The Eye of Anubis: OOC Thread

NeoTiamat · Post by **NeoTiamat** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 10:45 pm

Nathan of the FoS13 (3:14:39 PM): "M'sieur Maleagant? A word?"
Rock (3:14:56 PM): Lia hovers quietly at Charles's shoulder.
Isabella (3:15:46 PM) has been invited.
Isabella (3:15:50 PM) has entered the room.
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:16:27 PM): "Hrm, oh, Charles, Lia, hello." Samael raised his eyes from the clipboard of Expedition accoutnts. "Something the matter?"
Rock (3:17:40 PM): "We would like to talk to you," Lia murmurs.
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:18:47 PM): "It's not urgent," Charles says, in a tone of voice which, although quiet, manages to convey the opposite meaning to the words themselves. [Charles can't fail the Bluff 15 check to convey meaning by innuendo.]
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:20:48 PM): "Really now..." Maleagant raised an eyebrow at Charles's words, then looked around the Expedition camp.
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:20:49 PM): Jervis was running the spiked gauntlet of his along the grindstone, and at Samael's casual nod of the health, laid it down and strolled over. Samael put down the clipboard. "Well, I'm fairly free, so we might as well take a walk."
Rock (3:21:23 PM): Lia's head immediately turns to Jervis when he approaches. Her masked head lowers a little, and her shoulders visibly stiffen.
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:22:34 PM): Charles looks at Jervis, then Samael, with an amused expression that says, You flatter our ability to be dangerous. "Certainly," he says. "Stretch the legs and all."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:24:24 PM): "Mmm, yes.... I'm getting saddle-sore from these blasted camels. Useful creatures, but Lady Ezra may have missed a note when she created them." Samael said with a wry grin, walking along just inside the line of sight of the camp.
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:24:32 PM): Jervis cast Lia an amused, rather satisfied look and followed along at a distance, close enough to intervene, far enough not to intrude.
Rock (3:25:26 PM): Lia stalks along at Charles's shoulder, casting the occasional mistrustful look back at Jervis. Her fingers slowly squirm.
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:25:42 PM): "Supposedly they're failed horses," Charles says, giving Kejser a satisfied look. "According to one creation myth, anyway. Useful, though, aren't they? [quick question--this is happening before we get to the Ruse?"
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:25:44 PM): ]
Rock (3:26:16 PM): (Probably so, since we don't know who's still alive after the Ruse.)
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:26:16 PM): [Let's say the evening after the ambush, before you guys head in. That work for everyone?]
Rock (3:26:27 PM): (I'm good.)
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:26:32 PM): [k]
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:26:50 PM): "Too bad we lost several today. Perilous times!"
Rock (3:27:28 PM): 'And yet the mule still walks among us,' Lia thinks as she glances at Jervis. She says not a word, however.
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:27:29 PM): "Putting it mildly. Now I need to figure out how to say 'eaten by ghouls' to the Bursar's when we get back." Samael drawled.
Rock (3:27:50 PM): "Killed by predators," Lia suggests curtly.
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:28:17 PM): "Well, you'll have witnesses," Charles notes. "And it is a rather exotic locale. It's not as if you lost them on the Rue des Armes or what have you."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:29:26 PM): "I think I like Lia's idea. 'Killed by local parasites' sound like a nice phrase? Undead are technically parasites, at least if I remember my theory right." Samael said conversationally.
Rock (3:29:46 PM): "A sickness, more like," Lia says.
Rock (3:31:11 PM): 'Get on with it,'she thinks as she looks at Charles.
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:31:16 PM): Charles waves away the technical point. "It's perilous for everyone, not just camels," he notes. "Come to that, you seem to have come in for more than your fair share of peril recently, m'sieur."
Rock (3:31:43 PM): "The university is certainly getting its money's worth out of you," Lia notes.
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:32:16 PM): Samael waves it away. "I'm not the one going out and putting his head into the lion's mouth on a regular basis."
Rock (3:32:31 PM): Lia ... chuckles at this. Briefly.
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:32:33 PM): "No...the lion is coming to you," Charles says, half-smiling.
Rock (3:33:11 PM): "'Kill the professor first, then Maleagant,'" Lia quotes.
Rock (3:33:33 PM): She does so very quietly, however. No one beyond Maleagant and Charles should be able to hear.
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:33:53 PM): "Mmm.... yes." Samael said softly, falling silent for a bit. "I don't imagine it's for my charming personality."
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:35:39 PM): "No, I imagine it isn't. Someone, it would seem, wants you dead. Someone with a powerful grasp of shadow magics, who knows where you are and what you're doing."
Rock (3:36:00 PM): "Or did you think you had seen the last of such ... attentions?" Lia asks.
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:36:31 PM): "My dear Lia." Samael said with a wry smile. "I'm not being paid to think. Just ask Professor Pelletier."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:36:35 PM): //roll -dice1 -sides20
OnlineHost (3:36:35 PM): NeoTiamat(DM) rolled 1 20-sided die: 10
Rock (3:36:49 PM): (What's this roll for?)
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:37:00 PM): [Sense Motive on Sam's part.]
Rock (3:37:33 PM): "I would not wish to bother him," Lia says, voice drained of emotion once more.
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:38:24 PM): "Indeed," Charles notes. "The differences in opinion between the two of you seem to be more common and deeper, the farther we go."
Rock (3:39:00 PM): "Have you been attacked since?" Lia asks. "We are far from joined at the hip, after all."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:39:11 PM): "Personality clash." Samael murmurred. "The good professor thinks he is always right. I, of course, think I am always right."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:39:23 PM): "No attacks, Lia. I'm not that brave as to keep it a secret."
Rock (3:39:42 PM): "Keeping secrets is rarely a matter of bravery," Lia notes. "I should know."
OnlineHost (3:43:06 PM): Nathan of the FoS13 rolled 1 20-sided die: 11
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:43:30 PM): [sense motive--have there been more attacks? 26]
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:43:46 PM): [This is before the Scorpion, so no]
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:45:16 PM): "Personality clash, indeed," Charles says drily. "Do you anticipate any cessation of hostilities in the near future?"
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:46:16 PM): "Doesn't look like it." Samael shrugged. "If not for Andre or the rest of you, things might have gotten ugly."
Rock (3:46:29 PM): "It is always so trying," Lia muses, "to be working for someone who treats one badly, is it not?"
Rock (3:47:11 PM): "Of course my experience is limited to tiresome professors at the University and, before that, finishing school."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:47:45 PM): "Oh, then you'll have a whole world of unpleasant types to look forward to." Samael said with a grin. "I'm almost envious. Almost."
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:48:32 PM): Charles rolls his eyes.
Rock (3:48:42 PM): "And you," Lia notes, "have probably already had a worldfull of unpleasant people that you needed to deal with."
Rock (3:48:58 PM): "And work for."
Rock (3:50:06 PM): "Perhaps you are already immune to such ... unpleasantness?"
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:50:36 PM): "Oh, I'm usually self-employed." Samael said brightly. "Although this is an exception since the opportunities are so good. After all, how often do you get to travel to distant Har'Akir and get paid for it?"
Rock (3:50:53 PM): "No idea," Lia replies. "How often?"
Rock (3:51:07 PM): "And is the money worth the trip so far?"
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:52:43 PM): "Well, I'm still here, aren't I?" Samael said, looking at Lia rather peculiarly.
Rock (3:52:56 PM): "But are you happy to be here, right now?"
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:53:30 PM): "Lia, ma cherie, Jervis looks lonely. I think you had better go cheer him up," Charles deadpans.
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:53:57 PM): Samael seemed to be trying not to laugh.
Rock (3:54:08 PM): "With a knife or a pistol, Charles, dear?" Lia asks, sweet as arsenic. She does, however, fall back to Jervis's level -- though she keeps a healthy distance from him.
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:54:27 PM): "Whatever suits your turn," Charles replies.
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:54:52 PM): "Are you sure that's wise?" Samael murmurred. "We still need them. Alive, even."
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:55:44 PM): "We'll keep an eye on them...as they do for us," Charles says, half-smiling. "Now, to business. You and the professor have fallen out comprehensively, yes?"
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:56:07 PM): "We're not bosom buddies, no." Samael said dryly.
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:56:39 PM): "So much so, that you keep from him information he would consider vital. And he...he, perhaps, makes attempts on your life."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:58:20 PM): "One big happy family." Samael said quietly. "Like the Reniers or the Dilisnya or the Boritsi. One big happy family."
Nathan of the FoS13 (3:59:15 PM): "Funny you should mention those names," Charles says. "But yes. A band of brothers."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:00:02 PM): Samael looked sharply at Charles, but recovered quickly. "Quite."
OnlineHost (4:01:02 PM): Nathan of the FoS13 rolled 1 20-sided die: 10
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:01:09 PM): sense motive 25
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:01:39 PM): [Something about Charles's last comment was unnerving or unexpected for Samael, and now he's on guard more than before.]
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:03:36 PM): "Your employers are dangerous men. Not least to you, it seems. One might almost be tempted to say, in times like these one should put his trust in his friends, and not in his family."
Rock (4:04:20 PM): "Your bird must be happy here," Lia notes to Jervis without looking directly at him. "So many corpses to peck at."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:05:26 PM): "Think she might like some fresh ones?" Jervis growled in response, before a sharp look from Samael silenced him.
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:06:00 PM): "That would depend on the friends, wouldn't it?" The Borcan murmurred. "These days, you can't trust anyone."
Rock (4:06:03 PM): "Did I say something untoward?" Lia asks sweetly. "All crows favor carrion, do they not?"
Rock (4:06:26 PM): "I must admit I have little experience of crows."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:06:52 PM): "Too true, too true," Charles says, sighing. "We must judge by men's actions, and not their promises--however gilt-edged."
Rock (4:07:47 PM): "Mages are often associated with ravens," Lia goes on, talking to Jervis without looking at him directly, "but I never saw the appeal. Do you?"
