[28] New Beginnings - Old and New Friends

[Merc]

Session Start: Sun Dec 19 17:02:27 2010

<Maya_Mahabala> A month has passed, quick as can be, but for some heading back into the sleepy village life is...harder to adjust to.  For others, well, apparently bringing back pet undead does not go well with uptight normal parents.  Needless to say, at least Maya has had enough swapping stories about saving the country.  So it wasn't surprising to find her looking around in the fields for wherever Aleph was sleeping, skipping work again.
* Aleph is once again napping, slumped against/behind an old wagon, out of view of anyone who would take a casual glance. Aleph has adjusted to life...well, as well as he was adjusted to it before all the war shenanigans.
<Aleph> ...notably, over the time, he had cut his hair short at this point--now just neck-length, given that it started getting in his way again.
<Aleph> The fact that it took a shorter time to clean was a factor in it as well.
* Maya_Mahabala leans over the young man, having finally found him.  Dressed today in a simple green dress as she poked him in the nose. "Wake up."
* Aleph 's eyes open slightly, greeted with the view of Maya's chest, before looking up. "eh...wha...oh. Hey Maya."
<Aleph> "What's up?  Slow day today?"
<Maya_Mahabala> "Pleasant dreams?  Have you gotten any work done today?" She had a playful smirk on her face.
<Aleph> "Plenty.  Nothing's attacked or stolen from the crops, so I've been getting work done." Aleph sarcastically comments
<Merc> A small lizard scurries by Aleph's leg as Maya and he talk. Its tail slaps against his shoe as it moves along the grass.
<Maya_Mahabala> "...You...are too lazy," She pouted a little.  "I'm thinking of leaving tomorrow.  You still want to come, don't you?"
<Aleph> "Getting out of here?  Definitely."
* Aleph frowns at the lizard as he pushes it away with his bow
<Maya_Mahabala> She reached down, "Come on.  I want to go see if she's made up her mind."  She offered her hand.
* Aleph takes her hand and both pulls and pushes himself up. Opportunities to be away from this town with Maya are always a thing to de-lazy for in his mind
<Maya_Mahabala> She grinned walking confidently off.  She'd been spending a bit of time with him since they got back.  She thought she knew where Anassia would be this time a day too...
* Aleph follows Maya closely, smiling. Needless to say, things have been somewhat less boring around here as of recent. Somewhat being the operative word.
<Merc> Anassia is probably hiding in that abandoned barn where she'd originally found her tomes of knowledge. She often seemed to be hiding there, reading the books she'd pilfered from Ranus' castle, surrounded by her animated undead minions, who while tolerated, were not allowed anywhere near the village, let alone her father's property.
<Merc> It does take a little time for the pair to arrive, and as they approach, they can spot a pair of skeletons waving at them from where they stand guard in front of the barn's entrance.
<Maya_Mahabala> "She's still at it," Maya pouted as she headed over there. "Yoohoo?  Anassia, are you awake?"
<Aleph> "Heh...Anassia's been having fun with those, I've heard."
<Merc> Anassia is indeed there, as is her brother Valak, who seems to be laughing and playing with Coily, the giant undead snake. It's a weird sight to see, but Anassia's control over it means it wasn't likely to eat her brother. Unless he pissed her off or something. Maybe.
* Anassia looks up from her book. "Oh. It's you two," she says, setting it off to one side and stretching out. "What're you doing around here?"
<Aleph> "Maya's about to go off, have some fun.  I'm headed with her.  Want to come along?"
<Maya_Mahabala> "Good afternoon," Maya approached them.  "Looking for you, of course." She put her hands on her hips, smirking.
<Anassia> "Some fun?" Anassia asks, glancing between the two, her mouth pulling into a faint smirk.
<Merc> Valak seems to stop playing with Coily as he eavesdrops on your conversation, peering at Maya from around one of Coily's rib bones.
<Aleph> "...eh?  I didn't mean..." he blushes slightly
<Merc> ooc: Not that snakes really -have- ribs, but you probably get the idea of what bones I mean. Or something.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Not that kind.  Travel!  I did say I wasn't going to stay around here again long," Maya smiled.
<Merc> "You're leaving again, Anassia?" Valak asks with a frown. "Dad is just starting to get used to all the magic and stuff...well, kinda."
<Anassia> "I dunno," Anassia says evasively, glancing off over to the side.  Valak gets a glance and smile.  "I don't think he ever will, Val."
<Maya_Mahabala> "It's weird," Maya nodded bluntly.  "But Anassia is pretty good at it.  She shouldn't have to hide it out here."
<Merc> "He's letting me hang out here now, isn't he?" Valak points out. That probably had more to do with her brother sneaking out to visit and it just being easier to give permission than to keep telling him he shouldn't though...
<Aleph> "I remember the guy."  Aleph rolls his eyes.  "He and I most definitely didn't get along.  Likely still wouldn't." he follows with a smirk.
<Anassia> "I'm getting a lot of time to read those books, though," Anassia says, glancing away from her brother.  "Some interesting things in there."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Well, I won't force you not to be boring..." Maya smiled teasingly, standing back.  "If you really don't want to anyway."
<Aleph> "Guess that means it'd be the two of us if she doesn't?"  Aleph attempts to tease
<Anassia> "What, does Jack not want to come along with you and get smacked around some more?" Anassia asks, quirking an eyebrow slightly.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Mmm, I guess so.  If you can keep up," She playfully smiled, not rushing as she hoped Anassia would change her mind.
<Aleph> "We can't find the guy, really."
<Maya_Mahabala> "He went off to the capital a few weeks ago, Aleph." Maya frowned at him.  "He's going to help teach the prince how to defend himself."
<Aleph> "Ah.  Thought it was either that or him disappearing into the slums.  Struck me as 50-50 for him."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Well, he could've been lying..." Maya shrugged her shoulders.
<Anassia> "Oh, yeah, his job at the capitol," she says, shaking her head slightly.  "I suppose that I should come with you two, if only to keep you out of trouble," she sighs over-dramatically; the chain of the amulet is still obviously around her neck, although the weight of it is hidden under her dress
<Aleph> "And what do you mean by that?"
<Anassia> "..."  Anassia quirks an eyebrow slightly to Aleph.  "Without me, you two would probably still be getting drunk in a tavern somewhere,"
<Maya_Mahabala> "Oh, she means she's going to pickup the tab at the tavern tonight before we go."  She nodded.
<Anassia> "And I am /not/,"
<Aleph> "Ah.  Very helpful, that."
<Maya_Mahabala> She was totally shameless about changing Anassia's meaning.
<Anassia> "I doubt that I have enough money to pay off your debts, anyway."
<Merc> "Your friends are in debt? I thought you guys all came back rich!" Valak exclaims, interjecting the question with shock at the idea that someone could spend so much money in just under two months!
<Aleph> "Didn't you have that rewar--yeah, what your brother said."
<Anassia> "They're not very good with money, Val," Anassia says, grinning to her brother.
<Merc> He has an expression mixing shock, horror and awe.
<Aleph> "We make up for it in other places." Aleph reassured.
<Anassia> "You keep telling yourself that, Aleph," she comments wrily.
