The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Fizahn jumps when Callos slams his spellbook shut. He cowers in fear as Callos yells at him. He quietly creeps over to Callos's table. He looks down at the floor and mutters something to himself while holding the ring out to Callos. "I did knock... once. There's no need to be sadistic."

[Matticus]

Grynde

He picks up the snake with a smug grin plastered across his features.
Shee? My shnakey. Hello, shnakey!
Surprisingly, he manages to stagger to his own room with only a little assistance.
_________________________________________

His eyes snap open and take in his room. Shortly thereafter, he gives an almighty groan and clutches his head with both hands. Something jabs into his skull, and he looks at it - The brass snake. Only dimly remembering how he got this, he staggers upright, taking his hands off his head just long enough to place the ring on the third finger of his left hand.

He puts on new clothing and goes back down to his be. Lying on his side and being as silent as he can, he examines the snake more closely, and reads the inscription on the inside, but is unable to make head nor tail of it.
Right...Well...Time to go shopping...So to speak...

He stands up, doing his best to ignore his headache and leave the room to find a good bow and some arrows.

OOC: I'll put the longbow in later today...Or tonight...Or tomorrow, whichever applies...Timezones are confusing...

[Koji]

Khazrael

Seeing the bed nearly brings a tear to Khazrael's eye. He slips into the water and scrubs himself clean before collapsing into the most restful sleep he's had in ages.

His dreams that night are disturbing and violent. He sits in the throne of the Iron Lord as Immilmar burns. At one side of his throne kneels Tiriel, her wings ravaged and destroyed. Locusts devour the fields, and nightmarish creatures run through the streets at night.

Undrek'Thoz lies in ruins. The drow flirted with destruction, and it was given to them. Lyth'eril sits chained in the courtyard, cursed to endure the sun her people so envy.

He wakes with a shout and lies shaking in his bed. The sun has already begun to crest over the horizon.

He steadies himself and lies still for more than an hour before getting dressed and stepping outside.

[Naleh]

Retay

Slowly, he becomes aware of his pounding head...

"Nngh..." he declares, sitting up slowly. He tries to remember how he got here.

Well, there was the meeting with the Iron Lord, of course... And then... I made a pledge to hunt the necromancer, I remember that... And... Something about jewelery...

Giving up, Retay moves gingerly off the bed (which barely fits him), and moves around, gathering his clothes. He is surprised to find new clothes alongside his own. What's this? Did I go shopping last night? But his purse seems as full as before. He shakes his head, but stops quickly as the motion makes his headache worse.
_________________________________________

A while later, when he has recovered a little, Retay ventures out. He first sells his battleaxe and shortbow at the local markets, replacing them with a morningstar and longbow from the offered equipment. He then returns to their quarters, wondering how everyone else is passing the time until their private audience.

{{OOC: I believe it's 201gp 2sp 5cp for the sale of the masterwork composite shortbow (strength +2) and 155gp for the masterwork battleaxe}}

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Tiriel watches in dumb amazement as the brass ring bites Lissa. She looks down at her ring to confirm, that no, her's isn't doing anything other than sitting on her finger. Watching the drunk half-elf pick the ring back up without trouble Tiriel fights off her initial wave of anger and picks up a mug of the local brew that seems so intoxicating. She takes a long swallow.
Well, that decides it. That one at least is coming with us. Don't know if he wanted too, but he's stuck now. she thinks.

"I'm not drunk. Yet. After watching that, though I just might be soon." Tiriel replies to Damian. "Morning would be better anyhow, there's still a lot of things to figure out."[hr] Once shown to her room Tiriel decides that sleep can wait - the idea of a bath, the first in many many days, is much more enticing.[hr] Tiriel wakes up, dresses in a clean set of clothes, and decides to find some food. As she walks down the hallway she hears the muffled sounds of Callos shouting. Stopping at his door, she hesitates, trying to decide if she really wants to know what was happening in there.

[barawn]

Damian

Damian is the one of the last to leave for the evening, though after the bizarre return of the ring to Grynde, he mostly stays to himself, quiet.

