Tales of Aequar: Runite's Rise IC V

[CoffeeIncluded]

"That's certainly true," Natasha says with a tired smile. "And not much, I think we finished." She turns back over her shoulder. "Badger, do you think we should continue tomorrow?"

[Athedia]

"That's certainly true," Natasha says with a tired smile. "And not much, I think we finished." She turns back over her shoulder. "Badger, do you think we should continue tomorrow?"

"We made good progress. I think that would be good." Badger gave her another hug and wished her goodnight before catching Arteries staring at her and slamming the door on him.

[super dark33]

After conversing with Leif about some of the minor pieces of the plan, Surdrak hears the slamming of a door.

Sounds like somthings up. I can never thank you enough for the help and even for just conversing to me!

Surdrak left the room.

Spoiler

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What will he encounter? Natasha? Artorias? Radovan Karadziac?

[CoffeeIncluded]

After conversing with Leif about some of the minor pieces of the plan, Surdrak hears the slamming of a door.

Sounds like somthings up. I can never thank you enough for the help and even for just conversing to me!

Surdrak left the room.

Spoiler

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What will he encounter? Natasha? Artorias? Radovan Karadziac?

As Surdrak heads to his room he sees Artorias standing in front of Badger's closed door with a bemused expression on his face.

[Draconi Redfir]

Elsee waited paitiantly for Sora to mend up Kheel's wing before thanking her, they were pretty close to the guild hall at this point so there was no need to keep to the rooftops. As they returned to the hall Elsee was still unwilling to go through the crowded main areas, so with the help of Darric and Kheel, she took the water samples they had taken and climbed up to Jadeite's room from the outside, sliding the window open (picking the lock if she had too) and leaving it on the nearest table.

Afterwords Elsee breifly checked the windows of the others, seeing if anyone had decided to hold a party in their rooms, if not, she'd head back to her own room with Darric and Kheel.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Kheel speeds to the guilds, skimming low enough in the sky to alarm anyone looking up. Thankfully it's getting dark so there aren't quite as many people out. He scrabbles at Jadeite's window, trying and failing to unlock it until Elsee picks the lock--and then he and Elsee both tumble into the neat room. Of course this is Jadeite's room which probably means that the window she forcefully opened was probably trapped. But instead of a quiet click or a loud boom, a note flutters down. It reads:

Good evening, Elsee. I assumed you would do something like this, which is why I did not alarm the window. Please relock it once you are done here; I will know if you have not done so l.

Nobody else seems to be in any of the Wyvern Fangs' rooms, but Badger's door is shut and she's curled up on the bed.

Spoiler: Everyone

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Just waiting on Dusk.

[Silverraptor]

Sora examines Kheel's wing.
"Ouch. I'm so sorry Kheel."
Her hands glows as she light touches Kheels wounds and they mend shut.

[Dusk Eclipse]

"We made good progress. I think that would be good." Badger gave her another hug and wished her goodnight before catching Arteries staring at her and slamming the door on him.

"Oh common Badger... I didn't know it would go that way" Artorias apologizes through the door. "Look, I thiink I got something that might interest you".

[Athedia]

"Oh common Badger... I didn't know it would go that way" Artorias apologizes through the door. "Look, I thiink I got something that might interest you".

Badger kept the door closed, leaning on the other side. "You called me in, then undermined me in front of the criminal. You presented a weak front." Grudgingly she opened the door again. "What is it? I have a lead on the man in purple that Natasha is helping me with. I need to focus on that."

[Dusk Eclipse]

Artorias facepalms in exasperation "Look... I'm sorry about that, but I couldn't let you do that... either way it doesn't matter, not right now" he rattles the chain shirt to get her attention "Remember the chain shirt? Well I have reasons to suspect about our dear ol'friend Calix"

[Athedia]

Artorias facepalms in exasperation "Look... I'm sorry about that, but I couldn't let you do that... either way it doesn't matter, not right now" he rattles the chain shirt to get her attention "Remember the chain shirt? Well I have reasons to suspect about our dear ol'friend Calix"

"How did you get that? And how do you know that?" Badger looked down the hall and then pulled him inside where it would be harder to eavesdrop. "Natasha saw the man in purple on her street. Cesare lives there! Like father, like son."

[Dusk Eclipse]

"I just asked Severa if she could lend it to me" he smirks a little "The shirt smells of Dwarf, but not any dwarf, fine cigars, wine, do you know of any other high-class dwarfs who might want to tamper with the wells to discredit the Plaavans?

[Athedia]

"I just asked Severa if she could lend it to me" he smirks a little "The shirt smells of Dwarf, but not any dwarf, fine cigars, wine, do you know of any other high-class dwarfs who might want to tamper with the wells to discredit the Plaavans?

