IC VI Stormy Seas

[Admiral]

"But to maim us?" That's all Natalia says, and she listens quietly to what Cordrey says. Nearly three hundred years. That's a really long time, she never knew dwarves lived that long and the surprise is plain on her face.

Still, age and time served shouldn't decide everything, Natalia thinks as she hears cordreys request.

Natalia nods. "Give me partner and I'll patrol. Good job, promise." she blinks at the mention of traps. "What traps there? And what about...near air pumps? Don't know if...drow came through doors."

Cordrey scoffs. "Put yourself in my position. Someone new shows up who wants to help, but first wants to know all the details about what's keeping folks out of Deldon. Let's start with guard duty. If you want to work your way up from there to security engineer, well, it took Cartwright back there eighty years to do that."

Cordrey knocks on the door and steps back inside, gesturing for Natalia to wait. After five minutes she comes back out with a sentry, a young dwarf wearing a dull breastplate, who nods politely at Natalia.

"Natalia, meet Choros. You can join him on his patrol, which is a seven minute circuit near the entrance to the diamond mines- I've reassigned his usual partner."

[CoffeeIncluded]

Cordrey scoffs. "Put yourself in my position. Someone new shows up who wants to help, but first wants to know all the details about what's keeping folks out of Deldon. Let's start with guard duty. If you want to work your way up from there to security engineer, well, it took Cartwright back there eighty years to do that."

Natalia looks and is disappointed, but doesn't press the issue. She does have a point after all. Still, while Natalia nods, she says, "I...understand. But please...check air vents. One drow...could turn self into gas, travel that way, maybe." She prays Cordrey will understand her, she seems to be able to do so regardless.

Cordrey knocks on the door and steps back inside, gesturing for Natalia to wait. After five minutes she comes back out with a sentry, a young dwarf wearing a dull breastplate, who nods politely at Natalia.

"Natalia, meet Choros. You can join him on his patrol, which is a seven minute circuit near the entrance to the diamond mines- I've reassigned his usual partner."

Natalia smiles and holds out a hand to Choros. "Thank you. I...Natalia. Help you tonight. I...fight dual-wield, two blades, fast and sneaky. You?" Knowing how he fights would be immensely helpful.

There's another thought. She asks Cordrey, "Can we...borrow items? Or potions to help, in case? Return in morning if all clear?"

[CWater]

Rhenner collects the scattered books and puts them back in the bag, Ancient Flower Arrangement going deep in the pile again. Then he sighs, takes off his armour, cancels the spell on his holy symbol and goes to bed.

[Admiral]

Natalia looks and is disappointed, but doesn't press the issue. She does have a point after all. Still, while Natalia nods, she says, "I...understand. But please...check air vents. One drow...could turn self into gas, travel that way, maybe." She prays Cordrey will understand her, she seems to be able to do so regardless.



Natalia smiles and holds out a hand to Choros. "Thank you. I...Natalia. Help you tonight. I...fight dual-wield, two blades, fast and sneaky. You?" Knowing how he fights would be immensely helpful.

There's another thought. She asks Cordrey, "Can we...borrow items? Or potions to help, in case? Return in morning if all clear?"

Choros tilts his head a bit at Natalia's manner of speaking, but doesn't comment on it. He holds up his greataxe. "Well, they train us to swing this at whoever we're looking to hurt. Not much to it."

"Choros has your standard issue of potions: two small healing potions, a defensive potion and a strength potion," Cordrey answers Natalia, and hands her a small pouch with a pair of vials. "It used to be a bit more, but we're low in stock since the siege started. Now if you'll excuse me..." She steps back into the Iron Hall and shuts the door behind her. Choros tilts his head to indicate the direction they should proceed, then heads down the hall towards the mining section.

Spoiler

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Choros's pouch contains 2 CLWs, a shield of faith +2, and a Bull's Strength. Naturally Cordrey expects it back at the end of the night unless it's used.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia nods. "I fight with speed. I help, flank with you, if anything. Hope isn't."

She nods to Cordrey and Choros as he shows the potions. "Thanks. Choros, I...fight with speed, not strength. If a fight...you take that one." She nods to Cordrey then follows Choros down to the patrol.

"So...diamond mines?"

[Admiral]

Rhenner steps back into the men's quarters, where he is shortly afterwards joined by Shiny, coming up from the prison. The gnome bids a brief goodnight, then clambers up onto a bed himself, and soon the room falls quiet.

Natalia follows the dwarf guard as he leads her into the roots of Deldon, where the fine craftsmanship gives way to the grimy utilitarianism of the miners. The route is short and somewhat uninteresting, and she would much rather be crafting traps and alarms that could protect the city more actively, but she tells herself that she just wants to help.

