011. The Phantom Thief, Irenes!

[Corwin]

[20:24] <Kotono> ----
[20:27] <Kotono> A day or so passes. On checking in with the Captain of the Watch to find more information one morning, "Hm? Yes, there's been another disturbance like that."
[20:30] * Kotono sets mode: +o Seira
[20:30] <Seira> "I intend on investigating these crimes, Sir," Seira tells the Captain. "May I receive access to the case file for this other... disturbance?"
[20:34] <Kotono> "Here," he takes out a sheet of parchment, "The notes from the guard on duty." It's handwritten and fairly neat, easy to read common. It talks about how a merchant talks about how a 'magical gem of value' was stolen in the night. It has his location, the Dawn Pointe Inn, as well as basic information. He claimed to the guard it was worth thousands of gold, a rare artifact.
[20:35] <Seira> "Is anyone assigned to this investigation at present, Sir?" Seira asks, not finding that information on the sheet.
[20:36] <Kotono> "Not at the moment. I'd held off for you. Here, it's all yours and anyone one else the Commander wants to have on it." He shakes his head, "If it's magic...you're the ones to deal with it, anyway."
[20:37] * Shamal (WinNT@user-5af04acb.wfd99.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #evildunes
[20:38] <Seira> "I shall give it my all, Sir," Seira vows. "May I have a pair of guards to assist me, as the investigation inevitably leads towards arresting the thief?"
[20:40] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[20:42] <Kotono> "If you want two, but we'rea  little short today." He ponders a moment at that, "Do you have your own manpower to call on?"
[20:44] <Seira> "I would prefer to keep this official and not rely on mercenaries," Seira says, frowning lightly. "Of course, I could check with my friends in the Guard who are currently off duty and see whether they are available."
[20:45] <Kotono> A quick nod at that, "If you would. Manpower continues to be a problem at times."
[20:46] <Seira> "Then my next move is clear to me, Sir." She salutes the Captain. "I'll question the second victim, and proceed from there."
[20:48] <Kotono> "Good fortunes to you," Captain Johannes agrees with a nod, as Seira salutes. OOC - Ball's in your court at the moment. What'cha doin'?
[20:48] <Seira> OOC: Go to that guy, ask him what expensive trinklet he lost, etc
[20:51] <Kotono> The Dawn Pointe Inn is still quiet. The butchery besides it continues to do business, a last bleat of a sheep heard, then silence as you go to the inn itself. A woman sits at the counter, yawning deeply. "Hm? City guard, what can I do for you?"
[20:52] * Seira names the merchant listed in the report, and asks to see him.
[20:55] <Kotono> The name is Lyria of Aquaveil. The woman at the desk smothers another yawn, trying not to let her eyes close. "Y..yes, he's here. He mentioned that a guardsman should come and return what was stolen, by the Gods."
[20:55] * Hotaru-chan (~dragomirs@c-24-245-45-18.hsd1.mn.comcast.net) has joined #evildunes
[20:55] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Hotaru-chan Hotaru-chan
[20:55] * Hotaru-chan is now known as Lyselle
[20:58] <Seira> "I will need his room number, Ma'am. The Guard has follow-up questions for him."
[20:58] <Kotono> "Room 3 - oh, it's the one that madman smashed up and some guardsman made him pay for. Oh yes, now that I think of it," she blinks away her sleepiness, "Didn't you come by a few days later to see Febras?"
[20:59] <Seira> "Oh yes," Seira responds. "So this madman was also staying here? Your clientele is most colorful, Ma'am."
[21:00] <Kotono> "Yes, Floor 3, I'm sorry. Room at the end." Wiping at her eyes, "I've had the Godsdamned strangest luck with it."
[21:01] * Seira nods politely at that, and proceeds to the man's room, where she knocks on the door firmly.
[21:03] <Kotono> As Seira walks up and goes from the second story stairs to the third, she notes a familiar face is at the far window. Febras's back is turned to you, staring out at the sunshine and out the window. But beyond that, the way to the room is quiet and without incident.
[21:04] * Seira decides to go and say hello to Febras later, but for now, she has her duties to attend to.
[21:06] <Kotono> On knocking at the door, you only need a few moments to get it thrown open! Inside is a man - he's short, quite short. Barely over five feet tall, stewing and with a short black bear. His skin is darkened by time in the sun, well tanned. His clear blue eyes constract well, and he wears a green tunic. "Finally! Did you get it back?" he asks, giving Seira a once over. "You've come back with my stolen gem and an apology from the city guard, y
[21:06] <Kotono> "You've come back with my stolen gem and an apology from the city guard, yes?"'
[21:07] <Seira> "I need to ask you more questions about your unfortunate loss, Sir," Seira tells him. "Naturally, this will go towards recovering your gem with proper swiftness."
[21:08] <Kotono> "Then come in!" He says, standing aside. His movements are quick, hasty, energetic. His eyes roam over you six times over in a few moments, hands opening and closing.
[21:09] * Seira comes in, and takes a casual glance around the room to catalogue its contents.
[21:09] <Seira> "Sir, first I must ask you about the purpose of your visit to Balmuria," she begins, taking out her notepad.
[21:11] <Kotono> It has brand new furniture, looking quite nice. "Well, I came to buy, sell and talk on my way to Valandia - at great pains I got a travel permit to go that far into Malmuth." He sniffs at that, "Such chances can't be wasted, but I still needed a few days to rest here."
[21:11] <Kotono> There's a few bags and a single small treasure chest besides the bed. Otherwise the room's neat and looks new.
[21:12] * Seira makes a note, nodding to herself. "Where did you come from, then?"
[21:14] <Kotono> "From the city of Peshwar, in the great Fiefdoms of the Desert." He huffs at that, "From before that, the reachest past and past. I have travelled quite a ways to see the world and make money, young lass. I will not lose some of it to a petty thief!"
[21:14] <Seira> "Of course not, Sir," she agrees, nodding once more before resuming her questioning. "Were you traveling alone, Sir? Any hired help? Guards? Apprentices? Family, perhaps?"
[21:16] <Kotono> "I don't need those! I can take care of myself." A little humph at that, but swallowed as he goes on, even quicker. "Let me tell you something! The jewel I had was one I haggled from one of your kind, no less! A jewel that gives you real magical power! It's worth enough to buy a dozen lives."
[21:17] <Seira> "Do you know the proper name of this device?" she asks, unwilling to let such an opening pass by. "Or, alternatively, could you describe its functions in more detail?"
[21:22] <Kotono> "A Gem of Imbued Spellcasting! See here!" Aquaveil concentrates a moment, and in front of him a shimmering plane of force. It's about three feet wide or so, conclave. "I tried one myself. Real magic, and you don't even have to learn it. Even if I wasted a few thousand gold that way, it's amazing to see that they really work. Now do you see why it's valuable?"
[21:23] <Seira> "You had two, and used one on yourself?" she asks to clarify, raising an eyebrow.
[21:23] <Kotono> "I had six, used one and I've traded most of the others for other things," He elaborates. "I had one left and it was stolen."
[21:25] <Seira> "I see." Seira makes more notes on her notepad. "Sir, I would like to ask you to name all those who knew that you possessed these gems, including the people they were sold to."
[21:28] <Kotono> "I haven't sold one or told anyone about one sine before the Desert Fiefdoms," Aquaveil shakes his head, "I'd been saving that last one since the spell was 'unique', from what I understand."
[21:29] <Seira> "What are the spells in question?"
[21:29] <Seira> roll 1d20+7
[21:29] <Reiko-chan> 1,0Seira rolled :1,0 1d20+7 --> 1,0[ 1d20=10 ]12,0{17}
[21:31] <Kotono> "Detect Magic, Floating Disc, Acid Arrow, Cure Light Wounds, Shield and Sandalphon's Unerring Projectile - that's the one that was stolen."
[21:33] * Seira frowns deeply as that spell is named. "I see," she repeats. "Sir, are you absolutely certain you have not mentioned your possession of the orb to anyone in Balmuria, and that no one from the Fiefdoms who could have known of it traveled to Balmuria with you?"
[21:34] <Kotono> "I'm quite certain." A shake of his head at that, "Very! I don't go screaming that I have magic! I like not being targetted more than usual1"
[21:35] <Seira> "Yes, Sir." Seira pauses, considering her next set of questions before venturing forth. "Did you already have a buyer for the last gem?"
[21:36] <Kotono> "No. I was saving it. I'd heard of a magic shop in this town, but a mere half hour before I found my gem was stolen!" He growls at that, muttering. "Since it was a unique spell, odds laid that I could get more for that one in particular."
[21:38] <Seira> "I agree, Sir. That spell is very unique. I did not think it known outside of elven lands." Seira doesn't quite frown this time, instead asking, "Was anything else taken?"
[21:38] <Kotono> "No, just that." He looks irate, irritated. "It was the only magic I had on my person now. I'd been going more for gold and regular gems. Easier to carry."
[21:40] <Seira> "Could we please go over the details of the incident? Where was the gem kept? When did you notice it stolen? Did you notice something, no matter how impossible-sounding, or how insignificant it appeared at the time, which you would like to add to your previous statement?"
[21:41] <Kotono> "I kept it in that box there," he points at the small treasure chest. "Under a fake bottom. I noticed it stolen last night and nothing that I can think of."
[21:42] * Seira proceeds to examine the box carefully.
[21:42] <Seira> OOC: 20 on search for 26?
[21:42] <Kotono> OOC - Yeah, cool.
[21:43] <Kotono> Inside are a few scrolls and papers - it looks like records. You find that the bottom is hollow and can be lifted out, a little empty storage space underneath.
[21:43] * Seira wonders how easy that fake bottom would be to discover.
[21:44] <Kotono> OOC - Mmm. Relevant field feels like disable device. Go ahead and make a check on that?
[21:44] <Seira> roll 1d20+11
[21:44] <Reiko-chan> 1,0Seira rolled :1,0 1d20+11 --> 1,0[ 1d20=18 ]12,0{29}
[21:45] <Kotono> It's not too hard. Moderately hidden, but a good rouge or thief would likely figure it out in a bit of time.
[21:47] <Seira> "Sir, can you narrow down the timeframe somewhat?" Seira asks the merchant. "Also, have you been followed lately?"
[21:47] <Kotono> "Timeframe of what, and no, not that I've seen. I'd notice something like that!" He hisses at the last, crossing hisa rms.
[21:48] <Seira> "Of the theft, Sir," she explains patiently. "Rather than the entire night, it might be helpful to know when you last saw the gem, and the time you noticed the loss."
[21:49] <Kotono> "Oh, I last saw it when I first got in around midafternoon. I checked it and then went out. I found it was missing around...dusk? A bit past? Into the night."
[21:49] * Seira nods. "Very well, Sir. Thank you for your time. I will continue my investigation, now."
[21:50] <Kotono> "Thank you!" He nods once more, "Find that thief and cut his hands off!"
[21:50] * Seira bids the man goodbye, and walks down the stairs, pausing outside Febras's room.
[21:51] <Kotono> Febras is still at the hallway window. His hat is propped upward just a bit, sunlight presumably streaming at his face.
[21:51] <Seira> "Hello again," Seira greets the man.
[21:52] <Kotono> "Good day," Febras murmurs without turning around, hands at his side. "The sunlight is tolerable today."
[21:53] <Seira> "It is not tolerable on some days?" she asks conversationally, approaching the hallway window herself.
[21:55] <Kotono> "Some days more than others." Febras brings his hands up, rubbing them, rubbing past a plain gold ring on one finger. He bows his head a moment, had sliding down to hide his face. "This city still pleases me. It exceeds my expectations for such a place. I suppose you stay here for such reasons as well, half breed?"
[21:56] <Seira> "I certainly don't stay here for the insults," she snaps back curtly.
[21:57] <Kotono> His shoulder lift up, a dry chuckle escaping his mouth. "I will bear that in mind. What business brings you here?"
[21:58] <Seira> "I saw a friendly face, I had thought in my naivete, and came to say hello." She frowns, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Clearly I was mistaken. I shall take my leave, now."
[22:00] <Kotono> "Come, I did not mean insult," Febras corrects himself, turning slightly. "My mood is simply curious. Does half breed offend you?"
[22:01] <Seira> "It does when it comes from someone I don't immediately dismiss as a person," she admits.
[22:02] <Kotono> "Then I apologize." He says it quite calmly, "I will not say such again." A pause as he looks up, out at the sky, "Business here this day? The noisy merchant whom claims a great treasure was stolen from him?"
[22:03] <Seira> "It is quite an expensive loss, and I have no reason to doubt his claims," Seira responds, sighing. "I don't suppose you have witnessed anything or anyone suspicious the day of the theft between midafternoon and dusk?"
[22:06] <Kotono> "I was out at the time, I am afraid. I wish I could have helped you more, but I had business elseware." Febras sighs a moment, head bowing down again.
[22:07] <Seira> "Well, that was not why I came, anyway." Seira shrugs. "If you are bored at the time being, with no business to take care of, would you like to try tracking down the merchant's loss with me? I could offer you a retainer for your trouble, if you so wish."
[22:09] <Kotono> "On the outs with your friends," Febras turns, face shadowed, hidden. "I have no objection. Heh...wise men do what they can to help the forces of order."
[22:12] <Seira> "Not as much, no. But I consider this to be a personal matter. I believe this thief dared to strike during my first official command. That remains a stain on my honor until he is caught by myself."
[22:20] <Kotono> "Well then, I suppose. Still..." A stretch by Febras, turning to go. "Would you mind one other? I had wished to inquire with Lyselle about her affected sword at some juncture. The timing is fortutios.""
[22:21] <Seira> "Not at all," she returns. "I was merely... concerned... that my zeal would be mocked. You might have a point, however. My friends might understand, after all."
[22:27] <Kotono> "Mmm." For once, Febras turns. His face is half visible, a little smile on his face. An unusual one, solid. "If they don't understand, are they truly friends?"
[22:28] <Seira> "It seems we are about to find out," she decides firmly. "Let's go explain the situation to them. I believe the others are off duty right now."

[Corwin]

[22:55] <Kotono> -------
[22:56] <Kotono> So the party meets in one of the garrison meeting rooms, on request of Seira. As they do, they notice another is here - Febras lingers near the back, leaning against a wall with his hat well down on his face, covering it.
[22:58] * Shamal is of course a professional, and thus shows no sign of her lingering resentment towards the half-elf as she sits down with a pleasant smile. Laika is left at home, however. "So what did you want to see us for?" she asks nicely.
[22:58] * Berlioz raises an eyebrow at the presence of Febras, quickly assuming his usual demeanor. "It's a small world. Hello, Febras."
[22:59] * Lyselle raises an eyebrow at their guest as she finds a chair, sitting carefully and folding her hands. She nods to Shamal's question, looking back to Seira.
[22:59] <Seira> "If you have no pressing matters to attend to, I was wondering whether you would be interested in bringing a thief to justice," Seira responds, observing her friends for their reactions.
[23:00] <Kotono> Febras smiles but faintly, a bare nod to the others as he stays quiet.
[23:01] <Shamal> "Dispensing justice is what we're paid for," Shamal replies, eyeing Seira speculatively. "Yet I see no sign of our commander. Is this a personal matter, Seira?"
[23:02] <Berlioz> "I'd question the matter of justice we dispense, but I've spent my language on more productive matters today. Anyhow, what ills your mind, Seira?"
[23:03] * Seira dips her head. "Correct. I have requested to take on this case, so my actions are sanctioned. I have also been allowed to recruit others for this task, should they be willing to assist." She turns to Berlioz. "The justice will be most swift," Seira tells him, coldness creeping into her voice.
[23:04] * Lyselle just shrugs, tapping a gloved finger against the pommel of her sword. "What's it about? Other than simply a theft..."
[23:06] <Seira> "I have two documented cases of theft, where the thief appears to leave without leaving any tracks or witnesses, despite the incidents taking place in public, in one case in broad daylight. I also have good reason to suspect the thief uses magic in their deeds."
[23:08] <Lyselle> "And how do you propose we locate them if they leave no trail from their crimes?" Lyselle probes curiously, wondering where Seira's going.
[23:10] <Seira> "Only magical artifacts are being targetted, while gold, gems and other valuables are being left alone," Seira elaborates. "In fact, that is one of the reasons I have to suspect a mage, as it would be hard to believe anyone else would have found a magical artifact before stumbling upon a merchant's small fortune. More to the point, this artifact is most unique. A spell of divination of the second circle would be able to track it specifically, not just any object similar to it, which would be irrefutable proof of the theft."
[23:11] <Seira> A spell of divination of the second circle would be able to track it specifically, not just any object similar to it, which would be irrefutable proof of the theft."
[23:15] <Shamal> "I don't believe such divinations hold any legal basis," Shamal notes, having had to deal with just such a problem herself recently. "Certainly not without additional evidence of foul play. It does provide a starting point to find such evidence, but by itself would not secure a conviction."
[23:17] <Seira> "It consitutes probably cause for a search, and finding the artifact in question would be enough to arrest the thief," Seira insists. "The spell used in the creation of the gem is most unique. I have not seen it listed in any of the libraries I perused in my studies of the arcane in Balmuria."
[23:18] <Shamal> "What does it do?" the blonde witch asks with a note of professional curiousity in her voice.
[23:22] <Seira> "It works similarly to the magic missile spell, in some ways," Seira responds. "I'm afraid it has been a while since I have seen it last."
[23:23] <Kotono> Febras listens, "Mmmph. Magic," he murmurs, "Quite a lot of money in that."
[23:24] <Seira> "Its range was superior, and it worked better on the unnatural and unholy," Seira adds, straining her memory.
[23:27] * Shamal nods. "I recently had cause to use the same divination I think you're planning on using - its range does require a solid idea of the item's vicinity to start with. Do you have any such clues?" she asks, shelving the properties of the actual magic missile-alike, since she's not likely to get much more.
[23:30] <Seira> "On the off chance that the thief is a person who purchased a gem of spell imbuement that allows him to detect magical auras, I wish to visit the Countess. If that turns out to be a dead end, however, I plan on asking her to locate the artifact in question. From my understanding of the divination spell and her abilities, she should be able to cover the city's residential areas." Seira pauses then, glancing at Shamal curiously. "You say you had cause to use this spell recently?"
[23:31] <Seira> "You say you had cause to use this spell recently?"
[23:33] <Shamal> "I suppose there must be perks to being her apprentice..." Shamal notes distantly, before collecting herself and nodding. "Yes, a friend of mine lost some scrolls. Unfortunately I think the person who walked off with them went and cast them all by the time I cornered him." She shrugs helplessly, "No evidence, so nothing I could do."
[23:34] * Seira nods. "Most unfortunate. If she needs new scrolls which you cannot provide to replace the loss, I could talk to the Countess about a discount."
[23:35] <Shamal> "The ones I couldn't replace are only available to priests," Shamal replies, shaking her head.
[23:35] * Seira nods once more.