<Maya_Mahabala> Maya whistled.  "Actually I was referring to tonight's party before we go."
<Aleph> "Touche"
* Maya_Mahabala was totally willing to spend other people's money anyway.
<Anassia> "Tonight's party?  Oh, god, you're going to get everyone totally wasted, aren't you?  And then leave them with the bill."
<Merc> Anassia's brother frowns. "So you do think you're leaving? Can Coily stay?"
<Aleph> "What kind of party would it be if it turned out that way?  Probably one of those ones filled with stodgy people like up in the castle that one time."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Yes.  Absolutely."  She nodded.
<Aleph> *didn't turn
<Anassia> "I don't think that father would appreciate me leaving him behind, Val..."
<Merc> Valak frowns but nods. "...true."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Anyhow, what would Anassia ride if she wasn't staring down from atop Coily's head?" Maya innocently suggested.
<Anassia> "I am not going to dignify that with an answer," ANassia says flatly, not looking toward Maya
<Maya_Mahabala> "Anyhow, glad you're going to come with us.  Come on, we can discuss where next over a glass of wine."
<Anassia> "I am not paying for you," Anassia says flatly
<Aleph> "We're not drunk yet, why would you need to?" Aleph jokes back
<Maya_Mahabala> Maya innocently whistled as she lead the way to the inn.
* Anassia sighs heavily, before giving her brother a hug. "I'll be back before too much longer," she says flatly
* Aleph follows Maya closely, admittedly glancing every now and then at her backside
<Merc> Valak nods as he's hugged, though he squirms a bit to get free after a while. "I'll head home, I guess."
<Anassia> "I'll leave Coily here for a while," she says, straightening.
<Merc> The inn isn't that filled up, though there are a few patrons here and there. It doesn't take any time at all to find a spot to sit, chat, drink and make plans.
<Maya_Mahabala> "I was thinking of heading north.  Less...dinosaurs."  She said simply, ignoring that was simply the way the wind was blowing this morning.
<Aleph> "Anything involving less dinosaurs is fine with me." Aleph agrees.
<Aleph> "What is up there, anyway?"
<Anassia> "North?"  Anassia asks, flatly.  "Why am I surprised that is the extent of your planning?"
<Maya_Mahabala> "We can check the trade routes in Greydon and maybe hitch a ride on a traveling caravan."  Maya smiled, not at all worried about this planning business.
<Anassia> "A travelling caravan," Anassis says, equally flat.
<Aleph> "Hey, sounds fun to me."
<Maya_Mahabala> Maya sipped her wine, smiling back.
<Aleph> "...just as long as we don't go on any ships."
<Anassia> "You would agree with anything she says, wouldn't you?"
* Aleph drinks some of his wine.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Why not ships?" She wondered.
<Merc> The bartender snorts under his breath at Anassia's comment about Aleph. Well, most people in town -do- remember some of Aleph's worst tendencies after all. Even with Maya's story telling about his better deeds.
<Aleph> "...you don't remember last time?"
<Aleph> "...I was sick for the entire week?"
<Maya_Mahabala> "Oh, right..." She nodded, having forgotten about it since, after all, she hadn't gotten sick.
<Aleph> "And it's not like I agree with everything she says." Aleph retorts to Anassia.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Well, maybe...we'll see what's fun when we get there?" Maya smiled.
<Maya_Mahabala> "It's a richer town.  There's likely to be more interesting business going on."
<Anassia> "Maybe I should let you two go off on your own after all," Anassia remarks, faintly amused as she takes a drink.  "And yes, you do."
<Maya_Mahabala> "What do you want to do, Anassia?" Maya turned it on her.
* Anassia shrugs flatly. "I dunno," she says. "Maybe check out Dalewyn."
<Maya_Mahabala> "What do you want to check out in Dalewyn?" She wasn't opposed, flitting between directions.
<Anassia> "One of their magical schools," Anassia said quirking an eyebrow.
<Aleph> "Eh?  But you seem pretty good at that stuff from what I've seen."
<Anassia> "That doesn't mean that I've nothing left to learn," Anassia remarks simply, taking another drink
<Maya_Mahabala> "Mmm, well, I wouldn't mind...  but let's see where chance takes us?" She moved a gold coin forward.  "Heads north, tails south to dalewyn?"
* Maya_Mahabala lifts the coin and flips.
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d2 1 is heads.
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 2 > [d2=2]
* Maya_Mahabala catches it on her palm and flips. "Heads...Guess we should get ready to go south first then.  What's the best route to Dalewyn?"
<Anassia> "I haven't really gotten that far in my planning yet," Anassia admits.
<Aleph> "Hm.  What else is there to do down there, if I might ask?
<Anassia> "I imagine there is plenty of alcohol for you to drink, Aleph."
<Maya_Mahabala> "We'll find out.  It's no fun going somewhere you already know everything about."  Maya nodded.
<Aleph> "Heh.  Point taken."
* Aleph downs more of his wine
<Aleph> "Well...in that case, when's the party?"
<Aleph> "Or is this is right here?"  Aleph snrks
<Aleph> *this it
<Anassia> "If so, this is a kind of depressing party," Anassia notes, amused.
* Aleph snrks. "Well, guess that means we should party harder?"
<Merc> "You can always offer drinks on you. That always gets a party going," the bartender suggests. Not that it has anything to do with more business, no sir.
<Anassia> "These two mooches?" Anassia asks the tender, grinning slightly.
<Maya_Mahabala> "That's later...let's go say goodbye to crazy girl.  Give her one last chance to come with us."
<Aleph> "Elise?  Yeah, might as well say hi to her and see if she wants to go along.  Even if she still...doesn't want to loosen up."
<Anassia> "Crazy girl?" Anassia asks, quirking an eyebrow.  "That's a bit harsh on her."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Mmm, I guess...She was a bit out of it last I went to ask," Maya glanced at the table, not really wanting to say more on that.
<Anassia> "Out of it?" Anassia asks, quirking an eyebrow thoughtfully.
<Aleph> "...huh.  Really?"
<Maya_Mahabala> "It's like she got a bit too much into her book." She pouted.  "But still, maybe she'll be better if we lure her away back to the open road."
<Anassia> "Wasn't she always 'too into' that book?" Anassia asks, finishing off her wine.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Yes," Maya solidly agreed.
<Maya_Mahabala> She slipped up to her feet, waiting for them to get up with a smile.
* Aleph downs the rest of his wine quickly before standing in turn
* Anassia stands as well, stretching slightly.
<Maya_Mahabala> Maya slipped out, whispering briefly to the barkeep about later.  They'd be back when it was more time to party.
<Aleph> "...have I gotten that bad as of late?" Aleph asides to Anassia.
<Anassia> "In what way?" Anassia asks, amused by Aleph's question.l
<Merc> The bartender nods, promising to reserve a few chairs.
<Aleph> "Er...is it really that obvious that..."
<Aleph> "I mean, I'm not trying to get into..." ...Aleph blushes, finding himself unable to finish his replies
* Anassia smirks slightly. "I'm just having fun making fun of you two," she admits.
<Aleph> "...man, your sense of humor goes over my head at times."
<Maya_Mahabala> "You two like staring?" Maya wondered from far ahead, leading the way to Elise's house.
