Tales of Aequar: Runite's Rise IC V

[Silverraptor]

Sora pays particular attention to every hate and spiteful glance and action committed in front of her. Upon seeing the stack of bodies, she sighs in dismay.
"Its really gotten way out of hand."

[Draconi Redfir]

Elsee frowned as she watched the mass burial, her body trying to look smaller by getting a little closer to Darric.

"Think et's too late for endcatch?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Badger:

Some of the people give her strange looks but she doesn't get any trouble. Badger isn't sure how long she's in her room--long enough for the sun to sink noticeably lower in the sky, though without a drop in temperature--but eventually she hears a knock on the door.

Jadeite and Surdrak:

Jadeite and Surdrak eventually return from their discoveries to the lab, where they find Badger's samples and the notes. "Magnificent. Surdrak, would you like to assist me in administering these samples or return to the guild and report to everyone what we found?" He looks back at the cages upon cages of mice running around. "I believe I will be here all night."

Spoiler: Super Dark

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Did you have a chance to read what you learned?

Sora pays particular attention to every hate and spiteful glance and action committed in front of her. Upon seeing the stack of bodies, she sighs in dismay.
"Its really gotten way out of hand."

Elsee frowned as she watched the mass burial, her body trying to look smaller by getting a little closer to Darric.

"Think et's too late for endcatch?"

"I hope not," Darric mutters, also trying to make himself small to little effect. They're the only Plavaan there. Just before the clerics finish their services one of them moves, exposing the face of one of the bodies into full view.

It's Feliks.

Spoiler

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Yep. One of the reasons this took all day to post was that it was tough to write.

What do you want to do from here?

[Draconi Redfir]

Elsee frowned beneath her mask, her eyes drooping a little bit as she silently turned away from the sight.

"i'm not hungry..." was all she said, walking away back to the guild, not even waiting for the others to respond, thoughts about just taking Kheel and leaving racing through her head.

[super dark33]

Id really love to stay with you, but yeah I need to report on our findings as well as see what the guild was up to. Maybe Leif will be free to talk with me...about....

His tone trailed off and he broke eye contact.

Anyway! Ill be back to the guild, see you tommorow Jadee!

Surdrak gave Jadeite a hug and started flying back to the guild, scanning for magic as he flies.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Surdrak:

Surdrak takes flight, clawing the sky as he makes his way northeast towards the guildhouse. Even in Runite a man with eldritch appendages sprouting from his back is unusual and a few people stop to stare. Especially if he's close enough to the ground to use detect magic. The divination isn't particularly helpful though--the whole city is magical.

Regardless, Surdrak eventually makes it back to the guild. It's around dinnertime, the sun is a few hours from setting, and it's still oppressively hot and sticky.

Spoiler: Super Dark

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If you want to talk to Leif feel free.

[super dark33]

Flying is awesome.

Being as magnificent as he is, and seeing all the people down there agreeing with that fact made Surdrak so happy and fulfilled. Its about that he wished to speak to Leif about, being a leader of people, commanding a group.

Now it reminds him of the other matter he needed to talk to Leif about, and also to Sora, hopefuly she's at the guildhouse or will return early, he hopes she isnt in too much trouble.

Theres the guild in sight, he will enter through his room's window.

Just picturing it, leading loyal acolytes into battle and adventure, their love and appritiation, looting all the crypts and all the nests and camps and dungeon and he forgot to open the window before he left.

Spoiler

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Splat.

[Athedia]

Badger:

Some of the people give her strange looks but she doesn't get any trouble. Badger isn't sure how long she's in her room--long enough for the sun to sink noticeably lower in the sky, though without a drop in temperature--but eventually she hears a knock on the door.

Lifting her head up she called out. "Who is there?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Surdrak:

Surdrak comically slams into the closed window, rattling the panes and causing his toad to hop onto the rabbit, who, startled, dashes somewhere into his unmade bed. That's the only look he gets of his room before sliding down the side of the building, tumbling past an alarmed Leif's window, and snagging his jacket on a tree branch before faceplanting onto the ground.

Spoiler: Fall damage:

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The tree broke your fall so take (d6)[6] falling damage.

Badger:

The doorknob turns, then stops, as if whomever is on the other side was about to open it before reconsidering. "It's me, Natasha. Are you okay?"