[Corwin]

[19:32] <Kotono> So the party heads to Countess Stronger's shop. On entering the glittering, etherial place atop the sea breeze swept hill, they find her awaiting. She's going about, fixing up a few scrolls in cases...
[19:32] <Seira> "Good day, Countess," Seira greets her, bowing once she has her attention.
[19:34] <Kotono> The Countess turns, looking over the 5 person strong party. "Oh, Seira, SHamal and company," her eyes linger on Febras a moment, but not long. "Looking to make a purchase?"
[19:35] * Shamal gives Stronger a small nod of greeting but leaves things to Seira. This is her case, after all.
[19:35] * Lyselle gives their sometimes employer, sometimes ally a more formalized, but smaller bow, snickering a little at the sales pitch. This was Seira's venture, though.
[19:36] <Seira> "I need to locate a thief who made off with a unique magical artifact," Seira tells her. "One of these gems of imbuing, in fact, but holding an unusual spell within. I have hoped you could help me, Countess."
[19:38] <Kotono> "Oh, are more of those floating around?" Countess STronger cocks her head to the side, a curious little look on her face. "What do you want, then?"
[19:39] <Seira> "The divination spell of locating objects," Seira responds. "The item is unique enough to allow us to proceed and conduct a search should you point us in the right direction."
[19:40] <Kotono> "Oooooh. That's Locate Object..." A quick look to Shamal, "Didn't work out well last time?"
[19:43] <Shamal> "I did detect the scroll," Shamal nods, "But unfortunately I tipped my hand and gave the person who stole it time to dispose of all the scrolls. By the time I got in his house all I could detect was the lingering aura of a spell recently cast, presumably from him using the scrolls to get rid of them quickly."
[19:43] <Shamal> She pauses, cocking her head, "Also, it was my first time using the spell, but is it normal for it to make your head ache? I wasn't sure if it was a countermeasure against divination or just something normal."
[19:48] <Kotono> "No, that's not normal. That's not normal at all," Countess Stronger goes to the scroll case, getting a scroll out. "Someone's up to something in that case - some sort of fuzzy misdetection or misleading spell. Anyway, if you want this, it's 150 gold."
[19:49] <Shamal> "Perhaps it bears further investigation, after all," Shamal sighs, rubbing her temples.
[19:49] <Seira> "I was hoping I could get you to cast the spell yourself, Countess," Seira asks of her. "The merchant did mention wanting to sell the gem to you, and if you were involved in its recovery, perchance he could be persuaded to do it at cost?"
[19:50] <Kotono> Countess Stronger considers a moment, but shakes her head. "I'll sell you the scroll, but really, I'd recommend you do it yourselves. Not only do I not want to get involved, it's entirely possible you'll need to cast it more than once. That'll add up quickly."
[19:52] * Seira nods briefly. "The scroll would do, then. Thank you for your help."
[19:56] <Kotono> The money and the scroll are exchanged. "Thank you for doing business with me, Seira." Stronger nods and grins, money going away. "Good luck catching whomever the thief is."
[19:59] <Seira> "Oh, yes." Seira glances at the merchandise. "Have you sold any of the spell-imbuing gems yet, Countess?"
[20:00] <Kotono> "Not yet. I had someone ask about them a few days ago, though." A casual pause, Stronger tapping at her chin. "The gem of detect magic in particular. I got the impression he was interested, but the funds weren't in order."
[20:01] <Seira> "Ah." Seira makes a curious sound. "It might be relevant to the investigation. Could you tell me more about him?"
[20:05] <Kotono> "Middle aged? Very twitchy at first, but calmed down. Had this unibrow thing going for him, totally gray. Seemed to know his magic, but he said he wasn't a spellcaster, just a studier."
[20:07] * Seira goes over the people she had encountered within the past few days, comparing the image.
[20:08] <Kotono> Nothing that Seira really remembers.
[20:08] <Seira> "Thank you," she repeats, and bids the Countess goodbye, going to decide her path over a map.
[20:13] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3
[20:13] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 and gets 8."12 [1d20=5]
[20:13] <Kotono> OOC - Make a caster level check, Seira.
[20:15] <Seira> roll 1d20+2
[20:15] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+2 and gets 12."12 [1d20=10]
[20:19] <Kotono> So Seira begins her trip. She zig zags quickly from the docks, but within minutes, finds her way. Despite a headache setting in, painful distractions, she finds herself pulled. To a familiar street, near the Sunset Bakery. Where Roald and family's wares can be smelled, but near it. Towards a new storage shop in particular, quiet.
[20:20] <Seira> Once she is close enough to it, Seira does her best to blend in, following the pull while doing her best to stay out of sight.
[20:22] <Kotono> This leads Seira to the front doors of the storage shop. She can feel it's inside.
[20:23] * Seira looks for another entrance, one farther from prying eyes!
[20:25] <Kotono> Her headache stays steady as she loops around. There's only one narrow alleyway that crooks back to the far side, meeting the back of other buildings.
[20:25] <Kotono> Meanwhile, as Seira does this, the time on her spell runs out.
[20:27] <Kotono> There look to be no other entrances that Seira sees.
[20:28] * Seira makes extra certain she stays well out of sight as she continues on her way down the street, looping back through an alternative route once she is reasonably out of sight from the building. She heads to rejoin the others, where she quickly describes the situation.
[20:31] <Shamal> "What do you propose, then?" Shamal asks.
[20:33] <Seira> "We go in straight away, using our mandate with the Guard under Balmuria's criminal code. We shall detain everyone on the premises, and search the place from top to bottom, after which we shall find out who is the owner of the property and question them as well," Seira says succinctly.
[20:34] <Lyselle> "...Think we might want to get the local patrol to help out? We're not precisely well outfitted for prisoner taking," Lyselle points out mildly, tapping the pommel of her sword.
[20:35] <Seira> "I have a Sleep spell ready," Seira tells her. "We could collect a patrol, yes. What do you expect to get out of them?"
[20:36] <Shamal> "It is a rather heavy handed approach, but very well, we shall try this," Shamal accedes reluctantly. "Bringing a few more guardsmen will help to ensure they matters seriously and prevent misunderstandings," she agrees with Lyselle, wishing she'd done that before tipping off her own recent suspect.
[20:36] <Lyselle> "Prisoner guarding if we have to go search things in the warehouse," Lyselle answers simply, shrugging. "Otherwise we'd have to leave someone behind at each juncture, and I don't think any of us are carrying manacles."
[20:37] <Seira> "I always carry a length of rope with me when I'm on official business," Seira informs Lyselle.
[20:37] <Shamal> "I left mine at home," Shamal agrees, blushing ever so faintly.
[20:38] <Seira> "It is to be expected that one of us will sometimes find something lacking. Thus, we compliment each other. That is the good thing about being part of a team."
[20:38] <Kotono> Febras hangs back, quiet the entire time. He fingers the hilt of his rapier a bit, but mostly leans hangs back by the docks.
[20:38] <Lyselle> "Rope is easier to get out of than manacles, particularly for rogues," Lyselle answers, shrugging. "Just my suggestion based on what we may encounter."
[20:39] <Seira> "I could observe the building while you return with a patrol," Seira proposes. "Both options are equally viable to me. But we should decide soon."
[20:41] * Lyselle offers a shrug, nodding and heading off to locate the nearest patrol, and abuse her rank into commandeering them for thisoperation.
[20:41] * Seira returns to the building in question, to observe it from cover.
[20:43] * Shamal tags along with Seira and casts Detect Magic before making a circuit around the building to see if she can detect any auras within.
[20:44] * Seira keeps an eye on Shamal as well, on the lookout for anyone being too interested in the druid.
[20:51] <Kotono> Lyselle gets a 3 person patrol wtihout incident, spears and breastplate soldiers. Shamal casts detect magic as she reaches the building - no magic is radiating from the building proper. No one's really around the shop, the bakery does all the business here.
[20:53] <Seira> "Anything?" Seira asks Shamal, rejoining her.
[20:53] <Kotono> OOC - Caster level check, Shamal.
[20:53] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3
[20:53] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 and gets 20."12 [1d20=17]
[20:54] <Shamal> roll 1d20+3
[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+3 and gets 22."12 [1d20=19]
[20:55] <Kotono> Shamal begins to get a headache, but she notest here is a magical aura somewhere inside.
[20:55] * Shamal marks the location of the aura based on distance from her location outside the building as she tries to identify its strength and school.
[20:55] <Shamal> OOC: spellcraft, taking 10 for 23
[20:56] * Lyselle looks curiously to both the mages of their group, just wiaiting for whatever they have to do before storming the place.
[20:57] <Kotono> It's faint. It's a blended aura - several schools, just bleeding together.
[20:57] <Shamal> OOC: Can I tell which particular schools?
[20:59] <Kotono> OOC: Transmutation, abjuration, divination.
[20:59] <Kotono> OOC: There could be more, but it's a muddied mess.
[21:01] <Shamal> "I can sense some minor magic in there, something which combines several schools," Shamal explains, wincing a bit and rubbing her temples. "Transmutation, abjuration, and divination... I'd expect Evocation for your magic missile type spell gem, though."
[21:01] <Shamal> Furrowing her brow, she looks down, "I also have a headache, which makes me wonder if there's another anti-divination effect here. Odd, since I felt fine when I cast detect magic at the house of my last suspected thief."
[21:02] <Seira> "I have also experienced this effect," Seira admits. "Well, nothing will be gained by waiting here. Shall I connect us with Message before we head inside?"
[21:03] <Shamal> "If you wish," Shamal nods, continuing to concentrate to maintain her spell as she looks back to check Lyselle and company are ready as well.
[21:03] * Seira casts it over Lyselle and Shamal after explaining the process to the former in a few words, and then gets to work on unlocking the door.
[21:05] <Kotono> OOC: Disable devices, yeah.
[21:05] <Seira> OOC: Can I take ten for 21?
[21:05] <Kotono> OOC: Yeah, sure, it's not particularly hard case.
[21:05] <Seira> OOC: Onwards, bravely~
[21:06] <Kotono> With a bit of effort Seira is able to pop a simple lock on the door. Inside first off is a small square room. There
[21:06] <Kotono> OOC - Gah.
[21:07] <Kotono> With a bit of effort Seira is able to pop a simple lock on the door. Inside first off is a small square room. There is a table and chairs here, and another, heavier door past this room. There's a few cups on the table and a pitcher of water.
[21:08] * Seira relies on Shamal for magic-detection for the time being, ready to relieve her when the druid's spell runs out.
[21:08] <Shamal> "Is no one here?" Shamal wonders at the lack of anyone manning the shop, or whatever it is.
[21:09] <Kotono> Febras walks inside, as does Berlioz. Both are being unusually quiet today. Febras does at least look around briefly, hanging back.
[21:09] <Lyselle> "Well, there's another door..." Lyselle muses, gesturning.
[21:09] <Seira> "They might be further inside," Seira says, and tells one of the guardsmen to stand watch here, before approaching the second door and giving it a cursory glance for any traps.
[21:11] <Kotono> OOC - Search check if you like, Seira.
[21:11] <Seira> roll 1d20+6
[21:11] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 10."12 [1d20=4]
[21:12] <Kotono> One of the spear holding guards does just that, taking the outer door.
[21:12] <Kotono> Seira doesn't find anything of note on the door, or anything to tip off a trap.
[21:12] * Seira gives the door a try, checking whether it is locked.
[21:12] <Kotono> It appears to be unlocked.
[21:12] * Seira steps inside!
[21:13] * Shamal follows Seira, keeping the location of the magical aura she detected in mind if it's no longer in range so that they can move towards it. She also keeps an eye out for any other auras that might show up.
[21:13] <Kotono> As Seira opens the door, she hears the tinkle of chimes. Quite metallic and worldly, coming from above the door. In here is a small hallway, about ten feet long or so. After that you can see it opens up into a large backroom full of boxes, but you can't see most of the sides without coming out.
[21:14] * Lyselle follows in, Shield held before her, though her sword isn't drawn yet. Best not to make bad impressions...really.
[21:16] <Kotono> It's kind of dim in here, but not too dim - there are a few candles just inside of the large room, sitting on tables.
[21:16] * Shamal glances up to see what caused the chimes.
[21:16] <Kotono> Shamal notices a few metal chimes have been placed, so rigged to move when the door is opened.
[21:16] * Seira heads further into the backroom, using the boxes and darkness for cover, on the lookout for anyone.
[21:16] <Kotono> OOC - How far out?
[21:17] <Shamal> "Should we really be so furtive?" Shamal wonders aloud as Seira creeps inside. "We are here on official business, are we not?"
[21:17] <Seira> OOC: Keeping to the side of the room, intending on making a circle around it.
[21:17] <Kotono> OOC - Which side? You're in the hallway feeding out, so you're not even in the proper room to see yet.
[21:17] <Seira> "We may get to catch them in the act," Seira responds in a whisper, before taking the right side of the room to explore.
[21:18] <Kotono> OOC - Go ahead and make move silently/hiding checks sicne you're sneaking out.
[21:18] <Seira> roll 1d20+11 hide
[21:18] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+11 hide and gets 20."12 [1d20=9]
[21:18] <Shamal> "Act of what?" Shamal mutters under her breath, deciding to nonetheless hang back and let Seira do her thing.
[21:18] <Seira> roll 1d20+11 move silently
[21:18] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+11 move silently and gets 13."12 [1d20=2]
[21:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5
[21:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 and gets 12."12 [1d20=7]
[21:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3
[21:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3
[21:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 and gets 17."12 [1d20=14]
[21:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 and gets 20."12 [1d20=17]
[21:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3
[21:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 and gets 23."12 [1d20=20]
[21:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3
[21:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 and gets 21."12 [1d20=18]
[21:19] * Lyselle stays put since Seira seems bent on stealth. Certainly, three amrored and armed figures wouldn't be good at this...
[21:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5 hearing
[21:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 hearing and gets 24."12 [1d20=19]
[21:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3 hearing
[21:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 hearing and gets 6."12 [1d20=3]
[21:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3 hearing
[21:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 hearing and gets 22."12 [1d20=19]
[21:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3 hearing
[21:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 hearing and gets 10."12 [1d20=7]
[21:19] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3 hearing
[21:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 hearing and gets 12."12 [1d20=9]
[21:21] <Kotono> Seira comes out onto the right side of the room! There are lots of boxes here, and five people are in front of one part in particular. You can't get a view of it because they're all in front of it, but you see a middle aged man with a fierce unibrow turn. Besides him are four people, adults but not too much older. One woman and three men, each turning to look! (More)
[21:21] <Kotono> "I thought I heard something!" The man with the unibrow rumbles, as one of the men points right at Seira! "There!" (More)
[21:24] <Kotono> One is a slightly scruffy man, looking like he hasn't shaved in a day or so. He wears normal clothes, hands already starting to dance as he steps back. "Hm?" he speaks calmly, as a woman with sharp brown hair falls in front of him. She wears a chain shirt, quickly having her hand on the hilt of a sword. The third is a great, hulking man, at least six and a half feet tall! He holds a giant club, wearing stretched out, tight leathers. The last i
[21:25] <Kotono> The last is a normal, non descript man, just a little below six feet tall.
[21:26] <Seira> "This is the Guard!" Seira announces loudly, her voice echoing in the large room. "You are surrounded! Put your hands up in the air and avoid threatening moves!"
[21:27] * Lyselle marches forward, taking a more prominent place with Seira and their brought help to add more than a half-elf to the idea of being surrounded.
[21:27] * Shamal brings up the rear! Probably along with Berlioz.
[21:29] <Kotono> "Well..." The man with a unibrow scowls in annoyance, "This is unexpected." He steps back, behind the others. He casually turns his back, going to what the others are in front of - you can catch something that looks like a small box. "Do negotiate with them, would you?"
[21:30] <Seira> "Come quietly, or we will be forced to use force!" Seira warns the man. "This is your last warning!" An arrow is notched, the bow levelled at his feet.
[21:31] * Lyselle draws her sword at that, not wanting to be surprised.
[21:31] <Kotono> The scruffy one calmly steps forward, familiar to Shamal. "We aren't going to fight," Hamand says, quite calm.
[21:32] <Seira> "Do not move!" Seira commands. "Get down on your knees with your hands in the air!"

[Corwin]