-----

In the morning, he walks out of his room early, and is caught by the sound of screams from Callos's room. He quickily heads over there, and sees Fizahn questioning - and being tortured by - Callos. As if it were the most normal thing in the world, he slips in and looks to the necromancer. "Callos - try switching rings with Fizahn - or give it to me to try. We should check to see if Grynde's ring is unique in being 'bonded' to him. I've got a feeling that there may be more to these rings than meets the eye. If you can't get rid of them, they may have been given to you to track you as well as aid you."

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Fizahn shrinks down even more as Damian comes in. "That's a good idea. Just don't talk so loud. Wait... Grynde got a ring? Who- ow! Who let that murderous fool have a ring? I should take it back when I'm feeling up to it." Fizahn stops speaking for a second, but then furrows his brow in concentration. "How much did I miss last night? I kinda don't remember anything past... Past... Hmmm... Something about a cannibalistic snake. It's all sorta jumbled."

[blackfox]

Anika

In a blur of speed, Anika draws her dagger from behind her belt and allows the two other knives up her sleeves to slide forward into her hands. She begins to juggle the three blades adeptly, not even looking at them but staring straight at Elthan. As suddenly as she began, Anika stops juggling, throwing her belt dagger especially high, and catching and sheathing the two other knives up her sleeves. As the dagger falls downward, she catches the hilt and begins twirling it between her fingers. She points her closed left fist towards Elthan and says, "Virlym."

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

Elthan watches the juggling with quite some curiosity, leaning on his pile of spears a bit as Anika finishes her display. "That is... quite impressive. I wonder how long it took to learn that, but, what do you mean by that? Do you mean that you feel prepared, or are you still upset that my ring makes me invisible?"

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

"Hehe, maybe you shouldn't have drank so much if you couldn't handle the hangover. You can try some of my hangover cures later if you feel like your up to i...."

His words were abruptly cut off when Damian came into his room as well and blinked before his eyes narrowed, especially after he caught sight of Tiriel out in the hallway as well. "Why do I have this awful feeling I shall be getting no peace and quiet this morning? As to your quandry, do you truly believe that to be such a wise idea considering the violent reaction the serpent ring had to someone just trying to pick it up? Actually putting on a different ring, if they are bonded, may be more harmful or even fatal."

With a sigh he sat back down at the table and flipped open his spell book once more and for a long moment it looked as if he was just going to ignore the man and gnome and continue studying his spells before shaking his head. "Considering what I saw of the man who gave us the rings I wouldn't be surprised if they did track us, but it's not something we can avoid. If they do as promised in their other areas then I'm perfectly willing to have Prozen be able to keep an eye on me. And Fizahn nobody gave Grynde a ring, it chose him and it became obvious when Lissa tried to put it on and it bit her."

Feeling he had...sufficiently addressed the problems they had presented to him, he looked out the open door way to Tiriel and raised his voice some. "So what can I help you with? As comfortable as it is to sit in damp towels I'd like to get dressed soon and finish my studies. We do have a private audience today and I'd like to be presentable so unless your going to shave me and dress me, I'd like to hurry things up some."

[Darius]

Adalmar

He did see Tanner exit the room, his dissatisfaction plain. Briefly excusing himself from the company, he catches the priest before he retires for the night. There the alcohol comes in handy, loosing his tongue.
"Listen, it's not that we don't value you. We do - at least, I do. It's just... You won't hear compliments from those people, nor will they invite you. They're strong and proud, or perhaps too distrustful, or perhaps too disenchanted. Or a mix of those...

And what they... we have been through... The Underdark..." - he shudders, briefly - "I guess what I'm saying... is don't judge too fast... And that goes either way..." Lissa's cold cold eyes appear in his vision, she's ready to murder Elthan on the spot - again. "Anyway, good luck."

If the priest doesn't answer, he purposefully stumbles* back to the main hall, taking deep breaths to try and clear his head.

Spoiler

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* Not sure if that's possible !

Tanner Gondsman

"I appreciate what you are saying, Adalmar; however, why would I want to remain with a group of individuals who refuse to act as a group? Especially when these individuals are even less welcoming and appreciative than the Rashemi have show you before they were swayed? The Rashemi and your friends are cut of the same cloth, but at least the Rashemi fits me better.

As for judging too hastily, I haven't done so. However, I have made all the efforts I choose to, and I am not going to haggle for a position among your friends when I can be useful here - moreso because the Rashemi value an outsider like me for my skills, abilities, and talents. In fact, this is more than what I have been shown this past week. So, I find it difficult to not compare the two groups.

