Tales of Aequar: Runite's Rise IC III

[CoffeeIncluded]

Elsee:

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There were other clans who had tattoos like hers and Nedivax's, and all of them were goblin clans. Maybe. Either way, she doesn't know of any other Seer clans.

The way Nedivax's eyes widen, it's as if Elsee admitted to being born disabled. Which, in a sense, to one with the tattoo, isn't far off the mark.

"Do you have any siblings?" he asks. "My sister, Bella, we tried, but she could never be a..." he says a word that, in goblin, translates to Midnight nomad. "I always thought it was because she never shared our bloodline, but if what you say is true, then it may be more complicated than that.

Surdrak:

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There's no magic on the tattoo (did I ever say it was magical?), but Nedivax's headband and Bella's chain shirt both register as magical. Other things may be as well.

[Draconi Redfir]

Elsee shrugged a bit, idly sitting on the ground near the hobgoblin, crossing her legs.

"only one last time i checked, wasa few years ago though so i might have a few creeps running around. Other'n tht i got nothin."

She squins a bit though and glances over to bella, who is still busy chatting with badger.

"Seems pretty magic user-y to me."

[CoffeeIncluded]

Nedivax shakes his head. "Simply being a mage isn't enough to become a midnight nomad or a delve reader. You out to know at least this," he says.

Bella sighs. "I could learn any illusion or enchantment, beguile even Kago soldiers to protect my family, but I could never be a midnight nomad. And now I can't even protect my brother from you." She tugs on her chain shirt. "What good is this for?!"

[Athedia]

"Well, we have an issue here. The two of you did break the law, and did try to kill us. I hope more that I remember that. But we already turned someone in for the flesh golem. This was just us following up a lead about dancing skeletons. Unless you did participate in the golem? And why dancing?"

[Dusk Eclipse]

"umm does anyone knows how long this stuff lasts?" Artorias says in a booming voice.

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Artorias knows a little about spellcasting (decent INT) but he has no idea of the finer points of spellcasting, and since I wasn't sure what to post, I decided to go with comedy.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Well, we have an issue here. The two of you did break the law, and did try to kill us. I hope more that I remember that. But we already turned someone in for the flesh golem. This was just us following up a lead about dancing skeletons. Unless you did participate in the golem? And why dancing?"

Bella and Nedivax blink. "Dancing?" It's clear neither of them know what Badger's talking about either.

The two mages ignore Badger's remark about their criminal activity. Nedivax says, "Tanner found out about us and asked to join. He's responsible for the flesh golem."

"umm does anyone knows how long this stuff lasts?" Artorias says in a booming voice.

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Artorias knows a little about spellcasting (decent INT) but he has no idea of the finer points of spellcasting, and since I wasn't sure what to post, I decided to go with comedy.

Jadeite looks down and starts counting off on his fingers. "Three...two...one..."

Right on cue, in a swirl of vertigo Artorias instantly shrinks down to his normal size.

[Draconi Redfir]

Nedivax shakes his head. "Simply being a mage isn't enough to become a midnight nomad or a delve reader. You out to know at least this," he says.

Elsee merely shook her head. "Mom 'nd grandma 'nd great-gramma 'nd so on were the only ones who could do magic 'nd predict the future 'n stuff for us."

[CoffeeIncluded]

"How small was your tribe?" Nedivax asks, almost in horror.

[Dusk Eclipse]

"Urghhh.... ok that could have been worse"

[CoffeeIncluded]

"It's a shame the spell has few direct offensive purposes," Jadeite muses. "Though I suppose there could be a variant which, upon restoration of size, would restore size from the feet to the head rather than vice versa, leaving the subject to the whims of gravity."

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I'll roll for treasure tonight or tomorrow.

[Draconi Redfir]

"How small was your tribe?" Nedivax asks, almost in horror.

Elsee wrinkled her nose as she thought, trying to count out all the families she'd seen in the tribe. "maaayybe booouut... eighty? ish?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Nedivax closes his eyes. "That few...I remember the stories..."

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Goodnight, everyone!

[Draconi Redfir]

Elsee merely quirked an eyebrow, having run out of motions or gestures to make to prevent the conversaition from feeling bland and keep her posts of decent size.

"What stories?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

"That the tribes used to be so much bigger, a long time ago," Nedivax says, closing his eyes. "But with Kago and internal wars and our journey across the plains...wait, why am I telling you this? You're going to arrest me and my sister."

Jadeite whispers to whomever is close, "Is this a pattern with you?"

His ferret familiar curls up on his shoulder and seems to whisper something in his ear. Nedivax sighs. "I suppose that's it, Rikin. I'm just pleased to see another goblin with the tattoo after such a long time."

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I guess I'll roll the treasure for later.

[Draconi Redfir]

"i just asked a question. you're the one who started talkin."

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Hey, the more I talk, the more likely you are to keep me and Bella out of jail, according to bow girl over there," Nedivax says, jabbing a finger in Badger's direction.

Bella looks like she's about to say something, but instead says, "Can you just let us go or something?"

[super dark33]

Nothing is a pattern in the guild, Jaeddae. We are all just full of surprises.

Surdrak looks at the tattoo. Might it be A half completed warlock binding ritual?

What achievements could a Seer or a [broken]Midnight nomad[broken] do?

[Draconi Redfir]

Elsee all but throws a peice of debris at Surdrak in a mild rage.