[20:12] <Anastasia> OOC - Roll initiative now so that there can be some sort of order.
[20:12] * Dracos (WinNT@c-24-5-130-94.hsd1.ca.comcast.net) has left #dunes
[20:12] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+2
[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+2 and gets 9."12 [1d20=7]
[20:13] <Berlioz> roll 1d20+1 ohpleaseletmebefasterthankongol
[20:13] * Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+1 ohpleaseletmebefasterthankongol and gets 17."12 [1d20=16]
[20:13] <Shamal> roll 1d20+2
[20:13] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+2 and gets 12."12 [1d20=10]
[20:14] <Anastasia> roll 1d20+9 Febras/NPC-chan
[20:14] * Hatbot --> "Anastasia rolls 1d20+9 Febras/NPC-chan and gets 10."12 [1d20=1]
[20:15] <Anastasia> roll 1d20+0 big guy
[20:15] * Hatbot --> "Anastasia rolls 1d20+0 big guy and gets 17."12 [1d20=17]
[20:15] <Anastasia> roll 1d20+3 girl
[20:15] * Hatbot --> "Anastasia rolls 1d20+3 girl and gets 21."12 [1d20=18]
[20:15] <Seira> roll 1d20+4
[20:15] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+4 and gets 17."12 [1d20=13]
[20:15] <Anastasia> roll 1d20+5 Hamand
[20:15] * Hatbot --> "Anastasia rolls 1d20+5 Hamand and gets 17."12 [1d20=12]
[20:16] <Anastasia> roll 1d20+2 mr non descript
[20:16] * Hatbot --> "Anastasia rolls 1d20+2 mr non descript and gets 13."12 [1d20=11]
[20:16] <Anastasia> roll 1d20+4 Mr mage
[20:16] * Hatbot --> "Anastasia rolls 1d20+4 Mr mage and gets 22."12 [1d20=18]
[20:18] * Anastasia changes topic to 'Mage(22)>Girl(21)>Berli(17)=Big guy=Seira=Hamand>Mr. Non Descript(13)>Shamal(12)>Febras(10)>Lyselle(9)'
[20:21] <Anastasia>  The man with the unibrow calls back, "Well then. Good day, United Baronies," he speaks casually, then begins to speak! "Zephyr of the forgotten winds, banished by the rage of the Gods. Come forth and travel with me, on the wings of etherial light! Zephyr, I call on the pact!" The words spill out, coming! OOC - Seira, since you made such a point of having a projectile shot ready, you can choose to shoot if you wish.
[20:21] <Seira> OOC: New roll?
[20:22] <Anastasia> OOC: Yeah, I think so.
[20:22] <Seira> roll 1d20+9
[20:22] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+9 and gets 13."12 [1d20=4]
[20:22] <Shamal> roll 1d20+13 spellcraft
[20:22] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+13 spellcraft and gets 30."12 [1d20=17]
[20:23] * Seira shoots! It's what she does when people ignore her clear and easy-to-follow instructions!
[20:23] <Anastasia> You feel a warm gust of wind, blowing onto the wizard! He shimmers like the summer air hanging heavy over the city, rippling away and through the wall, gone in an instant! Seira's shot is quick enough, but her aim fails entirely, whizzing by him.
[20:24] <Anastasia> The girl glances back as the man teleports away, but raises her hands.
[20:24] * Seira is visibly angered, but does not shoot the complying people.
[20:25] <Seira> "Cuff them," she commands, nodding at the guardsmen present.
[20:27] * Lyselle sighs, rubbing at the bridge of her nose, and eyeing the accomplices. Why would they comply so easily? Especially when he just teleported away...
[20:28] <Anastasia> There is some lingering magic where the wizard was. The guards come forward, the four not offering resistance. You here Febras click his tongue in his mouth, smiling a little bit.
[20:28] <Shamal> "A teleport spell?" Shamal mutters, sounding a bit distressed. If he could cast such magic, things might have gone poorly for them if he'd fought...
[20:29] <Anastasia> Hamand turns to Shamal, face calm, deathly unmoving. He merely smiles.
[20:30] * Shamal meets Hamand's gaze with a cold expression of her own, letting the guardsmen do their work in detaining the suspects.
[20:30] <Anastasia> This seems to go well, takinga way weapons and tying them up. They aren't really resisting at all now, almost placid.
[20:30] * Berlioz (~assis_san@201.47.144.90.adsl.gvt.net.br) Quit (Ping timeout)
[20:31] <Seira> "Take them into custody," Seira tells the guardsmen. "Solitary confinement for each." Her gaze lands on the woman in the chainshirt. "Except for her. Leave her here."
[20:31] <Anastasia> The woman stays - trying to be calm, but her lips twitch a little bit.
[20:42] * Berlioz (~assis_san@201.47.147.37.adsl.gvt.net.br) has joined #dunes
[20:42] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Berlioz
[20:44] <Seira> "There is no need to worry, yet," Seira tells the woman. "Cooperation will pave the way towards redemption and a lightened sentence." Her eyes glint menacingly. "Make no mistake about it. There will be cooperation."
[20:47] * Berlioz quietly mutters a couple dystics, staying somewhat hidden behind the others, casting Detect Thoughts.
[20:48] * Merc (~kazaana@host-206-54-214-185.entouch.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
[20:49] <Anastasia> 1st round for Berlios: SHe does indeed have thoughts. Stunning.
[20:49] <Anastasia> The woman looks on coolly, dead at Seira but not quite, just away from her eyes.
[20:50] <Anastasia> 2nd round for Berlioz: Int 16 for the woman.
[20:51] <Seira> "Fine," Seira snaps out. Several words follow, a few gestures that are perhaps a bit too rough, and Seira tries to get the other woman under her thrall.
[20:51] <Anastasia> roll 1d20 (I should have known better than forget to do her will save, sec for me to total that if the dice roll doesn't determine it outright. Also, waht's your DC, Berli?)
[20:51] * Hatbot --> "Anastasia rolls 1d20 (I should have known better than forget to do her will save, sec for me to total that if the dice roll doesn't determine it outright. Also, waht's your DC, Berli?) and gets 17."12 [1d20=17]
[20:54] <Anastasia> roll 1d20 will save for charm person
[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Anastasia rolls 1d20 will save for charm person and gets 18."12 [1d20=18]
[20:55] <Anastasia> Berlioz cannot detect thoughts. The woman just tosses her hair defiantly, staying put and matching a cool but shaking gaze at SEira.
[20:55] <Seira> There is a harsh edge in Seira's voice when she speaks. "Fine, we'll do this the hard way."
[20:56] * Berlioz squints his eyes, trying to scry the surface of the others' minds.
[20:56] <Anastasia> That would require Berlioz to follow along outside with them.
[20:57] * Berlioz follows.
[20:57] * Seira waits for Berlioz to leave, half-turning to follow him with her eyes, while in her pocket, a pearl glows. So do Seira's eyes, when she suddenly looks back at the chained woman!
[20:57] <Anastasia> Berlioz does follow! So he attemps to scry their minds...OOC - PM, Berli.
[20:59] <Anastasia> roll 1d20 will save big guy
[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Anastasia rolls 1d20 will save big guy and gets 12."12 [1d20=12]
[20:59] <Anastasia> roll 1d20 will save non descript
[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Anastasia rolls 1d20 will save non descript and gets 9."12 [1d20=9]
[20:59] <Anastasia> roll 1d20 will save Hamand
[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Anastasia rolls 1d20 will save Hamand and gets 7."12 [1d20=7]
[20:59] <Anastasia> roll 1d20 charm person save
[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Anastasia rolls 1d20 charm person save and gets 17."12 [1d20=17]
[21:01] <Anastasia> The woman just stands there, blinking a bit before throwing her gaze at Seira, even rougher.
[21:01] <Seira> "You seem intelligent," Seira tells her, reigning in her temper without leaving a mention of it on her features. "Why would you work for a man who deserts you so?"
[21:02] <Anastasia> "He's given us a great gift." Shes ays this, short and to the point. After that, half sits down, half falls voer, getting onto her rear. "I have nothing more to say."
[21:04] <Seira> "You will talk," Seira informs her calmly. "It is only a matter of time. In fact, I believe you will start by telling us your name."
[21:04] <Anastasia> Febras leans against the back boxes, watching on. "I daresay that it sounds like a young fool."
[21:04] <Shamal> As Seira plays bad cop, Shamal enters the fray! "You'll have to forgive my colleague, but she takes her job very seriously," she smiles engagingly at the woman. "However, you have to realise how it reflects on you to be in such company, especially when his rapid departure was tantamount to an admission of guilt."
[21:04] <Shamal> roll 1d20+8 diplomacy!
[21:04] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 diplomacy! and gets 17."12 [1d20=9]
[21:06] <Anastasia> "Nerylish." She speaks calm and flat, trying to burn a hole in Seira's head with her eyes.
[21:07] * Berlioz grumbles and keeps following the grunts, paying attention to their thoughts. Something seemed suspicious about that non-descript person...
[21:08] <Seira> "Most seriously," Seira affirms, nodding curtly at Shamal's words. "Your employer's crimes are well-established. Your assosiation with him is punishable under the Balmuria penal code. Only a full confession would provide relief." She smirks uncharacteristically, her expression smug. "The only question is who cooperates first. I shall enjoy watching you all fall over each other to be that first."
[21:08] <Lyselle> Seeing that the rest of her colleagues are doing their more involved work, Lyselle begins to slowly search the entire building, taking her time and leaving no detail untouched... OOC - Taking 20 if that's allowable, since we have time now.
[21:09] <Seira> roll 1d20+12
[21:09] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+12 and gets 20."12 [1d20=8]
[21:11] * Rez (~rez@ppp253-128.lns2.bne4.internode.on.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
[21:12] <Anastasia> Nerylish just shrugs. SHe doesn't look the least bit impressed. OOC - Lyselle, we'll PM it up in a bit since your search will take time.
[21:14] <Seira> "We'll see whether solitary confinement would improve on your disposition," Seira tells her condescendingly, and turns away, marching outside to follow Berlioz and the other prisoners.
[21:15] <Shamal> With Seira gone, Shamal helps Nerylish to her feet. "Come on, let's go," she says, repressing a sigh.
[21:15] * Rez (~rez@ppp253-128.lns2.bne4.internode.on.net) has joined #dunes
[21:17] <Anastasia> Nerylish just gets up, beign lead along and to the jails. OOC - Is anyone going to do anything or try to keep chatting with her or the others?
[21:17] * Seira will make sure each of them really are in solitary confinement and in manacles even while jailed! Then, she'll report to the captain!
[21:18] <Shamal> "So, what great gift did Mr Monobrow give you anyway?" Shamal asks flippantly as she escorts Nerylish in irons through the streets of Balmuria.
[21:23] <Anastasia> Nerylish looks away, quite content in ignoring SHamal.
[21:24] * Berlioz sighs and whispers to the little half-elf that could. "Where did you find these strange people, Seira?"
[21:25] <Shamal> "Let me guess, he gave you some limited spellcasting ability?" the blonde asks, making a guess from what Seira said was stolen. Those imbued gems sure seem to have become a hot topic lately. "The perfect way to skip over the years of pain and study that a real mage must endure?"
[21:27] <Anastasia> Nerylish twitches a bit at that, but stays silent...
[21:28] <Shamal> "Hmph," Shamal shakes her head. "I almost wonder if he's a real wizard, or just got lucky and found one of those gems that gave him the ability to teleport. What a prize that'd be... most of the ones I've seen are lucky if they can mimic simple cantrips."
[21:30] <Anastasia> Despite the temptation, Nerylish does not reply. But she looks irritated, chewing at her lip...
[21:34] <Shamal> "Still, even a cantrip can impress, in the right circumstances. Some washed up apprentices can make a good living by juggling magical balls of light on street corners, or conjuring rays of frost to chill people's drinks. I'm sure whatever gift he gave you must be at least that useful, right?" Shamal blithely continues to ramble on as they stroll towards the garrison.
[21:40] <Anastasia> With the thieves locked away in  handy jail cells, the party gathers to Commander Oberuth. On his request, the Captain of the Guard noting that he's gotten wind of this via report and is curious. So the group does just that, the Commander's arms crossed but smiling a bit. "Well, you're keeping busy," he observes to the group once they're all seated. "Report."
[21:43] <Seira> "Sir!" Seira comes to attention. "Our investigation of the recent thefts of magical items throughout Balmuria lead us to a store, where we had conclusive proof that one of them was being kept. Upon entering the premises and announcing ourselves as members of the Guard, we attempted to place the thieves under arrest. The man we believe to be their leader, however, used a spell of teleportation before we could stop him." She pauses. "I believe more information could be raised out of the four we have placed in solitary."
[21:44] <Seira> "I believe more information could be raised out of the four we have placed in solitary."
[21:46] <Shamal> "One of them is also suspected of stealing several scrolls from the Temple of Waukeen," Shamal chimes in. "The one named Hamand. Unfortunately I could get no evidence on my initial investigations, but his connection with this incident makes his guilt far more likely."
[21:46] * Berlioz coughs. "I am not terribly sure if this will be very useful. But I managed to scry some surface thoughts from the boys, and I have a name for their seeming master."
[21:48] <Shamal> "What's that, Berlioz?" Shamal prods curiously.
[21:48] <Anastasia> Commander Oberuth raises one eyebrow at that, ruddy cheeks lighting up. "Magic thieves? WEll then," he grunts considerably. "Hmm, tell me about that, Berlioz. Magic fights magic best."
[21:49] <Berlioz> In order to answer to the blonde witch, the bard continues. "The dim-witted grunt seemed rather unconcerned with his arrest. He was sure that 'master Irenes' would save them. We might also want to keep an eye on that non-descript boy. He seems to actually know magic arcana."
[21:50] <Seira> "Inept magic thieves," Seira says with disdain, before remembering where she is. "Sir, there must be more to this than a mere desire to steal a few scrolls and gems of minor spell imbuing. I cannot for the life of me see why so highly skilled a mage would bother with such things."
[21:52] <Shamal> "Those gems are hardly cheap. Though I think the scroll theft may have been a crime of opportunity," Shamal posits.
[21:53] <Lyselle> "There was a box with some spell components and random writings...almost a waste basket, actually, but the mages might be able to get something otu of all that nonesense," Lyselle adds quietly, shrugging. "Maybe they were trying to learn how to make them? I don't know how advanced Malmuth is."
[21:53] <Seira> "They are not, no," Seira agrees. "Yet we are led to believe that he used most of them, if not all, on his apprentices which he then proceeded to abandon."
[21:54] <Shamal> "Yes, that is especially odd," Shamal agrees, nodding thoughtfully.
[21:55] <Seira> "I respectfully request that the thieves be under constant guard, or held in a place protected from scrying, if we can manage that, Sir," Seira adds.
[21:56] <Seira> "You believe the culprits to be from Malmuth?" she asks of Lyselle, then.
[21:58] <Lyselle> "That's my intuitive jump," Lyselle admits with a shrug. "They may be simple crooks, but in such a case, we should be able to contact other mages...the community isn't particularly enormous, is it? And someone as powerful as this man should be known if he was one of ours..."
[21:59] <Shamal> roll 1d20+8
[21:59] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 and gets 12."12 [1d20=4]
[21:59] <Seira> roll 1d20+8
[21:59] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+8 and gets 16."12 [1d20=8]
[22:00] <Anastasia> Oberuth nods once more, pondering these words, deeply, thoughtfully. "I don't think we can do much about that scrying business easily, but go ahead and look into this. IT might be Malmuth, it might be crooks, it might be a lot of things. Let's try and narrow down what it is."
[22:01] <Seira> "Commander, one of the larger temples may be able to accomodate us on this, if you gave us leave to approach them with an official request."
[22:02] <Anastasia> "Go ahead and get a price. WE can't afford that much, but we do have a few funds for just such an emergency." The Commander considers, "If the thieves were using magic, how did you find them in the first place?"
[22:03] <Seira> "That is part of the reason I consider them inept, Sir," Seira responds. "I used a spell of divination they could block, but for some reason did not. Both Shamal and I experienced minor headaches upon tracking the place with magic, so perhaps they relied on some other, less effective method."
[22:04] <Anastasia> "Mages..." Oberuth shakes his head, snorting before he laughs a bit. "It sounds like they used a dagger when a longsword was apt."
[22:04] <Shamal> "A locate object spell to find the stolen item in each case," Shamal supplies. "Alas in mine it was a scroll, and Hamand had time to use it, which destroys the scroll, before I searched his house. The spell, like most divination, can be blocked with a simple lead screen."
[22:05] <Anastasia> "Heh. Well then," Commander Oberuth considers that, stroking his chin. "See what you can shake up and report back when you're done."
[22:05] <Seira> "This brings up an interesting point, Sir," Seira interjects. "While we failed to recover the stolen items, are we to auction off the property and personal items of value the thieves have, so that their victims would receive restitution?"
[22:06] <Shamal> "We need a conviction first," Shamal points out. "We're not at that stage yet, Seira."
[22:06] <Anastasia> "We'll let the lawmen and bookkeepers hassle that out. The investigation is just beginning." A nod of agreement, "Horse is just a bit ahead of the cart."
[22:07] * NeremWorld (Nerem@pool-71-252-177-141.dllstx.fios.verizon.net) has joined #dunes
[22:08] <Seira> "Of course, Sir."
[22:09] <Anastasia> "Now then, get to work," Oberuth instructs you, standing. "Seira, also, come with me a moment."
[22:09] * Seira nods, and follows obediently.
[22:10] * Berlioz silently nods and leaves the room, obeying orders.
[22:10] <Anastasia> Out of the room and away you go. The others are left behind, Oberuth silent until you're walking down a quiet, forgotten hall in the garrison. A few windows left in light, but it's mostly quiet. "Seira, until further notice, what I say here is to be kept to yourself."
[22:11] * Seira listens intently, nodding once more.
[22:12] <Anastasia> "We're considering a serious diplomatic mission to the elven lands. I believe we touched on this possibility before." OBeruth's hands are behind his back, his red face framed into seriousness. "You're a natural choice for it."
[22:13] * Seira is confident more is to come, and does not comment at this time.
[22:16] <Anastasia> "Lord Salman's interest has turned to these matters - the capital is calm from all reports. Balmuria is living on the bleeding edge of our nation and attention is slowly beginning to be focused here. With a Malmuth we don't entirely trust, it's natural to look for any sort of ally or assistance where we can."
[22:18] <Seira> "The idea is to offer the elven nation an alliance similar to that Malmuth wished to secure, Sir?" she asks succinctly.
[22:19] <Anastasia> "Uncertain at this time - there's still a lot of internal disagreement. It will also depend on how our first efforts are met." At this, Oberuth pauses, looking you in the eye. "In time, you're going to be asked officially. But unofficially...well?"
[22:22] <Seira> "I will not turn down an assignment, Sir. You can count on that," she vows.
[22:22] <Anastasia> Oberuth nods once, thoughtful. "Alright, Seira. Dismissed, go catch up with the others. Keep this to yourself, remember."
[22:23] <Seira> "Of course, Sir." She salutes, and leaves as ordered.

[Corwin]

[19:16] <Kotono> ----------
[19:16] <Kotono> So Shamal and Seira prepare, outside the jail cells. There's space here yet, chances to prepare as the jailers wait on the two lieutenants to be ready. It's a quiet and dirty place, only the occasional cry of a prisoner or a laugh over guards joking with each other providing any distraction.
[19:19] <Kotono> Berlioz also tags along, the three magic users of the party gathering together.
[19:20] <Shamal> "I can make it harder for them to resist your spells, but the effect will only last a few minutes," Shamal cautions. "So please get your casting done before my spell wears off."
[19:20] <Seira> "A few minutes is all I will require," Seira responds, thanking Shamal.
[19:22] * Shamal nods as she begins to cast. "Mielikki, please grant these unworthy servants with cunning and insight beyond their years, and a healthy respect for nature if it's not asking too much..."
[19:24] <Kotono> The guards wait, waiting for instruction on where to lead the heroes.
[19:24] <Seira> "We are to see Nerylish," Seira says, supplying the name.
[19:25] <Kotono> The guards nod quickly, leading you to the closest cell. A heavy wooden door with a single barred grate is here, "They've all been isolated," the guard reports dutifully.
[19:26] <Seira> "Excellent. Do you check up on them often?"
[19:27] <Kotono> "Every hour," The guard goes to unlock the door, swinging it open. Inside, Nerylish sits on the ground, hands and ankles bound with manacles. An untouched plate of food is on the ground besides her, old bread and slightly green meat. She looks downward, hidden inthe shadows.
[19:28] * Seira uses the spell on her before making an appearance, seeking the chance to surprise her.
[19:28] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3 what's your DC?
[19:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 what's your DC? and gets 5."12 [1d20=2]
[19:28] <Seira> OOC: 18 haha
[19:29] * Seira strolls in after casting Charm Person on the prisoner, and takes a look around the barren cell. "Did you have enough time to reflect on your actions?" she asks curiously.
[19:30] <Kotono> The cell is bare except for a matting of hay to lay on. Nerylish looks up, a deep, snotty snort. "I don't care. I did exactly what I wanted to do."
[19:31] * Berlioz mutters his typical dystics muffledly, casting Detect Thoughts.
[19:31] <Kotono> roll 1d20+3 getting to the point since Berli has plenty of time, and what's your DC now?
[19:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+3 getting to the point since Berli has plenty of time, and what's your DC now? and gets 7."12 [1d20=4]
[19:34] <Seira> "It seems I was not entirely clear the other day," Seira casually informs the manacled prisoner, casually leaning against a no-doubt grimy wall. "The crime which you are being charged with is punishable by death. On top of that, we have all the evidence we need to convict you and your three accomplices. When I mentioned cooperation, my desire was to spare you this uncomfortable, undeniable reality." She shrugs, then. "I have the power to do that."
[19:34] <Seira> "I have the power to do that."
[19:36] <Kotono> "Are you kidding?" Nerylish looks up, a momentary flash of anger. "So, you should know I can't do that! Master Irenes, he gave us something wonderful."
[19:38] <Seira> "He gave you something that was stolen," Seira points out calmly. "If everyone were to grant themselves such wonderful gifts, civilization would dissolve into anarchy." She spreads out her arms. "I am not your enemy, here. Neither is the law."
[19:38] <Seira> roll 1d20+12
[19:38] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+12 and gets 24."12 [1d20=12]
[19:39] <Kotono> "Master Irenes' gift is more important!" Nerylish looks up, eyes bright. "Magic's more important than the law!"
[19:40] <Kotono> Nerylish shakes her head, "Master Irenes, he'd help you if you asked. He's incredible, he's cracked the greatest secrets of the universe."
[19:41] * Seira rubs her chin thoughtfully. "This presents us with a problem. Your Master Irenes refused to stay behind and answer questions."
[19:42] <Kotono> "He's busy and he said he had so many things to do, so he couldn't be slowed down here." A sigh there, Nerylish shaking her head, "He said he'd come back for us, and I'm sure he'd help you, too."
[19:42] <Seira> "Did he say when? Or where he was going?"
[19:44] <Kotono> "He said he had a lot of things to do, but he'd come back because the greatest treasures in all the world were near here."
[19:44] <Kotono> Nerylish sniffles a moment, "I can wait."
[19:46] * Seira looks puzzled. "Why did he not approach ourselves, or any of this city's high mages with an offer, or with a request for help? Would Balmuria's finest not wish to be part of the greatest adventure in recent times?"
[19:47] * Lyselle (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) Quit (Ping timeout)
[19:48] <Kotono> "Share with you?" A shake of his head, "Master Irenes said he has to be the one to reach the bottom. Others wouldn't be strong enough without him."
[19:49] <Seira> "I remain confused," Seira tells her. "He clearly recruited you four, correct?"
[19:51] <Kotono> "We're special. It's because Master Irenes helped us. I'm sure he'd help you, but..." Nerylish pauses there, frowning. "Just...that...Master Irenes said that he has to be the one."
[19:52] <Seira> "I see." Seira pauses briefly, collecting her thoughts before launching the next wave of questions. "Do you know what the criteria for being chosen by Master Irenes are? Are there, in fact, more of you who have been chosen by him?"
[19:52] <Kotono> A shake of her head, "He chose us. He's the Master, he just...knows, because he can cast magic." Nerylish looks away again, down at the floor.
[19:52] * NeremWorld (Nerem@pool-71-244-31-230.dllstx.fios.verizon.net) Quit (Connection reset by peer)
[19:53] <Seira> "Which gifts did he give you four, specifically?" Seira asks her. "It is important for us to know. Misunderstandings between the guards stationed here and your friends might prove dangerous to the latter."
[19:55] <Kotono> "John...he can change. Different - he can become totally different." A nod there, "That was the Master's first gift. He can even look like a woman or a tall adolescent. I can...see things. I can see magic. It surrounds things, consumes them."
[19:56] <Seira> "When you look at me, what do you see?" Seira asks curiously.
[19:57] <Kotono> "Hamand.he's just...you can't make him afraid any more. Ever. He's so in control, and Gregort? He's a giant." A nod, a strong, quick nod there. "All because of Master Irenes...hm?" The woman concentrates a moment, narrowing her eyes. "Magic's on you, too."
[19:58] <Seira> "Can you tell the more minute details? The kinds and strength of magical auras? Has he taught you that?"
[19:59] <Kotono> "Not yet. Master Irenes said he could teach me!" A quiet little nod there, thoughtful. "It takes a lot of study."
[20:00] <Seira> "Yes it does," Seira agrees with a level nod of her head. "Yet if the gift is a shortcut, what manner of shortcut is it if study is required to master it nonetheless?"
[20:00] <Kotono> "It's the gift of magic! It's not a shortcut!" Nerylish bites back quickly.
[20:01] <Seira> "Can you use your gift to do more than just see the magic?"
[20:03] <Kotono> "Not yet, but he promised that one day..." A trailing off, "He showed us a few tricks. Controlling animals, making something stronger, even a lighting bolt. I know I'll be able to do that when he comes back."
[20:04] <Seira> "I see. Would that happen with further gifts, or by learning to control the one you currently have? Similarly... Hamand and Gregort. Were they gifted by Master Irenes? If so, are they altered permanently, unlike you and John, or can they turn their gifts off, so to speak?"
[20:05] <Kotono> "Uh huh. I told you. It just seems to be. It's magic!" Nerylish smiles at that, "Magic doesn't need to have time limitso r change, he said - some of it makes things so."
[20:08] <Seira> It is easy for Seira to agree with that statement. "Truth. However, I remain confused. Will you require additional gifts before you can control animals or throw a lightning bolt, to name two examples?"
[20:08] <Kotono> "I..." Nerylish shakes her head, "Master Irenes said he'd show us how."
[20:09] <Seira> "How did he first show you how to use your gift?" Seira questions. "Did it happen when you first met? Much afterwards?"
[20:11] <Kotono> "He..." Nerylish pauses, "Should I really talk about it? Master Irenes said other people won't really understand it."
[20:12] * Seira holds out her right arm, palm up, and a small globe of light springs into being an inch above it. "I'll understand," Seira says dryly. "Do continue, please."
[20:14] <Kotono> "Ooooh! Well..." Nerylish blushes, "Master Irenes, he...just...he did a ritual. He broke a gem into a glass and has us drink it. He said it was the first step to learning magical power."
[20:14] * Lyselle (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) has joined #dunes
[20:14] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Lyselle Lyselle
[20:15] * Seira nods thoughtfully. "Was there a second step?"
[20:16] <Kotono> "No, he said that was the start and then...that's magic!" A nod by NErylish. "He said you have to have the gift to use magic, but almost no one has it anymore."
[20:17] <Seira> "Curious." Seira ponders her next step. "Did you know any of the others before meeting Master Irenes?"
[20:18] <Kotono> A nod, "We all knew each other." Nerylish smiles, "He said it was unusual to see a group of people with the potential together, butthat it seems to be happening more lately."
[20:19] <Seira> "You all met Master Irenes together?"
[20:20] * Sailor_Saturn (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) has joined #dunes
[20:20] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Sailor_Saturn Sailor_Saturn
[20:20] * Lyselle (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Sailor_Saturn))
[20:20] * Sailor_Saturn is now known as Lyselle
[20:21] <Kotono> A nod, quick. "Hamand met him first and then we all did." A small nod at that, "It just..happened."
[20:21] <Seira> "When, if I might ask?"
[20:21] <Kotono> "It was a..." A deep frown at that, "A few weeks ago? It's all been so busy since them.":
[20:22] <Seira> "Hamand brought Master Irenes back to your home, where the rest of you met him a few weeks ago?" she asks to clarify.
[20:23] <Kotono> A nod to that.
[20:23] <Seira> "You said that there was a concentration of magical sites at this area, and it was the reason that Master Irenes would return?" Seira asks, changing tracks.
[20:24] <Kotono> "The ruins," Nerylish smiles and nods, "Seira, this is funny...you're a friend, aren't you? It's just so nice to talk to you."
[20:26] <Seira> "I can be a pleasant conversationalist when off duty," Seira informs her. "Having spoken to you, I do find myself reassessing you and your friends." She shakes her head, then. "But there will be time for all that later. For now, what can you tell me about the ruins?"
[20:28] <Kotono> "They're full of 'old magic', that's what Irenes said. He said what was in the bottom was the most powerful magic in the world." A solid, small nod at that, "He said there was even a sword there that could grant any wish, or a bracelet that made you heal faster than a troll, and those weren't even the real things of power."
[20:29] <Seira> "What else did he say?"
[20:29] <Kotono> "That he was going to figure it out and go there." A sure nod at that, "I know he will, no matter who has has to go to."
[20:29] <Kotono> *he has
[20:30] <Seira> "Do you know where the ruins are?"
[20:31] <Kotono> "They're just west of town - the ruins that are being explored and you hear about them occasionally."
[20:31] <Seira> "The way you spoke made me think of several locations," Seira elaborates. "Are there additional ruins?"
[20:32] * Ebiris (WinNT@user-544427fe.lns2-c10.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[20:32] * Shamal (WinNT@user-544427fe.lns2-c10.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris))
[20:32] * Ebiris is now known as Shamal
[20:32] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[20:32] <Kotono> "I...don't know," Nerylish said after a moment.
[20:33] <Seira> "He never spoke of more ruins than those west of town?"
[20:34] <Kotono> A shake of Nerylish' head after that.
[20:35] * Ebiris (WinNT@user-544427fe.lns2-c10.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[20:35] * Shamal (WinNT@user-544427fe.lns2-c10.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris))
[20:35] * Ebiris is now known as Shamal
[20:35] <Seira> "I can't believe I forgot to ask this. Master Irenes must be very talented and strong in the arcane. What is the strongest spell you have seen him use?"
[20:35] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[20:36] * Lyselle (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) Quit (Ping timeout)
[20:36] <Kotono> "He said the one that moved him on the wind was very powerful. He can go from here to anywhere with it, he said! From the Desert Fiefdoms to home to Malmuth, even." A slight frown at that, irritated.
[20:37] <Seira> "Did he get it from a gem, like you did your ability?"
[20:37] <Kotono> "I don't know," Nerylish shrugs. "He knows so much more about magic than I do."
[20:38] <Seira> "Yes, such is often the case between master and apprentice." Seira nods for good measure. "Have you ever seen him study spells from a book? Memorize them?"
[20:39] <Kotono> "You mean like magic books? HE did once to show us, but he said that's only one way to do it." A small nod at that, agreeable as the charm person holds her attention well.
[20:39] <Seira> "Do you know where he kept his magic books?" she asks, unable to resist.
[20:41] <Kotono> "No," Nerylish admits, looking down.
[20:41] <Seira> "I suppose I'll have to ask him when I see him," Seira says, somewhat down but not showing it. "Was he staying with you at your home when he wasn't in Malmuth?"
[20:42] <Kotono> "He stayed here he wanted. He can go where he wants, remember?" A quick, happy nod at that. "Just with those words."
[20:43] <Seira> "Have you seen him travel that way more than once per day, then?" Seira asks in surprise.
[20:43] <Kotono> Nerylish thinks, "I'm not sure," she admits after thinking a few mometns.
[20:44] <Seira> "Never mind, then. Did Master Irenes ever mention any names? People or places?"
[20:45] * Lyselle (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) has joined #dunes
[20:45] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Lyselle Lyselle
[20:46] <Kotono> "No, not really. He doesn't talk about himself that much..."Nerylish says after a little more thought.
[20:47] <Seira> "Not even where he was staying in Malmuth, or with whom? Where home was?"
[20:48] <Kotono> Nerylish shakes her head yet again, the time passing by as you chat. "He said it wasn't important."
[20:48] <Seira> "What about 'Ankisoth'? Has he ever mentioned that word?"
[20:49] <Kotono> "Ankisoth?" A thought by her, "Maybe?" A frown, thinking, "It sounds sort of familiar."
[20:50] <Seira> "What do you think when you hear that?"
[20:52] <Kotono> "It's familiary," Nerylish shrugs, as the time passes by. A fair bit has as Seira talks, surely the durations on her spells starting to be pushed.
[20:52] <Seira> "I felt a strange headache when I approached that store you were gathering at. Do you know why that was?"
[20:53] <Kotono> "Oooh! That! Master Irenes said that he has a special spell. It would stop lots of things, from my vision to finding spells to all of that. He said it's not the strongest, but it works on almost everything."
[20:54] <Seira> "Did you and your friends have other gathering places, besides your home and that store?"
[20:54] <Kotono> "That was it," Nerylish nods, "That was all of it. Nice places, don't you think?"
[20:55] <Seira> "Yes, very. It is a nice area. I might purchase property there, myself." Seira ponders. "Did you hide or conceal anything at either your home, that store, or elsewhere? A journal? Anything else?"
[20:56] <Kotono> "No," A shake of her head, "There was the box, but...that was it."
[20:57] <Seira> "I see," Seira says at length. "Now comes the hard part. I need to know everything about how you and your master got the scrolls and gems."
[20:59] <Kotono> Information comes, Seira listening. (Talked about OOC in PM, glazing over here.) Eventualy it ends, Seira coming out to finally rejoin her friends.
[20:59] * Seira indicates for them to follow her far enough out of the cell so that they wouldn't be overheard, first.
[21:03] * Berlioz coughs. "The girl is a bit transparent, come to think of it."
[21:03] <Seira> "If by that you mean she is so smitten it borders on an unnatural mental influence, perhaps even crossing into it...."
[21:04] <Shamal> "Never cast that on me, by the way," Shamal chimes in.
[21:04] <Seira> "I have a habit of not casting friend-making spells on friends," Seira affirms.
[21:04] * Berlioz nods. "Not only that, but her surface thoughs tended to come out as she spoke to you. She's clearly conflicted and confused, to the point that it's really obvious that this Irenes is simply using her and her comrades to do whatever bidding he's trying to achieve."
[21:05] * Shamal decides not to ruin the moment by making clear her lingering resentment over Rin's death and reactions thereof.
[21:06] <Seira> "I believe we should take a look at them with magical sight, to try and determine any foreign influences on their minds," Seira suggests. "It might work best with all three of us trying. Also--" she turns towards Shamal, "I have found out that the headaches we experienced were caused by Irenes's spell to foil detection. I do not believe the phenomenon will occur now."
[21:07] <Shamal> "I detected no magic upon any of them yesterday," the blonde observes.
[21:08] <Berlioz> "She knows very little herself, and she seems to think of Irenes as some kind of special person. Didn't think magic itself would impress your typical simpleton as much as it does, but I guess hanging around the Crimson Guard does that. On the other hand... we should keep an eye on any mystical ruins around this region. Nerylish's thoughts waned towards nearby ruins, brimming with lost arcana."
[21:09] <Seira> "I merely urge this as a precaution," Seira says in response, nodding at the blonde's words. "True, it is likely to come up empty, but it costs us nothing. And we could have been influenced by Irenes's spell at the time." She frowns, then. "Also, we must command the guards to place the prisoner John in chains. He can alter his form via a disguise, and I dare not conclude it is only visual, and not a true change."
[21:10] <Seira> "It would not hurt to reinforce the large man's chains and cell as well," she adds after a brief moment of consideration.
[21:12] * Shamal nods in agreement with Seira's conclusions. "For all that the spells they appear to have been granted are minor ones, it still seems extremely odd for this Irenes to gift them upon these people and then abandon them."
[21:13] <Seira> "He is capable of tracking them down and returning. That, however, will likely come later rather than sooner." Her attention captured by Berlioz's words, Seira says, "The only ruins she spoke of were the ones our country is exploring, off to the west. Perhaps the Commander will send us there for reconnaissance once we report back to him."
[21:16] * Berlioz nods. "We might want to deal with... John, yes? When I scryed his thoughts earlier, he seemed... quite altered. He was actually thinking magical words, in an otherwise incomprehensible language. He might provide a better standpoint for how much influence Irenes may hold."
[21:16] <Seira> "He was the first... human experiment," Seira says, her face twisting in disgust at the words.
[21:17] <Shamal> "I have an idea or two for dealing with Hamand thanks to the information we just learned, but I'll need time to prepare," Shamal begins, before blinking at Seira's phrasing. "What were the other experiments?" she asks worriedly.
[21:20] <Seira> "Nerylish only knew of herself and the other three," Seira supplies. "I cannot fathom they were the only ones, however. It would make no sense to conduct such delicate research in what amounts to enemy territory." A moment later, she elaborates, "Nerylish believes Irenes to hail from Malmuth. While my research revealed that he was not born there, he was indeed seen there somewhat recently. This is troubling." She eyes the prison's corridor, then. "I will brief you fully. First, though, let us conclude our business in this place."
[21:20] <Seira> She eyes the prison's corridor, then. "I will brief you fully. First, though, let us conclude our business in this place."
[21:20] * Shamal nods, content to follow Seira's lead for now.