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:07:59 PM): "They're clever birds." Jervis said simply. "Some can talk."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:08:31 PM): "Judging by actions, I'm surprised most of us are still alive here." Samael answered. "Still, I imagine it's a kind of balance so far."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:09:07 PM): "You told me once you were hoping for a nice, quiet retirement on the banks of the Museau. I hope events fall out in such a way as to make it possible."
Rock (4:09:10 PM): "Especially those who bond with mages, yes," Lia muses. "However, what kind of conversation would they make?
Rock (4:09:13 PM): 'Let's go out and find some female ravens? Let's go to the charnel pits and get a snack'? Not really my cup of tea."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:09:24 PM): "Why, if you took up a collection for the cause, I dare say I would even contribute."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:10:22 PM): "I wouldn't have thought you liked me that much." Samael said drily.
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:10:22 PM): Jervis chuckled. "Bats are better?"
Rock (4:11:08 PM): "They tend their own business, quietly," Lia says. "They do not feel the need to croak at all hours to get their way. Also, they keep your room insect-free. Very desirable, in summer."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:11:30 PM): "What, with your charming personality?" Charles says, grinning. "You're correct, of course. Mutual advantage is the strongest mortar for the edifices we build."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:12:40 PM): "Amusement will do for friendship, but partnership can't be build without it."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:12:51 PM): *built, not build
Rock (4:13:06 PM): "In some ways, bats like a good corpse as much as does a raven. Or a crow," Lia continues. "So many bugs."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:13:34 PM): "Aya's a good bird, she is." Jervis said. It seemed that whatever else the mercenary was, he was a bird fancier. "Good eyes, not as mean as an eagle."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:13:59 PM): "And what mutual advantage is there with the two of us, my good Martel?" Samael asked pleasantly.
Rock (4:14:31 PM): "My Grimmric has had some cause for complaint, though," Lia demurrs. "Understandable, after the ... fright I gave her, but still."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:15:17 PM): "Be lucky I didn't wring your neck in Hazlan." Jervis snarled. He was a fit companion for Lia's charm.
Rock (4:15:55 PM): "Oh, indeed, indeed," Lia replies, waving a hand at Jervis. There isn't so much as a speck of anger in her voice. "I am surely very grateful."
Rock (4:16:39 PM): "Are you grateful, Jervis? That your good friend isn't dead yet, even after those shadow things attacked? I know I am."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:17:37 PM): Jervis snorted, then continued quietly. "Little guy's scrappy, if soft."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:17:45 PM): "Living to enjoy one's posterity comes to mind. A townhouse in Port-a-Lucine...or Pont-a-Museau, if you like it better...of course, that's all far in the future.
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:17:46 PM): At present...several more associates who aren't trying to kill you, or willing to sacrifice you to get an immortality-granting artifact."
Rock (4:17:58 PM): "He'd be dead, if not for professor Theroux, though," Lia says softly.
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:20:09 PM): "You offer a lot for a mathematic's student." Samael murmurred quietly. "And in exchange?"
Rock (4:21:36 PM): "I sometimes envy people like Theroux and the Rajian. A little," Lia says in a companionable sort of way. "Just a spell, and they pull a man back from the brink of death."
Rock (4:21:57 PM): "It is rather impressive, and nothing I will ever be able to do, unless I pour a potion down a man's throat."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:23:31 PM): "It's not my only talent," Charles says, smiling slightly. "In exchange, you put your own considerable talents to getting your new associates out of this web alive and in one piece.
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:23:32 PM): And prevent the Eye from being used to wreak some kind of apocalypse, if it comes to that."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:26:08 PM): "How much?" Samael's nose twitched. He seemed to be considering entirely too many possibilities here.
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:27:41 PM): "And how do you propose keeping our brothers-in-arms from turning me into chopped liver, like they'd love to do with Miss Mournswaithe and the good professor?"
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:29:57 PM): "Unless your employers are promising the sun as well as solars, I'm sure we can match them," Charles says drily. "And for the other...I'm sure you're familiar with the concept of the double agent.
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:29:59 PM): It may yet be possible to simply never reveal what has happened. In which case you'd get a double payday, I suppose."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:31:45 PM): "My good Miss Mournswaithe has mentioned that someone in her little group works for the Dementlieuse government?" Samael said quietly. "I want pardons. Signed, with names I can fill in. Full pardons."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:32:18 PM): "How many?"
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:32:42 PM): "Eight."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:36:05 PM): Fell into that one, didn't you. On the other hand...eight?!? Merciful Ezra. "A few for now, a few for later?" Charles says, raising one eyebrow.
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:37:11 PM): "Now." Samael looked up at the sky, quietly. "I'll give you two days. Have them deposited in a bank box in Borca. Then we can talk."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:37:29 PM): "Signed, full pardons. That can't be overturned."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:40:45 PM): Charles throws up his hands. "I'm not Marcel Guignol, you know!" Recovering himself, he says, "Nothing for anyone who's not here on the Expedition, and you identify all eight by name to me."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:42:06 PM): "I'll agree to the first condition, but not to the second." Samael said curtly.
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:42:51 PM): "Then you'll get three. One for you, one for him," gesturing to Jervis, "one for Lily."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:44:04 PM): Samael went silent, considering things for a while. Very quietly, he continued. "I got these people into this, what kind of person would I be to leave them hanging high and dry for the Gendarmerie?"
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:45:05 PM): "I want your assurance that they're not chimerical," Charles says sternly. "You have my word as a Martel they will not be mentioned by name in official correspondence. It's too late for the three of you."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:45:26 PM): *on that score."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:47:57 PM): The Borcan continued along, considering these events. "Any reason I should trust you?"
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:48:38 PM): "Spare me the honor line, please." Samael said softly. "No such beast."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:51:11 PM): "I'll agree to it, if you write me out a letter in your own hand and sign it." Samael said quietly. "Detailing everything you know about the 'Brotherhood' and how you found it out."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:51:20 PM): "We'll both have a little leverage on each other, then."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:51:51 PM): "I can trust your sense of self-preservation, I think."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:53:55 PM): Charles refrains by force of will from rolling his eyes. "Leverage you have in spades, my friend. If you're unwilling to use it, that's no concern of mine.
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:53:56 PM): If either of us went to Pelletier, the other would die. And the one who tattled?...would die shortly thereafter."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:54:26 PM): "That sounds like "leverage" to me. And, since you'll have no talk of 'honor', it's eminently practical."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:55:42 PM): Samael chuckled. "You've got me there."
Nathan of the FoS13 (4:56:43 PM): Charles allows himself an answering smile. "The names, m'sieur?"
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:57:34 PM): "A compromise, perhaps?" Samael offered after another moment's thought.
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:58:23 PM): "I can speak for some of my comrades, but not all, and one of the names is a bit distant and hard to reach."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:58:43 PM): "Five names now.... two I need to talk to, see if they are willing. One I would still like to be unnamed, if at all possible."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:59:00 PM): "If the two don't want to say their names, I won't insist on pardons for them."
Nathan of the FoS13 (5:00:16 PM): "Can you give me a reason strong enough that it would convince a third party to grant a pardon for your unnamed associate? And, if he or she is with the Expedition, how hard can it be to reach said associate?"
NeoTiamat(DM) (5:01:13 PM): "The final party isn't in the Expedition, per se, but are funding me in part." Samael said simply.
NeoTiamat(DM) (5:01:46 PM): "She's also my mother, so I'm a little bit determined on this point." Samael said dryly.
Nathan of the FoS13 (5:02:31 PM): Charles blinks. For the first--no, the second--time in this conversation he's actually surprised.
Nathan of the FoS13 (5:05:12 PM): "I understand your feelings," he says. "I can't guarantee anything on that basis, I'm afraid, but I'll see what I can do."
NeoTiamat(DM) (5:05:35 PM): Fair enough." Samael said.
NeoTiamat(DM) (5:06:08 PM): "I give you five names, I get six nameless but signed pardons. The other two are up in the air at the moment."
NeoTiamat(DM) (5:06:35 PM): "I give you the names when I've recieved word that the pardons are delivered and are non-retractable."
NeoTiamat(DM) (5:07:40 PM): "And I want all of this in two days. Afterwards, we can talk about money and the Eye of Anubis. But that's my price."
Nathan of the FoS13 (5:09:31 PM): "You give me the names now, m'sieur. I won't ask for the pardons otherwise."
NeoTiamat(DM) (5:10:20 PM): "Current or original?" Samael said with a smile.
Nathan of the FoS13 (5:10:57 PM): "Both is always better. You can skip the Dilisnya, I know that one already."
NeoTiamat(DM) (5:11:10 PM): "Which one?" Samael said with a smile.
Nathan of the FoS13 (5:11:22 PM): Charles grins in response.
NeoTiamat(DM) (5:11:50 PM): "Very well. Just so we're clear, I'm giving you to Vlad if you lie to me." Samael smiled.
Nathan of the FoS13 (5:12:23 PM): "Just so we're clear...I'll give you to Lia if you do the same," Charles replies, with the air of one laying down an unbeatable trump card.
NeoTiamat(DM) (5:13:03 PM): "No need to get nasty...." Samael said in mock horror. "Iosef Dilisnya, Lilith Saint-Germain, Vladimir Dilisnya III, Guy Benoit and Michel de Angelis."
Nathan of the FoS13 (5:16:58 PM): "That will do nicely," Charles says, bowing slightly. "I do hope this newly frank introduction marks the beginning of a long and fruitful association, m'sieur.
Nathan of the FoS13 (5:17:00 PM): Now, perhaps we'd better see if our seconds have eaten each other up."