<Aleph> "...ah, crap."  Aleph hurries to follow up
<Anassia> "Oh, yeah, totally." Anassia remarks, bemused. "Totally."
<Merc> Elise's house is some distance away from the town's walls, even further than Anassia's home. It's a bit tiring for some of them who've gotten used to not having to walk so much since coming back to Ferune.
* Aleph would fall into that category, not too surprisingly
* Anassia also is a little haggard by the time they arrive
<Merc> When they finally get near, the house looks to have had better days, although they're used to it, having visited before. Elise always was better at breaking things than not. There's a light coming from inside, even though the sun is still up (although it has gone down a fair bit since you all got together).
<Aleph> "...huh.  Guess someone's here."  Aleph walks up...somewhat...and knocks on the door.
* Anassia follows behind Aleph. "I haven't seen her since we've gotten back,"
<Merc> "Come in!" a familiar voice calls out from inside.
<Aleph> "Same.  Well, I think she chastised me once for being lazy." Aleph snrks as he opens the door.
* Maya_Mahabala takes the rear spot on entering.  Not that she worries that Elise really will decide to break something...
<Anassia> "Gee, big surprise there," Anassia remarks, following behind.
<Merc> Inside is Elise...sitting in the middle of the room in the seiza position, with her eyes closed, apparently meditating or something, while balancing a bowl with some sloshing liquid on her head. "Welcome to the home of Hapshulam's faithful. What can this servant of he who watches do for you?" she asks as she senses you all come in.
* Aleph blinks, a bit weirded out. "...uh...hey Elise."
<Merc> She opens her eyes, recognizing the voices, and smiles. "Ah, hello, my friends!" she greets cheerfully as she sets the bowl down and stands, almost tripping though catching herself as she stands from the painful sitting position. "How are you all?"
* Anassia quirks an eyebrow slightly. "Not too bad, yourself?" She asks, glancing about the room.
<Aleph> "...uh...fine?"  Aleph replies before whispering to Anassia.  '...okay, what happened to her all of a sudden?'
<Merc> "Anassia! Haven't seen you in a long time! Have you read Hapshulam's book yet?" You vaguely recall Elise giving you a copy to read last time you saw her, like she'd promised way back a lifetime ago when Kenmore attacked the town.
<Anassia> "Not... all the way through, yet," Anassia admits sheepishly.  "Been studying the notes we found, mostly."
<Maya_Mahabala> Maya stared a bit, having not opened the book she'd been handed at all.
<Merc> She frowns but nods, recalling your enthusiasm for such knowledge. "Take care that you do not lose yourself in their mad words and lose your soul! I shall continue praying to Hapshulam to watch over you."
* Anassia glances toward the others, blinking a few times. She doesn't comment that she found the book she'd gotten from Elise to be the madder of the two. "Uh... thanks?"
* Aleph glances back to Maya and Anassia, not really commenting in turn
<Maya_Mahabala> "Ah...well," Maya's desire to ask her had gutted at yet another chat about Hapshulam.
<Aleph> She'd become...unrecognizable at this point, really.
<Maya_Mahabala> "We were just seeing that you were okay, Elise.  We'll be going now.  Probably for a while!"
<Aleph> ...and Aleph still wonders if it was the drink that went bad, he just had too much, or things had gone mad in here...
<Aleph> "...yeah.  Uh...what Maya said..."
* Anassia barely resists the urge to comment that Elise needs to get out.
<Merc> "The two of you are joining Maya in her quest?" Elise asks, looking curious.
<Aleph> "Yeah."  He wouldn't call it a quest...but felt that brevity would be the best option here.  Especially since he was being a bit creeped out at this point...
<Merc> She nods again. "I apologize that I cannot join you, but Hapshulam's name has all but been forgotten in this town in our last absense! Stricken from the record as it were! A most fiendish plot that I must dedicate myself to see through and fighting this corruption!" she stands, looking serious as she clenches her fist. "JUSTICE MUST PREVAIL!"
<Anassia> "It's not really a quest..." Anassia murmurs, before blinking to Elise.  "Yeeeaaah, okay.  Good luck with that"
<Maya_Mahabala> "Justice must prevail!" Maya nodded, singsonging it as she stepped out of the house quickly.
<Aleph> "...gotcha."  Aleph replies, blinking.  At least a bit of the Elise he remembered was present.  But he followed Maya out anyway with all due haste.
<Merc> The door is shut tightly behind the three of them, and they can hear what sounds like Elise returning to her meditation. Well that was awkward.
<Aleph> "...I think we lost her."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Now you see why I was saying it like that?" She rubbed her nose a bit.
<Aleph> "...uh, yeah.  Holy crap."
<Anassia> "She wasn't utterly unbearable before," Anassia says.  "Well, she was... but less."
<Aleph> "She didn't seem...herself."
<Aleph> "...and to be honest, that was creepy."
<Maya_Mahabala> "I was hoping she was maybe just drunk yesterday but..."
<Maya_Mahabala> Maya frowned. "Promise neither of you two will go off like that?  It's one thing to say goodbye...another entirely to see...that."
<Aleph> "...I don't think I'd--"...he catches himself, and then sincerely replies.  "I promise."

[Merc]

Session Start: Sun Jan 09 17:46:04 2011

<Merc> Brina Driscoll finds herself as one of the many escorts for a bunch of caravans from Kelarin, the old capital, to Masares, when the oddest encounter happens. As they pass the nearby forests, more than half of the way there, some of the other guards seem to tense, then look in shock... To their right, there seems to be a group of three young people....riding a giant skeletal snake on the way to Masares.
<Merc> "What the hell is -that-!" someone shouts, getting the attention of the three adventurers.
<Merc> Many of the guards go for their weapons as they watch the undead snake with wariness, hesitant to attack, but concerned nonetheless as they all seem to be heading the same way.
* Aleph seems to be reclining as much as he can on the giant snake, before he looks over at the caravan in question. "I think we're looking rather suspicious right now, Maya."
* Brina shifts her cloak to cover her more full and palms her blade, slowly dropping into concealment and subtly begining to move for a better flanking position, but making no overtly hostile motions..
* Aleph tries to raise his hand in nonthreatening gesture and give hsi best smile to the caravan, hoping that it'll at least go to just plain awkwardness rather than the current suspicion
<Maya_Mahabala> "Well, it is an easy way to cross the countryside.  But you can't expect everyone to see it that way."  She smiled, hopping off.  "I'll go clear things up so they don't attack."  She walked closer, giving a winning smile, a slightly cloak over her shoulders the only notion that the temperature wasn't beach weather.  "Hello, how's the roads up there?"
<Brina> roll d20+15 for hide
<Penuche> Brina invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d20=10]
<Brina> roll d20+13 move silently
<Penuche> Brina invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=16]
<Merc> Coily turns to look at the caravan, and hisses at the sight of weapons pointed in its direction, until Anassia quickly tries to command it to stop that. Still, the damage seems done as the guards all point shaky weapons in their directions for now. (OOC: Diplomacy check, Maya)
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+14 diplomacy
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 32 > [d20=18]
<Merc> ooc: Also, feel free to try and spot Brina with your own rolls
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+9 spot
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=10]
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+9 listen
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d20=16]
<Aleph> roll 1d20+11 spot
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=11]
<Aleph> roll 1d20+11 listen
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=13]
<Merc> roll d20+7 listen Anassia
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d20=18]
<Merc> roll d20+7 spot Anassia
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=15]
<Merc> Maya's cheerful demeanor seems to make the majority of the guards loosen their hostile behavior slightly, they don't look as ready to skewer Maya as she approaches, but they continue to point their weapons. "W-w-what is that thing?" one of them asks, pointing at Coily.