[Dusk Eclipse]

Artorias shake his head "Sometimes I can't beleive her" he says to himself. "And you.... you better not try that stunt again do you hear me?" he glares at him.

Spoiler

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untrained Intimidate Roll (1d20)[6]

He takes the thief directly towards the nearest guard station, keeping a firm leash on him.

[Athedia]

Surdrak:

Surdrak comically slams into the closed window, rattling the panes and causing his toad to hop onto the rabbit, who, startled, dashes somewhere into his unmade bed. That's the only look he gets of his room before sliding down the side of the building, tumbling past an alarmed Leif's window, and snagging his jacket on a tree branch before faceplanting onto the ground.

Spoiler: Fall damage:

Show

The tree broke your fall so take [roll0] falling damage.

Badger:

The doorknob turns, then stops, as if whomever is on the other side was about to open it before reconsidering. "It's me, Natasha. Are you okay?"

Badger watched doorknob turn, glad she had pushed the dresser in front of it. [Color="red"]"I ... I don't want to talk about it."

[CoffeeIncluded]

Badger:

"Can...I come in?" she asks, more quietly.

Artorias:

The thief mutters several more obscenities and oaths loud enough for Artorias to hear, but otherwise comes along quietly.

Spoiler: Dusk

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Where are you taking him?

[Athedia]

[QUOTE=CoffeeIncluded;18605608]Badger:

"Can...I come in?" she asks, more quietly.[/qoute]

Badger pushed the dresser away a little and went back to her bed. "Come in." She knew that if she didn't the girl would more likely than not tell Lief her concerns and get her in more trouble with him.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natasha quietly pads into the room. Her hair's shorter than before, her sleeves are rolled up, and a bit of the chubbiness on her face and legs has been replaced by tougher muscle. The noblewoman-turned-guildmember heads over to Badger and sits next to her on the bed. She's quiet for a while, waiting for Badger to settle before taking out a few fragments of dark chocolate--rare and expensive, even in Runite--and offers them to the ranger while asking, "How long have you been back?"

[Dusk Eclipse]

Badger:

"Can...I come in?" she asks, more quietly.

Artorias:

The thief mutters several more obscenities and oaths loud enough for Artorias to hear, but otherwise comes along quietly.

Spoiler: Dusk

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Where are you taking him?

Spoiler

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Nearest Ward station to their current location (read as: Whenever it is convenient for the plot/DM )

[CoffeeIncluded]

Artorias:

It's not that far a walk to the guild--and as before Artorias manages to chase off onlookers and bystanders with the explanation of "Guild Business," all the way to the watch station near the guild. The shade inside is a relief from the oppressive heat that beats down hot and humid, but it's still rather warm.

Unfortunately for Artorias, the guard on duty in the front is Severa,, who is busy pinning up her orange hair so that it doesn't stick to the back of her nexk and wiping her forehead with a damp cloth. She looks up at Artorias and says, "Oh, you again."

Spoiler

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Sorry.

Okay I really want to get back to reading The Emperor of All Maladies. Damn it's a good book, just really dense so I can't really pick it up and put it down a lot.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Artorias manages to barely avoid facepalming, of all the guards in the city it HAD to be Severa on duty "Yeah me again" "Perhaps if you actually did your job I wouldn't have to be here all the time" he mentally adds "caught this pickpocket near the Market district, figured you guys would know what to do with him" he adds in dry voice.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Artorias:

Severa lets out a long, seemingly overly-dramatic sigh, and jabs one manicured figure to the locked metal door embedded in thick stone behind her. "Yeah, just throw him in...no, wait." She stands up. "Guess I should go with you and make sure you do it right. Of course that means I'll be leaving the front all alone because everyone else just has to be out keeping the city from completely turning inside out, and of course they just had to leave me here to melt," Severa continues to complain at length as she heads to the cells with Artorias and the thief.

[Athedia]

Natasha quietly pads into the room. Her hair's shorter than before, her sleeves are rolled up, and a bit of the chubbiness on her face and legs has been replaced by tougher muscle. The noblewoman-turned-guildmember heads over to Badger and sits next to her on the bed. She's quiet for a while, waiting for Badger to settle before taking out a few fragments of dark chocolate--rare and expensive, even in Runite--and offers them to the ranger while asking, "How long have you been back?"

"In Runite? About two days. Spent most of the time in temples tending sick and injured." She declined the chocolate. "Why are you asking?

