Age of Ruin IC: When all your friends are dead

[Ozzy_G]

Rego listens, a concerned expression on his face, as Livina talks about Lucci, and looks like he's going to say something, but then when she mentions the tomb, his expression changes, lighting up. The tomb! he says enthusiastically. Well, you see it's the tomb of an old Dwarven ruler. I believe that he was the governor of eastern Davethra between the years 807 and 954 of the Dwarven Empire, from the documents I've found. Of course, a governor of the Dwarves is about the same level of authority as a Mokai King, he wouldn't have just been a bureaucrat, that's why I referred to him as a Dwarven King earlier. The actual title, Naz'du'kral, can be translated different ways. Anyway, these scrolls were written by a wizard of the Qusan Mages' Guild about 500 years ago, and he may have made a mistake, but I doubt it. A Dwarven governor should have heaps of magic items. The Dwarves were all wizards you see, they all knew spells. Dwarven smiths used magic to shape steel, Dwarven scholars used divination spells, Dwarven farm overseers used nature magic to ensure good harvests. Of course, they didn't do the actual work, that was all done by human slaves. A governor would be a very powerful wizard indeed, if we're really lucky we might find his spellbook. The Dwarves knew loads of spells that have since been lost, so the Guild would pay heaps of gold to get their hands on it. But what I'm really looking for, personally, is his logs. Dwarven Kings, or Governors, or whatever you want to call them, were always buried with extensive diaries and logs of their activities as rulers, a record of their history. These would be invaluable finds! Think of the extraordinary knowledge of ancient life we would discover!

[Moechi_Vill]

When Lucidae approaches him, he nods at her and prepares to head off from the main camp a bit to have a few words in private.

Spoiler for Akim

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Akim. I do not know who you are beyond a first impression but I will tell you who I am. I am Lucidae Misallo, an aelf raised in the city of Mantis. I would be honoured to serve your group with my truth in your hands.

If he does not reply with aggression or friendly/neutral belief she will bore on: "Detect magic on me."

[Ozzy_G]

Spitter-spatters of rain start to land on your heads. Looking up, you see that the clouds, fluffy and white a mere hour and a half ago when you left the ruins, are now dark and brooding.
Rego curses. Gothul! I guess we ought to carry on then. I hope Lucci and Akim hurry up over there. We can take shelter in the tomb. I hope it's easy to get into.

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina looks up at the sky. She seems to be savouring the feel of the first few raindrops on her face. By the haste with which she makes ready to go, however, it's clear that the novelty of it has worn off quickly.
"Okay, let's get moving then."

[Ozzy_G]

Rego points over to Lucci and Akim. We have to wait for them first.

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

Spoiler for Akim

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Half ready to bespell herself away Lucci looks almost impatiently at Akim as her naked feet feel the gathering of moisture and her hair starts to filter in droplets of water. She drops her backpack and starts dressing herself properly on top of the Mokai clothes. She casts a dark glance at the ruins but stills her voice, awaiting only an answer.

You notice the sorceress is redressing herself with normal subdued warm colours of human outdoors clothing on top of the Mokai dresswear. Black boots, grey skirt, maroon sweater, red scarf and a fluffy, white cotton headpiece that halfways covers her blonde hair. At least the time wouldn't go to waste.

[Lycar]

Akim can be seen talking to Lucindae. He smiles at her as he listens, then he makes a slightly surprised face for a moment, before shooting a short glance at his companions.

Spoiler

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Akim chats with Lucindae.
"So my Lady, you wanted a word with me. ?"

He listens to Lucindae's confession of elfishnes.

"Oh... well... i would never have guessed. I am afraid that i know little about your people, mostly hear-say from .. old stories. But.... if those are any indication... it might be best if you did indeed keep your origins secret. I am afraid that my .... companions might be unduly prejudiced against you."

Akim quirks an eyebrow at Lucindae's suggestion of having a Detect magic cast on her .

"Well.... if you wish..."

So he goes about to chant the proper incantation.

Then it starts to rain.

"Oh.. maybe we should rejoin our compatriots. Seems like a bad time to set up camp anyway.... rest assured that your little secret is safe with me. Unless, that is, keeping it would endanger our wellbeing of course..."

Bowing slightly at Lucindae, Akim turns to walk back to the others.

"The sky is weeping... let us find shelter from it's tears. Say... how far is it to that tomb would you say ?"


Lycar

[Moechi_Vill]

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Only if you did not believe me. She grins a short smile, but does not disrupt the scholar. It would serve him well to know that other mages might potentially discover her secret and thus lead to the endangerment of the group as a whole.