<Aleph> "Uh, our friend's choice of transportation.  ...we call it Coily."
<Merc> Meanwhile, the three adventurers remain unsuspecting of Brina's actions as she silently sneaks around what foliage of the forest is still around, using the few trees and bushes to positino herself almost between Maya and the others. If this goes into a fight, she could certainly ensure Maya gets boxed in...at least until Maya gets running at least.
<Merc> "He's harmless! I promise!" Anassia chips in, looking very innocent and non-dangerous.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Oh.  Undead giant snake.  We killed it a while ago but our sorceress decided it would be convenient to have it carry us instead of buying horses.  She's a bit cheap," She joked.  "Are you heading south to Ferune?"
* Brina simply crouches, motionlessly and waits for a cue, wheather for blood or speech.
<Maya_Mahabala> OOC: *North
<Merc> roll d20+6 sense motive from the guards. Hope they don't roll a 1!
<Penuche> Merc invokes Penuche's magic: < 7 > [d20=1]
<Merc> ooc: ...
<Merc> ooc: bwahahaha
<Aleph> ooc: you dick.
<Maya_Mahabala> OOC: Hey, shouldn't my diplomacy roll somewhat avoid them deciding we're evil?
<Merc> ooc: They don't necessarily think you're evil, they just don't believe you.
<Merc> The guards' eyes harden, finding Maya's questioning odd. "If we were going to Ferune, why would we be going south to Masares? There's a direct route!" one of the other guards yells. "You're obviously going to Masares too! Are you going to eat everyone there?!? You monsters!"
<Merc> ooc: feel free to try and calm them down again. If you fail, it might degenerate though.
<Aleph> "Oi oi, what?  Why would we be eating anyone?!  The thought alone is revolting!"
* Aleph has a look of both disgust and shock on his face--the former at the thought of what was suggested, the latter for the idea that any of the three would do just that...
<Merc> ooc: Feel free to either roll diplomacy or aid another if Maya is planning to say something (which I assume she is)
<Aleph> ooc: Going for aid.  Aleph can't diplo for crap
<Aleph> roll 1d20+3 diplomacy-aid
<Penuche> Aleph invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=9]
<Maya_Mahabala> roll 1d20+16 (Still thinking of what to say)
<Penuche> Maya_Mahabala invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=5]
<Brina> roll d20+12 Sense Motive vs. Maya
<Penuche> Brina invokes Penuche's magic: < 22 > [d20=10]
<Maya_Mahabala> "Ah...I guess I was confused.  But that's silly.  I'm from Ferune, and honey, most people don't complain if I want to eat them," She teased the hard faced guard who was being so scared.  "And really, you are all being quite rude," She fished a rather noticeable medal out from between her peaks, "or do you go around harassing all of adalia's best from other cities?"
* Aleph is a bit busy staring at where she got the medal from as of current
<Merc> Brina honestly don't feel Maya or her group is lying, and they certainly don't look like they intend to assault the caravan. The sight of the medal certainly helps, not just her, but also the guards, who look flustered, and immediately put away their weapons. "O-oh! I'm sorry, I've heard of your deeds! I thought your group was larger, and I hadn't heard anything about your, uhm...mode of transportation before," the guy in charge of the guards (even Brina) says with a bow.
<Merc> ooc: the guards (even Brina) says with a bow.
<Aleph> "Er...there were a couple more."
<Aleph> "They left.."
* Brina rises silently from her crouch and steps past May from behind to stand next to the guard leader.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Well, some are back in Ferune," Maya waved it off, too friendly to care.  "We're too young to stay put."
* Maya_Mahabala blinks, stepping quickly almost a dozen steps from Brina in surprise.
* Aleph quirks an eyebrow as he watches Brina move from her hiding place
<Merc> Anassia laughs at the sight. "Looks like they have their own Jack, now the female version though!"
* Brina merely quirks a small smile at the colorfully dressed woman's actions, but keeps her hood low and makes no other motions.
* Maya_Mahabala clucks her tongue. "I guess so.  That's awfully cautious for a merchant caravan."
* Aleph is very obviously checking Brina out at this point.
* Brina has her heavy cloak covering most of her body, especially her hands.
<Aleph> "Dresses like Elise."
<Merc> "I see..." the head of the guards says, keeping his attention on the group, though he does give an approving nod to Brina as she steps back in line with the other guards. "Well, I apologize for the trouble, though I would recommend you...do something about your mode of transportation. I doubt we'd be the last to react like that to your group," he says as a sort of backhand gruff apology.
* Brina moves her head slightly to fully see Aleph and notes the name, but still waits for the guard captain to solve the situtaion.
<Aleph> "I'll talk to Anassia about throwing a parade decoration on Coily or something of the such
<Aleph> You know, make him look more festive."
* Brina groans softly at Alephs' comment, remembering many similar things coming out of her brother's mouth as well.
<Maya_Mahabala> "It makes for interesting conversations," Maya remarked shamelessly.  "Mind if we join you if you're heading down that way?"  She wondered.
<Merc> "Oh, of course! Please do. I'm sure we'd be less likely to face any foolish bandits with your company, and I imagine people at Masares will be much less inclined to worry about your...monstrosity."
<Merc> "His name is Coily," Anassia offers helpfully.
<Maya_Mahabala> "You'll keep him outside the town again, right, Anassia?" She playfully flipped backwards a couple times and up onto the large snake.
<Merc> Anassia nods.
* Brina shifts her head back towards the Guard Captain.
<Brina> "I'll go check on the wagons and move towards a scouting position, Sir."
<Aleph> "Eh, we should be fine on the way there, then."  Aleph climbs up on Coily, taking a seating position behind Maya
<Merc> "And by that you mean check on your client...heh, go ahead," the head guard says.
* Brina nods and moves off towards the wagons, making only the barest swish of cloth as she moves and finally sheathing her blade.
<Aleph> "...kind of like if Jack and Elise had a daughter." Aleph comments to the two girls.
<Merc> As Anassia shudders at Aleph's image, now that the 'danger' has passed, the head guard begins motioning to the other guards to get back in position, and to the drivers to get moving again. Some of the people in the caravans peek out to see what all the hubbub was about, turning in particular to look at Brina for answers as she approaches.
<Maya_Mahabala> "She's older than both of them, if I don't make my guess," She teased Aleph for being silly about such.
* Brina speaks quietly to an older woman before gently patting the woman's hand and moving off, threading her way through the caravan repeating the gesture to some of the travelers; mainly the older ones and giving the young ones a ruffling of hair as she goes.
<Aleph> "Perhaps.  Acts pretty accurate to it, though." Aleph comments back.
