Tales of Aequar: Runite's Rise IC II

[CoffeeIncluded]

The clerk looks at Sora, at the holy symbol hanging around her neck, and swallows. He glances around, then motions for her and her friends to come closer.

"Look, that was the last ship out of here to Roxim Island before the hurricane. I don't even know if they're still alive. It was one of the same groups we always hire, except for one extra girl. I don't remember her name, but I remember her weapons. Twin adamantine daggers; those don't come cheap."

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Rolled a 19, I don't think a seduction bonus is necessary.

[Silverraptor]

Sora keeps up her cute demeanor.
"Do you know of anyway we can procure transport after that ship?"

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Are any additional rolls necessary?

[CoffeeIncluded]

The clerk shrugs. "If you want to head to Roxim Island, I'm sure there's a boat headed there. Or if you guys are also mercs, you could pay your passage in protection."

[Silverraptor]

"Well, that's certainly an option."
She turns to the rest of the party.
"What do you guys think?"

[super dark33]

Surdrak shrugs, and tries to remember if any warlock ever managed to quell a storm.

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Can be done by reaching level 11, and using the imbue item ability to create a weather control magic item. (1d20+4)[11] knowledge arcane (1d20+4)[8] knowledge the planes.
The main question is what level is the highest levelled warlock in the world, and what level was the greatest warlock ever lived.

[Athedia]

Badger turned green at the thought. Huddling with the group she begged "We can just walk right? Or something else?" The pleading was just denial, of course they had to take a boat to an island.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Unfortunately, lungs are quite buoyant," Jadeite says. "However, you could certainly walk along the sea bottom if your lungs were emptied of air. Of course, then you would be dead, but there are ways around that little complication."

[super dark33]

I am researching an eldritch manifestation of wings, so we could wait until I figure that out when Natasha was done being digested by the last of the water-scales.

Surdrak folds his arms.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Artorias pinches the bridge of his nose at the elf's and warlock's antics."Jadeite could you please keep the creepy necromantic talk to a minimum?, Surdrak we don't know for sure if Natasha is dead and if we keep delaying she will be, so I say we find a boat and head to Roxim Island."

Artorias turns towards the clerk with an apolegetic smile
"Thanks for the information, you have been really helpful".

[CoffeeIncluded]

"You're welcome," says the clerk as he shuffles his papers and leaves to a back room marked Employees only.

"What? I was merely stating the truth," Jadeite says, shrugging his shoulders and holding out his hands in a, What? I'm perfectly innocent gesture. "Regardless, would Leif have any idea where we could go to obtain passage? Would he have a job available for us?"

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He'd know.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Artorias let's out an exasperated sigh
"Do you really need me to spell out why talking about why extracting vital organs or why offering people to raise them as an undead might make people uncomfortable, I really don't know what to do"

"But Leif probably knows if there is a ship in need of protection, otherwise I don't think he would mind some freelancing work".

[Draconi Redfir]

Elsee blinked a few times as she once more tried to come out of the haze in her mind, she idly rubbed at the tattoo on her forehead as she tried to comprehend what was going on around her, for the past twenty minutes or so she had just sort of been following the group around while just feeling completely out of it. Something about the sea air or something, it was usually covered up by more urban scents deeper into the city, but here right next to the ocean kind of put her out of it, from the looks of things Alim may have been experiencing the same thing as her, maybe Goblins just didn't get along well with salty air, or maybe this was just what she got for spending most of her life miles away from the sea in every direction.

"Uhhh... whanouw?

[Athedia]

"We suffer." Badger let out a weak smile as she headed back toward the guild. She was only partially joking, but a wave of relief swept over her on the news that Natasha had been on the ship. Well not the sinking part, but now they knew her rough location.

[CoffeeIncluded]

The group returns to the guild, somewhat relieved that they don't have to wander around the raucous Docks now that it's getting dark. They return to the guild, sidestepping muck in the gutters, past the rich aroma of grilled meat and vegetables served over rice in the kitchen, celery and garlic mixing together with succulent cuts of beef, all the way up the stairs to Leif's study. The head of the guild is there, going over some forms and papers while seated at his large desk. Leif may be a senator, but he's far from idle. Here in nothing but a light undershirt, the group can see his thick arm muscles, and the tattoo marking him as a guild graduate of Tobeem. And they can see his greatsword, the living model of the one etched on his skin, hanging on the mantle behind his desk, above the window that overlooks the sea.

Leif looks up. "What's the matter?"

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I'm updating tonight before I go to bed, whether or not anyone replies--I'll just assume that you said it in passing. I don't want to do this though, I just want to move things along; I could have done more to stop the slowdown. But I'm going to fix it now!

[Silverraptor]

Sora speaks nervously.
"Uh... well. You see were looking for someone and, well, we have an idea where she is going but, uh..."
She looks around, unsure of what to say next.