Thank you. LM flourishes a courtsy as if it had been a regular tea party between the two nobles.

...

From afar you can see Akim making a light bow to Lucindae and Lucci returning it with a regular courtsy. As they return to the main group their voices float to within hearing range...

"A few hours at the most remains ere our march breaks beyond the first defenses of the dwarven cemetary."

...

When they make it back to the main group Lucci bends down to tie in the long laces on her boot and roll up her woolen skirt to her thighs, right above the Mokai clothing, making her look a bit like a stuffed waif.

She mutters a few words while doing so "So what is the goal of this mission?" she chirps brightly from her squatting position as she finishes her left boot.

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina scratches her ear.
"Well...yesterday there was an explosion in an Inn in Halgarth...and we all lost friends." her expression sinks and she drifts into silence for a moment. Was it all really just yesterday...?
She rallies, and finishes "So we teamed up with Rego here to pick up the scratch to get them brought back to life! I guess there are temples that can do that, if you pay them enough..."

[Ozzy_G]

It won't take a few hours, says Rego, it should only take about half an hour if we walk fast. It's not far, I'm just worried about how easy it will be to see...
He pats the Mule, and they start to walk. But yes, as Livina said, we're off to find an ancient Dwarven tomb, it should have some really interesting artefacts of great historical value... as well as some magical artefacts that could be solved to raise the money to resurrect these folk's tragically killed friends. Are you a student of history? Do you know about the Dwarves? Fascinating stuff! They were slaves you see, in Mahara and Davethra, like the humans. Anyway, the Urqir, the race that used to rule Mahara, they were some form of blood-drinking monster, nocturnal... uh, where was I? he asks, looking confused, thinking for a moment. Ah! The Dwarves! Yes, anyway, the Urqir were fighting the Aelfinn, the race we today call Elves. They ruled the continent of Osira, enslaving the humans and what-not, fascinating culture you know, they considered humans no different than animals, used to hunt them for fun and so on... he stops again, realising he's going off-topic. Well, anyway, the Urqir could do a bit of magic,and they taught it to some Dwarves. There's quite a debate about why exactly they did that, some quite heated arguments and some excellent scholarship. Anyway, these Dwarves created a magical plague, that only affected the Elves, or Aelfinn as they used to call themselves. Virtually the entire race died! Quite amazing, really, such a fate. I read an old book, translated from Elven, full of poems and stuff about the plague, the desperation of being subject to genocide, really quite fascinating stuff. So, the Nom Iko, those were the ones who ruled Davethra you see, we call them Gnomes these days... there's a Gnome in Halgarth you know, used to be two but one died, there's just one left, he runs a funeral directors, Gnomes are fascinated by death you see and he's really interesting to talk to... anyway, the Nom Iko thought that since the Urqir had such luck teaching the Dwarves magic, they'd do the same, so they taught the Dwarves their own necromancy and geomancy... Gnomes are actually a form of Earth elemental according to some scholars, though that's quite controversial... well, anyway, the Urqir and the Nom Iko had this massive battle. The Nom Iko threw up the Dragonspine mountains with their Geomancy, but the Urqir created portals to other planes and used them to get through. They had this final battle just south of it, creating the Grey Waste. Anyway, both sides had human slave-warriors and Dwarven slave-wizards. At the height of the battle, the Dwarves turned on their masters and killed them, and then the Dwarves went back to their own humans, and used the angry humans to overthrow the Nom Iko and the Urqir. Then they set themselves up as the new rulers! Fascinating, isn't it! But of course, they ended up doing all the things that the humans hated in their old masters, sacrificing people to demons and what-not, so in the end the humans rose up and overthrew the Dwarves. Ironic, isn't it? Though there's been some really interesting research recently challenging this, saying that actually the new human rulers made up all the stuff about human sacrifices and stuff, and that the Dwarves weren't that depraved at all. Hopefully we'll find some documents in this tomb that will reveal something about this! Rego's eyes gleam bright as he stares into the rain excitedly. I'm so looking forward to this! A chance to see an actual Dwarven tomb!

[Lycar]

"Ah yes," remarks Akim "if we should be so lucky as to find bona fide dwarven scriptures, then we might be able to tell truth from fic.. no, propaganda."

He turns slightly to Lucindae "It is an old saying but it bears to remember when you have more then just a passing interest in history: It gets written by the victors. Or rather, the survivors. Who are usually the same people. And nothing better to justify your own new rule then to slander the regime that just got ousted. SO much better if they aren't even your own race to begin with of course."