<Merc> The trip is fairly quiet the rest of the way, and they arrive at the gates two days later, the group having slowed down their travel speed to match the caravans' more leisurely pace. All three have made a few friends along the way, and the guards all seem to be much more respectful and even protective of the bunch, even if they're all likely more capable than them. Must be some age thing. "I suppose we part ways here?" the head guard says as he offers a hand to shake to the trio.
<Aleph> "by the way, do you hide anything else in there?" Aleph teases back to Maya
<Merc> ooc: cut off - "I suppose we part ways here?" the head guard says as he offers a hand to shake to the trio.
<Aleph> ooc: retcon, ignore that question.
<Maya_Mahabala> "I suppose so.  We're going for drinks, if any of your braver sorts want to come along," She shook his hand.  "Have you done much traveling southward?"
<Aleph> "Can never go wrong with drinks."
<Merc> Most of them shake their head. "No. No business for us in Vyrdam, especially now with the troubles between our nations almost sparking back into a war...of course, you'd know all about that having -prevented- said war!" the head guard says with a grin.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Wise enough.  They were all too tense over there," Maya smiled, waving them off. "Come on, let's go find a good place to spend some coin," She grinned and headed into the downtown of the city.
* Aleph follows alongside Maya, curious as to the offerings in town
<Merc> "I think I'll join our fine heroes for a drink. Business can wait a few more hours," Brina's client says at Maya's offer, her eyes twinkling as she stares at Brina. "Don't you think, dear?"
* Brina gives the older lady a small smile.
<Brina> "A drink sounds fine, ma'am."
* Maya_Mahabala glances back "The more the merrier," She smiled.
<Merc> The head guard tosses a bag with coins noisily clinking within to Brina. "Your pay. Even if you were mostly guarding the caravan as a bonus," he says as he starts to wave off. "Stay alive kid, you've got guts."
* Brina bows at the waist to the head guard while catching the pouch.
<Aleph> "I wonder what kind of drinks they have here anyway." Aleph off-handedly asks
<Brina> "I wish you many good summers and many fruitful hunts, sir."
<Merc> "Let's go to Hogan's Bar, and you can find out, young man. Come on, I'll lead the way, since I assume you're not familiar with this town?" the councilwoman, Brina's client asks.
<Aleph> "Sure thing, sure thing.  Sound good to you, Maya?"
* Brina takes a moment to remove her cloak, shake some of the trail dust off of it, and then flips it inside out, the color now more suiting the city, and puts it back on, leaving the hood down this time.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Always," She grinned.  "What's your name miss?" She didn't seem to mind the woman being much older than them.
<Merc> "Lara Bederevis," she says with a smile.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Nice to meet you, Lara.  Maya Mahabala.  And these two are Aleph and Anassia."
* Brina smiles at the three with a nod.
<Brina> "I am Brina Driscoll. A pleasure to meet you, formally this time."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Sneaky girl," Maya smiled widely.  "That's an odd talent for a guard.  Where'd you pick that up, Brina?"
* Brina shrugs.
<Aleph> "Name's Aleph." he nods to Brina and Lara
<Brina> "I am not a guard by trade. I'm a hunter. A bit of stealth comes with it."
<Merc> "I suspect she sometimes goes ahead and hunts some of the bandits that might have preyed on caravans," Lara says in a conspiratory tone. "It's why I hire her often. Never seem to meet any bandits on the road when she's around."
* Brina blushes lightly and smiles at Lara, slightly inclining her head to her.
<Aleph> "She must be good.  None of us saw her."
<Maya_Mahabala> "I see.  Pretty neat.  I never tried my hand much at hunting.  Aleph, are you any good at it?" Maya eyed her poor boy.
<Brina> "I thank you for the compliment, Sir Aleph."
<Aleph> "Eh, I've hunted for food every now and then.  Kind of have to when it's either that or go hungry from lack of pay."
* Brina nods to Aleph's comment.
<Brina> "What he otherwise fails to mention is that hunting is quite common for Archers. It takes a fair degree of skill to hit a target in flight."
<Merc> "You're -rich-," Anassia points out in deadpan to Aleph. "We all are."
* Aleph comments to Anassia. "I wasn't before we went out and did all that hero stuff."
<Merc> "Point."
<Maya_Mahabala> "We're not rich...yet," Maya teased, having already spent a fair portion of the wealth she'd gained.  Easy come, easy go.  It wasn't like carrying a lot of gold got you anywhere.  "You hunt with a sword, Brina?"
* Aleph had a good amount left over, by comparison...
* Brina draws one of her throwing daggers and displays it.
<Brina> "I prefer to hunt with blades, yes. Either in hand, or thrown."
<Merc> As they enter the bar, the bartender looks up and seems a bit surprised. "Councilwoman Bederevis! Now this is a pleasant surprise. Don't see you gracing my establishment often," the bartender greets. Lara just smiles. "Ah, I have a few guests to treat, Hogan. Some of your finest for these four and myself, if you please!"
* Brina sheathes the dagger and draws an unstrung shortbow from behind her, under her cloak.
<Brina> "Though, I do have some experience with a bow as well."
<Aleph> "Interesting." Aleph quirks an eyebrow.  "I can't really deal with the close-quarters stuff that well myself, admittedly"
* Brina shrugs.
<Aleph> "...speaking of close..." Aleph turns to Maya, "Hiding anything else in there?" he asks teasingly.
<Brina> "Everything has it's place. A close-quarters fighter usually needs an archer of some sort to cover their approach. In open combat, at the least."
* Brina hardens her eyes and stares at Aleph.
<Brina> "Aleph, that is hardly appropriate in our company. At the very least, you should respect the Lady Bederevis' standing and reputation."
<Maya_Mahabala> She waggled her eyebrows playfully at him.  "Well, you're going to have to work hard to maybe find out one day...but until then, that's a secret."  Maya smiled a bit at Brina's remark, going and sitting down next to the councilwoman.  She didn't really care at all for status much.
* Brina leans her bow against the table and takes a seat.
<Aleph> "...sheesh." Aleph comments.  "Now you're reminding me of another person who used to be in our group." as he heads over and takes his own seat
* Brina raises an eyebrow.
<Brina> "You remind me greatly of my younger brother. He couldn't figure out how to be respectful in the least until I cracked his knuckles. It was a daily occurance with him. Will it be with you, as well?"
<Merc> "Now, now, Brina. try to make friends, not break them!" Lara says in an admonishing tone, even if she seems to be smiling in amusement. "You'd probably experience more interesting things in their company, too."
<Aleph> "I never understood the point of the whole 'stiff and formal' act, honestly."
<Brina> "'Stiff and formal' varies greatly from 'respectful.'"
* Brina turns to Lara and inclines her head.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Oh, it has its place.  But here?  It's boring," Maya smiled.  "You can tell a wise person because they know how to relax when its time," She smiled at Lara.  "Did you want to talk with us about something?"
<Maya_Mahabala> She'd picked up on the various hints.
<Brina> "I apologize. Rearing my siblings has ingrained such things into me."
<Maya_Mahabala> "An older sister type huh?  Lone daughter myself," She smiled.  "Still enough to make my parents settle down a while."
<Brina> "Indeed. I had three younger sisters and a younger brother. I was eldest."