[Athedia]

Badger pushed her way forward to speak to Leif. "Our damn fool runaway took a boat to Roxim Island. Which of course just had a nasty storm. Now I want to bring this girl back alive, and we need passage to get there. You know me Leif, if this weren't serious I would never be requesting help on getting on a boat."

[CoffeeIncluded]

Leif listens with a frown, then a smile. "You're in luck. I just got a job offer for a ship headed there; apparently a couple members of their normal protection crew had an emergency and had to leave the city for a couple weeks. I would have had the offer filled faster, but you know how people are wary after hurricanes--not that I'd blame them! And I thought the blizzards back home were bad!"

Leif laughs, then returns to the topic. "The ship sails tomorrow morning: they're just sending some if the normal goods with relief supplies because of the storm. If you want the job, just read this flyer and tell me," he says, handing a notice to the group.

[CoffeeIncluded]

The flyer simply states that Levinol Shipping, Inc. is in need of a team of guards to protect and escort their ship, cargo, and crew to Roxim Island. It needs a mix of fighters, mages, and clerics, all of which the group can offer. It warns that the group may have to face pirates and bad weather, as it's hurricane season and there are precious few wizards and druids who can forecast these massive storms with any degree of accuracy, much less use their magic to combat and mitigate them. The group is expected to fend off any pirate attacks, though they're helpless against hurricanes--and thee help wanted flyer says as much.

Everyone eats dinner, the grease and fat and gravy from the chicken steeping into rice, perfectly complemented by the crunch of celery and the slight bite of bell pepper and onion, and heads to bed early. The ship leaves the docks early, and it's best to arrive earlier.

The next morning, as everyone wakes up and prepares their gear and spells, Kheel, the baby wyvern, crawls over to the group and whines. And they're struck with a decision--what should they do with him?

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Come on everyone, where are you?

You have a decision to make right now: Bring Kheel or leave him behind? If you leave him behind, I think I'll have Alim stay; he hasn't checked in for weeks and I'm wondering if he's dropping the game (though it would have been nice to tell me beforehand)!

I sent a PM a few days ago, let's see what happens now. But everyone, where are you?

[Athedia]

Badger reached over and stroked the wvyrens head. "Tsk, Kheel, you are still hurt. And Feliks will be coming to visit any day. The guild will watch over you til he comes."

[super dark33]

[D]Hello Kheel, how are you feeling?[D]

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[D]=Draconic [E]=Elven [U]=Undercommon.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Kneel gets to his feet and stretches, digging his claws into the floor a bit and flaring his wings backwards.

"Better," he growls. "Less hungry."

He looks around at the activity. "Where you going? Where Felee?"

[super dark33]

[D]He is being treated in a temple, after you were taken a fire started in his home becuase he was looking for you. he really wants to see you too.[D]

Surdrak is smiling at the creature.

Finaly, something to use this ancient useless language with.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Kheel rears back, flapping his wings before him for balance. "Where? Is he hurt? Fire gone, or still burning?"

[Athedia]

Badger jumped up hurriedly restraining the young wyvern before he could damage anything. "Surdrak, what did you say to him?

[super dark33]

[D]He is fine, the fire is gone, but he needs to rest for a while. you will see him soon and im sure he will be very happy to see you.[D]

Surdrak turned to the Badger.

I told him where Felix is. he is pretty nervous about it, looks like he really liked the guy.

Surdrak looks back at the wyvern.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Kheel leans back, resting his head between his claws with his wings sticking up behind the fins stretching back from above his eyes, and asks, "You leaving too?"

Jadeite walks in at this point, and asks the others, "If we leave Kheel behind, who could care for him?"

[Devmaar]

Maybe we should let him come? He could come in useful...

[Dusk Eclipse]

"He is smart, there is no doubt; but he is still young and if something happened to him Feliks would be devastated...

[CoffeeIncluded]

Jadeite watches Kheel tear an old strip of leather from a pile of scraps, fillet it into long shreds between his sharp canines. His mouth does all the work; his front claws merely hold down the old leather scrap.

"We may owe a responsibility to Feliks," the elf says, "But whom can we entrust Kheel to while we are indisposed?"

While he talks, Hemlock slithers down Jadeite's arm over to the pile of scraps. With a flash of green, he snatches a mouse which scurried from the pile, sinking his fangs deep into the squeaking mouse's body. The mouse squeals, twitches, then falls still.

[Dusk Eclipse]

"That is actually a good point; but do you think the shipmaster would allow us to take Kheel with us? Artorias scratches his chin deep in though for a minute before he says quitely "though having a Wyvern on board could work as an intimidation tactic... I know I would think twice before attacking a ship like that... and Surdrak can talk with him.