I am going to rest and wait until our audience with the Iron Lord before I determine what I will do. Until then, rest well."

[barawn]

Damian

"Honestly, it's probably worth the risk. The rings are too useful to limit to one person unless it's required. Spells and magic have a tendency to roll off of me - although... now that I've apparently regained my senses, yeah, I'm not really about to offer myself as a guinea pig without being under contract."

He grins slightly as Callos complains regarding his condition. "Sorry, I didn't realize that you had been interrupted. Though, considering Fizahn was in here, I should've expected it. Speaking of Grynde, though. I believe I can handle him. I've known quite a few types very like him. You're never going to be able to get him to not act rashly, though. It's in his makeup."

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Tiriel had been about to move on, after noticing that Callos seemed to be having a conversation albeit, a loud one, when Damian came and opened the door and started talking to Callos. Tiriel missed most of what Damian and Fizahn said because her attention was drawn to the pissed off look on the wizard's face. She did however hear everything he said.

Turning red, she turns around and leaves, making a rude gesture that indicates exactly what she thinks about Callos, his morning attitude, and his mother.

[Koji]

Khazrael

Khazrael stands in the open, arms spread wide. He turns his face to the sky and feels a stirring within. He wraps his arms around his chest and nearly keels over as the pain grows rather intense. With a spray of bright red blood and a few cast-off feathers, a pair of sable feathered wings burst from beneath the V-shaped scar along his upper back.

Tears stream from Khazrael's face as he tastes flight once more. He dips and swirls through the air, laughing like a madman.

Before long, he feels the magic fade. His wings begin to dissolve into a cloud of swirling black feathers, and he gradually floats to the ground. He sits down and gazes at the sky in near-disbelief before heading off to pick up some supplies.

((OOC: Grabbing a new traveler's outfit and some rations. I'll figure it out in a bit.))

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

"It's...alright, I'm just not used to people running to me for information on things this early in the morning. If you can't guess I'm not a morning person." Callos said dryly as he finally shut the spell book and pushed it to the side away from him so the temptation to blow them off and just study his spells wouldn't be there.

"Maybe you can't. I can get him to change pretty easy, I mean with a couple of mystic words I can barbeque him with some nice seasonings thrown on. Eventually I might be able to change him into something useful...like a chicken or a sheep...Oh you mean his ways, yeah he'll probably never change but that won't stop me from trying...or messing with him. Irriatable people are so fun." The getting on in years necromancer looked on in interest as Tiriel made her gesture at him and a wide wolfish smile came to his face as she stalked away from the three adventurers in his room. "For example..."

Rising up from his chair the necromancer walked silently after the angel woman while reaching underneath of the wrappings for his 'bad' arm and fiddling with something. Once he had Tiriel in sight his grin only widened as something clacked and creaked as he pulled it out from underneath of the wrappings.

"Hey Shiny! Think fast!"

Without any further thought he lobbed the object he had picked out at the woman and hoped she would react on instinct and simply catch what he had thrown...and she did. What he had thrown was hard and smooth, having many different parts to it that somehow managed to stay together despite nothing actually connecting them together.

There, sitting in her hands, were the red tinged bones of a human hand. As if to confirm what he had done Callos held up his 'bad' arm and let the towel slip down over the edge of his ulna bone, which was quite exposed to the air and quite the same color as the ones in her hand.

"I don't have explicit gestures to give me a hand but I make do with what I have. Can I have that back now?" The forty winter old necromancer said, openly chuckling as he stayed firmly were he was and continued to wave the stump of a forelimb at her.

[namo]

Adalmar

He doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Gondsman, you're... you are a lot more like 'my friends' than you even know."

"Even so, choose your own path. It's the only truth for a man." He sounds strangely grandiloquent.

But he's also frustrated. A rant is what I get for coming to him ? Bah ! He turns his back and with a "And that's about it. G'night !" walks back to the hall, his swaying a bit exaggerated.

...

His companions leave the hall one by one. He contemplates the inside of his empty cup for a while. Then he gets up, and leaves the room, in search for a tree. The nearest grove is likely to be outside the palace, so he'll content himself with the nearest tree (in a courtyard ?) that he can find. Sitting below the tree, he meditates, prays to Mielikki and requests spells that will help him find a new companion. Kir is not forgotten, but there isn't much he can do for the hawk now.