<Merc> "No, not really. I just wanted to see Brina dealing with a few more people of her caliber. She deserves it," Lara answers Maya, almost like she was giving away her grandaughter to some suitor or something. "She's a good kid, but she needs to experience the world more, and she won't get that just sticking around here, I'd say. Even if she is wonderful company once you get past her exterior."
* Aleph looks thoughtful. "I...don't remember having any parents. Or siblings."
<Merc> Lara turns to look at Brina to see how she reacts to her words, looking like she expects something amusing.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Oh really?  I see, I see..."  Maya sipped her drink as it arrived, gazing at Brina expectedly.
* Brina raises an eyebrow at Lara.
<Merc> Lara looks a bit dissapointed at the flat reaction.
<Brina> "We've discussed this before, Lady Bederevis. I am.. reluctant.. to stray too far from my family."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Oh, don't be," Maya suddenly flowed, her arms around Brina before she noticed as she drew the taller girl into a hug.  "Don't worry, we're a friendly group.  You'll see some wild sights with us and have a bunch of fun stories to tell, Brina."
* Aleph raises an eyebrow at this display
* Brina grins slightly, but pinches Maya on the back of the thigh.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Anyhow, anyone brave enough to sneak up on me is bold enough to travel a few continents," She smiled.  "You'll come along, won't you?"
<Brina> "I'm.. Not sure.."
<Merc> "Your family will be fine, Brina. They're growing up, a touch of independence won't hurt them either. And Adallia has only gotten safer and safer recently," the councilwoman encourages. "If you feel the need, you can always come back anyway."
<Aleph> "Hey, don't get me in on it now, Brina."
* Aleph smirks. "After all, I apparently do remind you of your little brother..."
<Brina> "I suppose I can travel with it. For a short while, at least.. Once my sister come of age, I expect they'll need me to be around to help them establish their own homes."
<Brina> OOC: it/you
<Merc> "Hic!" Anassia looks to be drunk right now, so it doesn't seem she has any issues with Brina joining them.
<Merc> "To Bwinna!" Anassia says, raising her glass.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Oh I guess then it's even more important," She laughed, raising a glass.  "You need some swinging bachelorette time before you go back to being an old woman," She smiled sitting down, nodding over at Lara.
* Aleph downs a glass of said 'Hogan's finest'
* Brina stares flatly at Maya and begins twirling a dagger, a different one and one of notably better quality than the one she showed earlier, through her fingers and across the back of her hand.
<Merc> Aleph would note that Hogan's finest is not quite as fine as the king's wine...but it surprisingly comes close.
<Aleph> "Damn, this is good stuff."
<Aleph> "Royal quality, just about."
<Merc> Hogan seems to puff up a little at the compliment, though he doesn't say anything as he continues attending to his other patrons.

[Merc]

Session Start: Sun Jan 16 13:15:21 2011

<Merc> <Brina> "I suppose I can travel with it. For a short while, at least.. Once my sister come of age, I expect they'll need me to be around to help them establish their own homes."
<Merc> <Brina> OOC: it/you
<Merc> <Merc> "Hic!" Anassia looks to be drunk right now, so it doesn't seem she has any issues with Brina joining them.
<Merc> <Merc> "To Bwinna!" Anassia says, raising her glass.
<Merc> <Maya_Mahabala> "Oh I guess then it's even more important," She laughed, raising a glass.  "You need some swinging bachelorette time before you go back to being an old woman," She smiled sitting down, nodding over at Lara.
<Merc> * Aleph downs a glass of said 'Hogan's finest'
<Merc> * Brina stares flatly at Maya and begins twirling a dagger, a different one and one of notably better quality than the one she showed earlier, through her fingers and across the back of her hand.
<Merc> <Merc> Aleph would note that Hogan's finest is not quite as fine as the king's wine...but it surprisingly comes close.
<Merc> <Aleph> "Damn, this is good stuff."
<Merc> <Aleph> "Royal quality, just about."
<Merc> <Merc> Hogan seems to puff up a little at the compliment, though he doesn't say anything as he continues attending to his other patrons.
<Merc> <Merc> ***
<Merc> Next morning finds the four getting breakfast together as the three friends start sharing their travel plans with their newest acquaintance.
<Merc> Veeeery exciting plans are being discussed...
* Brina dishes out healthy portions of the breakfast, making sure everyone gets enough.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Everyone sleep well?" Maya, as usual, looked none the worse for yesterday's drinking.
* Brina smiles brightly at Maya and gives herself a large dallop of honey to go with her morning bread.
* Namagomi is now known as Aleph
<Anassia> "Well enough," Anassia says, reaching out to grab some food for herself.
<Aleph> "I think I had a little too much of Hogan's finest last night..." Aleph comments to himself as he holds one hand to his head, bringing a glass of water to his mouth with the other
<Brina> "Well.. Much like a child touching a stove to learn that it's hot, perhaps one day you'll learn your lesson, too."
* Brina smiles brightly at Aleph.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Plenty of time to walk it off...  Mmm, should we join up on a caravan for the way next?  Or keep at it on foot?"
<Aleph> "...eh, I'll just learn not to do it on a day where I have to wake up with relative haste the next."
* Brina turns to Maya.
<Brina> "Caravans are good for added security, but they move far more slowly."
* Aleph downs the water fairly quickly. "We in a hurry?"
<Anassia> "For once, I don't think that we are in a hurry," Anassia says, taking a bite of the bread.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Hardly," Maya smiled.  "A journey is in the traveling, not the destination~."
* Brina glances at Aleph disapprovingly.
<Brina> "Driking that fast will only upset your stomach. You wouldn't want to loose your breakfast so soon after eating it, would you? It's a waste of money if you do that."
<Aleph> "..."
<Merc> There are plenty of ways to get to Dalewryn. You recall prince Victor mentioning something about a boat heading there too from Vyrdam, and it probably wasn't the only travel route by boat. You could go through Aleph's favorite reptile breeding ground, Farvona if you wanted to go by land.
* Aleph grabs a pastry and starts eating it slowly
<Maya_Mahabala> "We'll see if there are any caravan's heading to the vyrdam ports.  It'd be a good chance to see how things have changed there and I don't mind being paid for travel."
* Brina smiles brightly at Aleph and nods, turning back to Maya.
<Brina> "Hmm.. Well, it should be easy enough to get hired on. I know a few of the caravan masters in this city, though that's not a route I usually ever take."
<Anassia> "What could possibly go wrong with us hired to guard someone's caravan?" Anassia notes as she takes another bite.
* Brina smirks slyly at Anassia.
<Aleph> "Depends on how many big lizards are on the route."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Right."  Maya teased back, ignoring the sarcasm.
<Brina> "We could, I don't know, give some innocent travelers heart attacks with large and unusual traveling means."
<Aleph> "Sounds normal for us." Aleph replies snarkily as he eats more of the pastry and then downs a good deal more water to try and deal with the hangover
<Anassia> "If we're doing anything that isn't a caravan, I've already got my mount," Anassia notes, taking a drink.
<Brina> "Well, once everyone's finished their plates, we can go. I know where to start, at the least."
<Aleph> "Oh?"  More slow eating while trying to keep those damned flashing lights out of his eyes
* Brina nods.