Gonzoron of the FoS · Post by **Gonzoron of the FoS** » Tue Aug 04, 2009 1:12 pm

I love it! It's like deleted scenes on a DVD!

Kaitou Kage · Post by **Kaitou Kage** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 3:49 am

Stay tuned. In a couple more chapters of my webcomic, I am the one who gets to torment Carter. Now that he's on the Astral, he's fair game for us Planescapers to torture, so he'll be guest starring in a couple episodes

Ornum · Post by **Ornum** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 7:13 am

Kaitou Kage wrote:Stay tuned. In a couple more chapters of my webcomic, I am the one who gets to torment Carter. Now that he's on the Astral, he's fair game for us Planescapers to torture, so he'll be guest starring in a couple episodes

Wait, you got that up and running now? I need to stay in touch.

Off to read.

Kaitou Kage · Post by **Kaitou Kage** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:49 am

http://www.planescapemetamorphosis.com

Nominally updates every Monday and Thursday, but the next two updates will be a touch off-schedule since I'm on vacation

DocBeard · Post by **DocBeard** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 11:40 am

Sorry for the delay on my epilogue, I'm almost finished but exams jumped on me for my summer class.

I'll have it in ASAP.

NeoTiamat · Post by **NeoTiamat** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 1:01 am

The Thirteenth Cutscene is up, with our final PC, Tomas Eisenwald!.

Expect Cutscens Fourteen and Fifteen over the weekend, as well as the last batch of RPs. And then EoA will actually be truly finished.

NeoTiamat · Post by **NeoTiamat** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 1:42 am

And here is Cutscene #14, with Charles Devereux. He's certainly a different person from who he was when the Expedition set out, though perhaps the more he changes, the more he stays the same.

Also here we have the last batch of RPs. Two of them from the time of the 3rd Interlude after Kamarn-Quse, revolving around everyone's friend Marchand-Renier. The latter two are a pair of shorter scenes from Book Twelve, Tomas speaking to Lily and then Samael, and later Andre having a quick chat with Ambassador Vedarrak.

NeoTiamat · Post by **NeoTiamat** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 1:43 am

