[18] Riddle Me This - Did Elise Lose her Virgin Lips?

[Merc]

Session Start: Sun May 23 16:02:56 2010

<Merc> As the group go through another teleportation, the room they appear is unlike the previous ones. For one thing, it is not shrouded in darkness only for something to appear around them, instead, the room is already well lit, a long rectangular floor with pillars around the border and windows serving as walls, light shining in from a starry night sky outside, the only thing visible outside of the room.
<Merc> The floor is a set of large stone tiles, with the pedestals they've been using to teleport on one side, where they appear. Ahead of them is an empty stone tablet, further ahead in the center of the room are a set of tiles in a checkerboard pattern 15x6 squares, with the sixth line being discolored from a light yellow glow emanating.
<Merc> At each side of the squares, blocking the sides are a set of nine large stone giant statues, for a total of eighteen. At the opposite side of the room, is an exit with a bridge leading elsewhere, visible mostly thanks to the glass walls. As the group orients themselves to the new surrounding, the pedestals begin to act up.
<Merc> First, the leftmost one lights up in the corners, four red orbs shining between the blue glow, and the bear symbol darkens. As it does so, four lines begin to appear in the stone pedestal in front of them. Next follows the rightmost pedestal, doing the same as a second set of four lines appear. Then it's the one they have stepped out of, as a final set of lines apear.

<Merc> "Mine Name On Your Toes,
<Merc> Or Stumble and Struggle.
<Merc> Seek Out Safe Passage...
<Merc> It's One, Two, Three, Four."

<Merc> "Run To The Mountain.
<Merc> Magic Approaches.
<Merc> Finding Your Home.
<Merc> Count Down to Zero."

<Merc> "Your Answer Above,
<Merc> The Ringmaster Beyond.
<Merc> Your Only Salvation,
<Merc> Mine Name on Your Tongue."

<Aleph> "...The hell?  That is some sort of crazy-ass riddle, for certain."
<Anassia> "No, really?" Anassia asks, blinking at the appearing lines.  "...Just what the hell does it mean?"
<Maya_Mahabala> "No kidding...  do we even know the ringmaster's name?" Maya looked over the ceiling curiously.
<Aleph> "...was anyone paying attention during the show?  Might've been mentioned then."
<Merc> No, the name wasn't ever mentioned, you don't think. Just the shows being introduced, but not the ringmaster himself. Must be part of the riddle.
<Elise> "More games!"
<Elise> "More games!" Elise sighs, eyeing the writing.
<Maya_Mahabala> "You know, they're starting to get well past tiring into annoying.  There wasn't even an intermission with snacks and drinks."
<Aleph> "That it seems to be.  Either more games or more fighting."
* Elise walks up to the edge of the checkered area, which she's already thinking of as some sort of game board. "Maybe we should just step on a square and see what happens."
* Anassia reads through the riddle a few times thoughtfully. "Let's... not just stard blundering around, please."
<Aleph> "I'm with Anassia here."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Alright, Anassia.  Can you make anything of this mess?" She wondered to their resident smart-aleck.
<Elise> "Well, suggest something! I'm not good at puzzles! I admit the holy book can be obscure and impenetrable sometimes, but I always had guidance in figuring that out. I can't make sense of this."
<Merc> ooc: Feel free to make an intellect check for some hints and such.
<Elise> roll 1d20 yeah Elise is great at that (but at least it's not wisdom)
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 14 > [d20=14]
<Anassia> "Give me a little bit," Anassia says, thoughtfully.  (( And, yes, I will make a check ^^ ))
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+1 Int Aid Another Brainstorming with Anassia
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=17]
<Anassia> roll 1d20+4 Behold, my enormous brain!
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=16]
<Aleph> roll 1d20 Aleph's knowledge is more intuitive, less academic
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=16]
<Anassia> "Okay," she says after a few moments, making her way over to the tiles but /not/ stepping on them and stopping anyone who makes to.  "I think I know what we have to do," she says, looking them over.
<Elise> "What is it?" Elise looks ready to just walk on out there if she doesn't hear better ideas.
<Anassia> "We have to spell his name on the tiles," Anassia says simply.  "If we step on the wrong one, bad things will happen.
<Elise> "But we don't know his name!"
<Anassia> "Hense the puzzle, Elise."
<Maya_Mahabala> "And the tiles don't have letters...do they?" She looked carefully over them.
<Maya_Mahabala> "How can we spell his name with no letters and no name?"
<Merc> There's probably a trick to it. That, or the ringmaster -wants- you to fail. Or at least experiment with trial and error.
<Elise> "What about numbers? The riddle mentioned numbers. Maybe we have to count the tiles to step on the right ones?"
<Anassia> "Count down to zero isn't exactly all that helpful, though, without a frame of referance.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Well...maybe it means to count the squares?" Maya pointed at the odd colored row. "If that's zero, then 1, 2, 3, 4 could mean move diagonally from 1 to 4 and then from 4 to zero...but that doesn't get the whole way."  She pouted, not getting it.
<Elise> "Well, we have to start somewhere, right? I was thinking that same thing, Maya. We should just try something to get moving!" Elise steps onto the board, setting foot on the first square above the oodly-colored row, then standing, looking around to see what happens.
<Merc> The square turns dark green, and a cheerful chime rings out.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Well, that worked...keep going, one up diagonally!"
* Elise does just that, stepping onto the second square in and up.
<Merc> The square turns red, and a loud buzzer rings out, before both tiles turn back to their normal brown color. Elise finds a gust of wind suddenly pushing her backwards, her feet skidding against the ground until she's off the tiles. One of the statues begins to shake and moves! It pumps its fist together and steps away from the checkerboard, a blue forcefield shortening the moving field.
<Merc> ooc: Initiative.
<Elise> roll 1d20+2
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d20=1]
<Anassia> roll 1d20+2
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=16]
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+4
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d20=11]
<Merc> roll d20+4 robo-Aleph
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 9 > [d20=5]
<Merc> roll d20+4 robo-Jack
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=19]
<Merc> roll d20+4 robo-robo
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d20=11]
* Merc changes topic to 'Jack(23) > Anassia (18) > Maya (15) > Golem (15) > Aleph (9) > Elise (3)'
<Merc> Jack quickly draws his swords! This is more his thing than puzzles! He dashes towards the large animated statue and slashes!
<Merc> roll d20+6
<Merc> roll d20+6
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 8 > [d20=2]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=17]
<Merc> roll d6+6
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 9 > [d6=3]
<Merc> His first slash misses, but the second cuts a deep jag into the stone body.
<Merc> ooc: Anassia
* Anassia decides against, y'know, charging the giant stone monstrosity. So she instead shoots it with her magical not-lightning! And moves away.
<Anassia> roll 1d20+7
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=13]
<Merc> ooc: hit
<Anassia> roll 1d6+4
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 9 > [d6=5]
<Merc> A hole forms in it's chest, as the lightning pierces a hole in it's body. It still seems to be moving though. What would be fatal to a human simply chips away more of the statue's body!
<Merc> ooc: Maya
<Maya_Mahabala> Maya smirked, "Really, you can't perform that much with a statue.  It's just not the right way of things," She dashed in low, stopping a second in front of it and leaping aside dodging its blow easily as she took the moment to strike hard at the back of the extended leg, vanishing from the front of its view in the same motion.  OOC: Tumble Attack, and then Tumble to add more damage and taking a damage challenge.
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+22 tumble succeeds.
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 32 > [d20=10]
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+22 (Trying for 3 points)
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=4]
<Merc> roll d20+10 counter (second only, first isn't passable)
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=2]
<Merc> ooc: success on both
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+8
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=18]
<Merc> ooc: hit
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 2d8+15
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d8=8,6]
<Merc> The golem cracks a lot more from Maya's attack, in fact it loses it's head right out! Still, it lumbers in front of Maya and two large stone fists come blowing in like a pair of double hammers.
<Merc> roll d20+10
<Merc> roll d20+10
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=10]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=14]
<Merc> roll d8+1
<Merc> roll d8+1
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 4 > [d8=3]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 9 > [d8=8]
<Merc> Both fists slam into Maya!
<Merc> ooc: Aleph
* Maya_Mahabala stumbles back, bruised from the blows and not too happy about being hit at all, her purple eyes glaring, but the prolonged fight must be taking something out of her if her quick feet didn't escape a hit like that.
<Aleph> "Shit!"  Thankfully for Aleph, he didn't have to worry as much about hitting allies that were next to things.  Including huge killstatues.  As such, he rolls slightly forward, bow drawn, trying to catch the golem off-guard with a sudden volley of two arrows...
<Aleph> roll 1d20+12 tumble vs. BAC
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 14 > [d20=2]
<Merc> roll d20+10 he could still roll a 3 or under?
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=12]
<Merc> ooc: nope, he beat your tricky trick
<Aleph> (Ah well, time to take my attacks)
<Aleph> roll 1d20+9 attack 1
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=19]
<Aleph> roll 1d20+9 attack 2
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 10 > [d20=1]
<Merc> ooc: hit and hit. Against one of the glass walls.
<Merc> ooc: roll for damage against golem and wall!
<Aleph> (With a resounding FUCK YOU PENUCHE)
<Aleph> roll 1d20+9 golem
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=9]
<Aleph> ooc: oops
<Aleph> roll 1d8+9 golem
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 10 > [d8=1]
<Aleph> roll 1d8+4 glass
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 11 > [d8=7]
<Merc> The golem takes some more damage, losing one of it's arms as the arrow digs into its shoulder. The other arrow does not fly quite as true though, and impacts the glass to the left side of the room, going right through, shattering part of the wall, and leaving spider cracks extending out through the entire glass wall between those two pillars.
<Merc> ooc: Elise
* Elise aims to smash that other arm to bits as well!
<Elise> roll 1d20+12
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=9]
<Elise> roll 2d6+9 pretty sure that hits
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 11 > [d6=1,1]
<Merc> Elise's hammer doesn't just take out the arm, it breaks apart the whole thing, in fact. The whole golem falls apart, shattering to rubble. As the golem shatters, the force field blocking the path shuts off. That's not the only thing that happens though, as the red orbs around the twins' pedestal flip over, turning blue, and the teddy bear icon lights up, as ghostly images of the twins appear, standing atop the pedestal. [ooc - more]
<Merc> "Hello! Hello!" Wally cheerfully greets, waving his hand. "It looks like you need a hint to progress, don't you?" Molly asks, with a grin. "Well, well, well..." the two call out in their annoying sing-song voice as they smile like sharks. "What sort of hint shall we give?"
<Merc> "They did kill us, right, Molly?" Wally asks out loud. "Oh yes, Wally. That cow sat on me to death!" Molly answers, nodding vigorously.
<Aleph> "One that isn't stated in a cryptic manner?"
* Elise turns from the ruins of the golem. "Something that's not a lie! Do you know anything like that?"
<Anassia> "... That's really vague, Elise.  The riddle isn't a lie, either."
<Merc> The two grin at the group. "You don't like cryptic? We can do cryptic!" the twins exclaim. They ponder briefly before they sing-song another set of four lines.

