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Tiriel starts when she hears Khaz's question but grins when she realizes that he figured out what she wanted.
Spoiler
"Do you know what happened last night? No one over here seems to and we need to know who has the ring. I don't care about returning it, we just need to make sure it wasn't lost.
"Is there any way you can include Anika and Fizahn in this?"
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The shock of Callos' comments stops Tanner in his flight path. Then, when Grynde retorts in his own way, Tanner closes his eyes. He says, "May Gond be with you all, then," before turning and flying back towards Immilmar.
With a sweeping gesture and a pair of extended fingers indicating Fizahn and Anika, Khazrael utters a sharp phrase and includes the other two in the message spell.
Spoiler
"Hey you two. Tiriel wanted to ask about the elf's ring. I don't know anything, did you guys see anyone? I'm kind of worried because I just realized that if it wasn't one of us, it could have been something a little more sinister that got ahold of our ring."
Seeing Tanner fly off, Khazrael mutters, "Oh, be damned," and dives off the side of the boat. In a shower of black feathers, he sheds his old form and becomes a ragged-looking halfling-sized creature not unlike a crow, but with four wings in a radial pattern around its body and a long trailing tail. Four red eyes sit in equidistant spots around its head, giving it a perfectly symmetrical appearance. He shoots forward, twisting crazily on the wind to match Tanner's pace, and shouts over the wind in a screeching, avian voice, "Get back here you coward, our job ain't done yet!"
((Alter self to turn into a juvenile arrowhawk. See my character sheet for stats. The message spell still holds, Tiriel, Anika, and Fizahn can all talk back and forth through it.))
Fizahn jumps slightly as Khaz's voice appears in his head. He wanders away from the rest of the people in his boat. Once he finds himself in a secluded corner, he begins conversing through the message spell.
Spoiler
"How much more sinister could the holder get, really? I doubt anything sinister could find it's way onto our boats. If it was a person, you'd think someone would have seen or heard something. It is possible that the ring rejected him in a similar fashion and just sorta slipped off his hand. It could have rolled down into a crack or something where we wouldn't find it. Who exactly is on this talking chain thing, Khaz?"
He breaks off the conversation as Tanner flies away in a huff. A look of confusion crosses his face and he looks after the leaving fliers. He begins talking, hoping that they'll either hear him or it will be picked up by Khaz's message spell. "Stop him Khaz! Tell him he's a moron. He's going to drown. There's no way he could keep flying all the way to shore. Tell him that boats move fast, especially if they're enchanted. Use your power of persuasiveness or something."
Anika jumps and has her hand to her sword before she realizes that it is Khazrael's voice she's hearing. She speaks out loud and in her mind, as she would have done for Yix.
Spoiler
"Khazrael? No, I haven't seen anything. I have no reason to steal it, if that's what you're thinking... I already have a ring, and Grynde hasn't done anything to me..."
- Feud, the: The 'secret' plot to do something to BlackFox for some reason no one seems to really recall. Accusations of a government cover-up concerning the Feud remain unsubstantiated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoseki
Hoseki looks between Blackfox and El Jaspero. "...I think the Elemental Plane of Fire has frozen over."
The shock of Callos' comments stops Tanner in his flight path. Then, when Grynde retorts in his own way, Tanner closes his eyes. He says, "May Gond be with you all, then," before turning and flying back towards Immilmar.
Elthan watches the proceedings with half interest, barely recovered from the events caused by Grynde. He switches his gaze back to Damian. "This will not endear us at all to the Hathrans, will it?"
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Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by erikun
Aww, a griffin! Cute!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Collin152
Heyheyheyheyheyhey.
If griffin-hugs are going around, I want in on them!
Quote:
Avery: What are you, some kind of grammar nazi?
Millie: Yep. I've just invaded Grammar Czechoslovakia and duped Grammar Neville Chamberlain, and now it's off to Grammar Poland and Grammar World Conquest!!
Khazrael
He shoots forward, twisting crazily on the wind to match Tanner's pace, and shouts over the wind in a screeching, avian voice, "Get back here you coward, our job ain't done yet!"