Rock (2:23:08 PM): The campsite had been quiet ever since the expedition had left the city of Kamarn-Quse, but in the early hours of the morning, even the wind seemed to stand still. The tents did not rustle, the fire had died down to mere embers, and there were only faint sounds of stirring from creatures in the encampment. Harris stood at a corner of a campsite, keeping his constant vigil. Nearby, Menetnashte stood staring out into the desert, seemingly unmoved from where she had been at the start of the evening.
Rock (2:24:27 PM): The door of the secure shelter opens with barely a creak, and Lia comes out. Since (most of) the rest of the expedition seemed to have preferred their tents to the magical house, she had the place (mostly) to herself. It shows; her clothes have been brushed, her mask, gloves and boots polished to a shine. Even her mouldy-looking cloak gleams a little.
DocBeard (2:24:45 PM): (Hi. Is this cool? I am just trying to get involved in more side stuff since I'm, like, ten-thousand XP behind everyone else.)
Rock (2:25:26 PM): (I asked if it was cool for you to join, and got the go-ahead. Don't worry. )
Isabella (2:26:10 PM): [it's very cool, doc, i'm happy to have you around]
Rock (2:26:48 PM): The Mage looks around, absent-mindedly running her fingers through wet hair. It seems she had a chance for a wash in the little house. The next moment, Lia's hair coils itself into a single braid, squeezing the moisture out, then uncoils again and lightly shakes itself the rest of the way dry.
DocBeard (2:27:03 PM): Tomas has been brushing his teeth. He may be hot, tired, mentally exhausted, disillusioned, and if we're honest in need of a haircut, but the cool sensation is one aspect of civilization Eisenwald has refused to give up.
DocBeard (2:27:49 PM): The fact that he only has his under shirt on when Lia comes around is something of a concern, but Tomas bites his tounge and throws his coat on in one quick movement, figuring that Lia was busy washing her hair and couldn't have seen...
Rock (2:28:25 PM): Lia's head continues to turn, her red eyes gliding past Tomas, moving about until they find Marchand-Renier. For a moment, those eyes glint disturbingly, and then Lia sets off on an intercept course for the semi-comatose academic.
Isabella (2:28:41 PM): [psst. mr is in his tent with carter.]
Rock (2:28:58 PM): (Then she sets off for the tent when she doesn't see him out and about.)
DocBeard (2:31:13 PM): "You know your eyes gleam like the first two coals in a winter fire when you're looking forward to a fight, frauline?" Tomas is wiping his mouth with a handkerchief, grinning in a way he knows irritates the witch beside him.
Rock (2:32:13 PM): "Do they?" Lia asks, somewhat distracted. "I wouldn't know, I don't look in mirrors." Without further ado, Lia raps her knuckles against the canvas of the tent shared by Carter and Marchand-Renier.
DocBeard (2:33:41 PM): "..." Tomas feels awkward, perhaps because the woman isn't insulting him. "...so, what, have a question for Professor Carter?
Rock (2:34:25 PM): "That depends," Lia replies, still sounding distracted. Again she raps her knuckles against the canvas. "Professor Carter," she calls, "are the two of you awake yet?"
Isabella (2:35:15 PM): There was a brief moment of silence in reply to Lia's call. Then, a slight rustling at the flaps of the tent, and Professor Carter stepped outside, letting the tent fall closed behind him. He looked weary. "One is," he said. "I'm not certain about the other. Good morning, Lia." He caught sight of Tomas, further off. "Good morning, Tomas."
Rock (2:36:18 PM): "Still off in the land of misty self-torment, is he?" Lia asks, almost placidly. "Very well, then. I've had enough." Lia throws the tent flap wide, and takes a look at professor Sebastien Marchand-Renier.
Rock (2:36:47 PM): "When," she asks in a sharp, critical tone, "was the last time he bathed? Or shaved? He looks a mess."
DocBeard (2:37:02 PM): "Hallo." Tomas waves, not explaining why he is nosily following Lia. Perhaps it is simply understood. Or maybe he's gone compeltly mad. "I brought you a helmet, Professor."
Isabella (2:39:52 PM): Professor Marchand-Renier looked to be asleep, at the moment. He was shaved well enough, and looked mostly as he always had, save perhaps a bit dustier, and more gaunt and underfed. His hands were folded over his chest, and for a moment could only remind the pair of an Akiri mummy, waiting for his funeral rites.
"Lia..." There was a definite note of warning in Carter's voice. He looked slightly puzzled at Tomas' statement. "A helmet?"
Rock (2:40:49 PM): "He looks like he belongs in a museum exhibit," Lia goes on, raising her voice so she becomes clearly audible even from a few paces away. "When did he last change his clothes?"
DocBeard (2:40:50 PM): "In case either of them start shooting again." Tomas offers, having pulled the cheap Dementeluse army capper out of his coat.
Rock (2:41:24 PM): "Most amusing," Lia compliments Tomas. "Now please stop playing funny and pick the man up, bring him to the shelter."
Isabella (2:42:00 PM): "He doesn't have his gun anymore," Carter replied. "So unless Miss Mournsewaithe brought hers, I think I'll be alright."
Rock (2:42:39 PM): "Oh, I always have my gun," Lia says, shrugging. "Couldn't hit the broad side of a barn to save my life, but I always have it. Old habits."
Isabella (2:43:17 PM): Carter waved Lia away from the seemingly-sleeping professor. "He's able to walk, Lia. That isn't the problem."
DocBeard (2:43:47 PM): "Want I should fake a hbunchback?" Tomas looks at Carter. "Actually, I agree with her. A bath and a shave might help."
Rock (2:44:25 PM): "I am well aware," Lia replies, moving no closer to Marchand-Renier than before. Instead, she waves Tomas forward. "Pick him up, do, then, seeing as we agree. I wouldn't want to wash him myself, I'm not that fond of him."
Isabella (2:46:07 PM): "Like I said, Tomas, he'll shave himself," Carter said, looking tired at the pair's suggestions. "Although I keep an eye on him just in case." The archaeologist walked over and shook Sebastian's shoulder slightly. "Sebastian," he said, quietly. "Wake up, please."
Marchand-Renier's eyes slowly opened. He regarded the crowd in his tent with some interest.
Rock (2:47:17 PM): "Good morning," Lia says, sharply clapping her hands together. "It is time for such civilized pastimes as a morning wash in hot water and a shave, followed by breakfast. You may come along or be carried. Please choose with alacrity."
DocBeard (2:48:02 PM): Tomas shrugs-he's given his opinion, but Carter's the boss. "Hallo, Professor. I'm sorry you're still not feeling well."
DocBeard (2:50:28 PM): (BRB real quick.)
DocBeard (2:52:30 PM): (Back.)
Isabella (2:55:19 PM): "Hmm," Marchand-Renier closed his eyes again for a second, but opened them again after a moment. "No need for concern, Tomas, I'll be alright." He slowly pulled himself upright on his bedroll, dusting his jacket off slightly, looking almost amused. "Well. That shelter of yours has hot water, Lia? My, the marvels of magic. Very well... if you could give me my razor back, Thomas?"
Carter frowned and fished the shaving razor out of his luggage, handing over to Sebastian. "He'll go and do it," Carter said quietly the the pair, lowering his voice so Marchand-Renier couldn't easily overhear. "All save the breakfast part. He won't touch anything we've given him."
Isabella (2:55:23 PM): "And before you suggest force-feeding him," he added, quickly, looking at Lia, "Kuzan and I have already talked about it. If he doesn't start eating by tonight we'll have to. But I want to avoid that if at all necessary."
DocBeard (2:57:04 PM): "I..." Tomas looks serious for the first time, seeming almost ashamed of himself. "...I spent a year at Von Aubrucker Memorial, Professor. It's where I picked up my basic healing skills. I can make sure he doesn't hurt himself, if you want."
Rock (2:57:25 PM): "I wasn't about to suggest it," Lia replies, and turns to follow Marchand-Renier. "Sir Eisenwald? If you would accompany me, I have some badgering to do. You might need to sew one of us up, the way my luck runs."
Isabella (2:57:31 PM): Carter looked grateful. "Please," was all he said.
DocBeard (2:58:31 PM): "Just wanted you to know that I'm not hanging around to be a pain." Tomas murmurs, looking dark for a second, adjusting his hat, and heading towards Lia's magic cabin.
Isabella (2:58:37 PM): "Lia..." Carter thought better of whatever he was about to say. "Don't push him too hard."
Rock (2:59:19 PM): "I can't push him too softly," Lia calls back, sounding almost apologetic. "Wouldn't work with him." She snaps her fingers at the door, which opens before her automatically. "Coming, sir Eisenwald?"
DocBeard (3:00:11 PM): He is.
Rock (3:01:39 PM): Lia marches into the secure shelter. There is a tub in front of the hearth, the water remaining at a steady temperature thanks to common fire, not any specific magic. "Feel free to step right on in, professor," Lia says to Marchand-Renier. "It's mostly clean, still."
Isabella (3:01:40 PM): It was as Carter had said. Sebastian slowly made his way over the shelter, found himself a mirror, and carefully began to groom himself. He did not, as Carter seemed to have feared, attempt to do anything untoward with the razor-blade, though the way he shaved was slightly concerning. We would often pause slightly in his shaving, as if distracted by some thought, or perhaps as if he was considering drawing the sharp blade across his throat. But if he was, he showed no outward inclination of going through with it, and perhaps he wasn't considering it at all.
Rock (3:02:18 PM): "Oh, do take a bath first, professor," Lia says bracingly. "It'll make your skin softer; easier to shave that way."
DocBeard (3:04:26 PM): "Mm." Tomas looks uncomfortable with that possibility, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms in that conspiciously inconspicious sort of way.
Isabella (3:04:41 PM): The professor gave another one of his small smiles. "I doubt you are well versed in the ways of shaving one's face, Lia. I'll take the bath once I'm finished here." He turned back to the mirror.
DocBeard (3:05:18 PM): (Can I make a quick heal check to try and diagnose his condition?)
Rock (3:05:38 PM): "How would you know what I need to shave, Sebastian?" Lia asks calmly. She snaps her fingers, and a chair levitates over for her to sit on.
Isabella (3:05:51 PM): [sure, doc]
DocBeard (3:06:10 PM): (17 plus seven is 24.)
Isabella (3:07:19 PM): The professor seemed unperturbed by Lia's sudden familiarity. He simply continued to shave.
Isabella (3:07:44 PM): [his major physical issue would be he hasn't eaten in about two and a half days]
DocBeard (3:07:48 PM): Tomas keeps quiet, not seeing a need to play good cop yet. '
DocBeard (3:08:10 PM): (Okay, so no signs of suicide attempts or other forms of self-flagelation or illness?)
Isabella (3:08:22 PM): [nope.]
Rock (3:09:20 PM): Lia looks closely at Marchand-Renier, then starts to sing very softly: 'Pour Louise', in High Mordentish.
Isabella (3:11:31 PM): If Lia had been hoping for a response, she would find herself disappointed. Marchand-Renier continued shaving, although he did seem to wince slightly whenever Lia hit a wrong note.
Rock (3:13:06 PM): "Go on," Lia says when she notices the wince. "Say it. You know you want to. As much as I loathe the condescension and the endless, endless sarcasm, you are clearly not in your right mind without it."
DocBeard (3:13:38 PM): "So..." Awwwkward. "What does that song mean, anyway? I am a filthy forigener."
Rock (3:14:44 PM): "It's a song for some tart named Louise," Lia replies with an expansive shrug. "Some Richemuloise woman. I don't know any Louises. Do you?"
Isabella (3:15:23 PM): "Say it...?" Marchand-Renier seemed slightly puzzled, more than anything. "It's an E flat in the refrain on the second note, Lia - you go down, not up. Counter-intuitive, I know." He turned back to the mirror.