<Merc> "Forty-one steps to go.
<Merc> Five are all close.
<Merc> Thereafter, there's only but two.
<Merc> That's all you guys get, toodles we go!"

<Merc> The ghostly figures vanish right after.

<Aleph> "..."
<Aleph> "Assholes."
<Maya_Mahabala> "I really, really don't like these people.  Let's hang them up on a tree afterwards and let them dry out slowly," Maya sounded a bit spiteful at this point.
<Aleph> roll 1d20 INT again
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=16]
<Elise> "Youc all that a hint? That doesn't make any sense at all!"
<Elise> roll 1d20 I guess Elise can try and think about it too.
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d20=2]
<Anassia> "I think we should hurt them somehow," Anassia agrees with Maya, nodding.
<Aleph> "They're not all bad, you two.  The tamer was nice enough to let us off without a fight...even if she did get catty around the end."
<Elise> "Oh, sure, she just made everyone take their clothes off. Indecency is a lot better than violence!" Elise says, apparently frustrated enough to experiment with sarcasm.
<Aleph> "...alright.  Good thing is that the first five aren't traps at all."
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+1 more int checks
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 8 > [d20=7]
<Aleph> "That's what it seems like, anyway."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Fine.  She can be hung right side up.  The others can be hung by their toes."
<Anassia> "Oh, I'm just talking about the one who masterminded this.  And that's what I was thinking, Aleph." She moves up to step on another in the first row.
<Elise> "Wait, they are? So I didn't guess right after all? I hate this room! Why can't we just smash our way through?"
<Anassia> "Because then the mean statues punch us, Elise.  We have to use our heads."
<Aleph> "And there's a -lot- of those statues.  And only five of us."
<Anassia> "And we've wasted enough time in here.  So, which two do you think the safe ones are?" Anassia asks, glancing over to Aleph.
<Aleph> "Run to the mountain... I presume that we need to go to the central row after this?  The mountain pedestal is in the central row, so that seems like it'd be something to follow through on at some point?...but then again, first there's the 'one two three four'..."
<Merc> As Anassia steps through all of the first five tiles, the yellow ones turn light green and the brown ones turn dark green, a cheerful chime ringing each time. When all five are lit up, the glowing tile cracks. As it does so, cracks appear on one of the statues, which quickly crumbles to dust, even finer than the one you guys made quick work out of.
<Aleph> "...even better.  They die once we get it right."
* Elise can only fume silently, watch and wait. This problem-solving business eludes her when the answer isn't a hammer.
<Aleph> "We had one right, and the kids said..."
<Anassia> "Now we have to get the next ones right."  She looks over the next column curiously.
<Aleph> "forty one left.  Now we have five, so that leaves thirty-seven.  Or it should."
<Anassia> "There's only four letters in his name, how can he have so many tiles?"
<Aleph> "That 'one two three four' business, though...thinking there's either a horizontal or a diagonal"
<Elise> "Four letters? How do you--oh! Oh, I get it."
<Anassia> "That's just how long his name is, I think.  Four letters."  And then she looks to Elise in mild surprise.
<Aleph> "One letter per block of twenty-four, then"
<Aleph> "...or would it be twenty"
<Aleph> "Something tells me that last row is hands-off"
* Anassia tilts her head to the side to look at the puzzle. "So what letter do you think the first is? A?"
<Aleph> "Could be A, could be N, could be L..."
<Aleph> "B, D..."
<Elise> "Let's just start at the beginning of the alphabet here. Try an A! You're already at the top of the board, right?"
<Anassia> "...it the yellow the top or bottom?"
<Elise> "I wasn't counting the yello. It cracked last time, right? Maybe we don't even touch that. The top is the other side."
<Aleph> "We didn't touch the yellow before.  And from where we're looking, unless he's pulling some kind of roundabout trick, it should be the bottom..."
<Anassia> "Alright, then.  Since we're all agreed...  someone press it."
* Elise shrugs, and does so.
* Aleph keeps his bow at ready"
<Merc> As Elise steps on the left-most tile of the second row, that also turns green, another chime ringing. Well, you got at least one of the two tiles!
<Aleph> "...right, so center or bottom?"
<Anassia> "I'd say the third one." Anassia says, shrugging slightly.
<Elise> "Center?" elise guesses at random.
<Aleph> "Let's try the middle, then."
<Merc> As Elise steps on the third tile, that also turns green as another of the glowing tiles cracks, and a third golem shatters.
<Aleph> "...right.  Let's go through with the first and third again."  Aleph steps on the first of the third column."
* Anassia lets out a sigh as the statues don't come to life and punch someone.
* Elise follos suit: third tile, third column.
<Aleph> "Well, at least they aren't doing anything else to try and screw us up.  Like make us spin a wheel before every guess and penalize us on this."
<Merc> The tile turns red again as another buzzer rings! None of the tiles on the first two rows reset this time though, but Elise is against pushed backwards, and this time -two- golems pump their fist as they go past the forming barrier!
<Merc> ooc: Init again
<Anassia> "Wait, /what/?"
<Elise> roll 1d20+2
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=10]
<Aleph> roll 1d20+4
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d20=9]
<Anassia> roll 1d20+2
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=16]
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+4
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d20=11]
<Merc> roll d20+4 robo-Jack
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=14]
<Merc> roll d20+4 robo-robo 1
<Merc> roll d20+4 robo-robo 2
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 10 > [d20=6]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=17]
* Merc changes topic to 'Golem > Anassia > Jack > Maya > Aleph > Elise > Golem 2'
<Merc> One of the golems goes for Elise, apparently deciding to target its summoner! It slowly lumbers towards her, before attempting to slam her with two rock-hard fists.
<Merc> roll d20+10
<Merc> roll d20+10
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=13]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 11 > [d20=1]
<Merc> roll d8+1
<Merc> roll d8+1
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 4 > [d8=3]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d8=2]
<Elise> roll 1d3 armor
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 1 > [d3=1]
<Merc> The first punch goes right for Elise's gut, the second one though goes for Elise's hammer. And given how well made her hammer is, it only hurts itself, as cracks form on it's fist.
<Merc> ooc: Anassia
* Anassia again decides to do anything but charge, shooting the one that's cracking under the pressure!
<Anassia> roll 1d20+7
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=9]
<Merc> Anassia's blast misses, though it doesn't shatter anything like Aleph's wayward arrow. Jack agrees with that idea though, and circles around the same golem, his blades aiming to cut it up.
<Merc> roll d20+8
<Merc> roll d20+8
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=16]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=11]
<Merc> roll d6+6
<Merc> roll d6+6
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 11 > [d6=5]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d6=6]
<Merc> He takes out one of it's arms, and leaves a deep jagged cut in its back!
<Merc> ooc: Maya
<Maya_Mahabala> "Two of them this time...huh?"  She took the dare, rushing between the two quickly, luring one to strike near the other before dancing out of the way and past them a bit, spinning as her blade came down right on his leg, seeking to sever it and send him tumbling into his companion. OOC: Called shot.  Tumble attack.  Tumble bonus to accuracy this time. :)
