Silent Tide [Kong Pathfinder]

[xela248]

"Looks like you could use some help there, voice or no voice," Dastria states as she elegantly places herself on the organ. "Heh. This takes me back," she laughs a little to herself as she attempts to replicate the dance.
"Don't you DARE laugh!" she barks at the party, before even allowing them to speak. She shoots evil stares at them to emphasise the point, as her legs attempt to regain their grace and flexibility.

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Perform: Dance check: (1d20+2)[22]

[Necro_EX]

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This dance. It is to be beasted, apparently.

Belle shows Dastria the dance that needs to be performed to play the hymn on the monstrous intrument, and it seems as though Dastria is a natural or that she has perhaps performed this particular dance before. The two of them gracefully move about the keys, with each footfall causing the organ to bellow out its tune, the force of the sound vibrating the entire cathedral. The dance is clearly a job for multiple dancers, but the two play it expertly between the two of them. It is an ordeal, however, and wears at the endurance of the dancers. By the end of the Oathday hymn they are both fatigued to a point of near-exhaustion, sweating and breathing heavily. Belle manages a warm smile toward Dastria and even lets out a cute little laugh after the hymn has been played.

"That was beautiful, you two!" a familiar voice echoes from the entrance of the cathedral. "I was so worried when we did not hear the hymn on our way through here, it is simply a pleasure to hear it this day." Yargos says, walking toward the organ with a nervous smile playing across his face. "It is a shame about the priests, though..."

[xela248]

"The priests?" asks Dastria, tilting her head in inquiry as she jumps off the organ and turns to Yargos. She then spins around to face Gartrand. "What happened here while we were at the pyramid? Torrim? Gartrand? Care to fill us in at all? Were there many people here?"

[Arkive]

AMDAL

A smirk makes its way across Amdal's face but quickly gives way to a more astonished look as the performance takes place on the organ. It's not until Yargos praises the two performers that the halfling's smile returns. "Wonderful!" Amdal applauds. "It seems that Absalom is safe from the undead fleet, and we can finish our task of retrieving that book."

[SamBurke]

Torrim, who'd backed down for the apparent and surprising skills of the priest responds first.

"A slaughter. More of the abominations broke into the church following their dark plan, and removed any hope of warning. It's lucky Belle survived."

[aturtledoesbite]

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So, er...what now?

Edit: ZOMG POST #666! :O *faint*

[xela248]

"Hmm. I see," Dastria mutters. She bends down to get herself to Belle's eye level. She looks her in the eye. "And what of you, Belle? Why were you here? Do you have a place to go?"

[Necro_EX]

Belle meets Dastria's eyes saying shyly "I'm always here at the temple. Father Esric took me in, but... as the young girl's voice trails off she looks back to the bloody mess by the altar and organ. Tears again well up in her eyes and her mood quickly decays into depression. With a sigh she tries to make eye contact again, but fails to do so.

[Ninjabob]

Gartrand goes over to her and gives her a hug, saying "They are all in a better place now. They must be very proud of you now. Everyone is very proud of you, you just saved them all. Don't you see? Your a hero!

[xela248]

Dastria shoots a dark look at Gartrand and then returns her eyes to the little girl. She bends down and says "Heroine or not, young one, you cannot be left alone here. Things out here aren't safe. Do you have anywhere else you can go? Family? A friend? Great aunt Tina?"

She straightens herself out and calls back to the party,
"Have you checked the bodies? Are there any of their possessions that we or Belle may find useful? Or comforting?"

She bends back down to Belle. "Perhaps something to remember the Father by?"

[Necro_EX]

"E...Esric did have a...silver holy symbol... " Poor Belle's voice barely manages to produce sound she uncontrollably trails into silence. A small smile plays against her sadness as the wizard hugs her, and she looks back to Dastria replying "Th-there was a man that was friends with Father Esric. I um...I think he was in the city."

[Ninjabob]

Gartrand steps back, noticing the dirty look sent by Dastia. He gives her one of his own, instantly regretting it. He turns back to the girl, asking "What was his name? We'll help you find him."

[Necro_EX]

"I uh...think it was...Cedric."
Belle says with a sorrowful expression in her large, expressive, blue eyes. "H-He is a traveling knight, I think." she continues with a tiny smile.

[xela248]

Pathfinders...this knight MUST be there. For this kid's sake, he's gotta be there.
"We know a place where a lot of the travellers go," Dastria comments, now refusing to acknowledge Gartrand."Mind you, it's only a guess, but if you come with us, we can help you because we're as sure as hell not leaving you here. Now let me check around for that symbol."