His sleep is mostly resting, but for one nightmare, involving blood dripping from the leaves of the tree, the moon crushed under hooves of fire and the earth swallowing his town until it reaches the Underdark...

...

He wakes up early - he didn't get enough sleep but the meditation won't be too straining - and after asking a few questions of the palace staff, goes off to explore nearby caves.

He is looking for the Dire Bats that sometimes make their homes there.

Spoiler

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Asking for Detect Animals, Charm Animals and Speak with Animals. I'm up for doing the meditation/bonding in 'summary mode', but I can roleplay more of it if you want.

[barawn]

Damian

Damian looks over to Fizahn as Callos's grotesque 'danse macabre' comedy plays out. "Is it common for your friends to throw severed limbs at each other?"

[Naleh]

Retay

Retay comes down the corridor just in time to see Callos' gruesome display. "What in all the..." he begins, until something clicks.

Quietly, the barbarian takes his greataxe from his back (he never goes anywhere without it) and advances, fire burning in his eyes. When he gets within earshot, he says, his voice quivering, "Give me one good reason I should not kill you right now, lich."

[barawn]

Damian

Damian sighs, and smoothly steps in front of Callos when Retay approaches, not even giving Callos a chance to respond. "Because he's not a lich, Retay. Trust me. I'd know. Come on. Walk with me down to the room where we got fed yesterday, and I'll explain it all to you."

"You need to have your morning coffee before you kill someone anyway. We have to hurry, I've heard they've got some amazing sweet rolls out, and I think I saw the demon boy going to pocket them."

"Keep that axe handy, though, we might want to try pulling a Callos to see if we can use Grynde's ring with just his hand."

Damian quickly strides toward Retay and guides him away, back towards the gathering hall from the previous day...

hoping beyond hope that it was still accessible.

[Naleh]

Retay

It is a mark of his trust that Retay allows the smaller man to lead him away - with many a glare and a snarl. If looks could kill, it would be time to break out the diamond dust.

((assuming the gathering hall is open))
Retay thumps down in a chair, and leans his axe carefully beside him.

"So?" he demands. "He's a mage, and he's a skeleton." Retay spits on the floor at his own feet. "Looks like a lich to me, or a necromancer at the least. Explain to me how he deserves to live."

[Matticus]

Grynde

After finding a good bow and a piles of arrows, he returns the things to his handy backpack, and then checks the edge of his swords. He holds his ring up to a blade, admiring the contrast of the two, but only for a moment, plagued as he is by his hangover.

With much pained groaning, he stands up and goes to seek out Elthan to ask him why nobody much likes him, and to (try) and find out what his own ring says.

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

"I was doing just fine with my hangover until some vile necromancer started torturing me.

"No. Typically we just throw dead bodies at vicious oozes. That hand thing's a new one." Fizahn shrugs as Damian intervenes between Callos and Retay. Things are just getting more hectic. Food sounds good though. He starts walking after Damian and Retay, but stops when he gets to Tiriel. "He's not a morning person. Don't feel too hard on yourself, I just learned it too. You might not want to crush that hand. It's possible he needs it." Fizahn gives Tiriel a painful little smile before heading towards where he believes food to be.

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Tiriel spends a moment looking at what Callos had tossed her. A skeletal hand. Right. Well it wasn't that long ago that she'd taken down quite a few skeletons herself. But this was obviously different. This seems to be what's left of Callos' hand, which is a pretty disgusting concept.

It's the sight of Callos waving his stump and laughing that throws her over the edge.

Taking a step back, Tiriel winds up and throws the hand at Callos' face as hard as she can. The sound it makes when it hits gives her some satisfaction, but not nearly enough.

"What the HELL is wrong with you?!" She screams at him.

[ooc:Tiriel isn't holding back when she throws the hand. She very much wants it to leave a mark - that said, I have no idea what kind of damage it would do.]

[Darius]

Adalmar

He doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Gondsman, you're... you are a lot more like 'my friends' than you even know."

"Even so, choose your own path. It's the only truth for a man." He sounds strangely grandiloquent.

Tanner Gondsman

Tanner listens to Adalmar with piercing eyes. He replies, "That may be true, but you, Adalmar, are not like them. Why then do you travel with them? What is the truth behind your path?"