Sighing wistfully he continues "I remember the days when i was still little ... i had free run of the libraries... well, not all of them, mind, but many... i spent so much time reading the old tomes, with stories of times long gone by... it is so overwhelming to read the diary of a man, or dwarf for that matter, as if he had penned it down only ... days ago. And then you realize that the book you are reading is hundreds of years old. Can only speak for myself here but it makes a shiver of awe run down my spine every time..."

Akim broods a bit, but then continues "Of course, when you set about to study in earnest, one can see... patterns. It would seem, elf or dwarf or man, it doesn't matter, people are won't to do certain things in certain ways. Again and again. We would be well advised to learn from their errors not to repeat them...."

He falls silent again, frowning slightly as he muls over something.

Lycar

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

"Mhmmmm... Lucindae listens to Akim. let's go to a library on occasion." she smiles back at him.
"You have enough money now to ressurect your friends right. Friends who could bring you back to life should you fail later.
And money enough to lead search parties from afar?"
"Dwarves as I have come to know from scholars such as yourself are not bestial creatures. Yet they are particular in desiring to maintain their privacy undisturbed, even moreso in death." she says this last bit with an intense look at Rego.
"Between the anvil of a dwarven tomb and the wrath of a cultist's hammer... I assure you, there are ways to conduct such a search without risking a fragile, unexpendable historians life."
"I have... come across a few manuscripts in my life. Perhaps I can trade my knowledge as an incentive for you to send your partners on this risky endeavor again when their friends are once again alive to help them?" she gestures at the party. "Certainly a lethal dwarven tomb would be rendered little of a challenge at all with a few more people of such good quality?"

[Ozzy_G]

Rego looks at her, appalled. But we're so close! It's only a few miles a way! And I doubt it will be that dangerous, just a few traps, perhaps a golem, nothing these folks can't handle. He waves his hand dismissively. I think that anyone who can go through a temple full of crazy Elder God cultists - no offence intended, he says nodding to Krashnix, - should have no trouble with a simple Dwarven tomb.

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucci sighs deeply. "Very well then dear Savior. My life to protect you."

[Ozzy_G]

You carry on trudging through the rain, getting increasingly sodden. Colour starts to leak down Akim's face, revealing slightly more hagged skin underneath: he was wearing make-up, and now it's running.
Seeing this, Rego chuckles. Did you think you'd need to look your best for looting a tomb, Lord Kar'zad?

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Bringing up the rear, Livina rolls her eyes.
She'd better wash those pants before giving them back to me if she's going to carry on like that with Akim, she thinks to herself.
She scratches her ear thoughtfully as Lucci makes her proposal, however, and begins to chuckle at Rego's comment about the make-up, when something catches her eye. Her laughter catches in her throat and becomes a short gurgle as she finds herself staring at Akim, an expression somewhere between fear and rage on her brown face.

[Lycar]

Akim absentmindedly wipes his face as the rain pours down. His hand comes away smudged. He frowns and produces a piece of cloth form a pocket to wipe his hands.

When Rego speaks up, Akim just replies "Oh no. It is just that i have been travelling the ash dessert for quite a while. You know, i have seen what happens to people who spend too much time outdoors. They end up looking.... wrinkled." Akim makes a face when saying that last word.

"Therefore i made it a habit to protect my skin with a special lotion i aquired in Qusa. It protects from the ravages of the environments and keeps the skin soft and smoth. It costs a pretty coin but i found it to be well worth it. Unfortunately, it is apparently not waterproof. Oh well."

When Livina gasps, Akim turns at her with an amused smile "What ? Are men not allowed to preserve their physical beauty for their loved ones to enjoy ? My wifes never complained..."

Lycar

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina clamps her mouth shut and grinds her teeth silently.
I'll be watching you, you smarmy bastard... She thinks.

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

"Is anything wrong honoured Livina?" She would need to display her gratitude to each of them in person. Money and honorifics didn't go a long way for her life but she could begin trying.

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina steps a little closer, studying the scholar's face closely. Over her shoulder, she says
"Yeah, everything's fine Lucci. Akim here is just YOINK!"
With the last utterance, Livina darts a hand forward and tries to haul on the scholar's hair with all her strength!

[Ozzy_G]

Livina grabs Akim's black curly hair... and pulls it right off!
Akim was wearing a wig, the black curly hair is fake. He actually has short, dark brown hair underneath.