Rock (3:16:35 PM): "Better already," Lia needles. "I hear a bit of the old Renier bite coming through. Why'd it go away, Sebastian? Could it actually be that you are ashamed of shooting Remy? Of letting the city control you like a sock puppet?"
DocBeard (3:16:43 PM): "I knew a Lucy." Tomas is honestly missing something here.
DocBeard (3:20:38 PM): "...and a Lauren, but she was a Modern Woman and would have disliked a song about her."
Isabella (3:20:59 PM): "It refers to my aunt, Tomas - Louise Renier," Marchand-Renier said, without turning from the mirror.
In response to Lia, Marchand-Renier... chuckled. It was strange, mirthless sound. "Has it really come to this? Has the 'condescension and the endless, endless sarcasm' become the whole of my character, that you cannot even accept me without it?" He put the razor down, so as not to slit his own throat while distracted. "But I'm afraid you shall have to, Miss Mournswaithe." He gave what almost seemed like an apologetic smile.
Rock (3:22:00 PM): "Frankly, man," Lia says, "without the constant air of limitless superiority, you've been acting like a zombie." She snaps her fingers again, and an invisible presence carries over a leftover from last night's dinner. "Eat something already, zombie."
Isabella (3:24:05 PM): Sebastian eyed the unappetizing looking morsel, then obediently took it - and placed it in his pocket. "Thank you, Lia. I shall have it when I am hungry."
Rock (3:24:42 PM): "You haven't eaten since we left the bloody city," Lia says mercilessly. "Tomas?"
DocBeard (3:25:06 PM): "Yes?" Tomas blinks, perhaps playing dumb, perhaps actually being dumb.
Isabella (3:25:46 PM): Unconcerned, or perhaps simply unaware, of the conversation behind him, Sebastian resumed shaving.
Rock (3:26:05 PM): "Have you seen the zombie Renier eat anything since we left that stinking death-hole?" Lia asks. "And how long do you, a trained physician, know a man to be able to go without proper food?"
DocBeard (3:27:12 PM): "I'm a trained orderly, libschen, but he's gone two and a half days without eating, if I am reading the signs properly." Tomas points out mildly, "A person can go up to a week without eating, as long as he has plenty of water, but then the body will start digesting internal organs..."
DocBeard (3:27:36 PM): "...and, well, usually it causes you to do something else to die before you actually finish cannibalizing yourself to death."
Rock (3:27:58 PM): "And what happens to mind and body after two days without food?" Lia asks calmly. "Do they not, inevitably, start to suffer in their functioning?"
DocBeard (3:29:12 PM): "Again, it depends on individual cases." Tomas points out gently, ducking so Lia does not hit him with a flung object. "Generally, though, yes. A healthy body is nessicary for a healthy mind."
Rock (3:30:35 PM): "Hence Sebastian's recent zombification, do you think?" Lia asks. "Or is it guilt? Or is he having trouble because he dropped his aunt's name when he tried to kill all of you, implying some of that business of his that he was so secretive of is now out in the open?"
DocBeard (3:32:09 PM): "Maybe he's just having a rough time of it." Tomas shrugs, looking awkward. "None of us saw anything we particularly liked down there."
Isabella (3:33:04 PM): "It's nothing terribly shocking, Lia," Marchand-Renier spoke up from his spot by the mirror; it seemed he was more aware than he indicated. "You might relate to it, even."
Rock (3:33:18 PM): "Do tell," Lia says. "I am all ears."
DocBeard (3:34:46 PM): Tomas lets another opportunity for a double entendre to pass, perhaps hinting at his own condition.
Isabella (3:37:38 PM): "My aunt, Louise Renier, would like me dead, so that my sister's inheritance is secured," Marchand-Renier explained, simply. "But I confess I have probably overstated the threat. She hasn't bothered of late - my move to Dementlieu seems to have ensured my sister's standing as heir."
Rock (3:38:48 PM): "And so when you said that you would 'tell Louise you had sent us ahead' ...?" Lia supplies.
Isabella (3:39:29 PM): "I was hardly thinking clearly at that point, Lia," Marchand-Renier said, gently.
DocBeard (3:39:52 PM): "If you're not interested in the money, why not just make a provoso legally?" Tomas looks uncomfortable-these are the Rich, and obviously he cannot understand their family woes. The idea of an intimidating aunt is...not something he will acknowledge.
DocBeard (3:40:27 PM): "I'm sorry." Tomas is irritatingly sincere, putting a hand on Marchand-Renier's shoulder and squeezing a little. "It must be painful, someone you love doing that."
Rock (3:40:55 PM): "He'd probably have to go to Richemulot to do that, and that would probably give his aunt the wrong idea, no?" Li a suggests.
Isabella (3:43:30 PM): "Love? Hardly, Tomas. A terrible thing to say, I fear, but true. And I suspect even without the inheritance, she would still want me dead. She's already killed my brother." Marchand-Renier's hand slipped, drawing a long, ugly line of blood across his cheek. The professor didn't seem to notice it.
Rock (3:44:23 PM): "Give me that, please," Lia says, moving forward and seizing the professor's knife-wielding hand. "I'll finish it for you."
DocBeard (3:45:04 PM): "Well maybe she shouldn't be crazy and paranoid then." Tomas frowns, crossing his arms. "When we get back, Professor, I'll be your bodyguard. I can handle a few sewerjack assassins." And then it sinks in. "She wha-oh."
DocBeard (3:46:17 PM): Tomas's first thought is, 'Want me to beat her up for you?' bit it's Richemulot, that'd probably just make it worse. ...they might make him king of something! Brr.
Rock (3:47:21 PM): "Well," Lia says, still trying to take the razor from Marchand-Renier, "you were right. I can relate to your sensation. Now please let go of the razor, yes?"
Isabella (3:48:34 PM): Marchand-Renier didn't respond as he regarded the bloodstained razor, looking as if he was sleepwalking. He didn't relinquish the razor, but didn't resist it being taken.
Rock (3:50:01 PM): "Sit down, lean back, relax," Lia says as she quickly wipes the razor clean and uses a cloth to blot Marchand-Renier's cut. "Shhh, relax. I am going to pour you a glass of something, and you are going to drink it."
DocBeard (3:50:40 PM): "I'll watch him." Tomas replies, nodding to Lia. Once she's gone, he siezes the opportunity. "Professor, I just wanted..."
DocBeard (3:51:22 PM): "...to apologize." Tomas spits it out. "For earlier. I was...out of line, and you were right to reign me in."
Rock (3:51:27 PM): Lia, meanwhile, rummages in her pack until she finds a one third full bottle of wine. A hurried snap of her fingers causes something unseen to bring her a glass, which she duly fills and brings back to Marchand-Renier.
Rock (3:52:23 PM): She pauses, though, letting Tomas have his say.
Isabella (3:53:00 PM): "Apologize...?" Marchand-Renier didn't seem comprehend what Tomas was saying. "For what, Tomas?"
DocBeard (3:53:55 PM): It's a guy thing. It wouldn't be as sincere with a woman in the room. Fortunately Tomas doesn't notice Lia getting back early, "The fight we had, before things went completly mad. I was out of line."
Isabella (3:55:16 PM): "How, Tomas?" Sebastian asked, curiously. "I confess, with all that's happened... I don't even remember it."
DocBeard (3:56:23 PM): "Oh." Tomas shrugged. "You said I was being stupid and rash, and I got sick of you thinking I was stupid-I know, I act simple a lot of the time, but it's that or do my best Black Knight impression-so I yelled at you."
DocBeard (3:57:39 PM): "And later on, I felt bad that the last thing I'd have said to you was some stupid insult because I'd lost my temper. My pa taught me that if you regret something, it's probably for a good reason."
Isabella (4:00:51 PM): Marchand-Renier... chuckled again. It was a terrible sound. "Not this time, Tomas." He gave a deep sigh. "Not this time. I dug that particular grave for myself."
DocBeard (4:01:55 PM): "-anyway, that's all I wanted to say." Tomas rubs the back of his head a little, smiling weakly. "It obviously wasn't a big deal, but it's one less regret to live with. Danke." And then that laugh. "...you want to talk about it, Professor? You listened to me, I don't mind."
Isabella (4:09:22 PM): The smile on Sebastian's face was bitter and cold. "Talk? Who's side do you think the others were on, back in that argument? It never mattered who was 'right', Tomas, because you are a good person, and I... I will do what I think is best, and damn what the others feel about it." He ran his thin, long fingers over his chest. "And only when I've destroyed everything I ever cared for... do I realize the true worth of my damnable pride."
Rock (4:11:05 PM): "Some of us did not even know the two of you were arguing," Lia interjects semi-smoothly as she holds out a glass of dark red liquid for Marchand-Renier. "Drink. You will have the rare distinction of tasting a liquid that ... heh ... graced the lips of a greater fey."
DocBeard (4:11:40 PM): "It matters to me." Tomas says, quietly. "A good person can be wrong, too. That's why I had to say something." Tomas looks at the roof. "You've got one up on Professor Petteller, sir. You are still alive. He, I think, even in death did not realize that his...contempt of us is what kept us from saving him."
Isabella (4:12:15 PM): Marchand-Renier didn't respond. He took the glass from Lia, not really noting it's contents, and raised it to his lips.
DocBeard (4:12:47 PM): "...that, and the treachery of the petty." Tomas's eyes flash, as he contemplates removing someone's head from their shoulders. "Thanks for waiting, Lia. Male pride thing, I guess. We're all vulnerable to it."
Rock (4:13:36 PM): "Don't mention it," Lia says, and briefly pats Tomas' shoulder. "If you've finished that one, Sebastian, I'm going to top you up. I figure there are still two or three glasses in this bottle."
DocBeard (4:14:23 PM): "Careful, sir, she'll do anything for top marks."
Isabella (4:15:02 PM): Sebastian suddenly reeled in his chair, clawing at his throat as if he was choking. The wine fell from his fingers, the glass shattering on the floor beside the Professor as he collapsed. As the pair watched in horror, angry red marks began to form where the wine had splattered the unfortunate man.
Rock (4:15:04 PM): Lia lightly swats the back of Tomas' head at this.
Rock (4:15:25 PM): "What in Hell ...?" Lia asks, horrified. "Get the priest!"
NeoTiamat (DM) (4:15:46 PM): [Heal Check, or Knowledge: Nature]
Rock (4:16:06 PM): (I got neither. It's all you, Doc.)
NeoTiamat (DM) (4:16:14 PM): [If you wish to figure out what in Hades just happened]
Isabella (4:16:26 PM): [or you could just run screaming for kuzan.]
Kaitou Kage (4:17:10 PM) has been invited.
Kaitou Kage (4:17:15 PM) has entered the room.
DocBeard (4:17:32 PM): (One sec.)
Isabella (4:17:51 PM): [no prob. he's not going anywhere.]
NeoTiamat (DM) (4:17:51 PM): [IC please, someone find Kuzan and explain the tiny situation]
Rock (4:17:54 PM): A wave of Lia's hand opens the door, and she does, indeed, shout: "Kuzan! Get in here now!"
DocBeard (4:17:55 PM): (16 plus seven is 23.)
DocBeard (4:18:53 PM): "An allergy...damn, he wasn't paying attention..." Tomas looks around for anything that he could use to make the Professor throw up.
Kaitou Kage (4:18:57 PM): Kuzan stands up from where he was washing his face and hurries into the cabin, glancing around in concern.
Isabella (4:19:52 PM): Marchand-Renier was laying on the floor, writhing in pain, clawing at his own throat. Around him, the shattered remains of a wine glass glittered in the light.
Kaitou Kage (4:19:53 PM): "What's going on?"
DocBeard (4:19:55 PM): "Kuzan, it's an allergic reaction! He must have some rare condition with the wine." Tomas sticks his hands in Sebastian's mouth, forcing it open so that the man can breathe and won't choke on his own tounge.