Tanner Gondsman
Turning to see who/what is following him, Tanner's eyes narrow. He calls back to the black feathered creature which could only be Khazrael,"Coward? No, I return to the people who will need me when you fail. I will die with them, among friends." Tanner adds,"Unless that is your true form, I suggest you fly back to a boat with your friends."
"Oh-ho! Idle threats from the holy man! I like it!"
The bizarre bird-creature pirouettes at a sharp angle and dips low before climbing back up, streaking like an arrow through the sky. His screeching voice comes again, "There's no home to go back to. Are you really going to enjoy your last few days surrounded by the people you failed to protect and act like you didn't throw the one chance to save their sorry asses out the window? Dunno about you, but I couldn't do that. I couldn't face them knowing I'd already crossed them off the list."
He pulls his beak back and tilts his wings at an angle, making his body vertical. Riding the current, he hangs in one spot and rotates rapidly, each of his four eyes locked on Tanner as he passes in and out of their vision.
"Save your strength, for I realize what you are trying to do. You lost me at coward." Tanner's cloak continues to move of its own accord, and he hovers aloft as he confronts Khazrael. "There is a reason why the Hathran have no respect for any of us. Your actions as well as the actions of others in the group have shown this." Tanner sweeps his hands to indicate all the other boats filled with the Rashemi. "They are doomed to die because of it, so I shall at least do what I think is right by joining them in their struggle and showing at least one of those the Ironlord trusted was with honor. I know you will do what you wish to do - just like the rest."
"If that's how you feel, human, then I won't try too hard to change your mind. We'll be sure to leave you out of the history books. If you have a change of heart, you know where to find us."
The great bird's wings all suddenly flap downward, propelling him straight upward. He levels out and dips down as he streaks back toward the others. He comes at the boat in a smooth, swift motion, and with another spray of black feathers, resumes his old form. He tumbles through the air over the last few feat of his journey and lands somewhat unsteadily on the deck, causing the little boat to jostle uncomfortably.
He shakes off the last vestiges of the spell, and chimes, "He gave up. I did my best, but if anyone else wants to give it a shot, be my guest."
"If that's how you feel, human, then I won't try too hard to change your mind. We'll be sure to leave you out of the history books. If you have a change of heart, you know where to find us."
Tanner Gondsman
Tanner watches Khazrael fly back to the witchboat and says, "That is why you are doomed to fail - this is not about glory or personal gain."
Tiriel continues to converse through the message spell. I asked Khaz to let us speak it's just him, I, Anikia and you, Fizahn. So no one saw anything? This isn't good. Someone needs to ask Callos then... discreetly. We need to find that ring.
When she sees Tanner fly off she stands up watching his progress. She was debating about whether or not to follow the priest when the weird-bird-that-is-Khazreal does so instead.
After Khazreal returns suggesting that someone else might want to try to bring Tanner back Tiriel feels a few
eyes turn toward her. "What? If he's leaving then he's leaving. This is what, the third time he's threatened to do this?
"Damnit all! Tanner for someone who talks so often of pride and honor you sure are quick to abandon people!" Tiriel shouts.
[occ: sorry, it's rather choppily written. It's hard to keep up when you miss a few days]
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Damian sighs as Tanner flies off, and looks over to Elthan. "No, it won't. And I don't understand him, either, but that's typical of myself and clerics. Personally, half the reason I suggested splitting up is that there's simply no way to lead this entire group."
"I mean, it's hard enough with as many as we have. Add to that our various differences, and..."
"In smaller groups, chosen well, we'd do fine. I don't know about Grynde. But other than that, it's tractable."
He sighs again, squinting off towards Tanner, and then looking back to Elthan and Tiriel,before dragging himself to his feet. "I can bring him back, if you think I should. Personally, I don't know. If persuasion doesn't work, which I doubt it would, I doubt he'd be any help anyway."
He turns back to see Khazrael attempt to reason with him, and shakes his head. Won't work. Too proud. He respects none of us, and listens solely to those he respects.
A frown crosses Khazrael's full lips, and he shouts, "Alright, that's one down. Does anyone else want to go? No? We're all set then?"
"Grynde. Somebody took the ring you had. I don't know who it is, and as long as it was one of us, I don't care. I can't use it, you couldn't use it, and whoever took it probably isn't the kind of person the damn thing is looking for anyway. I believe that makes this a moot point from the practical point of view."