[Corwin]

[21:25] <Kotono> ---
[21:26] <Kotono> So the group meets with the Commander again. It's a pleasant day outside, and inside your Commander slams down a large drink of water as you enter. "Come in, come in. Progress report?"
[21:26] <Kotono> So the group meets with the Commander again. It's a pleasant day outside, and inside your Commander slams down a large drink of water as you enter. "Come in, come in. Progress report?"
[21:28] <Seira> After the customary salute, Seira details the high points of her interrogation of the female prisoner, having briefed the others along the way, while adding Berlioz's insight from reading the woman's mind during said interrogation and their own conclusions to the facts of the case.
[21:28] <Seira> "And so, it may yet be another attempt by Malmuth to gain power, Sir. We cannot discount the possibility that this Irenes is their agent."
[21:29] <Kotono> "It makes sense in a very roundabout sort of way," Oberuth strokes his chin, scowling. "Assuming there are motives we don't understand, I can believe that. WEll then...those damned ruins, eh?"
[21:30] <Seira> "Sir," Seira states firmly, "I have been assigned this case and I do not consider it closed. May we have your permission to depart for the ruins and attempt to intercept Irenes there?"
[21:32] <Kotono> "Do you believe he's heading there?" Commander Oberuth interjects right away.
[21:36] <Seira> "Eventually," Seira concedes. "Not necessarily now, true. We cannot support such a claim with facts. But my instinct is telling me it is important for us to head there without delay, Commander."
[21:37] <Kotono> Commander Oberuth considers, his voice slow. "The word about the ruins makes a bit of popular rumor, but..." He strokes his chin again, "You haven't heard the reports from in there, have you?"
[21:38] * Seira is respectfully curious. "Sir?"
[21:39] <Kotono> Looking at each of them, Commander Oberuth steeples his hands together. "Have you heard that the ruins are dangerous, even if someone's been where you are already?"
[21:42] <Seira> "It is common sense for magical ruins to retain guardians," Seira ventures. "Is that the danger you speak of, Sir?"
[21:42] <Kotono> "Well, yes, but..." Commander Oberuth shakes his head, "Expiditions haven't even broached the first level. Further, dangers seem to replace and repair themselves."
[21:43] <Seira> "Should we succeed, then, Balmuria is to benefit from this," Seira proposes. "Is that not true, Sir?"
[21:44] * Shamal coughs. "I think what he's getting at, Seira, is that we're far more likely to die than succeed," she points out gently. "With no actual evidence that our suspect is even going to be there."
[21:46] <Kotono> "The ruins are perlious," OBeruth agrees, "It's getting attention because of that in certain circles. We grand som eapplications to go in. Some come back, some don't."
[21:46] <Seira> "I will wait here, Sir, at inaction, if that is your command," Seira says at length, acknowledging Shamal's words while looking straight at the Commander.
[21:47] * Berlioz sighs. "If that's the case, we could simply wait for the wizard to get mercilessly killed by those ruins, then, if he's intent on getting there?"
[21:47] * Seira twitches.
[21:49] <Lyselle> "We could await in ambush outside of them, but with a wizard such as that one, what is the chance we'd even be in place to intercept him regardless of the location we chose?" Lyselle offers, frowning. "We don't know where in those ruins he's going, how he'll get there, or other such information I'd personally deem necessary to ambush someone."
[21:49] <Kotono> "That assumes he fails," The Commander points out, sighing. "If he fails. If." The Commander closes his eyes a moment, rubbing his forehead. "I can grand you an application to go, but I'm not happy about thethought of sending you off into a possible suicide."
[21:50] <Kotono> *grant
[21:50] * Berlioz nods blankly, frowning a bit as he goes. "Seems like we're stepping on eggs as is. We will certainly have to deal with this Irenes sooner or later, but... I don't think we have the -methods- to track him down as is, even if we are right about his destination."
[21:51] * Seira looks at the others, before returning her eyes to the Commander. "Sir, may we peruse all the relevant data that has been gathered about the ruins so far? It will help us prepare, even if we do not leave right away."
[21:52] <Shamal> "We lack sufficient evidence at the moment to really make a decent attempt at tracking him down - even if we survive the ruins, there's no telling that he'd be there when we are, anyway," Shamal offers her thoughts. "Admittedly, all the tales of lost and powerful magic down there do intrigue me, but that's hardly relevant to the investigation."
[21:52] <Seira> "Not entirely true, Shamal," Seira interjects. "His true goal is the prize waiting below, not the ruins themselves. As long as we control that, he will come to us. On our terms."
[21:54] <Kotono> Commander OBeruth raises his hand, thinking, "Alright. This is a very dangerous mission if you do so, so tell me - do each of you wish to attempt this?"
[21:54] <Shamal> "Oh. That makes things so much simpler," the blonde smiles sweetly. "Pardon me for saying, but I think the deadly traps and defences of the ruins would be better at defending whatever's down there than we would be."
[21:55] * Berlioz snickers at Shamal. "You know, that's a fine point in and out of itself. I don't see anything wrong with trying to tracking down a shady wizard, personally. I just think that going as far as the ruins based on mostly conjecture from muzzled confessions is a bit hasty."
[21:56] <Lyselle> "I think in short that investigation into the matter as a whole may not be misplaced, but any attempt on the ruins would be a waste of resources and probably lives, and trying to capture him on site would be that as well as a shot in the dark," Lyselle offers her opinion, shrugging.
[21:59] <Berlioz> "We're not saying we should drop this investigation, far the contrary. It's just that we shouldn't simply jump like starving mongrels at the first easy theory that jumps to our eyes, especially when they're of a nigh-suicidal nature. We should study these affairs further first."
[22:01] <Kotono> Turning a bit before he gets up, "I'll grant you the records that are there. Go ahead and do your research first, but I tend to agree. Whomever or whatever put those ruins there had a strong interest in keeping people out. Do your homework at least." Standing, "A page will drop off the reports within a day. Dismissed for now."

[Corwin]

[19:59] <Kobreakfast> Okay. What knowledges do you have?
[20:00] <Berlioz> Geography and History. Lemme check the exact numbers (I think I raised at least one above 6).
[20:01] <Berlioz> Does Bardic Knowledge lore apply into this as well?
[20:01] <Kobreakfast> History will help. So will Bardic lore. Lemme cehck Bardic lore and decide which check you should use.
[20:02] <Berlioz> Okay. History is at 8, and has synergy with Bardic Knowledge.
[20:02] <Kobreakfast> Okay, make a knowledge history check with a +2 syngery bonus from bardic lore here.
[20:02] * Kobreakfast nods.
[20:03] <Berlioz> roll 1d20+13 for history!
[20:03] <Reiko-chan> 1,0Berlioz rolled :1,0 1d20+13 1,0for history! --> 1,0[ 1d20=18 ]12,0{31}
[20:04] <Kobreakfast> It takes Berli a lot of time and research, but he uncovers several tidbits of useful information:
[20:04] <Kobreakfast> Gnomes vanished a long time ago. While the memories of them in tales paint them as mere mischief makers, occasional things mention them as far darker. Berlioz's knowledge and first hand experience supports that. (More)
[20:05] <Kobreakfast> The name 'God-King Daa-vid' comes up one time in an old text, left over from the Malmuthian times of rule over the city and area. It mentions a power beyond 'the fairest star'. (More)
[20:07] <Kobreakfast> A cryptic bit from an old poem mentions 'The Resort of the First, power inflicting the worst'. (More)
[20:09] <Kobreakfast> An old tome talking about magic in reference mentions that golemwork 'originated with gnomes.'. (More)
[20:10] <Kobreakfast> After nearly a week of bashing the books and digging, Berlioz finds one last bit of information. It's a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a book, yet still so old as to nearly crumble when Berlioz finds it, tucked away in a long forgotten library, barely used since Malmuth sued for peace with the United Baronies. In handwritten words:
[20:16] <Kobreakfast> 'The bow, the sword, the dagger, the ring, the shield and the last. Do you ever dream about them again? Dream about the day when you'll go there; where the Eternes awaits? It's so bad that...your dream became your nightmare, gnome. - Talinn, seeker.'
[20:20] * Berlioz ponders repeatedly over the information gotten. In-between note-scribing, parchments containing interpretations of the notes, conjectures and hypotheses, a good few weeks pass by. What was found doesn't truly add all that much to the very little that is known - albeit it does clarify many points, steering towards the more obscure and interesting aspects of the gnomic lore - and its actual relevance to the world. "Hmmm..."

[Corwin]

[19:39] <Kobreakfast> ---------
[19:42] <Kobreakfast> After a day of work Shamal returns home. This is of little note for most, though a small contingent of wolves(Yet lead by a dog!) awaiting their master. They all seem to just now exactly what needs to be done, almost as if they're smarter than the average canine. But on going inside, you find Quapeth sitting on a chair, reclined back and eyes closed.
[19:45] <Shamal> "I'm home!" Shamal grins, taking a few moments to pet and play with her canine friends as a nice way to slough off the accumulated stresses of the day. Heading into the sitting room, she greets her other houseguest, "Good evening, Quapeth. How was your day?"
[19:45] <Kobreakfast> As you enter, you note Quapeth is pale like a sheet, a sheen of sweat over his body. He limply raises his head up, eyes glazed over.
[19:46] * Shamal blinks in surprise. "Oh, my!" she hurries over to the sickly looking elf, doing her best to diagnose what ails him. "You look terrible! What's wrong?"
[19:48] <Kobreakfast> OOC - Healing check. IC - "Green like the sea..." Quapeth mutters under his breath, "Smooth like forest emeralds?"
[19:48] <Shamal> roll 1d20+8
[19:48] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 and gets 23."12 [1d20=15]
[19:50] * Hatbot (~Hatbot@cpe-24-27-10-234.austin.res.rr.com) Quit (Hatbot)
[19:50] * Shamal sets mode: +v Reiko-chan
[19:56] <Shamal> "You... have you been speaking to strange women?" Shamal asks accusingly, already going to get her healing supplies so she mix up a remedy. She'll have prepare some magic tomorrow to help recovery, but this should help a bit.
[19:58] <Kobreakfast> "It came above the line..." Quapeth murmurs, voice distant and muddled. "Watching, watching, the smooth green eye."
[19:59] * Shamal sighs softly. She's not going to get much out of him tonight. Hopefully he'll feel better tomorrow... "Come on, let's get you to bed, we can talk about it in the morning," she suggests, helping the befuddled elf to his feet.
[20:00] <Kobreakfast> Helping him up, Quapeth heads to the bed in a daze...OOC - What's your plan of treatment, Shamal?
[20:01] <Shamal> OOC: generic healing tonight, I'll memorise lesser restoration tomorrow to help him recover any ability damage that rest doesn't clear up, then I'll ask what strange women he's been cavorting with.
[20:02] <Kobreakfast> What's your healing mod for the check?
[20:03] <Shamal> OOC: +8, so I can just take 10 on it
[20:03] <Kobreakfast> OOC - Okay.
[20:08] <Kobreakfast> Shamal does her thing and casts healing magicks. Quapeth slowly recovers under Shamal's ministrations, but his brow only slowly dries, his eyes needing time to clear. When at last the fever fades, he looks up at Shamal in a half daze. "...Shamal?"
[20:10] <Shamal> "Are you feeling better?" the blonde asks soothingly, setting aside the damp cloth she'd been using to cool his fevered brow. "You were delirious when I got home last night - I'm surprised you made it here at all given the state you were in."
[20:12] <Kobreakfast> "Barely...my leg still hurts," Quapeth looks on at you, strangely shaken. "The ocean...it's so beautiful, but what inside is horrible..."
[20:15] * Shamal casts another spell to hopefully alleviate any physical injuries beyond the actual disease. "I can't believe you somehow managed to run afoul of a Hag, here in Balmuria," she mutters incredulously, shaking her head slowly even as the healing magic begins to slowly mend Quapeth.
[20:15] <Shamal> OOC: Casting lesser vigour, 13hp healing over 13 rounds
[20:17] <Kobreakfast> "Funny..." Quapeth smiles a tiny bit as the energy flows into him, "I remember her words: 'It's preposturous that I've found an elf in this human city!"
[20:18] <Shamal> "Start at the beginning?" Shamal asks patiently, smoothing her skirt as she sits on her rocking chair next to the bed.
[20:19] * Lyselle (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) has joined #dunes
[20:19] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Lyselle Lyselle
[20:19] <Kobreakfast> "I...you remember when I stayed at the docks?" Quapeth begins.
[20:20] * Shamal nods, pursing her lips slightly. "Yes, you were acting strange even then..."
[20:22] <Kobreakfast> "It was hiding, just out of sight. She looked like a beautiful woman, like a Sea Goddess. I...I don't remember when I sunk into the water, but her touch let me breathe. We were under the waves when...she was..just...repulsive!" Quapeth shakes all over, "IN a grandmother's twisted voice she told me that an elf's vitality will do her over for a longer time than a human's."
[20:23] <Shamal> "How did you escape?" Shamal asks, pondering what to do. How long has this hag been lurking around the harbour, anyway?
[20:23] * Hotaru (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) has joined #dunes
[20:23] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Hotaru Hotaru
[20:24] * Lyselle (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Hotaru))
[20:24] * Hotaru is now known as Lyselle
[20:24] <Kobreakfast> "She let me go," Quapeth shrugs, "That evening. I washed up outside of town, headed here."
[20:27] <Shamal> "How uncommonly generous of her," Shamal mutters. "Mmm... anyway, you're not out of the woods yet - you only feel fine because I used magic to take away the symptoms, but the disease hasn't quite left your system. I'll get some of the guard together to investigate this - you met her at the same place I left you at before, yes?"
[20:27] <Kobreakfast> "Around there, yes," Quapeth nods, calmly. "..thank you, Shamal. I seem to owe you again."
[20:28] * Shamal gently pats the elf's arm. "Think nothing of it," she reassures with a smile. "Now, did she say anything else when you met her? Any clue could be important."
[20:29] <Kobreakfast> roll 1d20+
[20:30] <Reiko-chan> 1,0Kobreakfast rolled :1,0 1d20+ --> error: malformed expression
[20:30] <Kobreakfast> roll 1d20
[20:30] <Reiko-chan> 1,0Kobreakfast rolled :1,0 1d20 --> 1,0[ 1d20=4 ]12,0{4}
[20:30] <Kobreakfast> "I'm sorry," Quapeth frowns after a moment, "All I remember is how much she repulsed me."
[20:33] <Shamal> "That's alright," Shamal lets it slide. "I suppose you were enspelled, after all. There's food in the kitchen if you get hungry - the dogs have been fed so don't worry about them. I need to go rouse up the guard, myself," she explains, getting to her feet.

