The Wrong Guys IC II

[Strawberries]

Audric has spent the day and part of the night standing guard near Paral. It was late when he finally managed to get some sleep, and he suspects “pass out from exhaustion” may be a more correct mean to describe it. The positive thing about that is that he was so tired he can’t remember dreaming at all, and he actually feels a little better this morning. He takes a few minutes to direct a prayer to Aldaran, the same he recited the previous day, before going to check once again on the sorcerer.

He focuses on the details of Paral’s magical aura for a bit, trying to puzzle it out, then turns to the others “I think I did some damage to Paral’s magic too, with the exorcism. I am sorry” he says, mainly to Antal. He is almost surprised to find out he really is- they aren’t just perfunctory words. I’m regretful about harming a sorcerer’s magic now. Some paladin I am. But the magic is a part of the boy, like it or not, and he had never meant to hurt the boy. “His aura seems… motionless now. I hope it only means he is resting – it is looking a bit better than yesterday, at least. Rana” he calls to the druid “I do need your help in checking out his physical conditions, please. You are a far better healer than me. ”

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Uhm…I added 4 hp from resting and replenished my abilities and spell. I assume I can, right?

Also, heal - (1d20+7)[13]. If Rana checks on Paral too, count that as an Aid Another, please, to assess Paral’s conditions and see when he is going to wake up. And I don’t knows if it applies (I suspect not) but knowledge arcana - (1d20+2)[22] to see if he can deduce some other info from the status Paral’s aura is in.

Also also, wow, that’s true, it’s only been four days IC.

[Jallorn]

Antal, too, stayed by Paral's side, falling asleep there, and waking up there. For the first time since this adventure began, absolute, complete, and total fear is etched into his features. For the man who can do anything, not being able to do anything while his friend lies, possibly dying, is unbearable. He says nothing to anyone, eating only meagerly, and doing nothing but think.

[Savannah]

Rana, on the other hand, keeps to herself and only sets foot in Paral's room when Audric asks her to. She checks Paral's wounds and general condition carefully, but without looking at either Antal or Audric.

Heal (1d20+9)[19]

[Ajadea]

Rana

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Paral's certainly recovering. Still out cold, and likely to remain so until at least noon. After that...well, it should be possible to wake him up.

Audric

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Paral is not going to notice you. His senses are almost surely in complete shut-down if his aura is like that.

[Savannah]

"Hmm...he'll probably wake sometime after noon."

[Strawberries]

Another half day of advantage the sorceress will have on us Audric thinks, but keeps it to himself: it's not like there's much they can do about it. "With the way his aura is looking, I doubt we would be able to wake him up before, even if we were willing to try: he is not likely to acknowledge any of us. We need to wait.". He looks at Antal; not liking the halfling's expression one bit - that terrified look is so unlike him that Audric can't bear to see it "Try to eat something, and to not worry so much. I think the greastest danger has passed." he says in an attempt to reassure him.

He has also noticed Rana not looking any of them in the eye just now that she entered the room. "Is everything all right? Are you?" he asks her with an undertone of concern, trying to meet her gaze.

[Savannah]

"I just..." She sighs. "It's nothing."

[Strawberries]

"I seriously doubt it." he replies. He decides to push the issue just another bit; maybe voicing her concerns will be of help for Rana "Is it because we went back to the city?"

[Savannah]

"...yes." She doesn't quite meet Audric's eye and turns to leave the room rather quickly.

[Nanoblack]

Llaars

The next day is just business as usual in the Raging Roc, with the exception of his guests. The staff are competent enough to keep the place running without Llaars for a while, but someone has to pay the bills, so the large man spends most of his time running errands and tending to his property.

Overhearing Rana's conversation with Audric, Llaars chimes in. "City ain't so bad out this far. Can't stand the inner city though... too stuffy for my taste. Too many people out to cut your throat too."

[Strawberries]

Audric gives up on trying to understand what's wrong with Rana, and he leans back in his seat. His eyes move for the perhaps tenth time in a hour to the unconscious sorcerer, but he smiles slightly when Llaars speaks "Stuffy? That would be...one way of perceiving it, I suppose."

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I am fine with skipping to when Paral wakes up, if everyone else is. Also, since I never got around to do it, I wrote down Paral's spell component pouch in my sheet, since Audric had taken it from him back when they were in the sewers.

[Ajadea]

Awkward silences swiftly kill any more attempts at conversation, and you once again drift your own ways, reconvening hours later, after noon. The rain is letting up somewhat-if you looked hard, you might be able to find a rainbow. Everything out there is soaked, and a good many things inside the tavern are soaked as well (including you, if you deigned to venture out of the Raging Roc).