He ruffles his hair for a few seconds, thinking...
"It's important that we know it was one of us who took it. If Sethra sent something in the night and got ahold of it, he could find some way to get around it. So here's what we're gonna do. Take a gold and a silver coin out of your pockets--we've all still got our coin on us, right? Don't let anyone see what you've got, or in what hand you've got it. I'm gonna pass around my jacket. If you don't know anything, put a gold coin in one of the pockets, this one hear at the inside breast will work. If you know it was one of us who took it, put a silver coin in. If anyone comes forward with the ring, they win the whole shebang. If it's all gold coins, everyone gets their money back. If there's some silver in there and no one's talking, well..."
He unbuttons the chain holding his jacket closed and slings it off. The shadows lengthen and deepen around him as he takes a coin from his pants pocket and puts it in the jacket. He proffers the garment up for someone else on his boat to take.
"If you're a little slow on the uptake, this means we'll know it was at least one of us, but nobody will necessarily have to take the blame."
Spoiler
Shouldn't be necessary, but sleight of hand roll 1d20+1=19
She had remained quiet since her outburst at Grynde. She realised her little tirade could probably have come off as a bit silly, and she did not want to lose any face in front of the other hathrans. She watched Tanner depart with little remorse. She realised that his beliefs and methods were different than hers, and while she didnt think them evil in any way she did not necessarily agree with all of them.
Keeping her own counsel, Tryntha listened to the discussion about the missing ring and how to find it, and a sickening thought crept into her mind,
"Khazreal, I see one major flaw in your idea. What if the person who stole the ring just flew away? He mentioned multiple times that he would wear a ring if one were given to him, almost inviting or begging for such a course to be taken. And it seems that he has felt underappreciated for most of his time with us. Perhaps he decided to take something to justify the time and effort he has already put forth and left to go find his own way. I know I for one did not notice anything happening during the night. I dont see the need for this coin game of yours. We are all putting our lives in each others' hands. If we cannot be honest with each other in this...then we have little chance to survive the days to come."
[roll-Diplomacy]1d20+7[/roll]
She observes the others as they respond or keep their own counsel.
Spoiler
Going to make a bunch of Sense Motive rolls, and let DrB sort it out if I get any further insights.
Sense Motive - (1d20+4)[14] Sense Motive - (1d20+4)[7] Sense Motive - (1d20+4)[5] Sense Motive - (1d20+4)[23] Sense Motive - (1d20+4)[12] Sense Motive - (1d20+4)[7]
Tiriel's eyes flash when Tryntha mentions that Tanner might have taken the ring. "He better not have it otherwise he's going to have a lot to answer for." She looks back and forth between Tanner's retreating form and the people in the boats. What do I do? Should I wait and see if Khazreal's idea works or should I go after him?
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"I hadn't considered that possibility," he says, "But if he took it, what, are you gonna kill him? He's not a bad guy, I guess, just stubborn. If you wanna go talk to him, you could probably catch him."
Although everyone agrees that honesty would be the best policy, it seems that there is nothing to lose by trying out Khazrael's idea. Those who remain in the boats pass around the jacket.
One by one coins clink into the jacket pocket as it is passed from boat to boat. Then the jacket is returned to Khazrael.
He turns over the jacket and the coins spill out onto the deck of his witchboat ... all gold coins. The coins are returned to each of you.
...
A dark, frustrated mood settles over all three boats. The cloisonne ring is missing. Tanner has left. The sun will be setting soon, and in the morning you will face Valentine ...
With the boats closer, Damian looks over to Khazrael a bit curiously. "Wait, if he did take the ring, why isn't he a bad guy again? Because he acted like he was a decent guy? If he was a thief, isn't that what he'd do too? I'm with Tiriel in that case, and I think Tryntha has a solid point. Tanner immediately deflected attention away from himself when the ring was found missing. I thought it was his natural hubris, but now that I think upon it, it would've been an excellent bluff as well."
He lifts his hands up in a gesture of frustration. "Look, I'm not saying I think it's likely. If he is a thief, he fooled me too, and I take pride in not being fooled. But can any of you honestly tell me you've never met someone who would be able to fool you that well? Let me state this simply - I didn't take the ring. Anyone can search me if they want to. For that matter, I'll disrobe if people believe I could hide it that well. The only person among you whom I really don't trust is the one crowing about the lost ring in the first place."