"it's just a stinkin tatoo ya moron! 'Nd ya don't even speak Goblin! quit basterdizing our words!"

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Really soul-peddler, you're going to start selling cultures now as well?" Jadeite says with a smirk as Elsee yells at Surdrak and tosses a piece of trash at him.

Still, Surdrak may have a point. The tattoo does look a bit like some warlock tattoos. Maybe. But then again it also looks like some of the tattoos that some sorcerers get, so there may not be anything to it.

"Badger? Elsee? Artorias? What are the rules on obtaining items from criminals?" Jadeite's voice is a bit muffled as he pulls out a chest under the bed. There's another pile of coins there, and two potions, and for some reason a Greatsword.

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you can take about 70-75% of gold and items from a convicted criminal, unless they get the death penalty or are a wolfs head. The gold I rolled is after the 70-75% calculation.

[Athedia]

"We keep majority, about 70%. And Elsee, Jadiete let off. Surdrak is curious, I would be too if I was not the only one TRYING TO ARREST THESE TWO!" Badger glared at the rest of her group. "We can ask for leniency for them, we can talk to them in the cell, hell we can treat them like Surdrak. BUT WE CAN'T BE CHATTING NOW!"

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Might it be A half completed warlock binding ritual?

I believe this was a private thought and not spoken aloud so how are people responding to it.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"As you wish," Jadeite says with a sweeping grandiose bow, stepping back.

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see my Facebook, athedia. Jadeite wasn't responding to Surdrak's thoughts.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Artorias rummages through the stuff Jadeite found, taking particular interest in the greatsword. He takes it in his hands and examines it closely testing it's balance and weight. "Hmmm... it is a nice blade, nice balance but it seems it is slightly weighted towards the point and yet it is easy to wield" Artorias stops musing to find everyone staring at him, he tries to cover with a chuckle "Did I said that aloud?". Everyone nods.
"....right, were where we? Oh right." He clears his throat. "Badger is right, we can make some sort of deal to lessen the sentence if you come with us without making any more fuzz."

[CoffeeIncluded]

Bella and Nedivax look like they're wavering, giving each other sidelong glances, though they protest as Artorias tests the greatsword. The skeleton dogs are still cowering from Sora's holy symbol.

Just a little more convincing, and they'll likely surrender.

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Someone's got to roll diplomacy. Sorry. I recommend Sora because she's got the highest score.

I'm going to the dentist tomorrow morning, so goodnight!

[Silverraptor]

"So. Shall we start making our way out of here?"
Sora's voice has a hint that is only picked up by the members of the guild that she wants to wash the dirt off.

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Diplomacy: (1d20+13)[28]

[Draconi Redfir]

"i knowa few of the guys in the prision from my old pre-guild days, could probably pull some strings 'nd getcha both in the same cell if ya want."

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Diplomacy/assist for Sora. (d20+7)[27]

[CoffeeIncluded]

Belladonna and Nedivax look at each other. With a sigh and a snap of his fingers, the two skeleton dogs come to heel. They raise their hands in surrender.

"Could you please?"

"Elsee, I thought the guild served as auxiliary law enforcement," Jadeite says with a grin.

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a 30 with aid another absolutely makes it. Good job, everyone!

[super dark33]

Auxillary law enforcement, extermination service, bodyguarding, rehabilitation, and fugitive safety.

Surdrak turns to the captives.

Emphasis on rehabilitation.
At least you don't need inquisitors before anything starts, lucky you.

[Draconi Redfir]

"What? I wasn't always part of the guild yaknow, 'nd runaways gotta feed themselves somehow. I just liked to be freindly the few times i got caught."

[CoffeeIncluded]

Jadeite stares at Elsee and Surdrak before turning to Badger and Artorias and asking, this time in confusion, "Again, I thought the guilds served as auxiliary law enforcement, and that Surdrak was an unfortunate exception?"

After stripping Belladonna and Nedivax of their magical items and tying the two mages up, the guildmembers start doing an initial splitting of the items. Jadeite immediately claims the band for his own, and Artorias does the same with the greatsword. After the elf points to the necklace and says, "That will allow you to mentally communicate with someone for up to a minute three times a day, provided that the two of you know and are within a mile radius of each other. In my university we use them to coordinate on experiments where researchers cannot be in the same location simultaneously," Badger immediately picks it up and claims it. Elsee chooses the chain shirt, though it's made for a larger person. It's so large on her that it drapes down to her knees like a dress; unless she gets it shortened by a professional blacksmith it will impede her movement. Surdrak claims the scrolls, and Sora chooses the potions as her own.

The path back to the surface is much less treacherous than the one down. Bella stares at the carnage in the second room, where dismembered chokers and zombies and piles of bone litter the floor, and the seeping swampwater is tinged red with blood. Nedivax stops to mourn the loss of his undead creations before they move on.

The muddy wet floor in the final room is also stained red, and the previously mucky ground now slightly crunches underfoot. as they step on the hundreds of rat corpses in various states of decay.

"...I tried using some new chemicals instead of the ones from home. They didn't work very well," Nedivax offers by way of explanation.

But there's a problem. The group jumped down about ten or fifteen feet to enter the underground lab. And while there is a ladder on the far end of the pit, it's broken and won't reach all the way up. How are they going to get back to the surface?

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There is a way to get up and out. A couple ways, actually. I'm curious to see what you guys come up with!

[Athedia]

Badger looked up at the hole then looked at Artorias. "Can you do that spell again? Make yourself big?"