DocBeard (4:20:10 PM): "Do you have a purgitive?!"
Kaitou Kage (4:20:31 PM): "Wine?" the priest demanded, pulling something out of his bag, "What the hells is he doing drinking wine?"
Rock (4:20:33 PM): "I used my last antitoxin back in Barovia!" Lia curses.
DocBeard (4:20:59 PM): "We were trying to get him to eat!" Tomas replies, struggling with the man.
Rock (4:21:04 PM): "I wanted to help him relax," Lia replies, "how was I to know he was allergic to the stuff?"
Kaitou Kage (4:21:15 PM): ( Kuzan has a million healer's kits in his bag so he prolly has something )
DocBeard (4:21:38 PM): (We need to purge his system.)
Rock (4:22:08 PM): (Antitoxin? Remove poison?)
DocBeard (4:22:15 PM): (Toss me a healer's kit and I'll make him throw up.)
Isabella (4:22:19 PM): [that would work too, if you have it]
Kaitou Kage (4:22:36 PM): ( Hang on, hang on )
Kaitou Kage (4:24:32 PM): "Get a bucket or something," he commanded and pulled out a scroll. He recited the scroll and put his hands on MR's chest. A faint white glow pervaded the professor for a second and then seeped into him. (Ironguts.)
Rock (4:24:55 PM): A bucket floats over, seemingly under its own power.
DocBeard (4:25:56 PM): (You got this, man, or?)
Kaitou Kage (4:26:13 PM): The priest immediately reached into his bag again and pulled out a vial, then turned to tomas. "Help me prop him up and get him over the bucket."
DocBeard (4:27:38 PM): Tomas expertly assists-he's obviously done this before.
Kaitou Kage (4:28:21 PM): Kuzan administered the vial, a special herbal concoction meant to induce vomiting and explusion of Bad Things in the Body.
Kaitou Kage (4:28:59 PM): "Hold him steady," he said, "This is could be big and nasty."
DocBeard (4:29:16 PM): Tomas keeps his arms around the Professor to hold him in place, while gently rubbing circles on his back and attentivly looking to see if he'll need to grab the Professor's hair.
Isabella (4:33:32 PM): The professor retched, voiding the contents of his stomach; fortunately or unfortunately, there wasn't much in his stomach to void. But Sebastian's body continued to shake and heave uncontrollably for a long time, leaning heavily on Tomas for support so that he wouldn't pitch forward again into the floor. After what seemed like half an hour, the shaking finally calmed to manageable levels. The professor collapsed like a ragdoll against Tomas, laboriously gasping for air, the angry rashes on his skin where the wine had touched scarlet against his paste white skin. He made no effort to move, open his eyes, or do anything more than continue breathing - something that looked like it was taking his full concentration.
Rock (4:34:34 PM): "Hell's bells," Lia swears. "Is that normal? I'm allergic to poultry myself, but my skin doesn't break out in sores if I touch a piece of chicken."
DocBeard (4:34:35 PM): Tomas gently goes with the Professor, moving when he moves and stopping when he's still-allowing himself to be used as a bed, or pillow, or whatever.
Kaitou Kage (4:34:47 PM): "Whose brilliant idea was it to give alcohol to an already dehydrated man?" Kuzan asked quietly once things calmed down some. He began gently checking the professor over once more to see how his condition changed, if at all.
Rock (4:35:39 PM): "Mine, so you can leave the white knight alone," Lia replies flatly.
DocBeard (4:36:33 PM): "No, this is...rare, for one thing, not many people are allergic to anything in wine, let alone at this level of severity." Tomas shrugs at Kuzan. "She couldn't have known. The only time I've read about something like this, it was a Vistani curse on a man who got the Rauni's daughter drunk."
Kaitou Kage (4:37:35 PM): "What kind of wine is it?" Kuzan asked. "You shouldn't give wine to someone in the desert anyway. It's not good."
Rock (4:38:20 PM): "It was good enough for the BloodThorn, and you may rest assured he's a connoisseur," Lia replies. "I've had some myself, off and on."
DocBeard (4:39:11 PM): "If he doesn't eat soon, he'll die. She was getting him a little drunk so he'd eat something." Tomas states flatly, "It was the closest thing to a positive response anyone's gotten from him in two days, Kuzan."
Kaitou Kage (4:39:59 PM): Kuzan sighed. "I know that, Tomas," Kuzan replied tiredly, "Gods above and below, I know that. I've tried. Carter and I talked about it and if he doesn't eat tomorrow, we're just going to force-feed him. It won't be pretty but it has to go down."
DocBeard (4:40:45 PM): "He told us." Tomas says, shaking his head and wiping a little puke off of the Prof's lips. "I'm sorry, I should have been helping you with this stuff earlier."
Kaitou Kage (4:40:46 PM): ( Er...If he doesn't eat today. )
Rock (4:41:21 PM): "Sebastian, can you hear me?" Lia coaxes. "I have a healing potion. Do you want it?"
Isabella (4:42:44 PM): The professor made no response beyond his ragged breathing.
DocBeard (4:43:38 PM): "Just get him some water, Lia. There's a cold bottle in my jacket, by the door."
Rock (4:44:11 PM): The jacket levitates before Lia can even move, and floats over.
Kaitou Kage (4:44:28 PM): "It's okay," Kuzan said, "The Expedition hired me exactly for things like this. But if you want me to bring you on my rounds next time, I can." He began moving to lift the professor. "Help me get him back into a bed. We'll probably have to tie him to his camel today."
Rock (4:44:56 PM): "There are plenty of beds in here," Lia notes. "Put him on a real bed."
DocBeard (4:46:11 PM): Tomas nods, following the doctor's orders. She might get a spark of static electricity from magically touching Tomas's jacket.
Kaitou Kage (4:48:42 PM): "Okay," he said once they got the professor back into a bed. The priest turned toward both Tomas and Lia and wiped his hands on his dhoti. "I appreciate the concern and the effort," he said sternly, "But you need to consult with me before doing this kind of thing. That way we run a smaller chance of these accidents happening."
Isabella (4:49:07 PM): Marchand-Renier was limp, giving no assistance or resistance as he was carried over to the bed. He did not react to the water offered to him, or react if they tried to force him to drink it. The starvation, the poison, the purging, and the shredded remains of what was left of his dignity had taken too much of a toll.
Rock (4:49:13 PM): "Curses," Lia sighs once Marchand-Renier is safely deposited on a bunk. She rubs at the back of her head. She does not seem to register Kuzan's words. "Curses. He was already more twisted up inside than a nest of snakes. This is another setback."
DocBeard (4:49:52 PM): "I understand." Tomas nods at Kuzan, the unspoken bit being, of course, 'I'll do my best with our Lia.' "-he knows we give a damn, Lia."
Rock (4:50:41 PM): "And I poisoned him," Lia adds, voice suddenly cold and hard like ice.
Kaitou Kage (4:51:25 PM): Kuzan frowned at Lia. "Did you hear me?"
DocBeard (4:51:47 PM): "It was an accident." Tomas shrugs, and if she'll let him he'll force some water down Sebastian's throat. "What, did you do magic perfect the first time you tried it too?"
Rock (4:53:02 PM): "The first time I cast a spell, I was terrified I'd be caught," Lia replies, shrugging. "I pulled it off perfectly, out of terror."
DocBeard (4:53:52 PM): "Well that explains a lot, you obviously needed to skin your knees more as a little girl." Tomas counters. "The Doctor asked you a question."
Rock (4:54:46 PM): "Did he, now?" Lia asks Tomas, looking only at Tomas. "How remarkable. I wonder why he'd do that."
Kaitou Kage (4:55:17 PM): Kuzan scowled. "Lia, I'm only going to ask you one more time. Did you hear me?"
Rock (4:56:00 PM): Very slowly, Lia turns to face Kuzan. Inside the mask, her eyes blaze. "I have heard you say lots of things, priest," she replies, voice so cold.
Kaitou Kage (4:56:40 PM): "I'm not trying to pick a fight with you for once," Kuzan retorts evenly. "I'm trying to do my bloody job."
DocBeard (4:57:06 PM): "Fighting isn't going to help the Professor. We'll all take turns watching him." Tomas concludes, crossing his arms. "And if I have to, I'll handcuff the two of you together and make you sing Kartkassi love songs until the pair of you can work without bickering."
Rock (4:57:06 PM): "Jolly good," Lia replies, arms crossed., voice still cold, eyes still burning like live coals.
Kaitou Kage (4:58:01 PM): Kuzan turned toward Tomas, eyes blazing and begging for help here.
DocBeard (4:58:44 PM): "Lia, he's being reasonable. If you want to help, clean up the mess the Professor made." Tomas tries again.
DocBeard (4:59:10 PM): "We'll keep a list of what can do what and post it by his bed. That way, this mistake won't happen again."
Rock (4:59:21 PM): "The mess will be cleaned up," Lia says, without looking away from Kuzan. The invisible presence starts cleaning up immediately.
Rock (4:59:57 PM): The look of death she's been giving Kuzan continues unabated.
DocBeard (5:00:18 PM): Fine. There's only one thing to do. Tomas squares his jaw, rolls back his shoulders, and a gleam of sunlight plays across his hair, as though goodness itself was baptizing him before his grim mission...
Kaitou Kage (5:00:25 PM): Kuzan rolls his eyes. "Did he say anything while you were trying to feed him?"
Rock (5:00:43 PM): "That would be his story to tell," Lia replies. "When he wants to."
DocBeard (5:00:47 PM): ...and, with one sudden, smooth movement, Eisenwald grabs Lia's ass, goosing the girl and lightly pinching it.
Kaitou Kage (5:01:45 PM): Kuzan looked like he was about to say something, but instead he just stares, dumbfounded.
Rock (5:01:58 PM): Lia staggers a single pace away, then trns to look at Tomas, eyes burning. "That was uncalled for," she says. And then she glares at Kuzan again, staying at a safe distance from Tomas.
DocBeard (5:03:05 PM): Tomas blinks, having screwed his face up and anticipated the tiefling's solid right hook to come crashing in. "...oh, come on, it'll be awkward if you don't slug me or something."
Kaitou Kage (5:03:21 PM): Kuzan just kind of kept staring.
Rock (5:03:30 PM): "Awkward. Really," Lia says noncommitally. "How distressing."
DocBeard (5:03:59 PM): "You get mad at me, take out your aggression, and then you're not bitter at Kuzan who was just being a healer. Basic logic." Tomas explains, as though they were talking about something completly normal.
Kaitou Kage (5:04:37 PM): "It's okay, Tomas," Kuzan said, "Miss Mournswaithe is trying to start a fight with me."
DocBeard (5:04:58 PM): "Because all three of us know you're really upset with yourself for getting the Professor hurt." Tomas looks at Kuzan. "Well, you two've been trying to start a fight since Hazlan."
Rock (5:04:58 PM): "Actually, no," Lia says. "It is you who started this one. Back in Kamarn-Quse."
Rock (5:05:26 PM): "This has little to nothing to do with Marchand-Renier."
DocBeard (5:06:12 PM): "Oh, okay." Tomas shrugs at his mistake. "Well golly, now I wasted that moment for nothing. Still, something to tell our grandkids about. Why don't we get this out in the open, before the tension gets someone else hurt?"
Kaitou Kage (5:06:15 PM): Kuzan shrugged. "I suppose so," he says to Tomas, a little downcast. "I try not to be irritated so easily but it happens and I just snap."
DocBeard (5:06:54 PM): "It's because you two are a lot alike." Tomas reasons with Kuzan. "Stubborn, strong willed, sensitive, and with a bad habit of bottling up aggression."
Rock (5:07:03 PM): "Kamarn-Quse lets out the worst in a person, or so I understood it," Lia says, voice grating like crushed ice. "And so I know what you think of me, priest."
Kaitou Kage (5:07:33 PM): Kuzan turned to Lia and frowned. "I've said as much to your face before and it never seemed to bother you."
Rock (5:08:02 PM): "That was different," Lia replies. "That was when I had actually done something that merited it."
Kaitou Kage (5:08:42 PM): The priest rolled his eyes and turned to Tomas. "You're probably right," he said to the Lamordian, "Only if this were back home we'd have started punching each other, I think."