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+22 Tumble Attack
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 42 > [d20=20]
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+22 (Take 3 acc)
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 41 > [d20=19]
<Merc> ooc: you wins the internet. Not even rolling against those
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+17
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 37 > [d20=20]
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+17 crit silliness
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=1]
<Merc> ooc: hit, but not crit.
<Merc> ooc: ironically, 1 more point and it would have crit.
<Merc> ooc: oh right, crit immunity
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 2d8+6 called shot to send one into the other by LEG SEVERING.
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d8=6,4]
<Merc> The golem will now require a peg leg to walk properly! Maya's attack also sends it tumbling a bit towards the other golem, though they don't fall like dominos if that was Maya's plan. They'repretty big, so they're probably pretty sturdy.
<Merc> ooc: Aleph
* Aleph backs off slightly, firing off two arrows at the poor hobbled golem
<Aleph> roll 1d20+9 attack 1
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 11 > [d20=2]
<Aleph> roll 1d20+9 attack 2
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=17]
<Merc> ooc: miss/hit
<Aleph> roll 1d8+9 FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T ROLL 1
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d8=6]
<Merc> The arrow blows a hole right through it's chest and head, leaving it nothing more than a leg and loosely held arm. It's still standing though it looks like it'll probably fall over if it moves after someone.
<Merc> ooc: Elise
* Elise swings to finish it off! "Creatures like you weren't meant to know life! Return to the dust you came from!"
<Aleph> "...you know, for something that looks to be made of rock, you'd think they wouldn't fall apart when they get hit by arrows."
<Elise> roll 1d20+12
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=6]
<Aleph> "...maybe they're something like puppets.  Or mannequins."
<Merc> Elise's righteous fury misses against the creature's unpredictable wobbling! The second golem decides to smack Elise while she's right there, probaby because of that, not out of desire to assist it's partner. Probably.
<Merc> roll d20+10
<Merc> roll d20+10
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d20=6]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=11]
<Merc> roll d8+1
<Merc> roll d8+1
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 7 > [d8=6]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 8 > [d8=7]
<Elise> roll 1d3 armor
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 1 > [d3=1]
<Elise> roll 1d3 armor
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 1 > [d3=1]
<Merc> It bats Elise silly! It's companion also takes a shot at Elise, wobbling towards her.
<Merc> roll d20+7
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=12]
<Merc> roll d8+1
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 8 > [d8=7]
<Elise> roll 1d3 armor
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 1 > [d3=1]
<Merc> roll d20+0 balance
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 3 > [d20=3]
<Merc> The golem takes a painful shot at Elise, but also falls down in the process of attacking! It wobbles in the floor, as if trying to figure how to stand up on nothing but a leg and arm.
<Merc> ooc: Anassia
* Elise is battered but remains resolute. "That's what you get!" she says to the fallen golem. "When I say go down, you're supposed to go down!"
* Anassia draws back her hand to charge up another shot. "You know, if he wanted to kill us, this is an annoying way to," she asides before launching it at the poor golem that needs a mercy-kill!
<Anassia> roll 1d20+7
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 9 > [d20=2]
<Merc> Anassia's desire for mercy killing fail, as the blast impacts one of the stone tiles, chipping it. Jack decides to focus on the standing threat, shifting his positions before his blades flash in an attack pattern that should hopefully cause a lot of damage!
<Merc> roll d20+8
<Merc> roll d20+8
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=14]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=18]
<Merc> roll d6+6
<Merc> roll d6+6
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d6=6]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 10 > [d6=4]
<Merc> He does blow off it's head, but it's still got its two arms.
<Merc> ooc: Maya
<Maya_Mahabala> "Alright, one down...one to go!"  She twirled around, building momentum before giving the remaining standing golem the same treatment and the party watching quite a show as she twisted and twirled, eventually bringing the rather fast moving blade directly into its leg again to try and knock it down.  OOC: Same combo.
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+22 tumble attack
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 32 > [d20=10]
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+22 tumble to acc, take 3.
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=7]
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+17 actual attack
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 32 > [d20=15]
<Aleph> "...right.  They go after the person who sets off the trap square."
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 2d8+6 damage dealing
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d8=8,1]
<Merc> ooc: actually, eh, I'll roll it
<Merc> roll d20+10 counter second one
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=2]
<Merc> It's leg is cut off in a flash! It somehow still stands, although it's as wobbly as it's companion was just a second ago.
<Merc> ooc: Aleph
* Aleph rolls his eyes at the other amputee golem, taking two shots at the one that's actually standing. No point in shooting something that's flat on the floor, at the very least...
<Aleph> roll 1d20+9 shot 1
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 17 > [d20=8]
<Aleph> roll 1d20+9 shot 2
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 17 > [d20=8]
<Merc> ooc: miss/miss. Sorry, man.
<Merc> ooc: Shoulda gone for the downed one. =p
<Merc> Aleph misses! Confound their dreaded wobbling! It's so hard to aim!
<Merc> ooc: Elise
* Elise joins everyone else in focusing on the standing golem. Hopefully it won't remain standing long! "Time to join your friend on the floor!"
<Elise> roll 1d20+12
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 31 > [d20=19]
<Elise> roll 2d6+9 damage
<Penuche> Elise invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d6=4,6]
<Merc> roll d20+0 balance
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=19]
<Merc> Elise blows a hole in the golem's torso, and it's severely cracked all around. It keeps it's balance though, and attacks...Maya. If it could speak, you might swear it was crying for it's leg back, or something. Or maybe that's just too imaginative for stone statues. Who knows?
<Merc> roll d20+8
<Merc> roll d20+8
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=15]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 27 > [d20=19]
<Merc> roll d20+8 threat
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=15]
<Merc> roll d8+1
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d8=1]
<Merc> roll 2d8+2
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d8=8,3]
<Merc> roll d20+0 balance
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 10 > [d20=10]
<Merc> The golem hits Maya HARD! Of course, for it's trouble, as Maya is pushed back, the creature tips over and falls to the ground, wobbling.
<Merc> The other golem, meanwhile rolls towards Elise, and tries to bang her in the leg.
<Merc> roll d20+4
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 9 > [d20=5]
