment, but somehow she fails to deliver it in a humorous manner. Fails entirely. "Ah, I see night is beginning soon. It reminds me of my old lullaby, being out here in the open during twilight," she continues after a moment, smiling slightly as she looks up at the sky. Her blindfold slips slightly downwards, revealing the edge of her eyelids, but she doesn't notice.

[Sliver]

"Nobody can resist the cold touch of a man of my caliber." Revenant says in his monotone way as he stands up and walks with Shaada, Morty a few feet behind. "You kids behave while we are away, got it?"

Sorry, didn't notice the edit that the invitation was for Revenant... Although it does explain why Morty would come with...

[Aard_Rinn]

Revenant
"Come along, then," Shaada calls back to you as she dodges under yet another swaying tree branch. "So... I was wondering, how long have you and Morty been together? You seem to take good care of him - was he a pet in life as he is in death?"

Virill nods, but she doesn't respond to the comments about her age at first. Finally, she replies. "Yes, quite young, quite young. I was... only thirteen years old when the war ended; I had been fighting since I was six." Unlike some, who speak of the war in sorrowed tones, Virill seems to bear no ill will to the war that stole her childhood - her voice remains light, and she smiles as she continues. "After the war, I had nowhere else to go - my hometown, Daubacree, was destroyed, and the other options... weren't attractive to me - but Rishaad said I could go with her, and so I did. We hunted bandits together in the South until I decided I wanted to do something with my life other than fighting, so I joined the temple - and fifteen years later, here we are." She grins, reminiscing. "She always said she'd never stop fighting... I still wish I was with her, sometimes, but I am happy, with the temple, and I see her often enough.."

When Eirea is done speaking, she gazes up at the darkening sky. "A lullaby, huh?" Her smile grows soft. "I don't remember them, although my mother must have sung them once... We sang battle leys instead."

[Sliver]

Revenant glances at Morty before looking back at Shaada and shaking his head. "I don't think I had a pet during my life... At the Church of Silent Call, you are deemed capable enough to travel on your own once you are able to control one of the undead minions by yourself, at that point the phase of basic training is also over and sometimes adventuring is encouraged. Still, I have much to learn, so I prefer to not take long detours in my return unless they are necessary... I have chosen Morty because it seemed easier, that people would not react as negatively to his sight as they would if it were a human skeleton. I treat him as though he's alive because it helps me keep things in perspective and keep a certain grasp of the world of the living. I am the voice of the dead, but the living are the one that need to listen, so I try to not alienate myself..."