[Dusk Eclipse]

Artorias:

Severa lets out a long, seemingly overly-dramatic sigh, and jabs one manicured figure to the locked metal door embedded in thick stone behind her. "Yeah, just throw him in...no, wait." She stands up. "Guess I should go with you and make sure you do it right. Of course that means I'll be leaving the front all alone because everyone else just has to be out keeping the city from completely turning inside out, and of course they just had to leave me here to melt," Severa continues to complain at length as she heads to the cells with Artorias and the thief.

Artorias simply shrugs and makes his way towards the cell.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Badger:

Natasha looks down at the chocolate, and instead of placing it back in her belt pouch leaves it on the nightstand. "I was just wondering," she says, though it's clear it's more than that. "I thought you'd be doing something like that." She looks down at her hands. "Things are...weird in the Heights. Most people are really upset but my mother doesn't really care, not as long as it's only people she doesn't think are important. Eva and I are doing a fundraiser to help get treatment but a lot of the people who would donate have left. I tried healing people but..." She trails off. It's a little while before she's able to take a deep breath. "So I've been listening, trying to lean more, doing the whole Diamond Mind thing that your friend...Artorias? mentioned." She trails off again, but the pause after this one is more expectant.

Spoiler: Athedia

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As a noble, Natasha may have some more knowledge. And don't forget that she likes Badger. In case it's not clear she's trying to be diplomatic and treading carefully here.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Artorias simply shrugs and makes his way towards the cell.

Severa folds her arms and sighs. "You know, it's no fun whining if you don't respond."

The cells are much the same as before--dim and almost blessedly cool, with floors left damp from the city's high water table. but smelling of mildew and the smells that usually build up when people are locked in cells for long periods of time. But it's not too bad because right now there's only a couple people in the cells.

The halfling is still spitting curses, but is soon silenced by a swift kick to the rear courtesy of Severa. "Try a newer swear," she says.

EDIT: Severa's a bit rougher than strictly necessary when she strips him of his items and tosses him into a cell, whining all the while. "And of course since th other guards expect me to do everything, I'm going to have to keep watch up top and make sure he doesn't escape and record all these items, which of course are probably stolen, and try to return them!" She holds up the chain shirt, which even in Severa's hands looks way too wide and baggy for the halfling thief, and scoffs, "Yeah, no way he didn't steal this."

[super dark33]

Surdrak slowly got up on his feet, and entered the guild, throwing Hello!s and How are you doing today?s and No im okay, its not that bads to anyone who would ask and talk, which is no one, but he can hope yknow.

He walked up to Leif's office and knocked on the door.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Elsee frowned beneath her mask, her eyes drooping a little bit as she silently turned away from the sight.

"i'm not hungry..." was all she said, walking away back to the guild, not even waiting for the others to respond, thoughts about just taking Kheel and leaving racing through her head.

Elsee hasn't walked more than a couple of blocks when she hears footsteps running behind her. "Let me come with you," Darric pants as he races to catch up with her. "I think I know how to get back to avoid most of the crowds."

Spoiler: Draconi

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Do you want to follow him?

Spoiler: Silver

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What do you want to do?

Surdrak slowly got up on his feet, and entered the guild, throwing Hello!s and How are you doing today?s and No im okay, its not that bads to anyone who would ask and talk, which is no one, but he can hope yknow.

He walked up to Leif's office and knocked on the door.

Perhaps Surdrak should have wiped his bloodied nose clean before reassuring people that he's okay. Or covered up his black eye. Or smoothed his hair. A few people duck out of his way, but others offer him tissues to stop up the blood.

Either way, Leif's door is unlocked and he tells Surdrak to come in. The moment he does, however, a high pitched shout of, "Glitterdust!" comes from behind the door.

[super dark33]

Fearing the worst, Surdrak stepped through the door, coiled to cover his eyes.


Hey Leif, i forgot to leave my window open.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Surdrak:

Little flakes of glitter tickle Surdrak's eyebrows and nose and fingers and he opens his eyes to see Iris, Leif's daughter, standing on a chair with a little bag of glitter in her hand and glitter coating her palm. "Gotcha!" she says.

Leif, for his part, chuckles and shakes his head. "Iris, do you want to play cleric now?"

"Yeah! I got it, I got it!" She runs to her father's desk and yanks it open, rummaging through it.

Meanwhile, Leif turns to Surdrak and asks, "How goes the search?"