<Merc> It misses, of course, Elise just lifting up her leg as the arm goes below it.
* Maya_Mahabala stumbles back, nearly falling into the glass wall before she rights herself, looking more than a bit out of it for taking such a powerful hit. "I really really don't like these things."
<Merc> ooc: Anassia, want to try and put them out of their misery?
* Anassia shall try for the closer of the two... again! Gogo magic dakka thing.
<Anassia> roll 1d20+7
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d20=6]
<Merc> ooc: hit
<Anassia> roll 1d6+4
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 8 > [d6=4]
<Merc> Anassia killsone of the golems! Jack grumbles as he looks at the remaining golem, as if feeling this is beneath him, but he goes to shatter that one too.
<Merc> roll d20+8
<Merc> roll d20+8
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d20=5]
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=12]
<Merc> Yep, it's rubble. The force field comes down once more, and this time it's Blanche's pedestal that has the red orbs turn blue, as her ghostly figure pops in for a look. She's shuffling a bunch of cards and winces at the condition of Elise and Maya. "Jeez, sugar, you guys are getting battered, arentcha?" she asks of Elise.
<Elise> "We're still standing! Do you have anything useful to say to us, or did you just show up for taunts?"
<Maya_Mahabala> "You know, you were cooler before you had a group of golems start punching me," Maya glared a bit.  "What's your employer's name?  The ringleader, to be specific."
<Merc> "Honey, that's no way to ask for a favor," she notes with a frown, as she wiggles an arm. "What are you guys struggling with? I'll try to make my hint helpful though. I'll even give you a second, maybe, if you meet a condition, anyhow."
<Merc> ooc: wiggles a finger*
<Elise> "What's the condition? I want to get out of here already!"
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+12 diplomacy roll at the girl.  Be nice.
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=6]
<Anassia> "What's your condition?"  Anassia asks, quriking an eyebrow curiously
<Merc> "Yeah, look, name, I can't outright give you. As for condition, gimme a moment, I'm thinking of what'll get the most laughs," she notes as she muses, continuing shuffling her cards. "Anyhow, gimme what you got so far, so I can tailor my hint."
<Anassia> "What about giving us some letters.  Or, better still, a list of the letter that aren't in the name?"
<Elise> "We've got a straight line, then a couple other points...it looks like the start of an A, but that didn't work. Maybe an F or an R. We think there are four letters."
* Elise is watching Blanche with some skepticism, not looking forward to anything she might consider funny.
<Merc> She raises an eyebrow as she looks towards the tiles as they are now, then looks around, frowning as she notes something. "Hrm, I suppose the puzzle isn't much help. Well, some help would probably be what letters look like on tiles. Surprised the Ringmaster didn't put that up. Not playing fair, that," she bends the card slightly, until five cards come flying out, spelling out her name. "There's five...."
<Merc> She shuffles the cards once more, before more come flying out, spinning as if a gust of wind picked them up, before lining up as the alphabet.
* Elise eyes the letters. "That's...actually helpful. That narrows things down for the first one, at least."
<Aleph> "Very helpful indeed.  Thanks, Blanche."
<Merc> She grins. "Oh! Oh, I know what I want as my condition for a second hint!" she exclaims, as she looks around shiftily, then leans forward, making a motion as if whispering something dangerous, motioning for Elise to come closer. "Honey, step closer, this is important."
<Elise> "What? Me? What is it?" Elise steps forward...but she's ready to smite anyone or anything that tries something! Not that it would do much against illusionary Blanche, but it's kind of her default reaction.
* Aleph looks over at Holo-Blanche, wondering what she intends to do with Elise for this other hint
<Merc> Once Elise is within range, Blanche grins cheekily, and moves forward, her arms reaching out for Elise's head.
<Merc> ooc: roll reflex if you want to try and avoid her.
* Anassia can't help but quirk an eyebrow, curiously.
<Elise> OOC: mrf. I will take one for the team. >.>
<Merc> Elise decides not to pull back, though she's certainly likely to be surprised as Blanche grabs hold of her head, despite her ghostly appearance, and pulls her back, drawing her into a liplock.
* Aleph raises an eyebrow as he watches
<Elise> "MRMFGHL?!" is Elise's eloquent response. Oh god, must pull away!
* Maya_Mahabala laughs a bit at the sight.  Not every day you saw the extra shy Elise getting liplock from a gal.
* Anassia can't help but snigger for a moment either, but she's quicker to regain some composure.
<Merc> Blanche holds Elise tightly for a bit, but eventually lets her go, as she licks her lips. "Huh. Sweeter than I figured..." she mutters pensively, before shaking her head. "Anyhoo! Hint time! Don't pay a lot of attention to the words. Could just as easily have been 'Rolling, rolling, rolling. Come Around! Come Vver Here! Time for the Zoo!~', y'know? Key is in the numbers and the letters! Ciao~!"
<Merc> She too vanishes.
<Merc> ooc: Over*
* Anassia blinks for a moment after that. "...wait."
<Aleph> "...numbers and letters."
* Elise backpedals in a panic as soon as she's able, eyes wide. "You--how dare you--I don't--what..."
* Anassia slaps her head with her hand. "It's so obvious!"
<Aleph> "one, two, three, four, down to zero...?"
<Anassia> "His name is Rahz!"  Anassia says, pointing to the riddle.  "The first letter of the first word, then second, then third..."
<Aleph> "Let's try that, then..."
<Aleph> "I'll lead.  Elise seems to have taken a bit of a beating...and looks out of it."
* Aleph takes the respective cards.
<Elise> "Well, you're welcome, everybody! I'm glad I could help by getting assaulted by the pervert!"
<Anassia> "... Oh come on, it wasn't as bad as being punched."
* Anassia will, however, help whomever his hitting the tiles hit the right ones.
* Aleph takes the R and A cards
<Elise> Elise looks more shook up then she ever is by participating in or being the subject of violence, though. Or more annoyed, at least. "That's easy for you to say! I've never done that before!"
<Aleph> "...wait...how do you spell his name?"
<Anassia> "R - A - H - Z."  A pause.  "I think."  She does over to the riddle to double check.  "Yeah, that should be it."
<Aleph> "...Let's try that, then."
* Aleph steps on first row of third column
<Merc> Green chime!
* Aleph then moves down to second row
<Merc> Well, as they keep gonig for the RAHZ name, yep, chime, chime, chime, no buzzers! Golems breaking up at that.
<Merc> Eventually, they're through. Victory!
<Anassia> "... Let's go deliver some pain," Anassia says, flatly once they're through.
<Merc> ooc: Or as others would say... VICTOLY! Da-da-da-da dun-da-dun!
<Aleph> "Man, Elise, talk about lucky."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Hey Rahz, show yourself," Maya demanded at the far end.
<Elise> "FINALLY," Elise announces. "It's about time to go find this monster! I want to give him a piece of my mind for running this show full of crazy people and deviants."
* Elise can only look aside at Aleph. "Lucky? I don't know what you mean."
<Merc> There's silence. On the other side is just a wooden bridge leading out into the vastness of space. A bit off in the distance, you can see a floating slab of rock where the bridge ends, and a small house.
* Aleph ponders to himself "Maybe I should've let those golems hit me."
<Aleph> "Maybe that's why.  Or...hn..."
<Anassia> "I don't think she'd've picked you either way." Anassia asides to Aleph.  "Speaking of, let me see your bow before we go into the house."
<Elise> "Maybe that's why what? you're talking nonsense! Let's just go!" Elise strides towards the bridge, ready for trouble still.
<Aleph> "Eh?  My bow?"