Dastria walks off to the bodies of the dead and inspects them for a sign of a silver holy symbol.

[Necro_EX]

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Give me a search check for that, pl0x? :3

[Ninjabob]

Gartrand notices Dastria searching for something, so he asks her "What are you looking for? Need help?
He moves up beside her and says much more quietly And do you think that Cedric could be one of us?"

[xela248]

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Search check:
(1d20+6)[13]

Dastria whispers "The girl wants something to remember the Father by- she mentioned a holy symbol. Silver, didn't you hear? And yes, I strongly believe Cedric could be a wanderer, like us. Then again, we need to ask more- to find out which direction he went. But..." Dastria trails off and sighs. "We've been going for so long. We need to rest, even though there are still things to be done. I vote we camp here, with Belle, but we can discuss that later. We need this symbol for Belle first and foremost."

She continues scanning the corpses.

[Necro_EX]

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Looking among the bodies, you do not seem to be able to find the symbol. You thought you saw it, but it turns out that silvery glint your eye caught was merely a small bit of sickle that had broken off in the father's arm.

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So, so close.

[xela248]

"URGH! THIS IS HERE SOMEWHERE," she shouts. "I AM finding for you, don't worry, Belle," she calls back to the girl. "We're doing this!"

Dastria's eyes grow more frantic.

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Search check:
(1d20+6)[16]

[Necro_EX]

As you search about the gore and mess you notice a strand of fine chain in the right hand of the fallen priest, the majority of it lying in a pool of their mixed blood. A glint of silver catches your eye from the bottom of his hand, looking closer and opening his hand reveals a thick silver key in his hand. The handle of the key depicts the view of a city at sunrise and is inlaid with gold filigree. Where the neck meets the handle is an engraved image of a keyhole, without a doubt this must be the Father's holy symbol.

[aturtledoesbite]

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It's hard to make a character with a collective IQ of 3 be useful in a time like this. >_<

[Necro_EX]

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Aye, sometimes playing the dunce has its drawbacks. :p
Not everything said needs to be directly useful, though. :3

[xela248]

Dastria takes the symbol and begins to examine it.
"This is a curious thing," she mutters, "The detail of it," she continues as her fingers trace the pattern. "But if it's holy, to which deity does it belong?"

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Knowledge: Religion check:
(1d20+4)[23]

[Necro_EX]

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Looking the symbol over you determine it to be a symbol of Abadar, Judge of the Gods, Master of the First Vault. The men and women that worship Abadar seek to spread the influence of society, to create order where there is chaos.

The clergy of Abadar often have ties to powerful, wealthy individuals including landowners and bankers as well as many nobles and knightly orders.

[xela248]

Not my style but nonetheless...if the girl wants a god...better than no god. At least it's not evil.

"Here you are, Belle,", says Dastria, tipping the symbol into Belle's hands. "I believe this is yours now. A little too ordered and high class for my taste but still, take a lesson or two from it. Something is always watching you."

Turning to the party, Dastria states,
"I believe we should stay here for a while. We clearly need to rest for what's ahead. We need to help Belle decide her next travel and of course, we have our own...responsibilities."

[Necro_EX]

"Th-thank you, ma'am."
Belle takes the holy symbol and holds it tight her lip quivering slightly and her eyes again welling up. Silent tears roll down her face as she looks back to Dastria warmly and fondly.

[aturtledoesbite]

Belle's tears seem to have struck a soft spot in Theodric. "Don't worry, we'll find that guy you mentioned. What was his name again? Cecil or something? Er, anyway, I'm sure he can't be too far."

[Necro_EX]

"Um...C-Cedric, mister."
Looking at Theodric and Dastria she continues "Last Father Esric saw him he was in the city with his friend Korin. I...I think they were here for...something official." Her face scrunched slightly and her eyes upward as she tries to remember.

[aturtledoesbite]

"Okay then, as soon as we're done here, we'll go look for your friends, Cecil and Kain!...wait, that's not right. I'm horrible with names. Oh well, I'll learn them eventually."

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References are so much fun! ^_^

[xela248]

Dastria places herself directly in front of Theo and makes fierce eye contact. She firmly says, "Halfwit. What say you to camping here for a while, to regain our energy? Chance to unwind a little and eat all the grain you can find in those boots, eh?"

Oh goodness, Belle's made me soft in front of this prick.
"Get it together in that empty head of yours to sit down and rest, meatbag," she adds to Theodric.

For Belle's eyes only:

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Dastria turns around, grins and winks at the child, hoping to calm her a little and perhaps even make her smile.