Paral, is, at last, in some state vaguely approaching consciousness. He's kicked off almost half the blankets and seems to be trying to take up as little space as possible. You cannot see if his eyes are open, curled up as he is.

[Strawberries]

"Antal" Audric calls quietly to the halfling, to draw his attention on the fact that Paral is conscious. He stands and approaches the sorcerer's bed, waiting for Antal to join him, before addressing the boy. "Paral" he says, keeping his voice even "Are you awake? Can you hear me?" He doesn't touch him, not wanting to frighten him.

[Ajadea]

"Go 'way," Paral grumbles in a way very much reminiscent of your average sleep-deprived teenager. "'s not morning yet..."

[Strawberries]

Audric smiles. He can't help it. "Actually, it's past noon. How do you feel?"

[Ajadea]

Paral uncurls just long enough to see the not-quite-clear sky before groaning and burying his head under a pillow. "Like I've been run over by a horse," he mutters. "Like my head's been stuffed with straw. Like I've been gutted or possibly burned alive, in no small part thanks to you. Take your pick. And then go away."

[Strawberries]

"Yes. You are very welcome, by the way." Audric passes an hand through his hair, consciously making an effort to not get too frustrated: Paral is just a boy, after all, and the experience he just went through has been likely horrifying for him. "Your friend Antal is here beside me - I would imagine he wants to talk to you, since he dragged me across a few dozen miles of sewers in order to rescue you. And so do I."

[Jallorn]

Do you remember anything? What happened, we're still a little unclear.

[Savannah]

Rana stands silently in the back of the room, arms crossed.

[Ajadea]

Paral is silent for a minute. "I remember. I wish I didn't," he says at last, his voice full of loathing. "I hate it. Two days, trapped behind my own eyes. Can we please talk about something else?"

[Strawberries]

I am afraid no, as long as that witch is still free Audric wants to answer, but he takes a deep breath and doesn't say it, forcing himself to stay calm. It's probably best if it's Antal to talk to Paral, instead of some unknown paladin - both for the sorcerer's peace of mind and for the sake of having information quickly. He takes a couple of steps back, instead, reaching for a pitcher of water on the nearby nightstand and pouring some. He hands the glass to Paral without saying anything.

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((Can I have a detect magic, please? Also, a sense motive (1d20+9)[19]. Not that Paral's state of mind isn't clear, but I'm looking for any subtext that I may be missing))

[Ajadea]

Paral scoots up into slightly more of a sitting position and takes the water, but does not drink it.

Audric

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Paral is probably extremely angry, a little more than mildly depressed, and clearly wants everyone to shut up and leave him alone.

[Jallorn]

That's horrible! We need to make sure that witch never does something like this again. Can you tell us what happened before you were... um...?

[Ajadea]

"Enchanted?" Paral asks bitterly. "Not much. She shows up, makes to hit me with a missile or three, you know the spell, and I throw acid on her face before she can get the words out. She does something funny, makes some sort of invisible wall. Ran headlong into the thing, and kicked her in the shins while I was at it, but it didn't seem to stop her from knocking me out good. And when I woke up...."

The water in the cup begins to boil.

[Strawberries]

"Paral. Paral!" There is an obvious note of alarm in the paladin's voice, and despite himself, he can't avoid to look around and check if his longsword is within easy reach."Take a breath. She is not here anymore, and neither is he, whatever he was. Calm down, you are quite safe."

[Jallorn]

Did you leave the note we found? The one that said you dismissed (insert familiar's name here)? Or was that the witch?

[Ajadea]

"Yeah," Paral mutters. He slams the cup back on to the table, and the water slops on to the floor. "I ran into her again a few hours before that. I swear, she would have kidnapped me there if we weren't just off a semi-public street. S'why I dismissed Brownie. Didn't want him to get killed."

[Strawberries]

Audric nods, and relaxes his posture somewhat. At least it seems they are not going to deal with a burst of uncontrollable magic. Yet. "How did she find you - did you already know her from before?" he asks, in a subdued tone. There are a lot of other pressing question he wants an answer to: what happened under the sewers, for instance, or if Paral remembers the half-warnings he gave him when he was delirious, but he doesn't want to give the boy the impression he is interrogating him.

[Ajadea]

"I'll add that to the list of things I'd like to know," Paral says drily. "Between 'why did she even want to kidnap me in the first place' and 'what are the standards for the stew in the potshops'. I heard someone found a finger in there once, but I think that they were lying. The potshop guy isn't stupid enough to let someone throw a hand in there."

[Nanoblack]

Llaars

Llaars leans forward over the boy and hands him a mug in a slightly forceful manner, betraying his irritation at Paral's attitude toward his heroes. "Would it hurt to talk a little straighter? We went through hell to get your ass outta those sewers... and Audric went ever further to get that ghost away from you. Show some gratitude."