"Severa? At the prison? How are the siblings, the necromancers?" Badger was monetarily distracted with worry as she realized where he had been. "Other than Cesare no, it was their contract for the sewers that was rejected in favor of Deidre, but I can try to gather more information. Natasha is teaching me how to blend with the rich, if I can get into a social gathering, I can get the rumors and gossip out of them. People love to talk if you let them."

[Dusk Eclipse]

"I.... I didn't check on them, I simply went there to drop the pickpocket. " he raises an eyebrow "So that's why Natasha was here then."

[Athedia]

"I.... I didn't check on them, I simply went there to drop the pickpocket. " he raises an eyebrow "So that's why Natasha was here then."

"Oh. I just hope they aren't sick." Badger looked at his raised eyebrow. "What do you mean by that's why she was here?"

[Dusk Eclipse]

"I wouldn't know I'm sorry" he answers "and I was just curious, I wasn't expecting to see. you with... well anyone" he finishes in an embarrassed tone.

[Athedia]

"I wouldn't know I'm sorry" he answers "and I was just curious, I wasn't expecting to see. you with... well anyone" he finishes in an embarrassed tone.

"We...please go." Badger held the door open for him not talking til he left and then shut and locked it for the night.

[Draconi Redfir]

Elsee grinned beneath her facemask as she read the note, that elf really knew her too well didn't he? She wondered how long he had that thing set up like that. Reguardless she was in, so she leaned out the window once more and signalled for Darric to pass her the water samples, carefully leaving them on Jadeite's desk, each labeled with what well they had come from, plus a side note complimenting his trap-making.

Elsee aheired to Jadeite's request as she and Kheel left the room once more, carefulyl locking the window behind her, not something she did often granted but somehow she managed to pull it off.

"Jadeite's got the vials" she assured Darric. "nobody else looks home save for a depressed Badger. should we just take an early bedtime or what?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Elsee:

"Sounds good to me," Darric says, with just a hint of a smirk.

Everyone:

Night passes slowly, hot and sticky and absolutely miserable. It's nearly impossible for anyone to sleep, for even if the night were cooler, or even just less humid, the undercurrent of tension is equally impossible to ignore. Something unpleasant is building in Runite, beyond the plague, to the point where the Wyvern's Fangs can practically feed it. Something's coming, and it's not going to be good.

When the sun finally rises, it rises upon a still city, hidden behind a shimmering haze of humidity and heat. Sleep may have finally dragged some people under but they wake in sticky sweat. As each party member makes their way to the cafeteria, where troughs of cold water (now lukewarm water) are laid out for people to dip their hands or heads into, they see Jadeite waiting for them, sporting a split lip, black eye, and several scratches.

[Athedia]

Elsee:

"Sounds good to me," Darric says, with just a hint of a smirk.

Everyone:

Night passes slowly, hot and sticky and absolutely miserable. It's nearly impossible for anyone to sleep, for even if the night were cooler, or even just less humid, the undercurrent of tension is equally impossible to ignore. Something unpleasant is building in Runite, beyond the plague, to the point where the Wyvern's Fangs can practically feed it. Something's coming, and it's not going to be good.

When the sun finally rises, it rises upon a still city, hidden behind a shimmering haze of humidity and heat. Sleep may have finally dragged some people under but they wake in sticky sweat. As each party member makes their way to the cafeteria, where troughs of cold water (now lukewarm water) are laid out for people to dip their hands or heads into, they see Jadeite waiting for them, sporting a split lip, black eye, and several scratches.

Badger rushed over to Jadiete, looking over his injuries.

Spoiler

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Heal check (1d20+8)[19]

"What happened? Are you okay? Did you run into one of the mobs?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Badger rushed over to Jadiete, looking over his injuries.

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Heal check [roll0]

"What happened? Are you okay? Did you run into one of the mobs?"

Jadeite's injuries are largely superficial, and look worse than they actually are. But he does look tired, like he's barely tranced last night. He wipes his lip and says, "I remained at the laboratory last night monitoring the samples. Upon documenting the relevant data I returned here to tell you to watch, but I came across a small group of thugs assaulting two orcs. I...intervened, but was lightly injured in the process."

[Silverraptor]

Sora quickly runs healing spells over Jadeite.
"Just be careful. These look pretty nasty."

[Draconi Redfir]

Elsee was only in the guild's cafeteria at Darric's insistence, and even then she refused to drink or touch any water Kheel hadn't brought from outside the city, luckally he had brought another couple of jars the previous night so she was at least partially hydrated. Kheel sat close to her at her own insistence, ensuring the new inhabitants of the building would keep their distance. Elsee was still wearing her facemask of course, and had to constantly make sure Darric was wearing his.

"So what did you find then?"