[super dark33]

Quite well, we now understand how the wells work, with runes of purifying magic on them, Badger and Artorias took water samples, Jadeite and i had fun getting shellfish from the various vendors of different parts in the city and all that is left now is testing.

He smiled a little and waited for Leif's response, appritiation hopefuly. After leif would answer, Surdrak says with obvious anxiety:

And Leif, before i go, if you have the time, there are a few things i want to talk about...

Spoiler

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Aaaand cut! This is my last IC post this weekend. Surdrak is now at your control. Dont forget to keep him as adorable as he needs to be!

[Silverraptor]

Sora stares at Felix's face for a moment before turning around to follow Elsee. Sadness plainly obvious on her face.

[Athedia]

Badger:

Natasha looks down at the chocolate, and instead of placing it back in her belt pouch leaves it on the nightstand. "I was just wondering," she says, though it's clear it's more than that. "I thought you'd be doing something like that." She looks down at her hands. "Things are...weird in the Heights. Most people are really upset but my mother doesn't really care, not as long as it's only people she doesn't think are important. Eva and I are doing a fundraiser to help get treatment but a lot of the people who would donate have left. I tried healing people but..." She trails off. It's a little while before she's able to take a deep breath. "So I've been listening, trying to lean more, doing the whole Diamond Mind thing that your friend...Artorias? mentioned." She trails off again, but the pause after this one is more expectant.

Spoiler: Athedia

Show

As a noble, Natasha may have some more knowledge. And don't forget that she likes Badger. In case it's not clear she's trying to be diplomatic and treading carefully here.

"What have you heard?" Badger paused for a second and laid an awkward hand on Natasha's shoulder.
"You.... It's okay you couldn't heal people. I.... Not many train healing as I have."

[CoffeeIncluded]

"What have you heard?" Badger paused for a second and laid an awkward hand on Natasha's shoulder.
"You.... It's okay you couldn't heal people. I.... Not many train healing as I have."

Natasha sniffs loudly and leans into Badger's hand for a time before responding. "Thank you," she says.

It takes her a little bit to answer Badger's first question, and from the way she twiddles her fingers together and works her jaw it seems like she's also trying to formulate her own response.

"Well..." she eventually says, "Have you been reading the news? The cholera's all anyone's talking about. The Sokol guy, who writes satire, has been one of the most moderate voices around, but some of the others are...scary." Natasha looks down at the floor. "You know that woman who writes in the crime blotter and opinion pages? The one who says that everyone is guilty and needs to be punished to the fullest extent of the law, who uses overly melodramatic language and froths at the mouth whenever anyone is declared innocent--especially if they're not rich? I think you can guess what she's saying about the Plavaan here." She gulps, as if she isn't quite sure of what to say next, or isn't fully prepared to say it. "The thing is, she's really popular among a lot of people in the Heights right now. I heard a lot of people talking about it at socials, and heard my mother talking about it too. Leif wants nothing to do with all of this, but a lot of nobles are blaming the Plavaan too, especially people like Cesare. He could help more but all he's saying is that this is proof of the evil and ineptitude of Dierdre and the other Plavaan or something like that and that he and his son could have built much better sewers. It's like there's this...poison to the whole city, and everyone's drinking it and I don't know what to do!"

Quite well, we now understand how the wells work, with runes of purifying magic on them, Badger and Artorias took water samples, Jadeite and i had fun getting shellfish from the various vendors of different parts in the city and all that is left now is testing.

He smiled a little and waited for Leif's response, appritiation hopefuly.

Leif raises his eyebrows. "Really? When will you get results?" There's a calm, confident pride in his voice.

Meanwhile, Iris runs out from behind the desk holding a wand. She reaches up and taps it on Surdrak's bloody nose again and again until it activates and heals it slightly.

Spoiler: Super Dark

Show

It's a Cure Light Wounds, no big deal.

After leif would answer, Surdrak says with obvious anxiety:

And Leif, before i go, if you have the time, there are a few things i want to talk about...

Spoiler

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Aaaand cut! This is my last IC post this weekend. Surdrak is now at your control. Dont forget to keep him as adorable as he needs to be!

"Of course Surdrak, what is it?" He gets up and closes the door, then sits down in his chair...

Spoiler: Question:

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How do you want to do the conversation with Leif? I'll be honest, this isn't something I feel comfortable doing without your input and a back-and-forth between us.