[IC] Monster Hunters

[rs2excelsior]

Hrothrun shakes his head, looking down at the little fey creature. "They weren't too much of a challenge," he tells Arlou. "Once we managed to catch them, that is. Sneaky little buggers. You might have some flour to sweep up... but other than that your shouldn't have any more issues."

[hannahbbug3]

The Pooka evidently can't hear Idranel, still deafened for a few moments by the blast from the flashbang. But after the blindness and deafness abates, the small creature moves, jumping in surprise as it sees Idranel so close by. She pushes herself against the wall, eyes wide, before she vanishes - as much as she can, covered in blood and flour. She's heading for the window, aiming to flee.

[Kallimakus]

Idranel judges her shot the best she can. She points her staff at the window, building up the charge. She gave it a chance. Lightning crackles along her staff as she directs it at the creature. He waits for the window simply to minimize collateral damage. If it looks like she needs to take the shot earlier, she will. She unleashes a stored bolt of lightning, static crawling along her armour from the backwash.

Spoiler: OOC

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(8d6)[28] electricity, DC 19 Reflex half
In case it survives, Berilian will attack.
(1d20+10)[11] attack
(1d8+6)[12] damage

Spoiler: Lightning Rod

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Scholars with this knack gain a masterwork quarterstaff specially modified with mechanical and alchemical attachments that allow them to channel, store, and redirect electrical energy. This quarterstaff can be enchanted as a standard weapon of its type. If is is ever broken or destroyed, the scholar cannot use the abilities granted by this knack (or the improved lightning rod knack) until she spends 8 hours modifying another quarterstaff of at least masterwork quality. The scholar can spend an immediate action whenever she would be damaged by an attack dealing electricity damage to negate an amount of electricity damage up to 5 x her class level. In addition, the scholar can spend a full-round action while wielding her lightning rod quarterstaff to create a small localized storm that creates a bolt of lightning targeting one enemy within 60 ft. of the scholar and dealing 1d6 per class level electricity damage (Reflex halves, DC 10 + 1/2 scholar’s class level + her Intelligence modifier). The scholar can maintain this effect each round as a standard action, generating a new bolt of lightning each time she does so.

[hannahbbug3]

The Pooka drops, charred and dead, to the ground, and the house finally seems peaceful once again. Idranel is able to exit the place and join the others, where Arlou stands shaking his head. "...well, looks like it was something of a scrap," he says. "But it's taken care of?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Alexander nods, pushing Jenna off him quickly as Idranel comes into view. "Indeed. I hope you are satisfied with our work. Make sure to request Flight 77 in the future. We should hurry to reunite with Talim and Sunny."

[Kallimakus]

"We are done" Berilian says, filling in for Idranel.

"Yes. We should return. I wonder how Talim is doing."

[rs2excelsior]

"Aye, that should be all of them, as far as we can tell. If there were others they should be frightened off at least. If you get any more, they like to stay invisible and they'll try to mess with your head. But if you can track them down they aren't all too much trouble."

"I wonder if Talim's got that cursed ring off him yet?"

[hannahbbug3]

Spoiler: OOC

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No he doesn't but he's very close

"Well, it's late in the evening, and I don't expect you all will leave my house in the state it's in," Arlou says, looking in through the door and seeing the mess of blood and flour. "It's one thing to leave a scene like this in the wilderness, but you can't be expecting me to clean all this up, can you?" he asks. "Come, I'll show you to the broom cupboard."

[Kallimakus]

"I am a hunter, not a maid" Idranel says, walking to Berilian.

[NeoSeraphi]

Alexander pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "...But of course. Forgive my rudeness earlier," he says after a moment. "I was the one who suggested flour. I am happy to clean the entire mess up myself. And I imagine the man doesn't own more than one broom anyway. You four are free to travel on ahead if you wish. We'll catch up."

He follows Arlou inside.

[rs2excelsior]

Hrothrun laughs. "Offer me an ale for the trouble and I'll clean the whole house!" He goes back inside after Arlou and Alexander.

Åska lets out a sigh. "Well... I suppose we should see if there are still rooms at the inn. We'll need a place to spend the night, it seems."

[Kallimakus]

Idranel sighs. "If you're going to be all noble about this..." she mutters, getting to the house to help. The sooner they'd be done the better. She releases her water elemental again. It should leave the place nice and clean. She does also know how to handle a broom though.

[hannahbbug3]

Between the three of you (and the water elemental) it doesn't take much time at all to get the house back in order. Arlou mostly directs the group with what goes where, finding a chair in the kitchen to sit in to direct you from. When you all finish putting everything in order once more, he hands over your promised payment - the masterwork bow, and he adds an additional 50 gold on top of it.

[NeoSeraphi]

"Thank you for your patience, serah. We are glad to have helped you with this endeavor," Alexander says with a smile. "Well, then. I think Aska's got the right idea. A night at the inn sounds good to me."