Kurt leans against the cold stone wall as he glares at the cell door, staying long after Brander arrives and brings Ezra and Calric Jr. away. There are many standing guard in Deldon tonight, but the dwarf knows where he is most needed.

And Mithril lies in bed, Whiskers curled up at her feet, as the nightmarish events of the day playing out in her mind. The tragedy of Miriam's funeral, the horror of the murdered guards, the terror of the gunpowder plot... As she closes her eyes, she hopes that tomorrow will bring brighter fortunes.

-----------

"Wizard, wizard, wizard..."

The words are soft and patient, only a whisper in her mind.

"You're a very long way from home."

[CoffeeIncluded]

How many times has she passed this walk in the past hour? At least eight, maybe ten or more. Her eyes glazing over, Natalia shakes herself awake and alert. She looks over to her partner, hoping he might be able to break the ice. And if not, well, maybe she can keep herself alert by imagining where she would put traps, and what kinds she can place here. That'll keep her aware of the surroundings too.

Spoiler

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should I make any rolls?

Also, **** **** ****! The voice is invading Mithril's mind??

And this isn't a double post, right?

[Athedia]

Rhenner steps back into the men's quarters, where he is shortly afterwards joined by Shiny, coming up from the prison. The gnome bids a brief goodnight, then clambers up onto a bed himself, and soon the room falls quiet.

Natalia follows the dwarf guard as he leads her into the roots of Deldon, where the fine craftsmanship gives way to the grimy utilitarianism of the miners. The route is short and somewhat uninteresting, and she would much rather be crafting traps and alarms that could protect the city more actively, but she tells herself that she just wants to help.

Kurt leans against the cold stone wall as he glares at the cell door, staying long after Brander arrives and brings Ezra and Calric Jr. away. There are many standing guard in Deldon tonight, but the dwarf knows where he is most needed.

And Mithril lies in bed, Whiskers curled up at her feet, as the nightmarish events of the day playing out in her mind. The tragedy of Miriam's funeral, the horror of the murdered guards, the terror of the gunpowder plot... As she closes her eyes, she hopes that tomorrow will bring brighter fortunes.

-----------

"Wizard, wizard, wizard..."

The words are soft and patient, only a whisper in her mind.

"You're a very long way from home."

Her eyes shot back open and she froze. A feeling of cold ran from her limbs toward her heart as her stomach churned. "No, no, no. You can't be in my head, you can't be." Her eyes welled, why had this happened to her, why her?

"Who are you?" Her whisper felt like the loudest sound in the world, reverberating off the silence in the room.

Spoiler

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This is as close to her worst nightmare as one can get. EDITED the post, see above.

[Admiral]

"I've been called a demon, I've been called a muse. Just today you yourself called me a puppetmaster," the voice intones gently. "But I would rather consider myself an advisor. It is with such advice that I come to you now."

[Athedia]

"I've been called a demon, I've been called a muse. Just today you yourself called me a puppetmaster," the voice intones gently. "But I would rather consider myself an advisor. It is with such advice that I come to you now."

"How long have you been in my head, what have you heard?" Mithril started to cry, not moving from the position she had been in when she had started to fall asleep. She felt sick, if he had been in her head since the gunpowder....

[Admiral]

"You're asking the wrong questions; you could not begin to process the scope of what I know and comprehend. But your concern is well placed."

"My advice is this. You are young, capable, intelligent. But you have wandered into a war you are not prepared for, in a world more dangerous than you can perceive. It is not too late to extricate yourself, and your friends. There is no reason your journey has to end this way."

[Athedia]

"You're asking the wrong questions; you could not begin to process the scope of what I know and comprehend. But your concern is well placed."

"My advice is this. You are young, capable, intelligent. But you have wandered into a war you are not prepared for, in a world more dangerous than you can perceive. It is not too late to extricate yourself, and your friends. There is no reason your journey has to end this way."

"As soon as Henry died it became to late." Mithril balled a fist up under the blanket. "And now Miriam is dead. If I can stop you, I will try. Now I want you OUT!" She swung the fist toward her own head, trying to knock herself out.

Spoiler

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Damage (1d3)[2]

[Admiral]

Mithril's fist slams into her own nose, and she sees flashes as the pain overwhelms her.

"I am disappointed in you, wizard. You cannot escape me with methods as crude as that. Just ask Shiro Minamoto."

"But as I said, I speak to you only to grant advice, and it is to your peril that you cannot listen."

[Athedia]

Mithril swore as she held her nose, that had not been a thought out plan. "Then tell me what is happening and stop being cryptic."

[Admiral]

"You know all that you need to know. But you are caught up in your short-sighted vision of this conflict, and so you insist on viewing me as your enemy. I have no enemies. I have no allies. You are all pieces in a puzzle I am trying to solve."

"I'll leave you to your rest, wizard. But I'll have my eye on you. Take heed of my advice."

"You don't want to end up lost in the flood."