What the... Rego looks surprised, then recognition dawns on his face. Hey, I saw you leaving the city last night, going east with a bunch of guards! What's going on, why did you come back and disguise yourself? He looks quite scared now, and steps back. Who are you really?
Sensing its master's uneasiness, the Mule snorts, and starts to shy away from the other people.

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

<What's going on??>

Lucci moves over to the animal to stroke it once or twice while subtly taking a tight control over the reins.
"Umm.... maybe we should just all calm down and head back to civilization to talk whatever it is over. I am sorry to say so but this expedition just seems a bit ill fit to take upon itself to disturb a Dwarven resting place."

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
With a smile of grim triumph, Livina tosses the wig to the ground.
"All right...Akim; who the hell are you?"

[Ozzy_G]

When Lucci speaks, suggesting the expedition be abandoned, Rego looks even more terrified. Look, I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation for all of this, right Akim? he asks pleadingly. We can all just carry on to the tomb, it can't be far now, you can get loads of magical stuff and be rich, won't that be nice? And after you're all rich, you can talk about this, but let's get the expedition over first, right? he says, his eyes moving from Akim to Livina desperately.

[Lycar]

"Hey !" Akim exclaims as his wig is ripped from his head and he crouches to retrieve it from the ground.

"Careful, that thing was expensive..."

He straightens up again, looking at Lavina with a sardonic smile.

"Wouln't you like to know..."

He turns to Rego "Sorry to disappoint you Rego, but i am not the man you saw being spirited away by those guards. Although he might be facing a gentler fate then me, now that i am at the mercy of that headhunter..."

He turns to Kizima next, bowing slightly to her.

"Sorry about making fun of your size back in that tomb, princess... ah, but to play a role is to live it to the fullest, consequences be damned. I hope you will not hold it against me. Or do i have to fear waking up to a slit throat now ?"

He straightens up again, smiling still as his gaze shifts between his 'allies' .

(I suppose that was inevitable.... could as well have happened while i still have enough arcane virility left to go invisible though... oh well...)

Lycar

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina narrows her eyes, and her stance is still tense.
"Did you just call me a headhunter? I'm not the one who looks exactly like a certain torturing bastard we know. And you were trying to hide it. The only reason I'm not kicking you hard enough to vomit your own testicles is because you haven't been limping this whole trip. So I repeat; who the hell are you?!"

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

"I won't let anyone here slit the throat of anyone here who saved my life."
"Hold this for me will you?" Lucci hands the reigns over to Rego and moves to place herself between the group members.

"Nobody kills each other!"
"You're all rich by the looks of it not to mention the magical items from those priests and all my money so nobody better f*cking kill each other!" she seems to be ignoring Livina almost entirely and focusing on Kizima and Krashnix in particular. Very much a steely look at the knight.

"And you're rich like s*it now by my count so go buy some help!" she shouts at Rego.

[Brickwall]

Kizima

Kizima sighs and rolls her eyes. She ignores Lucci and turns to Livina.

"Much as I would enjoy seeing that, this Akim isn't the one who tortured you, I'm sure. He, like many others, has had to deal with the actions of his duplicate from a plane much like ours. The difference is that the denizens of that place seem to be quite cruel, and are trying to do something horrible to this plane. So this Akim isn't necessarily a torturing bastard. Just an idiot who seems to get on the bad side of people who would love to see him dead. Though it sounds like he has a few secrets left, so perhaps he would like to spit them out before Livina and I decide that he really does need to die?"

Kizima doesn't even have her weapon drawn at this point, and is holding her glare to Akim's throat rather than a sword.

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

Lucci moves to position herself between Akim and the rest. She readies* herself to cast if need be.

"I... I owe all of you, not just this one person."

Spoiler to Akim

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"Say the word and I take us out of here for the moment."

she whispers at Akim.

Spoiler to GM-san

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Readying a Dimension Door to be cast if it looks like someone is about to attack

[Brickwall]

Kizima

Kizima doesn't seem to change expression at all, though she exhales suddenly enough to almost sound like a laugh.

"Let me explain something to you, girl. Akim can go ahead and tell us whatever he's hiding, and he has a pretty good chance of living. We may even distrust him a little less if he's honest. However, if you teleport away, we will kill you if either of you show your faces again. I think Sir Krashnix would agree that we can't risk having those who betray us alive. You might give our location away to the cultists or something. Do we need to go back so you can see what we've done with the last person he didn't think was trustworthy enough to be alive?" She raises an eyebrow, but she doesn't even have the cocky smirk she usually has when she threatens people. She gives Krashnix a glance, but a meaningless one, for no other purpose other than to confirm that he was still there.