[Corwin]

[20:36] <Kobreakfast> ----
[20:37] <Kobreakfast> After research, time and effort the group returns to Commander Oberuth. He wears a breastplate and armor today, sitting and waiting. "Sit down, all of you," he waves, "At ease and get to the point. I assume each of you have read the reports by now?"
[20:37] * Seira nods in response, taking the seat.
[20:38] <Shamal> "I have," Shamal affirms as she slides herself into a seat.
[20:40] * Berlioz nods. "I've read the ruins reports, yes. Not exactly thrilled with the idea of getting in there anytime soon myself."
[20:40] <Kobreakfast> "I believe you understand better now why the ruins attract such interest and also such words of caution. We don't know what lies there, but the rumors of vast treasure are likely true, or something has gone to a God's amount of trouble to fool us." Oberuth ponders, stroking his wide chin. "You're the intelligent ones, the heads of the class and all of that important stuff and also versed in magic. What do you think of it?"
[20:42] <Seira> "We are unlikely to get much past the other teams should we venture to the ruins, Sir," Seira responds, "yet I have confidence we can avoid any deaths, armed with this information, proper preparation and, of course, caution."
[20:43] <Shamal> "Well, we already know that treasure is there, from the mage who found those enchanted warmaces," Shamal notes, steepling her fingers. "Also, we found a ruin in the barbarian lands recently that we believe was made by the same civilisation, and found more than our fair share of valuable artifacts."
[20:43] <Shamal> "Personally I think that these ruins might even house one of these fabled 'Resorts' - I presume you're familiar with the weapon Lord Khardon found in the far North, sir?"
[20:43] * Berlioz shakes head. "Balmuria as a country still lacks the man and firepower to tackle the exploration of the ruins. However, there's far too much to just leave them lying there. I believe that fortifying the guard around the ruins would be wise for now. But we are simply sending fodder to die by throwing soldiers -inside- the place."
[20:44] <Kobreakfast> "...you have my attention," Commander Oberuth instantly eyes Shamal. "That said...I agree with Berlioz. Normal soldiers are already forbidden from going in. How certain are you that a Resort could be in there?"
[20:45] <Seira> "This depends on whose we believe the ruins belonged to, Sir," Seira interjects. "Is there a sample of the writing one of the reports mentioned, which could not be deciphered?"
[20:46] * Shamal shakes her head. "It's merely speculation. But the ruin we found in the barbarian lands mentioned the existence of several, including an all powerful 'final resort'. Considering the scope of defences within these particular ruins, I think what's down there must be incredibly important to warrant such defences. Any one of the 'resorts' could fit the bill."
[20:47] <Kobreakfast> "No there isn't. You're referring to the room with engraven pillars?" Commander Oberuth considers, "Hmm. The mission to send you to try and steal Malmuth's magical sword was motivated in part by the fact that we lack magical arms - even a few can change the course of a battle. Khardon's Resort is such a weapon in the hands of the right person. If another was found?"
[20:49] * Berlioz ponders. "Well... I've seen more mention of such thing as a Last Resort, myself. Alongside mention of the other ones. I've been researching the gnomish matters for the last few weeks, and compiled my notes on the matter. This could give us a few leads..."
[20:49] <Shamal> Turning to Berlioz, Shamal smiles encouragingly. "What did you find out, Berlioz?"
[20:52] <Berlioz> "Well, it's pretty scattered as is. I've found a few vague leads regarding King Daa-vid's power, some tidbits over the origin of golemwork... but the most interesting thing is an old transcribed poem that regards the Resorts."
[20:53] <Kobreakfast> "Go on," Oberuth crosses his arms, "Elaborate." He waves his hand, a little hurry up gesture.
[20:54] <Berlioz> "The excerpt I read went... 'The bow, the sword, the dagger, the ring, the shield and the last. Do you ever dream about them again? Dream about the day when you'll go there; where the Eternes awaits? It's so bad that...your dream became your nightmare, gnome.' It's not really that much, but it at least indicates the actual veracity of the Resorts in some way, and how many/which are they."
[20:55] <Shamal> "So three are weapons, one is a ring, one is a shield... and then that mysterious last..." Shamal hums thoughtfully.
[20:57] <Seira> "Sir," Seira asks, sitting up straighter. "May I inquire as to the exact powers of the Resort currently in our hands? What is it that sets it apart from the magical weaponry we are familiar with?"
[20:58] <Shamal> "I tried to analyse it once myself but it defied my knowledge," Shamal offers, sounding a bit depressed.
[20:58] <Kobreakfast> "Six of them. One is mighty, two would be..." Oberuth looks downward, brow furrowed. "Seira? The blade is powerful indeed - it courses with twin elemental powers, and Khardon claims it struck a 'fatal blow' even on a large golem of ice."
[21:00] <Kobreakfast> A pause at that, "Take my sword, a strong weapon, for example." Oberuth stands, drawing it from it's sheath. It sounds metallic and raspy, yet flies lighter than a puff of air. "It's called Grand Striker, Goblin's Bane. Well suited for goblins - it can slay the strongest one of them even in a blow. While not suited for human warfare very well, it's still one of the stronger magical weapons our nation possesses."
[21:01] * Seira nods, listening attentively.
[21:02] * Shamal likewise seems quite interested in this topic.
[21:02] <Kobreakfast> "My sword is magical, powerful - yet it barely casts a shadow on the power of Khardon's resort. My weapon cuts through armor well, his slips through it as if it isn't there. My slays goblins, his turns his foes into twitching bodies, stricken by raw elemental might.'
[21:03] <Kobreakfast> "Speaking of..." The Commander puts his sword away, "Lyselle, Khardon will talk to you about your sword soon or later. As long as it's in our nation, it's a national treasure in case of war. Make sure nothing happens to it."
[21:05] <Kobreakfast> Sitting back down, Commander Oberuth considers. "Seira and Berlioz, as spellcasters, will studying the inscriptions on those pillars of stone help you decode what the meaning of this ruin is?"
[21:06] * Berlioz rubs his chin, pondering for a moment. "Quite frankly, it won't guarantee anything, but it's at the very least a start."
[21:06] <Seira> "Sir, while I now see the vast difference between the classes of magical weapons at our disposal, I cannot understand the reasoning for focusing on the Resorts. There is, after all, merit in quantity over quality, in sufficient numbers." As the Commander asks his question, she inclines her head. "A simple spell of the first circle alone would be able to translate the writing."
[21:06] * Lyselle lifts her eyebrows slowly, nearly choking on the term 'national treasure'. "I hope Balmurai will continue to entrust me with Shamal's work, then..." sahe answers, eyes a touch wide.
[21:07] <Shamal> "It's my finest creation ever," the blonde witch affirms proudly.
[21:09] <Kobreakfast> "Yes...They will, at least." A nod to Lyselle a moment, thinking. "There is truth in that, but even making basic magical arms is expensive and difficult. Finding a truly masterful single artifact can change the tide, or if dealt correctly fund much, much more."
[21:10] <Seira> "Thank you for sharing Balmuria's considerations with us, Sir," Seira responds, satisfied with the answer.
[21:11] <Kobreakfast> "Now then...are there any other matters?" Commander Oberuth asks, "If not, there is a Sir Farmsturt that wishes to speak with you - he contacted me recently. That aside?"
[21:12] <Shamal> "I have one issue, actually," Shamal clears her throat. "A guest of mine in the city was recently attacked by a Sea Hag at the harbour. Such a creature is far too dangerous to have lurking in our waters, so I would like to investigate and remove her."
[21:13] <Seira> "With regard to the apprentices of Irenes we captured, Sir," Seira raises another issue. "As there is evidence of mitigating factors, I would like to ask that lighter sentences were given."
[21:14] <Kobreakfast> "...what?" Commander Oberuth blinks owlishly, red face turning redder. "I wonder if that ruin is leaking...another magical occurance?" Oberuth considers that, rubbing his head, "Oh yes, and that. We're going to hold onto them for now. I have no intention of letting them go free, and execution them could be a waste of potential use or information."
[21:15] * Seira nods, before asking, "Which ruin would that be, Sir?"
[21:17] <Kobreakfast> "The mysterious one full of magic we spent the last half hour discussing?" Oberuth raises his eyebrow before putting it aside, huffing out. "Alright. As far as a possible sea hag, let it lie for the moment. Instead...We have a vested interest in finding out more about those ruins. I won't order anyone to go in there in good concious, but...you have permission to enter if you choose. Will you?"
[21:19] * Shamal doesn't look thrilled. "Well, if nothing else, I recommend increased patrols of the harbour to deter... swimmers. The Hag likes to lure people in by taking the form of a beautiful woman before she drains their life force. As for the ruins... I'm still leery, personally, and would prefer to investigate once we have a bit more experience of these matters. Perhaps speaking to Sir Farmsturt will shed more light on them, however?"
[21:25] <Kobreakfast> "Yes. We'll spare what manpower we can to increase dock patrols." OBeruth considers a moment, thinking. "In fact...I believe I'll personally go and investigate." Frowning as he thinks a few moments, "Just in case."
[21:26] <Seira> "It is surely as well as defeated, Sir," Seira says with a nod.
[21:26] <Shamal> "Er... it's only an illusion sir. The hag's true appearance is quite repulsive," Shamal cautions, before she blushes. "Um, not that I think you needed to be reminded or was implying anything, of course!"
[21:27] <Kobreakfast> Oberuth looks at the quiet heroes, "Go on and talk to Sir Farmsturt, and then decide. Hm..." Oberuth considers just half a second, "Seira, come with me for now. The others can contact Sir Farmsturt."
[21:28] <Kobreakfast> "..." Commander Oberuth gives Shamal a long, long loooong look...before he throws back his head and laughs. "Yes, how does your foot taste? Don't worry, no offense taken."
[21:28] * Seira nods silently, quite willing to follow the Commander.
[21:29] * Shamal just shrinks down in her seat, feeling mortified. "Sorry, but Quapeth seemed quite level headed as well and he was still enchanted..." she mutters.
[21:30] <Kobreakfast> "Well then, dismissed. Shamal, I've heard worse and seen worse mistakes. I'll be careful, if that makes you feel better."  With that, Commander Oberuth walks out.

[Corwin]

[21:39] <Kobreakfast> ----
[21:41] <Kobreakfast> A few minutes of walking, af ew minutes of watching Commander Oberuth go into the guard station, a short conversation with Captain Johannes there. It's very civil, but the orders are made blunt and clear.  Once that's done, the Commander heads out, and as you step into the warm air of the coming spring, "Apprehensive about going into the ruins?" he asks to break the silence.
[21:43] <Seira> "It would be trying on my own," she admits, though it isn't easy. "Better to gather more information to increase our collective chances before making the pitch, as it were, Sir."
[21:44] * Lyselle (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) has joined #dunes
[21:44] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Lyselle Lyselle
[21:46] <Kobreakfast> "Yes. You're often very...aggressive about accepting missions," The Commander pauses just half a second, "You took the proposed mission to trick Malmuth with vigor, only to get shot down. Does this one worry you more?"
[21:48] * Seira frowns. "I do not wish to have that experience again, that is all, Sir. I was sincere when I believed our chances of returning from the ruin alive and relatively in one piece were quite good. Unfortunately, I also do not believe we would be of much good beyond deciphering the aforementioned writings, unless we get a lucky break. An entire plan cannot be built upon luck, so it is merely a matter of how important the meaning of those writings is to Balmuria."
[21:49] <Seira> An entire plan cannot be built upon luck, so it is merely a matter of how important the meaning of those writings is to Balmuria."
[21:52] <Kobreakfast> "Yes. It's still a start - as word of this passes onto the capital, interest will continue to grow. If the ruin is a waste of time, finding out now would save us what resources we have." Commander Oberuth takes a long stop, then begins a quick pace towards the docks, the sea wind beginning to blow into your faces.
[21:55] * Seira keeps up. "I will see whether what new information we can gain from Sir Farmsturt will help me persuade my friends to go on this limited excursion, Sir."
[21:57] <Kobreakfast> "I hope so." Commander Oberuth agrees simply, going into silence. The walk to the docks is without interruption, only a few ships in today. It's a bit quiet, clouds rolling in from the sea. "...So. This hag gets your attention and...?"
[21:58] <Seira> "I'm not sure I follow, Sir," she says, exhibiting signs of mild confusion.
[22:01] <Kobreakfast> Walking towards the edge and lookign down at the green sea water of the Bay of Sparkling Stars, "This hag. I did say I'd investigate it myself, even if I have to swim in and drag it up by hand."
[22:03] <Seira> "I could limit myself to a mere observer, Sir," she says, cracking an excited smile which belies her fairly bland words. "Would that be acceptable?"
[22:04] <Kobreakfast> Looking down at the water, as you note a few patrolling guards looking your way with curiosity, "That's fine. If I do find it, arrow ro spell support would be handy." Oberuth kneels, "...though I suspect the trick will be finding it."
[22:05] * Seira nods, letting him work and content with observing.

[Corwin]

[18:59] <Kotono> roll 1d20
[18:59] <Reiko-chan> 1,0Kotono rolled :1,0 1d20 --> 1,0[ 1d20=17 ]12,0{17}
[19:01] <Kotono> OOC - Will you be peeking in the water at all, Seira?
[19:01] <Seira> OOC: Not yet! Observing him, not the water!
[19:02] <Kotono> The Commander kneels down, exploring the edge of the water, walking along. About twenty minutes of time ticks by as he does a loop of the docks. Seira also does not see anything notable as they go, the minutes ticking by. "Damnations," Commander Oberuth mutters to himself, "Hmm. Shamal seems to have a knack at finding water creatures. Does she do anything in particular that you've noticed?"
[19:03] <Seira> "She summoned a sea creature once, but that was only after spotting her target, Sir."
[19:06] <Kotono> "Not an option," The Commander snorts to himself, before wiping his brow with the back of his arm. "Well, that does hint that I might need to go into the water myself." As he speaks, her starts fiddling with his breastplate, "Would you hold this, Seira?"
[19:07] * Seira holds the breastplate!
[19:08] <Kotono> Down to red underpadding and light clothes, the Blonde Bear takes a breath. Oh, you're getting some attention, a few soldiers pointing and looking, some sailors pausing duties to peek. "...Seira, do you know how to swim?"
[19:09] <Seira> "I sink like a rock, Sir," she reports. "I never had reason to learn."
[19:11] <Kotono> "Well, even more incentive that I don't," Oberuth smiles just a moment, before kneeling down and diving into the water. Despite his size he doesn't make much of a splash, swimming well before starting to dive down.
[19:12] * Seira keeps an eye on him as he swims, as well as on any threats.
[19:13] <Kotono> OOC- Spot check, I suppose.
[19:16] <Seira> roll 1d20+5
[19:16] <Reiko-chan> 1,0Seira rolled :1,0 1d20+5 --> 1,0[ 1d20=18 ]12,0{23}
[19:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 searching
[19:18] <Reiko-chan> 1,0Kotono rolled :1,0 1d20+10 1,0searching --> 1,0[ 1d20=9 ]12,0{19}
[19:21] <Kotono> You see Commander Oberuth take long laps of the bay, swimming with easy energy as he dives deeper in. Around ships he goes, plunging into the clear green depths. Eventually he returns to Seira, soaking wet and floating in the water nearby. "Something's disturbed the sea bed somewhat, but it doesn't seem to be nearby."
[19:23] * Seira offers him a spare cloak in lieu of a towel. "Perhaps it has fed off enough of Shamal's friend for the time being, Sir."
[19:24] <Kotono> "Perhaps," Oberuth takes the cloak and quickly tries, taking his breastplate back. "If it isn't dealt with soon, I'll talk to SHamal about it. She is the expert here."
[19:26] * Seira nods.
[19:30] <Kotono> Smoothing back his now soggy and drooping hair, "I'll pass along any more sightings if anything happens. Dismissed for now, and good fortune with the ruins if you go." With that, Commander Oberuth heads for the nearest set of buildings, a small sailor's pub in particular.

[Corwin]