Rock (5:09:25 PM): "You should be very glad that I was one of the few people who managed to keep their temper in that stinking death-hole," Lia says to Kuzan's words.
Kaitou Kage (5:09:56 PM): Kuzan turned back to Lia and raised his eyebrows. "Are you threatening me?" he asked coolly.
DocBeard (5:09:58 PM): "Yeah, well, you both know that ain't happening." Tomas drawls, drawing on his bad upbringing for support. "So, fill me in. What do you think that's got her so upset? Sure, Lia can be kind of a jerk, but she's cute, she's got a good heart, and she wears basic black well."
Kaitou Kage (5:10:18 PM): "It's because I called her a self-righteous bitch," he answers Tomas.
Kaitou Kage (5:10:33 PM): "And for some reason she can't handle that someone doesn't get along with her."
Rock (5:11:21 PM): "I don't give a rat's ass about someone not 'getting along with me', you jackanapes," Lia hisses. "I do not appreciate being your kicking stool every time something has your back up! That is what angers me!"
Kaitou Kage (5:12:49 PM): Kuzan stares at Lia for a minute. Then he guffaws. "You actually think I come looking for you when I need to let out frustration?" his voice is incredulous, "Are you serious? Wow. I'm sorry to say, but you flatter yourself."
Rock (5:13:52 PM): "If you did, I really would be threatening you," Lia counters. "But I make a handy target for you, any time I'm around. Eve when I am not doing anything wrong. I asked questions, I wondered about things, and off you went."
DocBeard (5:14:58 PM): "Oh." Tomas looks at Lia, and with perfect sincerity says, "You are kind of a self-righteous bitch sometimes, libchen. It's okay, no one's perfect." Tomas looks at Kuzan. "And you do, sometimes. You might not see it, but..."
Kaitou Kage (5:15:17 PM): "Because you irritate me," Kuzan snaps, "Because the sound of your voice grates on my ears like a tiger clawing across metal! Because you have done so much that is infernally stupid in your misguided attempts to make things better that every time you open your mouth, I'm afraid you're going to make something -else- worse."
Rock (5:17:30 PM): "And you irritate me!" Lia snarls, taking one step closer to Kuzan, hair bristling like a cat's fur. "You criticize me for keeping secrets and sneaking around, when you were doing the same thing! Talking to Menetnashte and not telling any of us! The way you looked at that poor woman in Hazlan made me feel sick!"
DocBeard (5:18:50 PM): Tomas waits to see if, now that it's finally out on the table, either one's going to add something.
DocBeard (5:18:57 PM): He feels vaguely like a kindergarden teacher.
Kaitou Kage (5:19:33 PM): Kuzan snorted. "I'm SO sorry I don't meet your criteria for being a good person," he retorts, "But at least I don't keep causing problems under the guise of fixing them."
Rock (5:21:43 PM): "That's easy enough to accomplish," Lia growls. "You don't care about anyone outside of your inner circle. I admit I make mistakes, because I'm groping blind in a world I know nothing about. But at least I'm groping. I'm trying. I try to make things better for people I don't know yet, in situations I do not completely understand. You would have happily walked past those kidnapped children, or the people of the Kermanevar! The only time you were immediately engaged was in Phiraz, where something offended your own ethos!"
Rock (5:22:12 PM): "I may be the one who fails," Lia hisses, "but you are the one who doesn't care."
DocBeard (5:22:39 PM): "Okay, that's stopped being productive. You're repeating yourselves. So, Lia doesn't like that Kuzan is sneaky, predjuiced, and a bit of a hypocrite. Kuzan doesn't like that Lia is brash, arrogant, and socially clumsy." Tomas pauses, for effect. "That about right?"
Rock (5:24:01 PM): "What else can I be but arrogant?" Lia snarls at Tomas. "I've been hidded away, locked away, kept small for years! And now I suddenly find myself with the power to kill, to destroy, to reshape the world as I want! What the Hell am I supposed to be now, do with myself now?!" Those last words sound ... of pure agony.
Kaitou Kage (5:24:20 PM): "I don't care about anyone outside my own little circle?" Kuzan roars, "I have done everything I possibly can for the safety of each and every person on this Expedition since it started, even those bastards that abandoned us at the Monastery. And my morals, however you perceive them, are not accountable to you, so you have absolutely no right to accuse me of such things. NONE."
Rock (5:24:55 PM): "What do you think your circle is, right now?" Lia snaps back.
DocBeard (5:25:12 PM): "I SAID." Tomas's voice booms like a thunderclap, the sublty that usually surrounds the swordsman's divine charisma faltering as the smell of ozone fills the room.
DocBeard (5:25:22 PM): "Is my summary about correct?"
Rock (5:26:14 PM): "Fine. Yes," Lia says, crossing her arms again. "Just about."
Kaitou Kage (5:26:41 PM): "Fair enough," Kuzan acquiesced.
DocBeard (5:27:33 PM): "Okay." Tomas continues, the brief flare of divinity fading as quickly as it manifested. He ignores it. "So we have learned that the two of you have flaws. I have this to say:"
Rock (5:28:47 PM): "I have no problem with him being flawed," Lia says quietly. "I resent that he sees nothing about me but my flaws every time he gets angry."
DocBeard (5:29:14 PM): "Get in line." Tomas jerks a thumb at himself. "I'm as self righteous as Lia is, and I hide my dangerous temper behind a goofball facade that I can't give up in the face of actual devils from hell trying to kill us. Otto can't stop thinking about the bottom line, Charles is still lieing to us and himself, Andre is all too willing to do anything to forget his regrets..."
DocBeard (5:30:13 PM): "We're flawed. Your particular flaws leave you at eachothers's throats a lot, but the fact that neither of you, when you are more intellegent than me and want to help a man who needs it, can stop fighting long enough to come to a civilized agreement to do so..."
Rock (5:30:58 PM): "I would have taken care of him my own way, with or without the priest," Lia objects.
DocBeard (5:31:35 PM): "Isn't just childish and stupid, it's dangerous, and it will get someone killed eventually." Tomas's voice is unrelenting, his whole posture reminiscent of the last monsoon Kuzan can remember. "We are working together until the end, here. Nothing short of a death is going to change that and I will not allow someone else to die before I do, do you understand me?!"
Kaitou Kage (5:31:50 PM): "And you should have called -me- in to do it in the first place," Kuzan returns, "That's my entire job on this trip."
Rock (5:32:58 PM): "I was the one who called you, as soon as I knew I couldn't handle things!" Lia howls at Kuzan. "I respect your abilities, you bastard! I have told you so a dozen times! And I know where my ability to help ends! Do you think I am too arrogant to know I am not a healer?"
DocBeard (5:33:12 PM): "You don't have to like eachother, but if this feud endangers a member of this Expadition again, I don't care how much I like the two of you, I'll do something about it." Tomas presses on, simply raising his voice when interrupted in the classic dwarfen manner. "You are both intellegent, reasonable adults. Act like it. The only way to fix this is for you both to apologize, mean it, and forgive eachother, but all I need from the two of you is competance."
DocBeard (5:37:57 PM): "So I want the two of you to shake hands, and say, 'I promise I will respect your abilities as a competant adult in the future, so we can continue in a productive busniess relationship.'" Tomas is utterly dead serious. "I promise it will make the two of you feel better about this."
Kaitou Kage (5:37:57 PM): Kuzan paused in the wake of Tomas's storm. Finally, he spoke more calmly. "When dealing with a matter that involves the health of someone on this expedition, I would appreciate if you consult with me before taking any actions unless I'm unavailable," he said finally. "That includes attempting to get a professor to eat against his will. As well-intentioned as you were, this is not something you should've undertaken without talking to me first."
DocBeard (5:38:23 PM): "That's fair enough." Tomas agrees, "And I'm sorry for making that mistake, I assumed I could handle the medical end."
Kaitou Kage (5:38:59 PM): "And for what it's worth," he continued, "I may not particularly like you, Lia, but I'm willing to let...what is the phrase...bygones be bygones."
Rock (5:39:06 PM): "I did not mean to force-feed him," Lia eplains, "but to annoy him into showing some of his old fire. As well as get him drunk, to lower his resistance. I know my limits."
DocBeard (5:39:46 PM): Tomas nods. "Also fair enough. I made a poor assumption when explaining things to Kuzan, and I am sorry for that." pleasepleasepleaselethersaythenextpart.
Rock (5:40:46 PM): "Kuzan," Lia says, giving the priest a look that speak eloquently of weariness, "I am tired of this dance. We get angry. We apologize. And we just get angry again. I do respect your abilities. And there have been times when I was instrumental to this group's survival. Could you possibly find it in you to respect me for what I do well, and not see me as a release valve for your own frustrations for what I do wrong?"
DocBeard (5:41:12 PM): "I believe that is what Kuzan is offering, Lia."
Kaitou Kage (5:41:55 PM): Kuzan nodded in agreement with Tomas.
Rock (5:45:05 PM): "I am going crazy," Lia says, very quietly. "Every time there is fighting. Can you imagine how it feels, to know I could, with no more than a few hours' study and a few ersatz words and gestures, turn a village like the Kermanevar to dust and screams on the wind? I am trying so hard to hold on. But I get so damnably angry. There is just too much evil, and I can not kill it all. If we say sorry now, I want it to be over forever. I do not need the additional stress. Do you understand?"
DocBeard (5:46:37 PM): "I'll help the both of you." Tomas says, stubbornly. "There is always conflict-so long as there are individual wills. It is how you manage the stress that makes the difference."
Kaitou Kage (5:47:11 PM): "Lia," Kuzan says calmly, "Do you really think I do not understand? There is an thought form in my head that wants blood and whispers to me constantly and I can't force it to go away."
Rock (5:47:40 PM): "Yes," Lia says. "But the voices in my head that scream for blood and death are all mine."
Rock (5:48:06 PM): "I do not wish to trivialize your suffering. But you, at least, know the voice is not your own."
Kaitou Kage (5:48:17 PM): "This voice is also mine," he replies simply.
Rock (5:49:04 PM): Lia reaches out - and cups Kuzan's face in one hand. "Gentle priest," she says, "you put the lie to that whenever you choose to offer healing without asking recompensation or conversion to your deities."
DocBeard (5:49:24 PM): Tomas is quiet for this part, because 'Well, if it helps, I would do my best to stop either of you apon snapping.' is not a constructive addition to the conversation.
Kaitou Kage (5:49:33 PM): ( LOL )
Rock (5:49:44 PM): *snickers*
DocBeard (5:49:56 PM): For some reason, some people didn't appreciate that he'd stop them from doing any evil by cutting them down in cold blood. Go figure.
Kaitou Kage (5:51:25 PM): Kuzan chuckles wryly. "That doesn't make it any less my own voice," he says, "The tulpa is myself, a part of me that developed its own life. Your words are kind, but I am just doing my job."
Rock (5:52:48 PM): "In so many ways, you are a fool," Lia sighs. "The brotherhood has one thing right: we are dwelling in illusion, cast adrift in a sea of it. I know the hate and the rage are born of my past and my ... difficulty with dealing with my sudden power. They are things I must control, repress if necessary, to be me. The tulpa is the illusion that stands between you and your true self, I think."