<Anassia> "Yeah," she says, glancing to him.  "I'm not going to break it or anything...  hopefully," the last added offhandedly
* Elise steps onto the bridge, sheer curiosity compelling her to look down over the side.
* Maya_Mahabala heads behind Elise, following her across the bridge toward the house.
<Aleph> "...that makes me feel much better." Aleph adds off-handedly in a deadpan manner before handing it over to her
<Merc> There's really not a lot of trouble for them as they cross the bridge. It's pretty wide, and sturdy, for not resting on anything for support besides the wooden beams that form it. Pretty nice and calm path, even, and soon the group of five are within knocking distance of the door to the house. It's a pretty normal looking house at that. Even has a mat at the entrance proudly declaring "WELCOME!"
* Anassia is going to ensorcel the bow! With sickly yellow light and stuff! And, thankfully, I can't break it.
* Elise rolls her eyes. "Welcome, it says. I don't feel welcome!" She bangs on the door with a fist.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Well, let's at least see what he puts to bribe us not to stab him repeatedly."
<Anassia> roll 1d20+2+4 Channel check v. (5+4)
<Penuche> Anassia invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=14]
<Merc> There seems to be a startled noise from inside. "Oh, you're here already? Come in, come in," a voice calls out. The door opens quietly on it's own. "Didn't expect you for another couple of hours. Did you guys cheat and not get my name?"
* Anassia hands the bow back, looking as good as ever. "See? Unbroken."
<Aleph> "Er, what did you do?"
* Aleph takes it.
<Anassia> "We know your name, Rahz," Anassia says flatly.
<Merc> "That last group broke my windows and shimmied across the edge. Damn lazy hooligans..." you can hear him mutter.
<Elise> "We know you name! It's Rahz! But it should be MUD!"
<Aleph> "...Elise, calm down."
<Anassia> "... Mud would be a terrible name."
* Elise sighs. "Fine, fine. If we *have* to talk." She steps into the house, looking about warily.
<Anassia> "Oh, it's just a little better for a bit.  In case, y'know, there's killings to be done."
<Aleph> "Well, maybe there won't be."
<Merc> "Hrm, no, I'd have to re-tile my floors if my name were that," the voice replies. As the group enters, they see the house is pretty basic. There's a kitchen area in one corner, some beds, and a huge area which is admittedly just books upon books. Near those books is sitting the ringmaster, browsing through a book, not even looking up as you enter.
<Maya_Mahabala> "You know, as an entertainer, you might get less hostile guests if they actually knew they were coming for the whole life and death show."
<Anassia> "Zhar?" Anassia wagers, heading inside as well.  "Whatever it is, the puzzle let us pass."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Instead of angry girls who got hit in the face by your stupid golems," Maya clucked her tongue, her tone going more irate.
<Merc> He looks up at Maya's words. "That would defeat the purpose," he declares plainly.
<Aleph> "Anassia, I think he was referring to 'mud'."
<Aleph> "...eh, purpose?"
<Maya_Mahabala> "Is your purpose to annoy us into being violent?  Pretty please say it is," She sweetly chimed.
<Anassia> "For once I have to agree with the dancer.  I can't fathom a purpose to this but to get hurt."
<Aleph> "...you know, Maya...looking back, I wonder if it was actually 'annoying'.  ...or even if the risk of death was real."
<Elise> "It's for HIS entertainment, not ours. He just gets some sick pelasure from watching people jump through hoops for him."
<Aleph> "Elise, stop it."
<Merc> "Well, it would have been if you didn't discover my name. I would have been a dreadful host if so," he cheerfully states as he stands up, putting down the book. "As for the purpose, I go around the world, hunting for those with certain...instincts, shall we say. Most people only see a spectacular show for the finale. You, however..." He gestures all around him. "Well, you know."
<Merc> ooc: First part, he's replying to Maya.
<Maya_Mahabala> "And why is that?" She restrained her temper, somewhat curious.  He got the sense that if he made sense, she might not try and stab him!
<Aleph> "...spectacular show.  I wonder if they were watching us go through this."
<Merc> "Oh, I don't derive much pleasure from this. It's a test that I have been tasked to give. There's something coming, and well, we all must do our part to prepare," he explains...not very well. Rather cryptically at that.
<Anassia> "Something coming?  Yeah, I think there's going to be a hammer visiting your face soon."
<Elise> "There might be! Tasked by who?"
<Aleph> "Anassia, stop."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Somehow I get the sense we shouldn't attack him.  But It's hard to listen to that when we're so in the dark, don't you think, Zhar or Rahz or whatever?"
<Aleph> "Rahz, Maya."
* Anassia glances to Aleph before sighing. "Fine, fine."
<Merc> "I cannot say. It's not yet time. And it's Rahz, my dear. You had it right the first time," the ringmaster states, agreeing with Aleph. "I apologize, but you've beaten all the challenges, come richer for the experience, and I really must be going. Other towns to visit and all that. I'll contact you when it's time though!" He snaps his fingers...and the world breaks. Like a twisted glass.
<Maya_Mahabala> "How about richer at the moment," Maya glared a bit, "You really can't think to put us through that, send us off empty handed, and expect us to listen to you at a later time."
<Aleph> "...ehwha?" Aleph reacts as the world seems to shatter before his eyes
<Merc> Briefly, there is nothing but darkness. Suddenly, a jolt as you open your eyes. You're back in the circus' tent, various people cheering wildly as the ringmaster and his crew bow. "Thank you all, you've been a wonderful audience!" Rahz yells out.
* Anassia is jarred by the abrupt return to her senses, glancing down to her hands after a moment.
* Aleph has to shake himself awake as he reaccustoms himself to his surroundings. The Tower of Terror no more, it seems...
<Merc> As he lifts up his hat, a burst of wind enters the tent, sweeping everything up, like a whirlwind, until only he is left. "I bid you all, away. Enjoy your presents!" he calls out before he too vanishes.
<Merc> The group themselves find themselves wearing shirts proudly declaring "I challenged the Tower of Terror...and all I got was this lousy shirt!"
<Aleph> "...woah, what...presents?"
<Aleph> "..."
<Anassia> "..."s in chorus
<Elise> Elise's reaction perfectly reflects her confusion: "I--what--how--?"
<Merc> Where Kheldar should have been sitting, there is also a small golden chest box, locked. A tag is tied to it, with writing on it.
<Aleph> "...well, could be worse.  I mean...the Tower of Terror wasn't all bad."
<Elise> "How much of that was real? Could we have died in there?"
<Merc> People are whispering as various stand up, and take their leave, some staying, as if waiting for an encore.
<Anassia> "It wasn't really terrifying," Anassia points out before the shiny box catches her eye.
<Aleph> "...In retrospect, it was fun."
<Elise> Elise also spots the chest. "...Did they turn Kheldar into a box? Those monsters!"
<Merc> Elise would note that none of them are injured at all, they feel refreshed as can be, and in fact might feel a little stronger than they used to...
* Maya_Mahabala checks out the box, picking it up and flicking it open out of curiousity.
<Aleph> "...wait, what happened to the stiff?"
<Merc> The golden box is pretty locked. And there really is no sign of Kheldar.
<Aleph> "...even if we got something that amounts to 'a winner is us'...like some of those cheap games that occasionally came around on the festivals"
* Elise frowns, checking herself for injuries that are no longer there. "You know, if they'd TOLD me it wasn't real, I wouldn't have been so angry!"
<Merc> On the tag, the note shows another of their spiffy little cryptic four liners.