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I can re-write the kheel thing if you want coffee. just feels like something she'd do, as she's been avoiding everything outside her private room in the hall due to the crowd

[CoffeeIncluded]

Sora quickly runs healing spells over Jadeite.
"Just be careful. These look pretty nasty."

Jadeite smiles as the wounds close. "Thank you Sora, but I do believe they are less severe than they appear to be?"

Elsee was only in the guild's cafeteria at Darric's insistence, and even then she refused to drink or touch any water Kheel hadn't brought from outside the city, luckally he had brought another couple of jars the previous night so she was at least partially hydrated. Kheel sat close to her at her own insistence, ensuring the new inhabitants of the building would keep their distance. Elsee was still wearing her facemask of course, and had to constantly make sure Darric was wearing his.

"So what did you find then?"

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I can re-write the kheel thing if you want coffee. just feels like something she'd do, as she's been avoiding everything outside her private room in the hall due to the crowd

"See for yourselves. I believe I interpreted the results clearly enough." He passes a notebook to the party. It's filled with figures, tables, drawings, methods, results, interpretations, and conclusions. Every page is marked with a shimmering arcane mark and the handwriting is clear and legible. As are the results. Jadeite did not get every sample of water (though it seems like he somehow retrieved the samples that Elsee left in his room), but the ones that he did could not be clearer. Many of the rats who drank the supposedly tainted water died from cholera, or the rodent equivalent of it. The rats who drank the supposedly clean water are all fine.

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That's fine, Draconi.

Anyway, night everyone! I'm really looking forward to this part of the game.

[Draconi Redfir]

Elsee frowned beneath her mask, only just barely understanding what she was reading. "Nnnnkaaay... so we know et's in the water now... So now what, bring it to drow lady for that proof she wanted?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Jadeite nods. "We could go directly to Dierdre, or get the cages of rats from my laboratory first."

Spoiler: Guys

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What do you want to do?

[Dusk Eclipse]

Jadeite's injuries are largely superficial, and look worse than they actually are. But he does look tired, like he's barely tranced last night. He wipes his lip and says, "I remained at the laboratory last night monitoring the samples. Upon documenting the relevant data I returned here to tell you to watch, but I came across a small group of thugs assaulting two orcs. I...intervened, but was lightly injured in the process."

"Small meaning?" Artorias massages his temples in slight irritation "You know what... it doesn't matter, you got your head knocked a little, but nothing seems broken so it is good"

Jadeite nods. "We could go directly to Dierdre, or get the cages of rats from my laboratory first."

Spoiler: Guys

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What do you want to do?

"I think we should send Deidre a message to tell her we are coming, but we probably should get the rats first"

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Small meaning?" Artorias massages his temples in slight irritation "You know what... it doesn't matter, you got your head knocked a little, but nothing seems broken so it is good"

Jadeite chuckles slightly. "No need to worry. I doubt they will be capable of trying anything for some time."

"I think we should send Deidre a message to tell her we are coming, but we probably should get the rats first"

Darric raises his hand. "Um, I might be able to go off and find Kayda again; I think she might be inspecting the Docks again."

[Athedia]

Jadeite chuckles slightly. "No need to worry. I doubt they will be capable of trying anything for some time."

Darric raises his hand. "Um, I might be able to go off and find Kayda again; I think she might be inspecting the Docks again."

"That might be good, but I can't be long. I have to be back for an appointment later this afternoon."

[CoffeeIncluded]

Jadeite looks at Badger curiously but acquiesces. "You might need to tell Dierdre that more than me," is all he says.

Thankfully the lab is within walking distance, though with the sun beating down and the hot and muggy air attraction mosquitoes and inducing sweat by the minute, that definition is rapidly becoming rather questionable. Jadeite seems fine, but at the same time he does offer the rest of the party a share of his prestidigation spell with minimal asking.

The lab is quiet, still partially rubble from the golem attack. The repairs seem to have been halted for the moment so now partially-finished scaffolding rises above the mostly-cleared smashed wood and stone, and the broken wall remains as-is. Jadeite's room is on the other side of the building, safe and locked and warded with multiple magical traps that take Jadeite and Surdrak several minutes to disarm.

"I saw someone passing by in the middle of the night and did not wish to take chances," he says. Indeed, as he talks a hobgoblin janitor (the same one anyone who came to the lab last night saw) passes, indicating that the lab is not quite closed to the public.

The inside of the lab is clean, and rows of identical cages line the walls and squeeze into every inch of the room. Each cage contains two or three rats, and each cage is also clearly marked with what water sample, if any, the rats were given. The rats given supposedly tainted water are either obviously ill or dead, with flies already alighting on their bodies. The others are fine.

"Which ones should we take?" Jadeite asks.