[19:59] <Kotono> ----
[20:02] <Kotono> Sir Farmsturt lives just out of Balmuria. It's a small farmstead to the west, a few fieldhands starting to work the fields for the coming seasons. On arrivin gat the sprawling two story house, you find Sir Farmsturt answering the door. A tall, gangling may well into his middle age, steps swift. "Ooooh. Good! You've come - you're the ones who sold the gnomish artifacts, aren't you?"
[20:03] <Shamal> "That's right," Shamal smiles genially as she nods. "Lieutenant Shamal Velka, at your service," she introduces herself.
[20:04] * Hotaru is now known as Lyselle
[20:04] * Berlioz lightly raises his eyebrow. "Berlioz Finley. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
[20:05] <Kotono> "Come in, all of you," Sir Farmsturt steps back, hair a mess of silvery gray, well brushed in theory, but spilling all over. It's a nice house, you know - the walls are dark toned wood, a solid stairway leading to the second floor. A few doors down on the secondf loor is a library, a small collection of books and chairs. "Seat yourselves, my wife should bring up refreshments in a few minutes."
[20:07] * Shamal idly glances over the books to see if there's anything interesting or recognisable as she slowly sits herself down.
[20:09] <Kotono> Most of them don't have titles on the spine, but you note a geography book and a history book or two. Scholary things, mostly. "So, I'd like to ask, where did you find those artifacts?"
[20:10] * Lyselle paysmore attention to the construction as she follows Shamal's example, smiling and seating herself as she watches their host. He seemed a curious knight, or whatever his actual position might be...he was clearly more of a scholarly bent.
[20:11] <Shamal> "We found a strange earthen dome out in the barbarian lands," Shamal begins, giving rough details of its approximate location. "It was odd enough to investigate further, and we were able to see inside that it was clearly hollow and artifical, and there was evidence of powerful magic having once been used on the interior of the dome, so we decided to explore it - it went rather deep underground."
[20:12] <Kotono> "I see, I see, I see." A nod to himself, head drooping low, "That does sound like a gnomish fortress - all the surviving examples I've seen are ones that connect to the surface via a small dome or vent and then expand downward."
[20:14] <Shamal> "So you've found others yourself?" Shamal asks, leaning forward with interest.
[20:15] * Asrana (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) has joined #dunes
[20:15] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Asrana Asrana
[20:15] <Kotono> "A few - there was one discovered in Burksut, a far southern town in Malmuth, and there are ruins of one in the Desert Fiefdoms as well. They're not common, and the ones I've seen had all been found before and at least partially looted. Was yours..." He pauses, breathing out, "Intact?"
[20:16] * Lyselle (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) Quit (Ping timeout)
[20:18] * Lyselle (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) has joined #dunes
[20:18] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Lyselle Lyselle
[20:19] <Shamal> "Not... as such," Shamal shakes her head slowly. "I believe it was in the same state the gnomes left it in, however - there was a golem there. It told us little, but did say how most of the residents left, and those that didn't leave..." she breathes out deeply before forging on, "At the very bottom we found a being of pure energy. It spoke of how it had destroyed the mortal heretics; the followers of Daa-Vid."
[20:21] * Asrana (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) Quit (Ping timeout)
[20:22] <Kotono> "By Helm..." Sir Farmsturt looks on, "That's an archelogical discovery of a lifetime. A golem and...Was that some sort of being connected to why the gnomes vanished?" Sir Farmsturt nods to himself again, thinking. "As you can tell if you look at the world, gnomes are nothing more than a legend to most. Yet all the record I've found point that they were extremely strong in the past."
[20:25] <Shamal> "From the implications I got, they challenged the Gods, and were struck down to the last for their heresy," Shamal explains, thinking back to her conversation with the luminescent figure. "It would have slain us, but said we were protected by Helm. It did mention those who worship the 'False Ones' would be struck down - I presume that to mean the Gnomish God-King Daa-Vid, but I know of no others."
[20:28] <Kotono> "Yes, yes...that would make sense..." Farmsturt murmurs to himself, going and taking a book from his bookshelf, skimming it to a page in the middle, reading. "Yes, yes, yes. The gnomish ruins I've seen also tend to have abnormal...battle scars, if you will."
[20:31] <Shamal> "We only found a single corpse, which does strike me as a bit odd, actually..." Shamal considers. "It was directly below the being we encountered at the bottom, and we assumed it to be the General in charge of the facility... Oh! And the golem described the place as 'Prison Fortress 19', so that means there's at least 18 others, in addition to who knows how many other kinds of gnomish facilities still out there."
[20:34] <Kotono> "A whole mountain of them, if they can be found..." Farmsturt goes to his book, flipping wildly through the pages. "A strong magical aura - it's magic was intact? Any magic in the others had long since collapsed. They were like dusty old graveyard, but you found one with a golem?"
[20:35] * Berlioz nods blankly. "Yes. And the magical wards were still very strong - as if they've never even waned."
[20:35] <Shamal> "There was only faint magic on the first level, what I think used to be a teleportation circle, but everything past that was fully intact, yes," Shamal agrees. "Said defences didn't seem to be triggered by the being that slew them, but we set them off," she concludes a bit sheepishly.
[20:36] <Kotono> "Gods, what still lurks under there? A wizard with the time and the proper training - old Irenes would've loved this..." Going back and forth, he paces and goes for another book. "Even the minor leavings are valuable - gnomecraft of various levels is superior to steel masterwork. But even the strongest pales to what whispers are between the pages of the stories..."
[20:37] * Shamal almost chokes on that, sitting up rigidly. "You know Irenes?"
[20:37] <Lyselle> "...Irenes?" Lyselle asks sharply, lifting her eyebrows and frowning darkly.
[20:38] <Kotono> "Hm, hm? Yes, yes I do, I knew him from exploring the Malmuthian ruin," Farmsturt murmurs absently, "Good fellow, investigating what he could about them. Shame that I can't go there anymore...hmph. Stupid new Malmuth." Scowling as he filps more pages, "But yes, yes. "
[20:39] <Shamal> "He's wanted for Grand Theft Arcana in Balmuria," Shamal points out as respectfully as she can. "Perhaps you should choose your associates with more care, sir."
[20:40] <Kotono> "...really? Really?" HE stops and turns, even if his nose is still in the book, reading and flipping ardently. "...oh. My, my. I did not think him the type, but perhaps he's gotten desperate in his old age."
[20:41] <Shamal> "Perhaps he has... when did you last see him, and would you have any idea on his current whereabouts?" the blonde asks, hoping he'll be as free with his information as she's been with hers.
[20:42] <Kotono> "Oh, it was...ten years ago? Twenty? No, closer to twenty." A savvy nod at that, "It's been a long time. He was investigating the gnomish ruins and magic connected to them."
[20:43] <Shamal> "Oh, well," Shamal looks disappointed. "Back to these gnomish ruins, then, yes?"
[20:46] <Kotono> "Hm? Oh yes, the ruins...what did you find in them? Anything else of interest?" he inquires.
[20:50] <Shamal> "A few simple magical scrolls - the spells on them are well known even today," Shamal begins to list off, "Some armour, most of which was rotten or rusted to uselessness except from a single buckler. Various documents relating to prisoners and a war against some unknown foe."
[20:50] <Shamal> "A magical amulet, some potions of remove fear - still fresh after all this time, and some metal which we had forged into a rather nice weapon for Berlioz," she gestures to the bard. "Oh, it probably doesn't matter if you haven't seen him for so long, but if you do run into Irenes again, it goes without saying that you shouldn't aid him with any of the information we've found."
[20:51] <Kotono> "Oh yes, yes, I suppose so, in the name of justice..." A pause as he flips int he book, "OH! Did you find Alatrium? Bluish cast? Could I see that weapon?"
[20:54] * Berlioz coughs. "You mean, my rapier? Um... well... I... guess", the bard stutters, slowly unsheathing the rapier.
[20:55] <Kotono> On seeing the wicken, pain inflicting, catch and hook lined weapon, Sir Farmsturt whistles. "Indeed, that has to be made of it - you see, the records mention that it's an artificial alloy designed to make weapons that are excessively painful and crippling and defensive, wizard compatible armor if you know how to use the metal."
[20:56] <Shamal> "Oh, if we find some more it might make a nice chain shirt for Seira in that case," Shamal notes with a smile. "The blacksmith was confident in making a good weapon with it, but didn't think it would make armour any better than normal."
[20:57] <Kotono> "I'm not sure you could make it properly without the right training or learning..." He frowns as he thinks, "It's mentioned as requiring a skilled hand. Yes, yes, if you find more it's still a noble effort. That's a fine weapon you have there, young man."
[20:59] <Shamal> "A shame no gnomes are left to explain how... I suppose she'll just have to save up for mithral," the blonde nods smugly.
[21:00] * Berlioz nods with a sigh, and resheathes the rapier.
[21:00] <Kotono> "A shame, a pity, such learning could be superbly useful." Finishing his book flipping, "Well then, hmmm. A shame a true relic wasn't left behind. The rumors of what Irenes was tracking down...heh. Now that was a magnificent thing!"
[21:00] <Shamal> "What was he tracking down, if I may ask?" Shamal prods.
[21:02] <Kotono> "A ring." A nod at that, "A ring like no other. He said it had as much protection as even the greatest protective ring, and greatly enhanced the very spirit of the wearer. It was supposed to be gnomish, but I've never found anything that directly comments on it."
[21:02] <Kotono> "Oh yes...of course, he got sidetracked later," Farmsturt taps his chin as he thinks, "Those magic gems, and then going off to search...at least I know he came back well."
[21:03] <Shamal> "Interesting... did he have any ideas on its whereabouts?" Shamal asks, before blinking, "You know about his interest in gems of imbuing? That's what he stole in Balmuria."
[21:04] <Kotono> "Oh?" A crook of his head to the side, "A relic one or one of the new ones beginning to appear?"
[21:05] <Shamal> "It had a rare spell on it, but I'm unsure of the details," Shamal admits.
[21:05] <Kotono> "Hmmm. A rare spell...I'm no wizard, but Irenes was certain someone had rediscovered the secret to creating them." A nod, "Of course...of course, if someone had, he said even a normal person could become magical."
[21:06] <Lyselle> "Seira knew more...she seemed surprised about its presence here," Lyselle offers, shrugging a bit.
[21:06] <Kotono> "Seira?" A look to Lyselle, "Young lady, who is that? Another of your friends?"
[21:08] <Lyselle> "She goes with us on most things," Lyselle answers, smiling faintly. "She was at the gnomish fortress and the like. A half-elven wizard with some rather dextrous extra interests."
[21:09] <Kotono> "My, hm, hm. A half elf, you say? Could I meet her?" His interest picks up even more.
[21:13] * Lyselle glances at Shamal, giving a slight shrug. "We will propose it to her the next time we meet with her," Lyselle offers, nodding. "I do not know how busy Commander Oberuth intends to keep her."
[21:14] <Kotono> "I would appreicate it. A half elf..." He muses, going to another book and wildly flipping it's pages, reading at a fevered pace. "So many interesting things going on. I need to talk to her, I think. Could you come back with her?"
[21:15] <Shamal> "We can ask her," Shamal shrugs herself, wondering a bit at the interest.
[21:16] <Kotono> "Thank you." A nod to the party, "I'll be here, so just bring here when the all of you are ready?"
[21:19] <Shamal> "Er... okay?" Shamal looks a bit put out at the apparent dismissal, getting to her feet. "Thank you for your hospitality, Sir Farmsturt. It was a most enlightening discussion." She'd honestly hoped to learn more, but now it almost looks like she's one of the foremost authorities on Gnomes and no one can tell her anything new and useful. How odd.
[21:20] * Lyselle blinks at the seeming sharp turn they took on the subject of elflings with nimble fingers, just nodding and following Shamal to stand. "We'll see what we can do," she agrees.
[21:23] <Kotono> "Thank you, thank you," he nods once more, "Until then?"
[21:24] * Corwin is now known as Seira
[21:24] * Lyselle (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) Quit (Bah, work. -=SysReset 2.53=-)
[21:26] <Kotono> The next day the party arrives back at the Farmsturt, well, farm. An older woman lets them in, smiling as the party heads towards the library. On entering, they find Sir Farmsturt there, pouring over books, a few dozen sprawled about the cozy, comfortable room. "Sit down...Seira, is it?" he says, on seeing the half elf enter.
[21:26] * Seira dips her head in the affirmative.
[21:28] <Kotono> "Your friends said you knew something about the spells of imbued magic?" he inquires, "And about the gnomish ruins?"
[21:30] <Shamal> "Actually, Seira saw a bit less of the ruins than myself and Lyselle. But she can tell you about the gem that Irenes stole, certainly," Shamal chimes in.
[21:30] <Seira> "One of the spells was of elven origin," she responds, shrugging lightly. "As for my knowledge of the gobin ruins, I do not believe it is better than that of the others."
[21:33] <Kotono> "Mmm, elven origin?" A curious look there, pondering. "Elven...you see, near the end of his research, before we parted, Irenes was becoming convinced that an elf was invovled in the spell gems reappearing. A unique elven spell being in a such a gem would fit that."
[21:35] <Seira> "His name was Sandalphon," Seira elaborates, sharing what her research found on the ancient mage.
[21:36] <Kotono> "Sandalphon...doesn't ring a bell." Farmsturt goes back to sitting, "Hmm. Can you trace the stolen gem back at all? Perhaps it was stolen from an elf in the city?"
[21:38] <Seira> "It seemed like it legally belonged to a human merchant," she muses. "I had no cause to doubt him."
[21:39] <Kotono> "Hmmm, curious, curious..." Frowning as he pours over another book, "Ah well, for the moment then...all that and return to the original issue. Tell me then, are you still interested in the gnomes at all?"
[21:41] <Shamal> "Most certainly," Shamal affirms.
[21:42] <Kotono> "Well then...you've given me a  good deal of information. Do you have any questions? My studies are far from complete, but I can tell you what I've found thus far." A pause, "The secrets of the gnomes. Lost artifacts, metal alloys, spell gems and even more, all somewhere resting in the ground."
[21:43] <Shamal> "The best way to learn is by seeing for yourself, so do you know of any ruins that have not been fully explored?" Shamal asks hopefully.
[21:43] * Berlioz kindly interrupts. "Um... if you're willing to borrow your notes, I'd want to take a look at them. I've started some research on the gnomish matters recently, and anything would help."
[21:43] <Seira> "Any knowledge you would have on the ruin Balmuria is currently trying to investigate would be appreciated as well, Sir," Seira chimes in.
[21:44] <Kotono> "Heh...If I did, I would remedy that state myself, young lady," FArmsturt laughs a little, slapping his knee. "You're welcome to them, young man. As for ruins, the Desert Fiefdoms are not adverse to letting you poke in the one they've found if you ask nicely in diplomatic, gold tinged ways. And..hm? Do you mean THE ruin, Seira?"
[21:46] <Seira> "Yes, Sir."
[21:46] <Kotono> "I don't know much, only rumors. But if you seek an unexplored ruin, that place is as unexplored as they come." He strokes his chin, "I've heard nothing near success regarding it's depths. I'm not sure if it's gnomish or something else, but...I wouldn't be surprised at all if itw as."
[21:47] <Kotono> "It's underground and seems to be long forgotten by all information. That fits the bill, but perhaps this one's magic is still active?" He shrugs, "In that case, you're walking into a well defended fortress. It's not impossible, but the gnomes were experts with magic."
[21:48] <Seira> "Are you versed in goblin magic, Sir?"
[21:48] <Kotono> "Goblin magic?" A quirk of his head, "Shamanism and the like, dimly so. Why?"
[21:50] <Seira> "Knowledge is power. Knowing what one faces upon entering the goblin ruins may be key towards preparations, and countering the inherent magic."
[21:50] <Kotono> "Goblin ruins? Do you think goblins made that place?" Now Farmsturt stops, blinking long, "As in, little goblins like the ones that live in the Barbarian Lands?"
[21:50] * Shamal coughs. "Ah... it's gnome ruins, Seira. Goblins live in wooden huts," she corrects gently but just a bit smugly.
[21:52] <Seira> "Ah, so they are." Seira snaps her fingers. "Shamal, you seem awfully smug lately. Did anything good happen with your houseguest?"
[21:53] <Shamal> "Since catching hag fever can't be described as good, I'd say no," the blonde replies, nonplussed. "Did the commander have any luck tracking her down, by the way?"
[21:54] <Seira> "No, but his swimming technique was very professional."
[21:56] <Kotono> "Yes, the gnomish ruins..." Farmsturt nods again, "If you go to the new ruins, just be as prepared as you can. As for the rest..hm? Swimming?"
[21:56] <Shamal> "Sea hag," Shamal replies, shaking her head with a stern expression. "Don't ask."
[21:57] * Lyselle (~dragomirs@225-52-77-204.sptc.mnscu.edu) has joined #dunes
[21:57] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Lyselle Lyselle
[21:58] <Kotono> "Ah yes...right. Anyway," Putting that aside, "Did you have any other questions?"
[21:59] <Shamal> "Can you tell us about the kinds of gnomish artifacts you're familiar with?" Shamal asks, hoping for an idea of what they might find besides the things they saw in the last ruin.
[22:03] <Kotono> "Yes. Firstly are Alatrium weapons. You'll know them because they look like wicked, barb or hook filled. On a solid hit, they'll do more damage than any other normal weapon and generally cause you a lot of pain. The stronger ones are so good at it that they can even make you fall in mid battle, writhing."
[22:04] <Shamal> "Without magic?" the blonde queries, wondering just what would be involved in that feat.
[22:05] <Kotono> He nods, "Yes. Beyond whatever was used to make the alloy. It's amazing stuff if crafted properly." So he goes on, "Anything can have magic in those ruins  - I suppose it doesn't matter since you won't find anything living, but they did invent those spell gems. Magic will permeat it - take suitable precautions."
[22:08] * Shamal nods. "Anything else on the subject of artifacts?"
[22:09] <Kotono> "Yes, yes." He goes to a book, flipping it open. "Magical defenses - gnomes were fond of a basic fear effect. Very potent if you aren't prepared. Past that...there are said to be great artifacts invovled with the gnomes. I mentioned one of them to you, a magical ring. If what is saida bout the God King is true, they're probably as powerful or more powerful than anything else in the world."
[22:12] * Seira frowns thoughtfully. "What about traps, magical and mundane?"
[22:13] <Kotono> "Traps? There weren't any mundane - only failing magical ones. Poison gas, summoned guardians, loud alarms. Oh yes, visages of fear - portraits of God King Daa-Vid enchanted to strike fear into any that see it. Texts references other grisly things - fire traps, teleportation loops and collapsing and retracting walls."
[22:21] <Shamal> "What of the gnomes themselves - do you know anything about their activities before they vanished? Their relations with other races?" Shamal asks, recalling the reference to a war in some of the literature she found in the ruins.

[Corwin]