<Merc> "When the Time Comes.
<Merc> The Key Will Reappear.
<Merc> Open the Box Only Then.
<Merc> Answers Will Be Revealed."

<Elise> "Well, except with Blanche."
<Anassia> "Maybe he turned into a golden box." Anassia says, shrugging to Aleph.
<Aleph> "Ah, but that means the kiss wasn't real."
<Elise> "It--hrm. It *felt* like it. Doesnt that I mean I also didn't really see you without, you know, without you wearing anything?"
<Aleph> "...oh, you did see that."  Aleph looks down, blushing.
<Anassia> "Some things you see, Elise, you can never unsee," Anassia says, smirking a little.  "I feel like going somewhere else, though."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Out of this tent and away from here," Maya tossed the box to ANassia, putting words to actions as she lead the way out in the tight fur bikini.  "Somewhere where the circus isn't made of crazies."
<Elise> "I agree," Elise says, sounding grateful to switch her mind to something else.
* Anassia barely manages to catch the box, wincing. "Hey, ow," she says, frowning to Maya. "This is heavy!"
<Maya_Mahabala> "Huh, it is?" She didn't notice earlier. "Well, someone should hold onto it that's more careful than Elise or I," She turned, walking half backwards as she talked with Anassia.
* Aleph gets up, still being self-conscious about being seen naked. That was still a bit new to him.
<Elise> "I'm careful! I can carry it. I'm good at carrying things!"
<Aleph> "I'm just afraid you'd use it to beat someone's face in."
<Elise> "No! I have my hammer for that."
<Aleph> "I've seen you break things with stuff other than your hammer."
<Aleph> "Like...whatever that shelled thing was."
<Anassia> "But don't just /throw/ it at me," Anassia chides Maya, getting a grip on it eventually.  "I got it, Elise, just caught me off guard," she says, smiling.  "Let's go get something to drink."
<Elise> "But I was *trying* to break that. I wouldn't do it when I wasn't trying to."
<Aleph> "It wasn't someone's WEAPON, Elise."
<Elise> "It was clearly meant to break the shell! I was just using it for its intended purpose!"
<Maya_Mahabala> "Drinks sound like a plan," Maya jingled the bag of money and lead the party off to the nearest bar.
<Aleph> "That shell wasn't made of hardened steel."
* Anassia will drop off the chest (wrapped in her shirt so it's not quite so suspicious) in her room first, though!
<Elise> "I'll have water and watch everyone else drink," Elise concedes. "Maybe...maybe I'll try one. But that's *it*."
<Aleph> "Hey, I'm all for drinks!"
<Anassia> "Whoa, no need to go overboard, Elise," Anassia says, smirking to Elise as she makes her way back down, de-shirt'd
<Elise> "I guess you're right. I shouldn't have anything, really. I don't know what I was thinking!"
<Anassia> "...you're having one," she says, shaking her head slightly.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Well, she can keep the guys away," Maya teased. "While I work to forget that embarassing incident!"
<Aleph> "Eh?  Embarassing incident?"
<Anassia> "There was an embarassing incident?"
<Maya_Mahabala> "The whole circus.  My clothes cut up, a slow golem hitting me," Maya frowned. "It really wasn't my best day!"
<Elise> "Wasn't everyone embarassed at least once today?"
<Aleph> "...well, not sure it was anyone's best, but...well, was it really that bad?"
<Anassia> "... Not really," Anassia says, shrugging slightly.  "Just irate."
<Aleph> "Anyway..."