His eyes flash to the horizon, where Tanner had flown off. "Which means either Grynde lost it himself, the ring lost itself, or Tanner took it. Don't get me wrong. I could easily see Grynde dropping it in the ocean."
His eyes flash blue looking off into the distance as he asserts his arcane sense, glancing back to the others. It would be unlikely that he'd be able to recognize the ring's dweomer hidden on someone, especially with the other rings and items around, but this late in the day, there would be no harm done. He slowly looks over the others - including the hathran - and then attempts to look over in Grynde's boat, seeing if possibly the ring had fallen somewhere - for that matter, looking in his own boat, and at the last remaining.
Spoiler
Detect Magic, first/day. Yeah, it's pointless, but at this point Damian's feeling as if they've been tricked, and stabbing in the dark to prove that he wasn't just conned.
Also Search - (1d20+7)[25].
Adalmar sits back in the boat dejectedly. He mutters : "We're losing an ally, and for what ?"
He notices Tiriel communicating with Khazrael, then the whispered conversation but does not remark on it.
...
He replies firmly to Damian : "Tanner wouldn't do that - I know it. Besides, if all he wanted was a ring, and he is as good as you say, he could have gotten one very easily back in Immilmar."
I'm pretty sure it's Fizahn. I like him, but I hope his little prank will not cause more problems down the line... He very carefully avoids looking at the gnome.
Spoiler
Adalmar comes a bit late to the discussion...
He can read the lips of the people using Message, but will stop observing them once he realizes it's a private conversation.
Btw, he'd like to learn gnomish too, but I don't see Fizahn having a lot of time to teach today.
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"Even gods must learn to control their tempers, lest they set a bad example."
The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Steven Erikson
The barbarian still stares at the distant figure of Tanner. "Well," he growls. "Whatever happened to it, we probably aren't getting that ring back. I only hope that that coward didn't get something so valuable."
Spoiler
OOC: Of course, that's Retay's opinion, not Naleh's.
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Welcome to the official outdated sig of Naleh!
Spoiler
Possessor of two cookies, one kobold point, and an internet or two.
Dragonslayer and Goblinoid Supporter in D&D Monster H/H.
I have too many characters for a sig.
Gala's fists ball up as she watches Tanner's form shrink, headed back to where they had come from. As she listens to the others comment her eyes narrow until she finally slams her fist into the side of the boat. "Dammit! We're just being torn to pieces here. Tanner was a powerful ally. I'm with Adalmar--I don't believe he'd take the ring and leave us like this. If he'd wanted to, he could've flown away while we were still sleeping, couldn't he?" She takes a breath and glares at Callos and Grynde, still in conversation on the other end of the boat. "But I don't think it was his intention to leave us until just now."
Anika frowns. I bet Fizahn did it... I won't say anything, though. It'll just get him torn to pieces.
"Tanner certainly didn't act like the type who would steal... he seemed to be upright and so on. Of course, I of all people ought to know about putting on an act... I suppose he could have been fooling us, although I find it hard to believe."
- Feud, the: The 'secret' plot to do something to BlackFox for some reason no one seems to really recall. Accusations of a government cover-up concerning the Feud remain unsubstantiated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoseki
Hoseki looks between Blackfox and El Jaspero. "...I think the Elemental Plane of Fire has frozen over."
Utilizing the message spell Tiriel replies to Khaz, Of course I'm not going to kill him!" Tiriel says in disgust, But this isn't good, not at all. We were relying on that ring for this battle. And while I doubt that Tanner has it but I don't think I can rest easy until I ask him myself. And I guess I'll try to get him to help us but I'm not sure how well that'll go.
Tiriel hands Adalmar her pack, "I'm going after the priest. Please watch this for me until I get back, Damian has some of his stuff in there too." Then giving one final glance at the assembled boats, Tiriel takes off shedding the illusion that conceals her wings.
ooc: Darius/Dr.Bob - Is Tanner moving at his normal fly speed or faster?
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Last edited by kuja.girl : 11-01-2007 at 10:23 PM.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