[barawn]

Damian

"He's not a lich, Retay. He's a necromancer. He's actually said so already. You were probably too drunk last night for it to register. And before you cast judgment on him for that, necromancy is just magic. It's just a tool. Don't judge him so quickly, not when he has companions that clearly don't."

He sighs and glances down at the axe resting beside Retay. "If I were to judge you by the tool you use, I'd call you an executioner. One who kills children for no crime other than taking a loaf of abandoned bread. But you don't see me placing a dagger at your throat."

"Besides, as I pointed out to Grynde last night, you're in civilization right now, and Callos is an honored guest. Killing, last I checked, is illegal in most areas of the world, and you don't strike me as the type to handle imprisonment well. Remember, the axes the Rashemi had were bigger than yours."

[Matticus]

Grynde

Hearing loud voices, he changes direction and heads to the source in time to see a hand fly through the air and hit Callos. His mouth hangs open in shock for a moment, and then he closes it.
I'm not still drunk? That just happened? Holy crap, how'd you end up without your hand!? OW. he winces, clutching his head, but then looks back up towards Callos, a little impressed. Nonetheless he walks on, muttering to himself as he does so.
Daratain? Darasgeyn. No...Daras...T.....E.....Darastr? Darastricks? Darastrix? That sounds about right... Or maybe not...

[Naleh]

Retay

"So it's perfectly acceptable for you that he goes out and raises hordes of undead?" he demands. "That he disturbs the rest of our ancestors for his own personal gain, that he turns the dead against the living, that he uses our own peoples' bodies to conquer and enslave us? You don't mind that he's an evil abomination that deserves to die a slow and painful death?"

[barawn]

Damian

"Does he have hordes of undead following him around? Have you seen him disturb the rest of your ancestors? Has he tried to conquer or enslave you?" Damian's brows furrow as his voice raises in pitch, driving the point home.

"Listen to what I'm saying, Retay. You're judging him by what you have seen and heard of people who wield necromancy. If I judge you by what I've seen and heard of people who wield axes, it'd be the same thing."

"Look, I don't really care about trying to change your opinion of necromancers, or of Callos in general. But you're not out in the wilderness here. You're in a city, with laws. You're worried about Callos being a threat? Fine. Follow him, and when he actually does something evil, chop him down then without stopping to think, just like the other axe-wielding maniacs did where I grew up. But do it here, and you won't kill him. You'll just get yourself arrested, and then he'll be free to go off and do whatever he wants while you rot in a cell."

He throws his hands up in frustration and resignation. "But go ahead and do that if you want. Just make sure to tell them that I have absolutely no association with you whatsoever if you do."

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

Maybe I acted hastily..

Thwack!

His thoughts were interrupted by having his own hand come soaring back through the air at him to smack into his face. And rather hard at that too, though he was lucky enough to catch the appendage when it started to fall down. Light scratches showed from where he had been hit and a distinctly disgruntled look came to his worn features as he delicately placed the wrist to the bone and turned it from side to side. Soon it was moving around seemingly of it's own violation and he smiled with relief. It wasn't broken, good. Carefully wrapping the towel around the skeletal limb once more he turned his attention back to Tiriel.

"There's plenty wrong with me so you'll have to be more specific angel-kisser. In this particular case I got sick and tired of catching you staring at my arm and wondering what had happened instead of simply giving me privacy, which is all I really want right now. If theres thoughts in that head of yours besides violence then you'll know I gave you plenty of warning about what I was going to do back when we got sent elsewhere and yet you were still curious! Or maybe it was blatantly misunderstanding what I said last night and making me seem like a racist like the half-elf! Oh, wait, I have it! I just don't like you! Get this straight Shiney, I'll work with you, I'll pull your glowing behind out of the fire if need be, I may even put myself in harms way to make sure you make it since your a decent person, but that in no way means I have to or will like you or ever will. Was that simple enough or should I draw a picture for you?"

Sure it was childish. Sure he really had no real reason to toss a skeletal hand at her but he had been ornery and she had made herself a viable target too. Then again did she have to throw it back at him that hard too? It had really smarted!


OOC: Yeah sarcasm!...Yes I know I ignored Grynde but Callos is sorta busy at the moment and'll get to him later...and I know further beatings are probably on the way and accept that.

[Koji]

((OOC: Post moved))