[Merc]

Visual Support!

The Room


Battle Space in Room (The corded off space)


Blanche's Intro


Blanche's Checkerboard Alphabet Deck


What would have happened if they didn't get the Name

[Merc]

<Aleph> The bar appears rather empty today, likely a result of the excitement from the circus leaving most people with better to do than just sit around and drink all night.  The staff appear relatively pleased at this...though there are exceptions to this rule.  Mainly those who got a totally different show from the circus than what everyone else did...
<Aleph> The smell of food lingers in the air, nonetheless, ready for any and all who stop in and wish to partake of it...
<Anassia> "This is a cheery place tonight," Anassia remarks, grinning slightly.
<Aleph> "Surprisngly empty.  I guess the circus took it out of them." Aleph comments as he takes a seat
<Anassia> "Can't say I'm too surprised," Anassia replies, sitting at the table as well before stretching her arms over her head.  "This I might not go to the circus for a while."
<Aleph> "Well...it wasn't really that bad.  At least, I don't think so."
<Anassia> "No, but I can think of better things to be doing," she says, shrugging faintly.
<Maya_Mahabala> "We were only embarassed, not killed," Maya waved a finger, leaning back with a drink already.
<Aleph> "I guess." Aleph shrugs, before looking over the menu.  Several meat and poultry items were listed
<Anassia> "Not really hungry, though," she says, shrugging slightly. "And I don't see why you were so embarassed."
* Aleph looks at the drink, before calling over to a waitress and ordering one himself
* Anassia is quick to order herself on when Aleph does.
* Aleph waits for the drink to come, looking ready to say something, but then seems to decide otherwise
<Aleph> "...hrn..."
* Anassia drums her fingers on the table idly. "You two are unusually quiet,"
<Aleph> "Huh?  ...is it that unusual?" Aleph looks over to Anassia
<Anassia> "A little," she says, glancing to the two. "What's on your mind?"
<Maya_Mahabala> "It definitely is," Maya smiled teasingly. "Perhaps the day took more out of me than I thought.  I hope those bruises don't last long," Maya pouted a little.
<Aleph> "Er...nothing." Aleph stays quiet
* Anassia quirks an eyebrow slightly to Maya. "I am sure you'll be fine," she says, shaking her head.
* Aleph looks over, waiting for his drink
<Maya_Mahabala> She sipped hers. "Either way, it was exciting at least."
* Aleph then looks over at Maya briefly, before looking back over as the waitress came back around
<Anassia> "I suppose it was... exciting in a way," she says, offering a smile to the wench as she takes the drink.
<Maya_Mahabala> "What do you two think about his...comments?"
<Aleph> "Eh?  About what?"  Aleph started chugging the drink
<Anassia> "He made a few," Anassia notes, taking a drink with less... enthusiasm than Aleph.
<Maya_Mahabala> "About there being some grand evil he was hunting for battle hardened folks for."
<Anassia> "Oh that."  Anassia shrugs.  "I dunno."  She shrugs slightly.
<Aleph> "I can't tell.  He might have just shown the rest of the audience our performance as the finale, who knows?"
<Anassia> "I think we would have gotten more attention if we were shown doing that." Anassia says, taking another drink.
<Aleph> "...point taken."  He starts chugging again, stopping to order another drink.
<Maya_Mahabala> "I'm glad he didn't.  I wouldn't want to be in a public strip poker game before an entire town," Maya blushed a bit. "I'm not quite that bold."
* Aleph blushed at the visual, then harder at the fact that he would've been on full display himself
* Aleph looks down again, stopping his drink a bit. "...okay, yeah, I'm glad he didn't."
<Anassia> "That would have not been very good," Anassia admits, a faint tinge to her cheeks.
<Aleph> "...sorry for that whole incident." he replies off-hand
<Anassia> "Better than fighting.  Besides, I got to see how well I can cheat at cards," Anassia says, shrugging.
* Aleph receives the next drink, before finishing his first one with gusto. Or something. 'with gusto' is fun to write for some reason.
<Anassia> "You're kinda hitting it hard tonight.  You sure you're alright?"
<Aleph> "I...eh, it's embarassing."
<Aleph> "Not sure I want to talk about it.  Not here, anyway."
<Aleph> He quickly starts on the second drink.
<Maya_Mahabala> "We're not fighting tonight again anyhow, he can drink and sleep it off," Maya leaned back.
<Anassia> "Alright," Anassia says, shrugging as she takes a long drink of her own.  "And I'm not saying it's bad."
<Aleph> "I just...nevermind." Aleph looks ready to start, before drinking more.
* Aleph looks down to the side again, looking somewhat red.
* Anassia shrugs a little, finishing off her drink. "Bleh, aftertaste,"
<Aleph> "Yeah."  Aleph slumps on the table.  "Aftertaste can be nasty.  ...I guess that's why they usually have food with the stuff."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Don't drink so fast.  It's better savored," Maya stuck her tongue out a bit at the two.
<Anassia> "I don't drink for the flavor, Maya," Anassia says, smirking slightly.
<Aleph> "If they didn't want it to be drank so fast, they wouldn't make the stuff go flat after so long." Aleph snarks back.
* Aleph then continues chugging
* Anassia orders a second drink herself, leaning back in her chair.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Oh.  What do you drink for?" She wondered at Anassia.  "I'm impressed.  Sometimes its easy to forget a few months ago you were practically pulled from your home."
<Aleph> "...maybe I shouldn't have any more."  Aleph looks down at what's left of his second drink
<Anassia> "Hey, I'm not like Elise," Anassia says, quirking an eyebrow.  "I might not have spent much time around people, but I know a good thing."
* Aleph snrks at the mention of Elise. "I bet she's still trying to wash her mouth out, come to think of it."
<Maya_Mahabala> "That's true.  Elise is such a stick in the mud.  We really should loosen her up," She laughed.
<Anassia> "How, exactly?"  Anassia asks, glancing to Maya.  "She doesn't exactly appreciate our attempts to-date."
<Aleph> ...complete with a humorous imitation.  'I can't get the taste of her PERVERSION and INDECENCY out!  I'll be tainted forever!'
* Maya_Mahabala laughs.
<Maya_Mahabala> "We'll wear her down eventually."
<Anassia> "Eventually is a long time away," Anassia, after recovering from Aleph's imitation.  "She's better, though."
<Aleph> "Insofar that she's stopped complaining about how we dress, at least."
<Anassia> "Yeah, that wasn't fun when it lasted," Anassia comments.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Definitely not," Maya frowned.
* Aleph finishes his drink before looking to the side, seemingly in thought about something
<Maya_Mahabala> "What's on your mind, aleph?  You're as easy to read as a book."
<Aleph> "...it's nothing." Aleph continues looking down. 