<Brina> "I've been doing caravan work back and forth between here and home for some time now."
<Maya_Mahabala> "That's right, you made a regular business of it.  Alright, why don't we get started.  I'd say shopping first but...  well, I'm familiar enough with home fashions."
* Brina nods to Maya.
<Brina> "Let's secure work and transport first. We can shop after we find out how much storage space we have."
<Aleph> "...work?"
* Brina glances sharply at Aleph.
<Brina> "Those who don't work, don't eat, Aleph."
* Aleph finishes the pastry, before commenting "better not be boats involved."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Oh...no boats...for now," She said quietly, getting up and heading out.
<Anassia> "You just hate every type of travel, don't you?" she asks Aleph, smirking.
* Aleph goes pale at the thought.
<Brina> "Now, now, girls. Don't pick on the poor boy that way. He's done nothing to earn such. Yet."
<Anassia> "It's not picking on him if it true," Anassia points out
<Merc> As Brina leads them to the merchants' corner, Aleph, Maya and Anassia note a lot of people greeting Brina. Guess she gets around or something. One of them, a merchant in very colorful silk cloth approaches. "Looking for work, Brina? I have a caravan heading towards the capital tomorrow that could use some company," he asks.
<Aleph> "...guess she's well-known."
* Brina smiles gently at the merchant.
<Brina> "I'm sorry, not this time. We're planning on heading south, towards the ports. Would know someone that's hiring, sir?"
<Merc> "Oh, is that so?" he asks, surprised, as he starts to rub his thick glossy and shiny beard as he thinks. "Well...I believe that Corrigan was heading to Vyrdam, though I'm sure there are more too." Brina has a faint recollection of hearing that name. Corrigan has a reputation for cutting corners, going through 'shortcuts' and other dangerous routes. And the pay didn't quite match the possible danger...
<Brina> "Hmm.. Corrigan.. I'd rather not travel with someone that shady, but I'll keep it in mind.."
<Aleph> "Corrigan?"
* Brina nods to Aleph.
* Anassia doesn't comment, not knowing people enough to really say anything
* Aleph has no idea
<Brina> "He's.. something of a slacker, I suppose. He always takes the shortest route, despite the additional problems and danger, and his pay doesn't compensate for it. He's rather.. distasteful. No woman I've ever met likes a slacker, anyway."
<Aleph> "..."
<Merc> The merchant who mentioned him nods with a frown. "I really am sure there are other merchants going that way if that's where you're headed, but he's the only one I've heard talk of it recently," he adds.
<Anassia> "...yeah," Anassia says, smirking.  "Never at all."
* Brina smiles brightly at the merchant.
<Maya_Mahabala> "That sounds fun," Maya smirked, "I mean we could take a reasonable route...but why not take the more interesting story?"
<Brina> "Well, thank you for the help. We'll look around and see who else is going."
<Anassia> "Maya, do you actually not have any survival instincts?" she asks, flatly
* Brina takes Anassia's hand pats it.
<Aleph> "Well, she did want to go for the sake of excitement."
<Brina> "There, there. It's not a lack of survival insticnts, but a thirst for life. I've seen it before."
<Aleph> "And it definitely sounds better than where I grew up."
<Brina> "Sadly, they don't seem to make it to retirement.."
<Merc> The merchant raises an eyebrow at Brina's new friends. "Are they the reason you're heading south?" he asks with some curiosity.
<Aleph> "Yeah, we are."
<Maya_Mahabala> "You know I can hear both of you," Maya pouted slightly.  "And do you really think bandits on the countryside are likely to be a serious survival issue, Anassia?  Or do you just want to have your snake go hungry?"
<Brina> "Only partially. Lady Lara has been pushing this on me for a while now.. I.. suppose I should try at least one trip."
<Anassia> "I don't think that feeding bandits to it is going to endear us to any caravans."
<Aleph> "Hey, we'd be keeping the bandit population under control.  Maybe it's bandit season." Aleph snarks
<Merc> Brina recalls that there's a 'mercenary' guild that offers jobs to people looking for such work. The cut that they take would probably leave them with about the same amount of gold as if they took Corrigan's job though. Or they could just keep asking around too. Brina has friends in the merchant area she could ask besides this guy.
* Brina turns the group.
<Brina> "Well.. We can talk to a few more people, or we can try the mercenary guild.."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Well, let's swing by the mercenary guild...maybe something more amusing will be there."
* Brina inclines her head to Maya and sets off for the guild.
<Aleph> "Sure, why not."  Aleph follows the girls.
<Merc> They navigate around town a bit to head towards the guild, the door open as people come and go. There seems to be a board on the wall near the entrance with some jobs, off to the left side are a few men and women behind counters, whom Brina knows can offer some jobs not offered on the board, some because the money is lower...or much higher. To the right are just a bunch of tables where people are chatting, laughing and hanging out.
* Maya_Mahabala checks the board for jobs in Vyrdam
* Brina raises a hand and inclines her head to one of the people behind the counter, approaching them.
* Aleph looks over the room in general, before taking the opportunity to steal another glance at Maya as she looks over the board
* Anassia also moves over to glance over the board curiously; interesting place
<Aleph> ...before checking the board himself.  Easy money somewhere could be awesome.
<Merc> "...Brina Driscoll, yes?" the man at the counter that Brina heads to asks, apparently recognizing her. "Haven't seen you around here in a while, now."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Who's Renaurd?"  She wondered, looking to see if it had anything else.
* Brina smiles at the gentleman.
<Aleph> "...no idea.  Sounds like he's hard to find."
<Brina> "Yes, I've been comfortable running the route between here and home. Lady Lara suggested I try something different. We're looking to head south, towards the port."
<Merc> Nobody seems to be offering Maya an answer on the matter. Brina might recognize the name as some legendary bandit or monster or some such. Guy's got a reputation, works alone but every job he's pulled, only one person ever gets left alive. 'To tell his tale' apparently.
* Maya_Mahabala heads over behind brina at the counter, letting her finish talking before asking.
<Merc> "Board's got two jobs heading to Vyrdam. Viridian and Dewport," guy at the counter informs Brina, no nonsense in his voice, though he does sound bored. "There's also two other guard jobs heading that way. Escort jobs are pretty much the only one way jobs. You want me to list some of the other options?"
<Aleph> "Dunno who this Barveles guy is, either."
* Brina nods with a small smile to the man.
<Merc> Anassia, having the better memory of the group, would actually recall that Kenmore is the guy that attacked their hometown...and Barvales was that amazon woman that led the gang he was part of. That they'd let go. Huh, go figure.
<Merc> Raising four fingers, the man at the counter starts off. "Well, your Lara Beredevis was asking for someone to head to Viridian and escort a Lord Lucian back here for some talks. (*under his breath, though not that quietly, he mutters*) Surprised she didn't bring that up with you actually since she seems to like you. (*returning to his normal tone after clearing his throat*) There's also (ooc: more)
<Merc> someone asking for a trained arcanist from Norwic to come teach his son magic. And there's someone wanting to be led to Beloris and then back here. Oh and someone looking for some ingridients sold in Dalewyn that are hard to get by here in Adallia."