[21:04] <Kotono> "Poor. They hated humans and elves. I'm not sure about dwarves, despite both living underground." A light, thinking shrug as he goes on. "The society was militaristic, with God King Daa-Vid leading them. His magical skill was said to be without peer, but most of the sources aren't entirely unbiased." A small, soft snort there. "But yes, yes. He was most powerful, then...they vanished. If what you said is true, then the Gods were the reason why
[21:05] <Kotono> then the Gods were the reason why. The God King Daa-vid...did he do something so horrible? From magical mastery and creations, to the world of today." (More)
[21:05] <Kotono> Farmsturt stands, pacing. "Yes...yes. It does explain a few things, and why..." Meandering to himself, "By Helm...heh. Perhaps it's the will of the Gods - you said you were blessed by Helm?"
[21:06] * Shamal nods, smiling a little. "The Vigilant One approves of our devotion to our duty," she affirms. "I do worry what would have happened to us without that blessing, though. The being we encountered did not seem friendly at all when we first encountered it."
[21:08] <Kotono> "He has never forgotten his duty, even to the half forsaken children of our world. In old texts, the blessings of the Gods were far more common. Such rage, such wrath..." So he considers and goes on, pacing back and forth. "One text mentioned an artifact, a great magical rod that could resurrect the dead...but now, rare is the one the Gods permit to come back. I do wonder..."
[21:09] <Lyselle> "The sensation of the creature's 'testing' wasn't particularly encouraging at first," Lyselle agrees, shrugging and frowning. "The prison records point to a war in general, though not JUST with the gods. And moreso, didn't the golem say something about collecting the Resorts to 'take his rightful place'?"
[21:09] * Ebiris_ (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[21:09] * Shamal (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris_))
[21:10] * Ebiris_ is now known as Shamal
[21:10] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[21:10] <Shamal> "Perhaps the disappearance of the Gnomes and the withdrawal of the Gods are related?" Shamal posits, following on from his thought.
[21:11] <Seira> "It did," Seira agrees with a nod at Lyselle. "Do you believe it would happen if mortals collected them as well, as long as they were all brought together?"
[21:11] <Kotono> "Yes, a war. As I said, humands, elves and gnomes did not get along. There is a reference to the 'Campaign of the Heavens' in a few late texts. Of the God King Daa-vid's march to his throne."
[21:13] <Kotono> "Golems..." Pondering further, "Servants to gnomes, creatures of pure magic into matter. They are fearsome guardians - where one is, something great lies, yes." He nods on that thought, "Those Resorts - what of them?"
[21:14] <Shamal> "They're supposedly powerful weapons, but who knows if they're legend or not?" Shamal says quickly, not wanting a colleague of Irenes, former or otherwise, to know too much about them, or especially the fact that someone in Balmuria has one.
[21:15] <Kotono> "Mmmm. Powerful weapons - one of the text makes very oblique references to the vestiments of the God King. I had not thought much of it, as there are many stories of gnomish artifacts." Pondering even more..."Perhaps you will want to see this passage." He goes to the top shelf, removing books and taking out a small scroll from the rear. "It was my best find."
[21:16] * Shamal leans over to take a look.
[21:17] * Seira is interested in the book as well.
[21:18] * Lyselle leans in, if not quite as much. Who knows if she could even read it?
[21:19] <Kotono> It's unrolled, put down on the table. There is foreign writing painstakingly copied, with translation in Common below each line. "Be warned, the translation is slightly literal." With that, the scroll is read. "The Heavenquake. Vestiments together, when the final bell will toll on the plate. Our God-King shall rise and reclaim his rightful place in Creation! Sit long on the throne, oh God King!"
[21:21] * Seira takes a look at the foreign writing, trying to determine whether it's one she knows, or at least had encountered before.
[21:21] <Kotono> Seira can tell that it looks like the gnomish she has seen before.
[21:23] <Seira> "So some survived their God-King's fall," she muses. "At least, for a while."
[21:24] <Kotono> "Perhaps, perhaps not," Farmsturt murmurs, "You see...you see, this is a very old document, but in the late period. It could be before it or after, but if gnomes survive, they do not wish to be seen by others."
[21:24] <Seira> "It is easy to imagine why," she agrees.
[21:25] * Ebiris_ (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[21:25] * Shamal (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris_))
[21:25] * Ebiris_ is now known as Shamal
[21:25] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[21:26] <Kotono> "THough..all things consideres, yes, yes, that makes too much sense," Farmsturt agrees a few moments later, "Very. Then, if you are blessed by Helm...I came to become a worshipper of the Great Watcher a long time ago. I had not thought this story would ever matter to this hobby of mine, but perhaps it does now." He bows his head and considers, "Shamal, I may be able to grant your request after all."
[21:27] <Shamal> "Hmm... is it implying that Daa-Vid had a contingency in place to ensure his ressurection, perhaps?" Shamal wonders, before perking up. "Oh? What do you mean?"
[21:30] <Kotono> "AT the ends of the United Baronies, there are a few small, old churches in the mountains. It was the county of...Pilltain, was it? A Temple of Helm is built there - a strange place, as they do not often see visitors. I chanced on after a long, hard trip in the winter..." (More)
[21:32] <Kotono> "Being stuck in a snowstorm, I obtained shelter there. When I slept, I dreamed. In my dreams, I saw myself exploring an old ruin as I had before, but under the floor, I could see that an ancient magical trap was stirring. My foot was about to step down and trigger it, unaware - but at the last moment I paused, suddenly thirsty. I stepped back and drank water, then walked right past it. I had done that 2 years before I came to that temple." (Mo
[21:34] <Kotono> "I woke up in a cold sweat, remembering...Just...I joined the priests in prayer that morning, and it felt right. I talked to the headmaster of the temple, who was certain Helm had saved me - and that just felt -right-, too. He said that the Watcher protects those who always remember their duty."
[21:35] <Seira> "A most remarkable tale of survival," Seira comments.
[21:36] <Shamal> "Perhaps the Gods are more subtle, but no less present in this age?" Shamal murmurs softly. "You think there is more undiscovered in that particular ruin?" she then asks, focusing on the details.
[21:36] <Lyselle> "How long ago was this?" Lyselle asks, raising her eyebrows at Farmsturt and humming a little.
[21:37] <Kotono> "It is. I've always believed that Helm protected me - for some duty, perhaps? I don't entirely know." With this, the older man merely goes on, thinking. "I am not sure about more there, but let me finish my tai-hm? IN my youth. I believe there was a war drumming up, which is why I made haste and was caught in the snowstorm. Apparently that's not uncommon there, or was back then."
[21:38] <Shamal> "Oh," Shamal nods, chastened. "Please, by all means continue," she gestures for him to go on.
[21:38] * Lyselle nods, frowning faintly.
[21:39] <Kotono> "Hmmm." Farmsturt pauses, stroking his chin thoughtfully, back and forth. "Hmmm. I left a few days later when the snowstorm finished. The headmaster casually mentioned that this temple was very...special place for worshippers of Helm to go, or those that were protected by him."
[21:42] <Shamal> "What was special about it?" the blonde asks.
[21:45] <Kotono> "When I asked him that, he smiled and said, 'The Watcher hasn't forgotten his duty. You'll remember those words to someone, one day. Be well, traveler, and may Helm watch you as he watches here.'
[21:45] <Seira> "Can you tell us how to find this temple?"
[21:46] * Ebiris_ (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[21:46] * Shamal (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris_))
[21:47] * Ebiris_ is now known as Shamal
[21:47] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[21:47] <Lyselle> "If it's still standing," Lyselle adds quietly, still frowning and shrugging a little. "That whole area was a complete mess ten years ago or so...hard to know how much it's improved."
[21:47] <Seira> "If Helm was truly looking after his worshippers, there is a good chance of that," Seira comments.
[21:48] <Kotono> "If you like," He begins, "Pilltain - or what it was, I recall hearing that it was absorbed by another county, thinking on it - It's northwest, past the plains and on the rugged mountains on the rainward side. If you go over them, you'll go right into nasty desert."
[21:48] <Kotono> "...Oh yes, you know about that?" Farmsturt asks Lyselle, "I...I suppose so then."
[21:49] <Shamal> "I think it might be worth looking into anyway," Shamal speaks up. "The Gods do not act without deliberation in this age."
[21:51] <Lyselle> Lyselle's answering expression is a touch stormy, shrugging and sitting up. "Pilltain was at one point my inheritance. My father conquered it in a blood feud," she answers quietly, just shrugging. "It was divided up later on, there's probably a half-dozen counties with parts of Pilltain within their borders."
[21:52] <Kotono> As Berlioz nods thoughtfully in the background, Farmsturt smiles. "I wish you all the luck in the world and heavens if yo-oh. Well. I suppose I see now." Coughing and clearing his throat, "That explains much. Which county was your father ruling?"
[21:52] <Shamal> "Oh..." Shamal's expression falls, wringing her hands a bit as she seems quite unsure how to respond to Lyselle's revelation.
[21:53] * Seira adopts a carefully neutral expression herself.
[21:54] <Lyselle> "Armasea," Lyelle nods, hands carefully clasped in her lap, managing to settle a little of her conflicting and shifting feelings. "I'm still its Countess, if in name only for the moment."
[21:56] <Kotono> "I see. Young lady, if Helm watches over you, I am sure your conflict over it will come to an end. But..." A breath out, "Are you going to continue to explore gnomish ruins and the like?"
[21:58] <Shamal> "Ah... I believe so," Shamal hazards with one last uncertain look at Lyselle. "There's so much to be found in them, after all..."
[21:59] * Lyselle returns a confused expression to Shamal, most of the darkness passed from her expression. "Mhm...they'd definitely be a good thing to continue with."
[22:01] <Kotono> "I hadn't mentioned it because it's the biggest fruit of my labors, but..." Smiling now, openly, "Well, well. I always wondered if I'd ever offer anyone lessons on how to read gnomish."
[22:03] <Shamal> "I might be interested in learning, actually," Shamal agrees, always looking to add useful languages to her reportoire.
[22:04] * Lyselle nods, smiling a bit more in return, tapping the hilt of her sword. "Reading is a good pass time...being able to read things you locate in strange ruins is usually more interesting."
[22:07] <Kotono> "If you like. When you have some time I'll be glad to teach you," Farmsturt smiles once, "When you wish."
[22:16] <Kotono> So the party piles back to Balmuria. A quiet tavern is the place, restful after the long talk and discussion therein...
[22:17] <Shamal> "Lyselle," Shamal begins gently as she gets the drinks in, "You've never really talked about Armasea... what happened, there?"
[22:18] <Kotono> Berlioz hangs back, bringing the drinks over and sitting down. He still seems distracted, not there, but he at least works on some wine.
[22:21] <Lyselle> "War, war, and more war," Lyselle answers a little glumly, taking a somewhat longer drink of her wine and frowning. "I wasn't very old when it all started, and they kept me in the castle all the time," she shrugs, glancing between her female friends and Berlioz. "Mom died in an ambush, dad lived long enough to burn Pilltain to the ground for it," she answers quietly, taking another long swallow of intoxication.
[22:23] <Seira> "Didn't you say it was part of your inheritance?" Seira asks her, nursing a drink herself.
[22:27] <Lyselle> "For a while," Lyselle nods, leaning into the table and staring at the drink glumly. "I wasn't old enough to inherit when father died besieging Pilltain Castle, so my uncle took over...we didn't really have enough troops to hold it, though, and politics was a pretty cutthroat and bloody affair in that barony back then, so my Uncle parceled off pieces of Pilltain for safety from the other Counties." (More)
[22:29] * Ebiris_ (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[22:29] * Shamal (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris_))
[22:29] * Ebiris_ is now known as Shamal
[22:29] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[22:31] <Lyselle> "We kept a few of the villages that'd been closer to our border - there hadn't been fighting there. It was still looking like there might be another border war, but...then the war with Malmuth came up, Uncle left with most of the troops, and most of our enemies went with them. Never came back," Lyselle expands, pausing to frown. "Not enough soldiers, not enough money, and I was barely into my majority."
[22:31] <Shamal> Shamal nods slowly, digesting the tale as she takes occassional sips of her own drink. "Do you ever think about returning? You said 'for the moment' when talking about being its countess in name only."
[22:33] * Ebiris_ (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[22:33] * Shamal (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris_))
[22:33] <Lyselle> "Oh, that's my goal," Lyselle laughs, shrugging and taking another sip of her drink. "And why I'm interested in these ruins...find enough money to gather retainers, repay the Baron who's holding the place 'in trust' for now, and settle back into my home," she nods, smiling faintly. "And pray that anyone I knew is still there."
[22:33] * Shamal (dm@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[22:34] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[22:34] <Kotono> Berlioz thoughtfully nods at all this, but keeps his peace.
[22:35] * Seira frowns. "You don't think this baron would relinquish his hold over your land willingly?"
[22:36] <Lyselle> "I think he would, if I payed him back for the 'burden'," Lyselle snorts, shrugging. "If he doesn't, that makes things a little more complicated, but won't necessarily stop me from trying."
[22:37] <Shamal> "Hmm..." Shamal looks somewhat thoughtful for a long moment before she carefully speaks up, "You know, I believe Frozen Oath would command an immensely high market price, were you ever to sell it," she observes, leaving Lyselle to draw her own conclusions there. Pride and joy of her art the sword may be, she did make it more by luck than anything, and this is Lyselle's life after all.
[22:39] * Ebiris_ (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (Ping timeout)
[22:41] <Lyselle> "From a practical point of view, I need the sword more than I need the money," Lyselle admits, shrugging. "Even...ten thousand wouldn't really save me if all it bought were simple mercenaries," Lyselle admits, shrugging. "Prestige, contacts, and resources are all just as important as the gold itself, and buying those is frighteningly expensive if you try...easier to work through the Crimson Guard for it."
[22:42] <Seira> "If this baron of yours ever needs a bit of... convincing to let go, just say the word," Seira offers sincerely. "If the facts of the matter were presented to him effectively, I am confident this inheritence would be yours once more."
[22:42] <Shamal> "I'm somewhat relieved to hear that," the blonde admits herself, smiling openly. "I think you can put it to better use than any other, as far as I'm concerned."
[22:44] * Lyselle frowns suddenly, shivering a bit. "If he does though..." she murmurs darkly, staring into the burgundy color of her wine. "He'll probably be frozen dog meat when I finish with him..." she hisses, intently staring into that dark, liquid red.
[22:45] <Seira> "Here's to justice prevailing, then," Seira comments, raising her glass.
[22:46] * Shamal reaches over to pat Lyselle's shoulder comfortingly. "I'm sure it won't come anything so bloody if you're prestigous and persuasive enough, when the time comes."
[22:46] <Kotono> Berlioz smiles and raises his glass as well.
[22:48] * Lyselle raises her glass, glaring darkly into the wine as she drains it, still glaring at the faint carresses of red left on the interior, like blood flowing down stones.
[22:50] <Shamal> "Ah, of course, it goes without saying that we'll all help out if it does come to that, right everyone?" Shamal smiles encouragingly at Seira and Berlioz as Lyselle glares murderously at the innocent drink.
[22:50] * Lyselle shakes her head, trying to focus away from that, turning to look at Shamal, then Seira, and even Berlioz. How could she...? There was no reason to! "I feel...odd..." she growls, unable to keep the manifestation from her voice.
[22:51] <Seira> "I already offered to help," Seira affirms with a nod at Shamal.
[22:52] <Shamal> "How do you mean 'odd'?" Shamal asks worriedly. They haven't drunk that much, yet!
[22:53] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+@
[22:53] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+@ and gets Error: Numeric values only."12 [1d20=6]
[22:53] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+2
[22:53] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+2 and gets 7."12 [1d20=5]
[22:54] <Lyselle> "Like something's creeping into me..." Lyselle hisses, shaking a little. "Really...angry..."
[22:55] * Seira blinks, and when her eyes clear, they see beyond the mundane. She takes a look around, first focusing on Lyselle herself.
[22:55] <Shamal> "Okay, I ignored Quapeth acting weird a few days ago and he came home with Hag Fever. I don't think I'll ignore this," Shamal states flatly, setting her drink down and casting Detect Magic.
[22:57] <Shamal> roll 1d20+13
[22:57] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+13 and gets 22."12 [1d20=9]
[22:57] <Seira> roll 1d20+7
[22:57] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+7 and gets 12."12 [1d20=5]
[22:58] * Lyselle hisses sharply, struggling with it and unclasping her sword from her belt, shoving it and its sheath away sharply in desperation to not enable herself.
[22:58] * Seira frowns, and looks around.
[23:00] <Shamal> "By Mielikki's bosom!" Shamal gasps, reaching over to take the sword Lyselle thrusts away and keep it away from the poor woman. "Lyselle, there's a powerful evil aura around you... I can't tell the magic, but I've never known anything so evil in my experience!"
[23:01] <Seira> "I see it too," Seira comments, her eyes flickering towards the outside. "Wait here and watch Lyselle, I'll go check it out. We can stay in touch with Message."
[23:02] * Seira connects herself to Shamal via the spell, and heads outside towards the source of the other magical aura, bow in hand.
[23:03] <Lyselle> "Rope? I forgot mine," Lyselle asks, her voice hovering somewhere between an angry snarl and a whimper, her hands shaking as she grips the table as hard as she can, her jaw tense as she just tries to hold onto her sanity.
[23:04] <Shamal> "Be strong," Shamal encourages, handing the sword over to Berlioz before she fumbles in her bag below the table to withdraw some rope which she begins to inelegantly tie Lyselle's wrists together with, hoping no one in the bar gets the wrong idea.
[23:04] <Kotono> As Seira steps out, detect magic pays off. The air twenty feet up is slightly distorted, like the air on a hot summer's day. It's a strange twisting, very faint.
[23:05] <Seira> roll 1d20+7
[23:05] <Kotono> Meanwhile, the bar patrons are starting to stare at the strange party. Event he barkeep is starting to look on in incredulos wonder.
[23:05] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+7 and gets 24."12 [1d20=17]
[23:07] <Seira> There is a chance all this magical anger is personified, perhaps into that totem-like item she shot back at the goblin village. Then, there's a chance an arrow would have the same effect here as well, and two are better than one!
[23:08] <Seira> roll 1d20+7 a1
[23:08] <Seira> roll 1d20+7 a2
[23:08] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+7 a1 and gets 26."12 [1d20=19]
[23:08] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+7 a2 and gets 14."12 [1d20=7]
[23:08] <Kotono> OOC - Your bow is magical now, yes
[23:08] <Kotono> OOC - Y es?
[23:08] <Seira> OOC: Yes
[23:08] <Kotono> OOC - Roll damage on the first hit.
[23:08] <Seira> roll 1d8+1+2d6
[23:08] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d8+1+2d6 and gets 7."12 [1d8=1][2d6=2, 3]
[23:09] <Kotono> The air flexes like a distorted muscle as the first arrow flies through! Near the end it just stops, falling back to the ground! However, the twisting in the air moves away, in seconds gone! But as it does, a roar fills the street, loud and sending people to holding their heads!
[23:10] * Seira crouches to one knee, looking around for magical auras just in case, bow at the ready.
[23:10] <Kotono> There's fading magic towards the north, the way the strange force fled.
[23:11] <Seira> "There was something evil outside. I shot it," Seira says succinctly. "How is Lyselle?"
[23:12] * Lyselle suddenly relaxes, closing her eyes and shivering a little. "It's not there anymore," she nods to Seira, slumped back against her chair, and strugglign a bit with the ropes. "...Can we get these off now? The looks are a little disconcerting..."
[23:12] <Shamal> "Ah... yes, quite," Shamal blushes, untying Lyselle and sheepishly putting the ropes away. "Who knows what the neighbours might say, eh?" she jokes half-heartedly, before trying to adopt a serious demeanour. "Anyway, what *was* that?"
[23:13] <Seira> "I think it only retreated. I suggest we follow it, tracking with our magical sight."
[23:13] <Shamal> "Right you are, Seira," Shamal nods, picking up her pack and rising to her feet. "Let's go!" she declares, eager enough to be on her way.
[23:14] * Seira leads the way towards the north, following its original direction and glancing at people occasionally to see where they have been spooked.
[23:14] <Kotono> So out into the afternoon the party goes! It's still daylight as they head out, magical sights activated! Both Shamal and Seira have another minute or so on Detect Magic, heading down the northern street. People are confused here, many looking to you. "G-guards? Did you hear that?" They ask of you.
[23:14] * Lyselle doesn't bother answering Shamal, nodding and taking her sword back from Berlioz as they head along with Seira.
[23:15] <Kotono> Berlioz runs along - the trail seems to go north and starting to crook northeast. You're hot on it, the aura fading as you chase it.
[23:15] * Seira nods at the citizens as she runs on, head swiveling ever so slightly left, then right.
[23:15] <Kotono> roll 1d20+1
[23:15] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 and gets 15."12 [1d20=14]
[23:16] * Shamal picks up the pace as she jogs along, wishing she had more specifically 'anti-evil' magic, but resolved to make do.
[23:17] <Kotono> As you runa long, you come down the street. Amid horses you can hear another scream, loud and deafening! The faint magic is getting closer - you're making better time than it overall, one could speculate.
[23:17] * Lyselle keeps as much of an eye out as she can without an ability to see magic. That gem was looking more tempting these days.
[23:17] <Kotono> OOC - Spot check, Lyselle.
[23:17] <Seira> "I have a scroll of protection from evil," Seira informs the others. "It would not last long, but should it be our only resort...." She leaves the rest unsaid.
[23:17] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+1
[23:17] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+1 and gets 15."12 [1d20=14]
[23:18] <Kotono> Berlioz heads along as well, making a dashing figure as he goes along, monocles glinting!
[23:19] <Lyselle> "It's over there!" Lyselle points to the roof of a moneylender's, pointing it out to Seira and taking out her own longbow, drawing and firing on it.
[23:19] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+7
[23:19] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+7 and gets 19."12 [1d20=12]
[23:19] <Seira> Seira's head swerves in the direction, the bow along with it.
[23:20] <Kotono> OOC - Since Lyselle spotted it, yes, let's do a round of initiative.
[23:20] <Shamal> roll 1d20+2
[23:20] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+2 and gets 16."12 [1d20=14]
[23:20] <Seira> roll 1d20+4
[23:20] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+2
[23:20] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+2 and gets 5."12 [1d20=3]
[23:20] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+4 and gets 13."12 [1d20=9]
[23:20] <Kotono> As you run along, the group of horse riders wince, "What in the name of His Majesty," one of the riders says, garbed in blue and gray Malmuthian clothes.
[23:21] <Kotono> roll 1d20
[23:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 and gets 7."12 [1d20=7]
[23:22] <Kotono> roll 1d20+1 Berli
[23:22] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+1 Berli and gets 6."12 [1d20=5]
[23:22] * Kotono changes topic to 'Shamal>Seira>Evilstuff>Berli>Lyselle'
[23:23] * Shamal skids to a halt and looks up to follow Lyselle's pointing, casting a quick spell! "Wise nocturnal hunter of Celestia, heed my call! Evil requires your attention!" she incants, as a tiny owl with metallic golden feathers appears in a flash of light, diving down at the evil distortion with a screech, intent on smiting the evil!
[23:23] <Kotono> "What is it," A passing peasant calls, "Guaaaards?" they look right at you, "It's...it's THOSE guards, the undead slaying ones?"
[23:23] <Shamal> roll 1d20+7
[23:23] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+7 and gets 27."12 [1d20=20]
[23:23] <Shamal> roll 1d20+7 confirm lol
[23:23] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+7 confirm lol and gets 10."12 [1d20=3]
[23:24] <Shamal> roll 2d4
[23:24] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 2d4 and gets 4."12 [2d4=3, 1]
[23:26] <Kotono> A small metallic owls appears from the Higher Planes, diving down at the energy above! A flash of light occurs as it's small claws rip into it, holy power devastating impure evil! OOC - Seira.
[23:26] <Seira> It had worked twice so far, and she likes shooting things with her bow to begin with. This time, however, Seira decides to try the magical property of her bow.
[23:26] <Seira> roll 1d20+4 a1
[23:26] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+4 a1 and gets 15."12 [1d20=11]
[23:26] <Seira> roll 1d20+4 a2
[23:26] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+4 a2 and gets 7."12 [1d20=3]
[23:28] <Kotono> But Seira's arrows miss, the first narrowly going above it and the second just way too wide! On that, the mass of energy flees over the building, hastily trying to escape! OOC - It's fleeing over the roof. Berli and Lyselle will still have it in visual range this round, but it's moving away and out of sight quickly.
[23:30] <Kotono> Berlioz calmly draws his bow, narrowing his eyes and firing!
[23:31] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5
[23:31] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 and gets 9."12 [1d20=4]
[23:31] <Lyselle> Lyselle's large composite bow is out, an arrow knocked and then released with a powerful whistle of its yard long arrow flying through the sky.
[23:31] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+7
[23:31] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+7 and gets 11."12 [1d20=4]
[23:31] <Kotono> But his arrow just tinks off the side of the building, down into the alley around it!
[23:31] <Kotono> Lyselle also does a bad performace, missing altogether! It's out of sight, behind the building now! OOC - Shamal, the owl can pursue and attack if it likes.
[23:33] <Shamal> The owl flutters off after the evil sin against nature, hooting balefully and clawing once more before it vanishes back to whence it came! Shamal meanwhile sprints along the alley around the building so she can keep the thing in sight herself.
[23:33] <Shamal> roll 1d20+7
[23:33] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+7 and gets 27."12 [1d20=20]
[23:33] <Shamal> roll 1d20+7 threat lol
[23:33] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+7 threat lol and gets 17."12 [1d20=10]
[23:33] <Kotono> OOC - Crit.
[23:33] <Shamal> roll 2d4-2
[23:33] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 2d4-2 and gets 1."12 [2d4=2, 1]
[23:34] <Kotono> The blessed claws of the owls rake at the fleeing miasma of darkness, causing it to twist and writhe as it tries to move! Meanwhile Shamal runs along to the other side of the building, seeing another long road going east and west. To the north is another line of businesses, the energy in the air and looking to keep going, fleeing!