<Maya_Mahabala> She leaned over, her chest pushing against the table, "Doesn't sound like nothing."
<Aleph> "What makes you think that?"
* Anassia glances over to Maya as her second round arrives. "If he says it's nothing..." she says, trailing off before taking another drink.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Well, someone only says nothing when it really is something.  Otherwise it's just a silly thing on your mind," She waved a finger, an easy gossip.
<Aleph> "..." Aleph simply looks down
<Aleph> "Okay, there is something, but...I'm not comfortable saying it."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Mmm, well, that's alright then.  Carry it how you need to," She leaned back, sipping at a new cup.
<Aleph> "Well, it's just..."  He starts, but trails off.
* Anassia glances over to Aleph. "Want a sip?" she asks, tipping her drink to him.
<Aleph> "No thanks." He declines
<Aleph> "It has to do with, well...someone, I guess."
<Maya_Mahabala> "It's awfully teasing to keep starting and stopping," Maya leaned back, looping a leg over the edge of the table as she lazed, leaning alongside Anassia from her angle.
* Anassia quirks an eyebrow slightly to Aleph, taking another drink from her flagon.
<Anassia> "Hey, I'm not a chair," Anassia gripes, too lazy to push Maya away,.
<Aleph> "Is it now?  Sorry if I came off like that." he leans over the table, still looking down.
<Aleph> "It's one of those things where, well...not comfortable talking about it, but also feeling I want to say something now because I'm not sure I'll have the chance later."
<Aleph> "...eh."  He looks down in his glass
<Anassia> "Then you should say it," Anassia says, reaching over to nudge him gently.
<Aleph> "Should I?"  Aleph is nudged.
<Aleph> "...well..."  He stands, looking over to the two girls
* Anassia blinks a few times to him as he stands abruptly, tilting her head.
* Maya_Mahabala leans forward, eying Aleph with a curious gaze from her cute purple eyes.
* Aleph stands there for a few seconds, looking uncertain...before leaning in and kissing Maya
* Anassia blinks a few times, taken offguard by the abrupt action.
<Maya_Mahabala> Maya blinked, her tan skin blushing a bit at the intrusion against her soft lips. "Aleph...?  My my..."
* Aleph then pulls himself away, looking down, and with a hushed "...I'm going to go now", starts heading for the exit
* Anassia watches Aleph go, before glancing back to Maya. "My..." she says.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Now, now...It's not a good way to hunt for a woman by kissing and running.  Makes her feel unwanted!"  She teased him, emptying a wine drink herself.
<Aleph> "Sorry."  He gives as his reply
<Maya_Mahabala> She blinked, drinking a bit more, but not giving chase if he decided to flee the room, leaning a back a bit, taking it in surprised herself really.
<Anassia> "So?" Anassia asks, taking another drink and glancing to Maya.
<Maya_Mahabala> "I'm not sure he was shy or drunk, but he'll need more than that to catch my eye...even if he is a handsome fellow," She teased her friend.
* Aleph pauses at the exit. "I just...didn't know how else to say it..." before heading out the door
* Anassia glances to Maya again. "That was... interesting," Anassia says, smiling.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Definitely a bit of spice for the journey," She winked.
* Anassia rolls her eyes slightly. "I don't need to hear about it, okay?"
<Maya_Mahabala> "Oh...?" Maya wondered. "And what about you?"
<Anassia> "What about me?" Anassia asks, blinking a few times.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Well, you seemed a bit down at him doing that...  Do you have a secret someone?" She leaned back, taking another cup.  She was, to anyone who watched her very carefully, drinking a bit faster than she usually did.
<Anassia> "Ppph," Anassia says, taking a long drink herself.  "Yeah, right,"
<Maya_Mahabala> "Oh, come on.  A beauty like you has eyes on her.  Surely you've entertained a fantasy or so," She giggled.
<Anassia> "A beauty like me?" Anassia asks, quirking an eyebrow with a grin.  "Sounds like he's not the only one putting on romantic airs,"
<Maya_Mahabala> Maya laughed, "I definitely have eyes.  You almost give me a run for my money, and I don't often get competition," She ran a hand along her curvy side.  "Mmm, but things definitely got more interesting."
<Anassia> "A run for your money?  Was this a competition?"  Anassia asks, blinking to her as she takes another drink.
<Maya_Mahabala> Maya leaned over as she picked up another cup, playfully brushing a hand along Anassia's cheek and then leaning down to poke her chest. "Well, I do like being the center of attention, and you're pretty enough to take some of it.  If we were standing side by side, I think I'd only likely lure half the men to chasing," She teased, a bit flushed herself.  Was she drunk?   There were a fair number of empty cups by her at this point.
<Anassia> "I think you've had enough to drink," Anassia says, reaching out to take the cup.  "And I know you like the the center of attention; y'always try to be in it."  Anassia giggles a little.  "Good thing I don' really care for it."
<Maya_Mahabala> "You probably haven't tasted it much," She giggled. "But I think you're right," She swayed to her feet, her balance impeccable even so.  "But you know, a shy wallflower can blossom nicely.  If you played that up, you might have your pick when you want him, whoever he happens to be."  She waved a finger. "If you ever need help there, just ask Me," She smiled.
* Anassia blinks a few times in succession before taking a drink from the recently stolen glass. "I don't think I want to know what you would tell me," she mutters softly.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Ouch," Maya waved a hand, wrapping an arm around Maya. "Don't be so cold.  Now come on," She tugged Anassia back toward the inn.
<Anassia> "Eh, I think I'm going to have a little more to drink," Anassia says, grinning to Maya.  "I still know what way is up, afterall."
<Maya_Mahabala> "It's that way," She pointed at the roof. "I can hold my liquor," She teased. "Just get a bit...silly," She smiled.
<Anassia> "Yeeeah, I bet you can," Anassia says, giggling slightly.  "I think I've dran-... drun-... had more to drink than you."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Have not," She laughed. "Mmm, but really, as a friend, not gonna leave you all alone here," She waved, leaning near. "Not too safe you know!"
<Anassia> "... Maya," Anassia says, quirking an eyebrow slightly.  "I can shoot lightning from my hands," she says, sticking her tongue out.  "If anyone bothers me, it's going to be a bad day for someone."
<Maya_Mahabala> "And what's to stop you from burning the place down by accident after a few more drinks?" She smiled. "Just come along.  "We can drink again tomorrow."
<Anassia> "Eh, fire's not my thing," Anassia says, shrugging slightly as she stands.