<Merc> The man at the counter turns to Maya. "Renaurd is an assassin and bandit, miss. He's responsible for a lot of misery and death, and not someone you probably want to mess with. He's a bad egg, tends to kill everyone that gets in his way except for ONE survivor. Just one survivor at any scene of crime he's commited, just to spread his name."
<Merc> He's pretty much the kind of man Elise would insist going after, come to think of.
<Maya_Mahabala> "And he's doing this in adalia?" Maya frowned a bit.  Not that she wanted to get up entangled with asassins, but...  it is her home.
<Brina> "Hmm.. The escort jobs would be good, but the pay would be low split between as many people as we have.. Still, they'll get us closer to where we want to be."
<Aleph> "...ech."
<Aleph> "Doesn't sound pleasant at all, no."
<Merc> "Adallia and Vyrdam. Mostly Vyrdam according to rumor," the man admits.
<Merc> The caravan escort jobs don't really say who's hiring. You'd probably want to ask who's offering those if you decide to take one of those.
<Maya_Mahabala> "Mmm, why don't we take a moment and talk about this?" Maya glanced at the others.
<Brina> "Who's requesting the escort jobs?"
<Aleph> "Good idea.  We kind of want to know what we're getting into here."
<Merc> The man pulls out a notebook. "The Viridian job is from a Gilford Tannim, Dewport is a Corrigan Faraday, and Beloris is a Melanie Blueford."
<Brina> "Thank you, we'll talk this over and let you know."
<Merc> The man nods curtly, and points towards the tables where all the other mercenaries are messing around and chatting.
* Maya_Mahabala pulls the others a bit to a private spot.  "How about we take care of the Renaurd job on our way to Dewport?"
* Aleph turns to Maya. "Heh. I could've guessed you'd go for that job."
<Anassia> "Hunting a seasoned killer?"  Anassia asks, quirking an eyebrow.
<Brina> "Hmmm. I'm not too sure about actively going after someone like that.. But I suppose we can at least do some scouting on the way."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Well, I don't particularly like those sorts being around," She shrugged.  "It's pretty much that.  We could ignore it, but if we're in the area..."
<Aleph> "We'd have to find him first, no doubt."
<Brina> "Could we actually go against him? People like that have reputations for a reason."
<Maya_Mahabala> "Probably," Maya smiled.  "It's not like it would be the first thing we've fought that could slaughter villages."
<Aleph> "We've got a pretty good chance.  We're not exactly slouches as far as fighting goes
<Maya_Mahabala> "Well...I assume Brina can too, but I haven't seen you fight...maybe we should go take down Barveles again first...then we'll know how Brina can fight with us."
<Aleph> "Heh.  Well...maybe we could, uh, ask her?  She's right here with us."
* Brina smiles.
<Brina> "I
<Brina> "I'm not much good in a face to face fight, sadly. But a blade in the right place when you're not expecting it can be just as effective, right Maya?"
<Maya_Mahabala> "That's true.  Mmm, I don't think any of us really stand around and fight face to face."
<Aleph> "Elise did while she was with us.  ...she's...gone kind of creepy now, though."
<Anassia> "I wish we had some people to do that so I wouldn't be targetted by demons, though," Anassia remarks.
<Aleph> "...I shoot stuff, Maya...well, hard to distinguish her fighting from her dancing unless things start getting cut up.  Anassia, well..."
* Brina smiles brightly as Aleph and begins drawing knives from.. somewhere.. under her cloak and fanning them out on the table, five in total, and the one in the center being of noticably better quality than the others.
* Maya_Mahabala smiles, slipping back and asking at the counter. "So what's the story with Barveles?  What's she been up to again?"
<Aleph> "No idea."
* Aleph shrugs. "You and Anassia are probably the only two she'll remember."
<Brina> roll d20+15 (sleight of hand)
<Penuche> Brina invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d20=15]
<Merc> As Brina makes the daggers dance around her fingers in a flash, the number somehow seem to diminish until only the most noticeable of the daggers is left twirling in her fingers, the others presumably hiding again under her cloak and under her sleeves.
<Aleph> "...the hell?"
* Brina smiles brightly at Aleph, and places the tip of her remaining dagger at her lips.
<Brina> "Hmm? What is it, Aleph?"
<Anassia> "That was fairly impressive," Anassia said, glancing to Brina.
* Brina continues smiling at him.
<Brina> "Ah, thank you. Such things pass time during travel."
<Aleph> "Never seen that kind of trick before."
<Brina> "Every woman has her secrets, Aleph. It's best to respect them."
* Brina smirks at Aleph.
<Aleph> "...er, okay."
* Brina smiles brightly at Aleph.
<Merc> "Not much. She's been laying low since she lost her man Kenmore over in Ferune some time back. Details a bit hazy with what happened, though I heard it was connected to the tensions between Vyrdam and Adallia. A few jobs here and there along the border seem to be getting attributed to her though, so bounty's still up for her head," The guy at the counter tells Maya.
<Aleph> "Well, at least you're not admonishing me for my currently lax and informal attitude." Aleph snrks back.
<Brina> "Ah, before we can fix your attitude, we must fix your failings as a man, Aleph."
* Brina pats Aleph's hand.
<Brina> "But don't worry, we'll get there one day."
* Aleph mumble ssomething under his breath
<Brina> "Aleph, I have four younger siblings. You really shouldn't try such games with me."
* Brina continues smiling at Aleph.
<Aleph> "What games?"
* Brina simply stares flatly at Aleph and raises an eyebrow.
<Aleph> "Seriously, I don't know what you mean by 'such games'."
<Maya_Mahabala> ""Mmm, alright.  You guys don't want to travel with Corrigan.  Why don't we go clean up Barvales mess.  It's along the border, so we can handle it while we're passing into Vyrdam."
<Brina> "You're not sly enough to get away with being disrespectful, Aleph. Or flirty. Or perverted."
<Aleph> "..." Aleph is taking this opportunity to bury his face in his hands
<Aleph> "I'm sorry I don't prance around in a tuxedo and an opera mask throwing roses at demons."
* Brina chuckles.
<Brina> "Why don't we start with fixing those wandering eyes and work up from there?"
* Aleph double facepalm combo x2
<Aleph> "When did I suddenly become your project..."
* Brina sighs.
<Brina> "No one else seems to be taking care of you, so I suppose I'm going to have to do it."
<Aleph> "...I need taking care of?"
* Brina raises an eyebrow.
<Brina> "Don't you?"
<Aleph> "...do I look like I need taking care of?"
* Brina simply smirks at Aleph.
* Aleph sighs and double-facepalms again
<Brina> "Really now. That was exactly the kind of thing I was talking about.
* Maya_Mahabala glances over. "Are you done playing dolls, Brina?"  Maya eyed the two.  "Come on, let's get going."
* Brina stands up and sheathes her dagger in a fluid, almost unnoticable motion.
* Aleph stands, moving to follow Maya with his confidence...rather shaken, to say the least.
* Brina slips up to Aleph and whispers something to him before moving to follow Maya.
* Aleph looks flustered and confused at this point
<Aleph> "...how'd you..."
* Brina looks back over her shoulder
<Brina> "Roving eyes, Aleph. Roving eyes."
* Brina smirks.
* Aleph double facepalm combo x2s. Again.