[Kallimakus]

"Agreed" Idranel says after a while. No sense to try and get a few hours of travel in exchange for sleeping in a tent or some third-rate inn. Not that the place they found the hunter at seemed exactly... great... In fact, compared to the crowded and raucous crowd, sleeping outside suddenly seemed like an attractive proposition.

[NeoSeraphi]

When they arrive at the inn, Alexander sits down and orders a drink. He takes off his glasses and rubs his temples. What a trip. Talim had been cursed. The chimera. Idranel glaring at him like he had slapped her.

He reaches for the mug and starts to pour some of it down his throat. He had told her about what he did...

Just thinking about it brings the scream back to his mind. He swallows another mouthful of ale to shove the memories down.

[Kallimakus]

Idranel enters the inn anxiously. It's still too crowded for her liking. She follows Alexander to the table, picking her way carefully through the floor. She wasn't happy with the way things had ended up between them. She had to make the effort to try and get along. He was smart and insightful, at least.

She sits opposite to Alexander, her back to the wall. She looks at the man taking his drink, trying to think of something positive to say. "That was a good move, with the bedsheet. Solid practical." she says after a while.

[NeoSeraphi]

Alexander puts his glasses on and looks across the table at her. "...Thank you."

He takes another drink and looks up at her. "Hey...look, Idranel, I need to apologize. For the stuff I brought up before. I was out of line."

[Kallimakus]

Idranel nods. While he had made her uncomfortable, he had also made some valid points. She had to acknowledge that much. Besides, friends didn't hold grudges, right? Right? she sends to Berilian, who is still outside. She would need to secure some place inside for her steed. He hated cold. Probably he answers distractedly.

"Bygones can be bygones. Apology accepted." she says, favouring him with a smile.

[NeoSeraphi]

Alexander sighs and nods.

<I can't believe you can face a chimera with no hesitation but you can't ask a woman for a single dance.> Jenna thinks at him.

He grimaces and takes another drink. The alcohol does good to help him forget his problems.

"Bygones. Right," he says finally. "Well, that's good. I admit, I worry more about getting along well with you than I do with Hrothrun and Talim."

[Kallimakus]

"Is that so?" Idranel asks, watching Alex drink. She toys with her hair nervously. She feels out of her depth here. She was used to flying solo with Berilian, and generally didn't socialize as a rule. She hadn't gotten anything to drink either. "I hope I'm not a great burden. I'm not... used to working with people that don't read my mind"

[NeoSeraphi]

Alexander smiles. "It's okay. You're not a burden. Listen, I don't need to read your mind to be your friend, Idranel. But I do need you to tell me some things. You don't have to share anything you're not ready to share yet, but we can't get to know each other if you put up a wall."

He sets his ale down. "Can I buy you a drink?" he offers.

[Kallimakus]

Idranel holds the warm feeling of acceptance close to her heart. "Yes. Wine please?" she says, sounding grateful.

[NeoSeraphi]

Alexander stands up. He returns a few minutes later and sits a glass in front of her. "So, let's try this again. I'll tell you something you want to know about me, And then you can answer one of my questions. Does that sound fair?"

[Kallimakus]

"Alright" she says, taking a sip from the glass. It was good. "So... What was your first mission?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Alexander takes a swig of ale and wipes his lips. "I was paired up with a green dragon rider from Flight 35. The two of us were supposed to investigate a suspected necromancer in the Water's capital. Should have been a simple arrest, perfect training for a new recruit. But something always seems to go wrong, doesn't it?"

He pushes his glasses up his nose. "I made a mistake, and charged in before I was ordered to. Nearly got the hostage that the necromancer took killed because of my stupidity. But Ameiko, my mentor, swooped in and saved us both like it was nothing."

[Kallimakus]

Idranel listens to the story. You can see her left hand making small motions, like writing without paper. It doesn't look as though she notices this. "I see" she says, unsure what else to say. "A learning experience, then?" she says, just trying to have something to say. She toys with her half-full glass. "Your turn then?"

[NeoSeraphi]

She's not very good at the back and forth, he sees. Well, that's fine. He can skip to the point, then.

"Would you care to dance?" he asks with a gentle smile as she invites his question.

[Kallimakus]

She freezes. Her face gains a few shades of red. He wants to dance with me. she thinks to herself, almost giddy. "Umm..." she starts, feeling lost navigating social rules here. Was she making a commitment by accepting?. Would she hurt him by declining? Did that matter? Wasn't it more important to think what she wanted? She wanted to spend more time with Alexander, but was this the best way to go about it? Just... politely decline.

"No." she says. "I-I mean you would... It would be d-difficult be... because..." she continues, her speech growing faster "I'mnotverygoodatdancing" she blurts out nervously. "But I'd love to."

[NeoSeraphi]

Alexander smiles and stands up, extending a hand to her. When she takes it, he guides her to the center of the room. "Admittedly, it's not the best atmosphere here, but just focus on me. Block out all other sounds," he suggests, looking directly into her eyes from behind his frames. He places one hand on her waist and takes her other hand in his, and begins gliding across the floor with her.