[23:35] * Lyselle follows Shamal at a quick pace, after this darned anger inducing hate thing!
[23:35] * Seira sprints after Shamal, her eyes seeking out the owl and the magical aura!
[23:36] <Kotono> OOC - Shamal, you used a move action. You can finish your turn if you like.
[23:40] * Ebiris_ (dm@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[23:40] * Shamal (dm@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris_))
[23:40] * Ebiris_ is now known as Shamal
[23:41] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[23:41] <Kotono> OOC - Shamal, you used a move action. You can finish your turn if you like.
[23:42] * Shamal claps her hands together, her hair seeming to float around her face as a breeze seems to spring up around her. "I now send my call to the vast plane of elemental air! Mielliki send forth a guardian to heed your faithful servant!" To her words, a barely discernable whirlwind not much bigger than the distortion springs into being above the witch!
[23:42] <Shamal> "11Grab that thing!11" she calls in the unearthly cadance of Auran as the summoned air elemental soars upwards to enfold the distortion and bring it down to ground!
[23:42] <Shamal> "11Grab that thing!1" she calls in the unearthly cadance of Auran as the summoned air elemental soars upwards to enfold the distortion and bring it down to ground!
[23:42] <Shamal> roll 1d20+7 charging touch attack to start grapple
[23:42] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+7 charging touch attack to start grapple and gets 24."12 [1d20=17]
[23:43] <Shamal> roll 1d20-1 grapple check, lol
[23:43] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20-1 grapple check, lol and gets 2."12 [1d20=3]
[23:43] <Kotono> roll 1d20-2
[23:43] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-2 and gets 11."12 [1d20=13]
[23:44] <Kotono> The winds howls and scream, the air elemental trying to bring the energy down, but it fails! OOC - Seira.
[23:44] * Seira takes careful aim of the swirling evil, hoping this one shot would not go to waste.
[23:44] <Seira> roll 1d20+6
[23:44] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 10."12 [1d20=4]
[23:45] <Kotono> With a good shot, Seira flat misses. It's a good shot, hitting the taxidermist's abode  behind the strange power of rage! So being pursued, it flows down into that shop, through an open door!
[23:46] * Ebiris_ (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[23:46] * Shamal (dm@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris_))
[23:46] * Ebiris_ is now known as Shamal
[23:46] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[23:47] <Kotono> Berlioz gives pursuit, pushing up his monocle with one hand. "Oh great poets of old, stories of bravery," he begins, telling a potent tale of courage!
[23:49] <Lyselle> Lyselle takes that last instant of sight to aim her bow, drawing the string back and unleashing hopefully destructive steel and wood death~.
[23:49] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+7
[23:49] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+7 and gets 13."12 [1d20=6]
[23:49] * Ebiris_ (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[23:49] * Shamal (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris_))
[23:49] * Ebiris_ is now known as Shamal
[23:49] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[23:49] <Kotono> Plunk! It lands in the doorframe proper, arrow making the wooden door's slats flex back! But it's a miss! OOC - Shamal.
[23:51] <Shamal> Shamal's air elemental follows the thing inside, still trying to carry out its commands, while Shamal follows into the shop to see the situation before she acts further.
[23:51] <Shamal> roll 1d20+5 touch attack to try and grapple it
[23:51] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+5 touch attack to try and grapple it and gets 13."12 [1d20=8]
[23:53] * Ebiris_ (dm@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[23:53] <Kotono> OOC - Touch hit.
[23:53] * Shamal (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris_))
[23:53] * Ebiris_ is now known as Shamal
[23:53] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[23:53] <Shamal> roll 1d20-1 grapple for hilarity
[23:53] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20-1 grapple for hilarity and gets 0."12 [1d20=1]
[23:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20-2
[23:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-2 and gets 10."12 [1d20=12]
[23:54] <Seira> As soon as she's reached the doorway to the store, Seira takes a quick glance around for any civillians.
[23:56] <Kotono> Winds whip the inside of the place - there are animal heads mounted on the wall, deers, bears, boars, cows and the like. But it can't manage to grapple with the mysterious force! As you watch it go, you can hear, "Calm down! Guards are coming!" Commander Oberuth's voice carries from down the street. OOC - It's Shamal's normal action now, Seira. Lemme deal with you on you rown turn.
[23:58] * Ebiris_ (dm@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[23:58] * Shamal (dm@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris_))
[23:58] * Ebiris_ is now known as Shamal
[23:59] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
Session Time: Sat Mar 31 00:00:00 2007
[00:00] * Shamal sighs. "Never mind, elemental... at least it's on the ground, now," she notes, casting another spell of summoning before a black bear into the shop, which roars and promptly tears into the thing!
[00:00] <Shamal> roll 1d20+8
[00:00] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 and gets 24."12 [1d20=16]
[00:00] <Shamal> roll 1d20+8
[00:00] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 and gets 10."12 [1d20=2]
[00:00] <Shamal> roll 1d20+3
[00:00] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+3 and gets 12."12 [1d20=9]
[00:00] <Shamal> roll 1d4+6
[00:00] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d4+6 and gets 10."12 [1d4=4]
[00:02] <Kotono> The black bear's fearsome claw comes crashing down! In the shop are also a few full animals stuffed and on display - a cow, a dog, a cat and a boar! They look on mutely as the bear's claw passes through the image! It makes it shimmer a moment, shifting. It lets loose a lighter howl, more of a soft baying. OOC - Seira.
[00:02] <Seira> As soon as she's reached the doorway to the store, Seira takes a quick glance around for any civillians!
[00:03] <Kotono> There's two people inside. A man wearing a brown tunic and with a bow slung over his shoulder, talking to a middle aged, plump man with a gray mustache and balding hair. They're doing the obvious - staring in mild shock.
[00:04] <Seira> "This is the Guard!" she announces, ducking inside. "Stay down and head for cover!" Having taken care of that, she loosens another arrow at the magical aura.
[00:04] <Seira> roll 1d20+6
[00:04] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 20."12 [1d20=14]
[00:04] <Kotono> OOC - Hit.
[00:04] <Seira> roll 1d8+2
[00:05] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d8+2 and gets 5."12 [1d8=3]
[00:06] <Kotono> This arrow flies true, shot well! The scream of rage echos throughout on this hit, a faint, familiar feeling of rage stirring in everyone! A faint memory of a destroyed village, a towering bear, roaring battle and seeing red! Meanwhile, the energy is floating around, before flowing into the nearest thing - the stuffed boar! As if it was alive, it begins to move, an angry snort coming from it!
[00:09] <Kotono> Berlioz continues to sing and talk, filling his allies with courage! OOC - Lyselle.
[00:09] <Lyselle> Lyselle rushes past Seira, her composite bow dropped and sword drawn as she comes into melee with the posessed image of the boar. Glad that she HAS money, since this will probably involve reparrations, Lyselle slashes viciously into the posessed figure!
[00:09] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+11
[00:09] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+11 and gets 31."12 [1d20=20]
[00:09] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+12 crit confirm *I forgot Bard*
[00:09] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+12 crit confirm *I forgot Bard* and gets 28."12 [1d20=16]
[00:09] <Kotono> OOC - Mmm. This is pretty much a construct. Mmm, it's animated, so I'll allow the crit.
[00:10] <Lyselle> roll 2d8+12+1d2
[00:10] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 2d8+12+1d2 and gets 22."12 [2d8=7, 1][1d2=2]
[00:10] * Ebiris_ (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[00:10] * Shamal (dm@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris_))
[00:10] * Ebiris_ is now known as Shamal
[00:10] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[00:10] <Kotono> With one mighty downward cleave, the boar is nearly cut in two! The energy is where the boar was, as it's split sides fall away! Ice lines where the cut is, the air turning colder as Frozen Oath strikes! OOc - Shamal.
[00:12] <Shamal> "Oh, I think only magic can hurt it... but I don't have any actual magic attacks..." Shamal frets, feeling rather useless even as her bear and elemental launch their futile attacks on the energy.
[00:12] <Kotono> The stunned patron and owner do just what they were told to do - they go to the ground, diving down and for cover! Meanwhile, you can hear yelling and chaos outside!
[00:12] <Shamal> roll 1d20+5 elemental
[00:12] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+5 elemental and gets 11."12 [1d20=6]
[00:12] <Shamal> roll 1d20+8 bear
[00:12] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 bear and gets 14."12 [1d20=6]
[00:12] <Shamal> roll 1d20+8 bear
[00:12] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 bear and gets 21."12 [1d20=13]
[00:12] <Shamal> roll 1d20+3 bear
[00:12] * Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+3 bear and gets 8."12 [1d20=5]
[00:14] <Kotono> The bear's second claw swipe passes through the energy, but all that happens it making it ripple! Meanwhile, you hear, "What's going on?" Commander Oberuth comes to the door, blade out. OOC - Seira.
[00:14] * Ebiris_ (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[00:14] * Shamal (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris_))
[00:14] * Ebiris_ is now known as Shamal
[00:14] * Kotono changes topic to 'Shamal=Oberuth>Seira>Evilstuff>Berli>Lyselle'
[00:14] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[00:15] <Seira> "A magical, mind-controlling aura of evil, Sir," Seira responds without turning away, firing twice at it.
[00:15] * Ebiris_ (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) has joined #dunes
[00:15] * Shamal (WinNT@user-5443e87b.lns1-c9.dsl.pol.co.uk) Quit (NickServ (GHOST command used by Ebiris_))
[00:15] * Ebiris_ is now known as Shamal
[00:15] <Seira> roll 1d20+4
[00:15] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+4 and gets 19."12 [1d20=15]
[00:15] <Seira> roll 1d20+4
[00:15] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+4 and gets 19."12 [1d20=15]
[00:15] * ChanServ sets mode: +ao Shamal Shamal
[00:15] <Seira> roll 2d8+4
[00:15] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 2d8+4 and gets 14."12 [2d8=8, 2]
[00:16] <Kotono> "...another one?" Commander Oberuth says evenly, "Magic must swarm towards those that can use it!"
[00:17] <Kotono> The twin arrows rip into it, both passing smoothly through the dead center of the energy! The howl makes the walls shake, rage seeping into each of you, the magic aura expanding, diluting out but growing all around you!
[00:17] <Kotono> OOC - Lyselle's in melee. Will save.
[00:17] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+1
[00:17] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+1 and gets 14."12 [1d20=13]
[00:18] <Kotono> Berlioz keeps his spell up! OOC - Lyselle, declare your action or whatever you're doing/reacting, but don't roll anything yet.
[00:20] <Lyselle> That stupid THING keeps getting in her way, it keeps attacking them and making their lives UTTERLY MISERABLE. Her towering rage sends her at the floating object, trying to lash into it with her magical sword and send that annoying shitty magic to its grave!
[00:22] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+13
[00:22] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+13 and gets 29."12 [1d20=16]
[00:22] <Kotono> OOC - Hit.
[00:22] <Lyselle> roll 1d8+8+1d2
[00:22] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d8+8+1d2 and gets 12."12 [1d8=3][1d2=1]
[00:22] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[00:22] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 52."12 [1d100=52]
[00:23] <Kotono> roll 1d4
[00:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4 and gets 4."12 [1d4=4]
[00:23] <Kotono> OOc - Will save, Lyselle. Since you're berserk already you gain a -2 circumstancial bonus.
[00:23] <Kotono> OOC - Penalty, rather.
[00:23] <Lyselle> roll 1d20-1
[00:23] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20-1 and gets 11."12 [1d20=12]
[00:25] <Kotono> WIth a flash, Frozen Oath slices through the energy! With a rippling wink, it spreads out and disspated, but lots of the energy goes towards Lyselle, almost sucking into her!
[00:26] <Lyselle> Lyselle lets out a maddened, psychotic scream of unthinking fury and ahte, looking around for her next victim~.
[00:26] <Kotono> OOC - Free action.
[00:27] * Seira squints her eyes at Lyselle and the aura of magic around her.
[00:28] <Shamal> "Ahh, Lyselle, are you okay?" Shamal asks, not seeming at all reassured after that scream. The bear just lumbers past Lyselle towards Shamal before the spell ends, leaving itself open by walking around her.
[00:28] <Kotono> "Lyselle?" Commander Oberuth inquires, stepping inside, "Report. What...?"
[00:28] * Seira lowers her bow, hodling her palm towards Lyselee. "Stay back!" she warns the others, before her eyes lock with Lyselle's, flashing.
[00:28] <Lyselle> Lyselle snarls viciously, turning on the bear, the symbol of her hate, and lashes out with a snarling and hate filled string fo curses!
[00:28] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+16
[00:28] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+16 and gets 30."12 [1d20=14]
[00:29] <Kotono> OOC - We both know that's a hit. Ow.
[00:29] <Lyselle> roll 1d8+1d8+9+1d2
[00:29] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d8+1d8+9+1d2 and gets 22."12 [1d8=4][1d8=7][1d2=2]
[00:30] <Lyselle> roll 1d8+9+1d2
[00:30] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d8+9+1d2 and gets 17."12 [1d8=7][1d2=1]
[00:30] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+1 will save
[00:30] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+1 will save and gets 16."12 [1d20=15]
[00:31] <Lyselle> *gets 14
[00:31] <Kotono> With one epic slash, the bear's hear is removed from it's shoulders! It shimmers and vanishes, summoning spent!
[00:31] <Seira> "You are victorious," Seira tells Lyselle calmly, slowly placing her bow on the ground and backing away a step. "And among friends."
[00:32] <Shamal> "Mr bear!" Shamal shrieks in horror, not having seen that coming.
[00:32] <Lyselle> And her sword sort of slumps at the end of that bloody arc, staring at Seira and smiling. "Kill..." she growls, still staring at Seira.
[00:32] * Nerem (~Nerem@pool-71-244-31-164.dllstx.fios.verizon.net) Quit (Connection reset by peer)
[00:33] <Lyselle> And still smiling, we mustn't forget her happy, even friendly smile of wonder as she murmurs towards the half-elf.
[00:33] <Seira> "Your enemy is dead, slain by your hand," Seira assures Lyselle honestly, before repeating, "We are all your friends."
[00:34] <Kotono> "Lyselle, it's over. Put your sword down and report," Commander Oberuth approaches as well, calm. "Breath deeply," he says, but you notice his legs are tensed, posture ready.
[00:34] <Shamal> "I'm not sure she can hear you, Seira..." Shamal murmurs, somewhat glad she didn't bring Laika along. If that had been her in the bear's place... The blonde witch tenses alongside her commander, preparing a spell if the need arises.
[00:34] <Seira> roll 1d20+12
[00:34] * Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+12 and gets 30."12 [1d20=18]
[00:35] <Seira> "Lyselle can hear me," Seira insists, not breaking eye contact with her. "She must remember our promise of help to her. The timing of it was merely relegated to the here and now."
[00:37] <Lyselle> "Kill..." Lyselle nods along, smiling blissfully in a dreamy, bloody sort of way. "It whispered to me, we can all kill together," she agrees cheerfully, smiling, almost bouncing. "We can kill lots!" she nods, some part of her insisting on the happy side of things, trying to hold off the rage and bloodlust in favor of this more enjoyable mood, tring and struggling to focus on Seira.
[00:37] <Lyselle> roll 1d20+1
[00:37] * Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+1 and gets 21."12 [1d20=20]
[00:37] <Lyselle> OOC - Er...-2, yah, blah. Reflex.
[00:38] <Seira> "You don't need your sword for that," Seira suggests. "It heals, does it not? How would that help?"
[00:39] * Shamal keeps quiet and leaves this to Seira, still tense in case words fail.
[00:39] <Kotono> "Sit down," Oberuth instructs, sternly staring Lyselle down.
[00:40] <Kotono> Meanwhile, you see the two poor, normal citizens in the shop peek up in horror, making little faces of shock.
[00:40] <Lyselle> Lyselle pauses, blinking several times and dropping her sword, staring hard at Seira. "...oh..." she mumbles, slumping down and just staring off into space. "That was...that is...close..." she mumbles, looking down at her hands.
[00:41] <Kotono> Commander Oberuth approaches, kicking Lyselle's sword away. "What in the Abyss's name was it?"
[00:41] * Seira makes a waving motion at them to stay hidden for the moment, observing Lyselle with her sight.
[00:42] <Seira> "Lyselle," she speaks, her suspicions confirmed. "You are under a spell. I am going to remove it."
[00:42] <Lyselle> "Some...I don't know..." Lyselle mutters, taking deep, shaking breaths. "Some kind of...it wanted to...it wanted us to kill things...it posessed the half-orc and bear, I think..." she murmurs slowly, taking deep breaths again.
[00:42] * Seira closes her eyes for a long moment, before reopening them. "Do you feel yourself now?"
[00:43] <Lyselle> "The...urge was already fading," Lyselle nods, shivering and pushing away the rest of those bloody thoughts and impulses. "Um...just...yes."
[00:44] <Seira> "You will be alright," Seira assures her, collecting her bow and approaching. On her way there, she looks around for a sign of any totems.
[00:44] <Shamal> "It's like that thing from... when Rin died," Shamal murmurs softly. "How did it come here?"
[00:45] <Seira> "We should discuss that at a different setting," Seira proposes, with a meaningful nod in the direction of the civillians.
[00:45] <Kotono> Seira sees a lot of animals and the like - mostly stuffed. Nothing quite like a totem. "Good. Breath deeply...so we don't have to restrain you," Commander Oberuth goes now, taking Lyselle's sword up. "Berlioz, get guards and deal with this," he instructs.
[00:45] <Kotono> Berlioz nods blankly.
[00:45] <Lyselle> "Followed us, probably," Lyselle answers Shamal, frowning. "It was the same thing...I could see that bear...which is why attacking your bea-ohgodsI'msorry," Lyselle rushes out, staring in horror at Shamal.
[00:46] * Seira takes the moment to do a more thorough search.
[00:47] <Shamal> "It's... it's alright, Lyselle," Shamal replies, shaking her head. "That bear has returned from where I summoned it, with no harm done." She smiles crookedly, "It's such a nice, guilt-free spell, that one."
[00:48] <Kotono> There's a lot of dead, stuffed animals here. Notably, you find a goblin's head, stuffed, in the rear. There are a few carvings of animals well in the back as well - decorations, a bear, a panther, a cow.
[00:48] * Seira estimates the damage to the shop, cataloguing it mentally.
[00:49] <Kotono> OOC - Do you have apprasial, Seira?
[00:49] <Seira> OOC: No, but I can approximate, can't I? A general area is fine.
[00:50] <Lyselle> "I think it's gone," Lyselle nods, smiling weakly at Shamal and clambering up to her feet. "It just all kind of...rushed me, and then Seira was...it's all really hard to explain,  because it makes no sense at all, but the feeling sort of disappeared."
[00:51] <Seira> "I naturally inspire deep feelings of friendship and trust," Seira quips. "Shamal, do you think you could fix any of this poor merchant's wares? I'm afraid I did not memorize the appropriate spell today."
[00:52] <Shamal> "Do you think it's really gone, now? Or will it come back again?" Shamal asks worriedly. "Um... yes," she nods to Seira, looking around for anything that could be repaired by her magic and proceeding to do so.
[00:52] <Kotono> The boar's rather split in half.
[00:53] * Seira approaches the owner of the shop, then, and holds out a golden piece. "For the damages and the inconvenience," she tells him.
[00:53] <Lyselle> "There should be a spell around me if it will, shouldn't there?" Lyselle notes, biting her lip. "It seemed like I killed it that last time..."
[00:53] * Ginrai is on IRC (Ginrai)
[00:53] <Seira> "You are safe now, Lyselle," Seira tells her. "I confirmed its disappearance."
[00:54] <Kotono> "Uh...uh...thank you..." He licks his lips and takes it, "Uh..."
[00:54] <Shamal> "Um... yes, this is too big for me to mend," Shamal apologises, leaving the boar alone. "Such trophies are painfully gauche, anyway..." she adds under her breath with a wince. Poor boar...
[00:54] <Kotono> Commanber Oberuth nods, "Let's go," he shakes his head, "This is going to be a good report, I can just tell."
[00:55] <Kotono> So the party returns the the garrison. It's evening now, a few mugs of and food delivered on the Commander's request. He sits down, rubbing his brow. "Alright. So there was this mysterious force that did damage and turned Lyselle into a berserker. Sit down, at ease and tell me what the hell is going on. Again."
[00:57] <Seira> "We were off duty when Lyselle felt a magical effect attempt to take hold of her," Seira reports. "Shamal and I confirmed its presence, and then I went after it to eliminate it. Once it left Lyselle alone, we pursued. She got hit with it again near the end, as it expired."
[00:59] <Kotono> "So, that begs the question," Commander Oberuth ponders, "Why?"
[01:00] * NeremWorld (Nerem@pool-71-244-31-164.dllstx.fios.verizon.net) has joined #dunes
[01:00] <Seira> "It could have followed us from our excursion into the forest," Seira theorizes.
[01:01] * Lyselle takes a deep breath, folding her hands and nodding, keeping them clasped and focusing on happy things. She was hungry, dinner was nice. "It...wanted to kill. I could see the half-orc and the dire bear we killed on our adventure into the wilds...we'd berefited it of those, so it wanted us as replacements," she states clearly, sighing softly. "I could hear its voice when it rushed me at the last moment...that's what it wanted."
[01:02] <Seira> "It was out of luck, then," Seira says with a light tugging of her shoulders.
[01:02] <Shamal> "Did it follow us through that bone thing you found after dispersing it in the forest? Do any of you still have it?" Shamal asks, not having actually stuck around to find said item herself and only knowing of it from talking to the others as they sold things off back in Balmuria afterwards.
[01:03] <Kotono> "Good," Oberuth smiles ever so momentarily at that, "It goes without saying, but if this bone...thing is related, dispose of it."
[01:04] <Seira> "I don't believe we brought it back," Seira muses, genuinely confused.
[01:04] <Lyselle> "I didn't keep the bone with me," Lyselle shakes her head, smothering a frown, focusing again on being in nice company. "I can still feel a few twinges now...like a broken bone after its healed or achey joints," she offers. "I'm trying to focus on nice things."
[01:05] <Seira> "There is always another option," she suggests then. "That person, Donald, claimed he was being attacked in his room by a ghoul after their spread was stopped, correct?"
[01:05] <Kotono> "...yes, I remember that," OBeruth nods, quick. "Do you think they were related?"
[01:05] <Shamal> "Yes, he mentioned that when I saw him leaving the city," Shamal agrees. "But we've had no reports of undead since then otherwise, have we?"
[01:06] <Seira> "The commonly accepted outcome is that he was wrong," Seira responds, nodding to Shamal as the latter speaks. "However, it could easily have been true. Or, alternately, he could have been in a similar state of rage as Lyselle. His perception of events would have been altered, then."
[01:08] * Seira frowns. "One high-level mage made his way into the city, and used his presence here to affect other people and recruit them into his criminal ring. It is possible he is responsible, as he is likely to hold a grudge against us. And if this is unrelated to him... if one powerful mage could get here unannounced, then there may well be another."
[01:09] <Kotono> "Regardless of it this is coming from one source or not a moment, a lot of this sort of element has occured. The one was related to Malmuth..." So he ponders, "I wonder. Now, I wonder."
[01:11] <Seira> "It is worth pointing out that there was no material focus this time. I found nothing at the scene."
[01:11] <Lyselle> "We ran into some Malmuthian representatives or merchants in the street following the thing, though that seems unrelated," Lyselle offers, shrugging a bit.
[01:12] <Kotono> "Hmmm." Oberuth considers, taking a long drink from his mug. "That's the devil of this. How much is related and how much isn't? Is it a few unrelated events or some grand scheme, or somewhere in the middle."
[01:13] <Shamal> "There's an unfortunate lack of evidence," Shamal agrees sadly.
[01:13] <Seira> "There might be a chance to find out," Seira muses out loud. "A slight one, but it is not zero."
[01:14] <Kotono> "Seira?" Oberuth looks onto her, "If you have an idea, go on."
[01:15] * NeremWorld (Nerem@pool-71-244-31-164.dllstx.fios.verizon.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
[01:16] * Seira gives Lyselle a mildly unconfortable look, before saying, "Sir Farmsturt mentioned a temple to Helm where he believes he received a cautioning vision from Helm himself. According to him, the place is sacred to Helm and his chosen. As he has spoken to us once before, we may qualify, and traveling there on a pilgrimage of sorts might give us some of the answers we seek."
[01:18] <Kotono> "...hm. You want to go there?" Oberuth asks bluntly. "Where is it?"
[01:19] * NeremWorld (~Nerem@pool-71-244-18-178.dllstx.fios.verizon.net) has joined #dunes
[01:19] <Lyselle> "Next door to Armasea," Lyselle provides, making a clicking sound with her tongue.
[01:20] <Seira> "I would not suggest it if I did not think it could aid us," Seira says, glancing at Lyselle again.
[01:20] <Kotono> "Oh!" Oberuth looks at Lyselle with a half mixed smile, "...Very well. If you wish to go, go."
[01:20] <Shamal> "I think it could prove enlightening," Shamal offers her support.
[01:20] <Kotono> The Commander pauses, "I can't say you aren't capable, and you may very well be our best recruits for a long time. If I don't trust your judgment and information gathering...so go."
[01:21] * Lyselle just offers a light smile to Seira, seemingly unbothered. "There could be some niceties to being in my home barony again," she adds in agreement.
[01:21] <Kotono> Berlioz nods in silent agreement.
[01:24] <Kotono> "Well then, go," The Commander stands up, "By the time you get back..." He ponders a moment, "It's a week's travel if not more, so, hah, hah. You should get back in time if all goe swell."
[01:25] <Shamal> "In time for what, sir?" Shamal asks curiously, likewise rising.
[01:25] <Seira> "In time for what, Sir?" Seira asks, looking troubled.
[01:25] * Lyselle refrains from joining the chorus, but looks curious regardless.
[01:26] <Kotono> "Let's see now. You've defeated an onset of undeath, created a noted magical sword and generally excelled in a few months. You've attracted attention, even with potential political gaffes." A long, wide shrug. "Khardon's not the only one that's taking an interest in what's going on here."
[01:27] * Shamal looks a bit put out, trying to think of what gaffes she could have caused.
[01:28] <Seira> "Gaffes, Sir?" Seira rises to the bait.
[01:29] * Merc (~kazaana@host-206-54-214-185.entouch.net) Quit (Time to leave, before the plushies trigger the explosives.)
[01:29] <Kotono> "There were some political hats on your potential mission into Malmuth," Oberuth shrugs, "Fools, the lot of them, but sometimes you can't escape politics."
[01:31] <Seira> "That still does not tell us what we will be in time for, Sir," Seira respectfully reminds him.
[01:31] <Kotono> "Lord Salman's official visit," Commander Oberuth says with aplomb. "It hasn't been announced quite yet."
[01:31] * Seira nods. "It will be an honor to be present for the occasion, Sir."