DocBeard (5:55:13 PM): "I think." Tomas says, after a moment. "That you are seeing the forest and not the trees. You have both said truths that needed to be said. Sie gut. But Kuzan has still offered you an earnest hand, Lia. Are you strong willed enough to take it?"
Kaitou Kage (5:55:53 PM): "Well, if finding my true self involves becoming a priest of the Black Mother, I think I'll continue living behind the illusion," Kuzan deadpans. "For what it's worth, you've shown admirable restraint," he adds more seriously, "And I've never thought you're a particularly bad person. Just too reckless and ill-conceived with your good intentions."
Rock (5:56:23 PM): "If I take it, I want this to be over," Lia says with quiet dignity, letting her hand fall away from Kuzan's face. "Forever. If he will pledge me that, that it will be over forever, then I will offer the same."
DocBeard (5:56:49 PM): Tomas nods, looking over to Kuzan-touching both of their shoulders, unconsciously parroting a sacrament.
Isabella (5:57:09 PM): "Well," a very quiet, very tired voice came from the shelter doorway. "I'm glad that's settled."
Carter was standing in the doorway of the shelter. There was no inkling of how long he had been standing there, nor how he had come in without anyone hearing him. The weight of the world seemed to be on his shoulders. "What happened?" was all he asked.
Rock (5:57:32 PM): "Professor Renier is allergic to wine," Lia summarizes.
Kaitou Kage (5:58:09 PM): It is perhaps to Tomas's benefit that Rajian weddings weren't quite the same, lest Kuzan might've slugged Tomas. He's about to reply when Carter speaks up. "He -should- be okay," he said, "But we're going to have to make him take something tonight."
DocBeard (5:58:15 PM): "Also, his Aunt's kind of a" This swear word has been moderated by a convienant duck call.
Kaitou Kage (5:58:34 PM): "His aunt?" Kuzan asked, "Louise, right?"
Rock (5:58:56 PM): She turns more fully to Carter. "I had been meaning to talk to you," she says. "Later. But now will do. We here all know what the Anubite says needs be done with the Eye. But you are a Guardian. You must know other rituals to deal with this sort of thing. Do you know any alternatives? Would your brothers know any alternatives?"
DocBeard (5:59:06 PM): "Yeah. She wants him dead. Killed his brother. So his sister could have an inheritance he doesn't want." Tomas looks withdrawn at this, like he would very much like to solve it by slaying a dragon.
Kaitou Kage (5:59:21 PM): ( Aww fooey, I was going to ask him that in the thread. )
Kaitou Kage (5:59:34 PM): "He killed his brother?" Kuzan asked, "Did he say that?"
Rock (5:59:49 PM): "Peace," Lia says to that, patting Tomas' shoulder. "The bitch is not here." And to Kuzan: "No, his aunt killed his brother."
Kaitou Kage (6:00:11 PM): Kuzan's eyebrows rose.
Isabella (6:00:27 PM): Carter nodded, too tired to react with much surprise at any of it, and walked over to where Sebastian lay. "To tell the truth, Lia, this is one of the easiest methods for destroying an artifact I've ever encountered."
Rock (6:00:46 PM): "Then we need a more complex one," Lia deadpans.
DocBeard (6:00:52 PM): "I might have misunderstood." Tomas accepts, leaning against the wall again in vigil over the Professor.
Kaitou Kage (6:01:06 PM): ( Hollon on my part. )
Kaitou Kage (6:03:00 PM): "He wanted to save him," Kuzan said.
Rock (6:04:05 PM): "Pity the man that he could not, then,"Lia says, shaking her head. "It is a bad thing, losing a sibling to someone who hates you."
Kaitou Kage (6:04:25 PM): "Can you explain?" Kuzan asks, "I don't understand what all is going on exactly."
DocBeard (6:04:42 PM): "...if it comes down to it, I'll do it." Tomas finally says, looking at the ground. "I can, apperently, and I won't be having anyone dieing for me."
Rock (6:05:16 PM): "Louise Renier killed professor Marchand-Renier's brother, and tried to have him killed," Lia explains, "so that their sister could inherit. Marchand-Renier fled to Dementlieu. Since then, he has not been bothered. Not physically, at least."
Kaitou Kage (6:05:49 PM): "And his...issues from the city apparently have to do with his brother and not being able to save him."
Rock (6:05:56 PM): Lia reaches out and almost absentmindedly dope-smacks Tomas for his words. "We are not at the point where that is necessary yet," she says. "Don't start writing your epitaph, or I'll hide you."
Kaitou Kage (6:08:34 PM): "All right," Kuzan says, "Professor Carter and I talked about it last night, so spread the word. Today we need to see if we can get any game or meat of some kind. I know that's a big order in the desert, but if we can get something to make a broth with, that'll be easier to get into him than bread and hard tack."
Rock (6:09:15 PM): "You want fresh meat?" Lia says with a short, ugly laugh. "Easy as pie. I'll send Grimmric out to scout. He can find you meat."
Kaitou Kage (6:10:00 PM): "That would be helpful," Kuzan smiles, "Dieter and Sarari are still among the best shots we've got so if it's there, they should be able to kill it."
Isabella (6:10:14 PM): "Other ways... usually they involve the creator of the artifact somehow... which would be Anubis, if everything I've been told is correct," Carter said, wearily. "Or finding something more powerful than Anubis' curse." He shook his head. "I've asked, Lia. They're doing what they can, but we know so little..."
Isabella (6:10:41 PM): "If I could get my hands on it I might learn more, but... I suspect our window of time will be limited."
Rock (6:11:26 PM): "Muhar houses worshipers of the Akiri pantheon, does it not?" Lia says, voice cold again. "The living must deal with the bodies of the dead. We might find a priest of Anubis to petition the jackal-headed ferryman of the dead."
DocBeard (6:11:39 PM): "So we break the glass." Tomas says. "Frankly, we can't trust a mummy who used to summon devils with paint made out of her childhood playmates's blood to not be screwing us over."
DocBeard (6:12:31 PM): "She might not lie to us directly, but I will be betting you that she is not above telling us only information that suits her goals, instead of the whole truth."
Rock (6:12:37 PM): "I concur," Lia says, flatly. "Menetnashte is not driven by a desire to atone, but for release. Patently, she is more comfortable with the thought of lining Ammut's belly than with continuing alive."
Rock (6:13:12 PM): "And once the Heart is pierced ... she is stronger than we are."
Isabella (6:13:50 PM): Carter looked down sadly at the unconscious professor as the others theorized. "The Order will do what they can," he repeated. "For now, all we can do is keep going, and hope we can learn more. Mists, Sebastian, you're a mess..."
Kaitou Kage (6:14:03 PM): Kuzan ponders this for a while. "Well, we won't find out until we get to the Tomb. And we still have to stop Cavendish and Samael and the others from making a bigger mess out of this."
Rock (6:14:17 PM): "I will watch over him as best I may," Lia offers.
DocBeard (6:14:40 PM): "Stop Cavendish." Tomas smiles, perhaps contemplating the gentle curves of his first love. "Now there's a concept I can get behind."
Rock (6:14:42 PM): "The Dilisnyas, we can handle," Lia says, quietly.
Rock (6:14:55 PM): "Cavendish is going to be ... hard."
Kaitou Kage (6:15:05 PM): "We'll tie him to his camel today," Kuzan orders, "Make it harder for him to fall off." He jerks his head toward Lia. "You're very confident about handling the others," he notes.
Isabella (6:15:36 PM): Carter sighed heavily, then shook his head. "I can't let him ride like this, not in good conscience. It puts us further behind, but that's my decision."
Rock (6:15:55 PM): "They are driven by self-interest," Lia replies. "Once they hear what is really waiting for them at the cenotaph, some will fall away, and the rest will be weakened. They do not, strictly speaking, need to be killed."
Kaitou Kage (6:16:39 PM): "Are you -sure- they'll turn back?" Kuzan asks. Then, to Carter, "Do you think we should force-feed him now?"
DocBeard (6:16:43 PM): "We'll take shifts with the Professor." Tomas reasons, "Less chance of missing something. Becides, what else could they throw at us?"
Rock (6:16:44 PM): "Could we make a stretcher, to be hung between two mounts?" Lia suggests to Carter. "They will walk as one; they are creatures of magic, not nature."
Rock (6:17:39 PM): "Lily and Samael might not," Lia allows to Kuzan's question. "Jervis will go where Samael does. Fassahd is the one who set this trap, on the demon's behalf. But the others ...? Easy pickings."
DocBeard (6:18:23 PM): "...wait, Lily's evil?" Tomas blinks, this being news to him.
DocBeard (6:18:30 PM): "I thought she was just going where the story was."
Kaitou Kage (6:18:31 PM): "You really think Michel and Guy will believe us over Samael?"
Rock (6:18:38 PM): "She and Samael are ... intimate," Lia replies.
Kaitou Kage (6:18:42 PM): "Lily and Sam were, uh--what she said."
Rock (6:18:58 PM): "If the right person speaks to them, yes," lia replies to Kuzan. "Charles, for instance."
Rock (6:19:04 PM): "Someone persuasive."
Kaitou Kage (6:19:28 PM): "We'd want to talk to Charles and see if he's willing to be on our page about it," Kuzan says quietly.
Rock (6:19:44 PM): "Of course." Lia shrugs.
Isabella (6:20:00 PM): Carter examined Sebastian for a bit, with an ease that suggested he knew something of first-aid himself. "I don't think he'll be able to keep anything down, in this state. Let him rest for a bit, and we can see about that soup. If he gets well in time for us to set out, we'll go. If not, we'll stay here today."
Rock (6:20:03 PM): "But the best way to win a fight is not to start one. I believe he'll be able to get behind that sentiment."
DocBeard (6:20:05 PM): "-well, I don't know where you two got the talk, but that doesn't make them devil worshippers." On some astral heaven, Loturr the quickener is rolling his eyes. "We'll have a back up plan, sure, but I'm not going to assume that anyone is just going to blindly attack me."
Kaitou Kage (6:20:12 PM): "Samael is extremely persuasive in his own right. I don't know it will be as easy as it seems." He pauses. "Speaking of, what do you plan to do about him anyway?"
Rock (6:20:57 PM): "About Samael?" Lia asks, sounding faintly surprised. "I plan to warn him, to tell him exactly what is waiting at the demon's tomb. And if that does not stop him ...?"
Kaitou Kage (6:21:06 PM): "That's what I meant."
Rock (6:21:49 PM): "Priests have access to powerful spells of restraint, yes?" Lia suggests. "I, also, have a few in stock. And if that fails, well ... The man is not bulletproof. Nor inflammable."
Rock (6:22:09 PM): "I would not be happy to do it, but when the alternative is the demon unleashed, what choice would we have?"
Kaitou Kage (6:22:09 PM): "And when the spells end? And Jervis breaks free again?"
Rock (6:22:58 PM): Lia makes an abrupt throat-slitting gesture. "The alternative would be worse," she says in a bleak tone of voice. "Unless we find a very secure jail to place them in."
DocBeard (6:23:31 PM): "Then I'll punch him in the face until the jackass oozes out of what used to be his fillings." Tomas offers Re: Jervis.
DocBeard (6:23:57 PM): "Speaking of fillings, Lia, could you take a look at this for me?" Tomas pulls a white ring that Ivor gave him out of his pocket. "We haven't had a minute since I got it."
Rock (6:24:32 PM): "Occultum video," Lia says, making a pass over the ring with one hand. (Detect Magic in effect.)
Kaitou Kage (6:25:29 PM): Kuzan smiles a little. "I hope that'll be enough. Whatever Jervis is, he eats raw meat." He turns to Carter again. "That sounds like a plan, then. My eyes are good, so I'll help the hunters look for something. But we can't wait too long."
Rock (6:26:03 PM): "This ring is non-magical, as far as I can see," Lia reports. "You might like to have it appraised by a jeweller."
DocBeard (6:26:36 PM): "Oh." Tomas looks a little dissapointed, but nods, repocketing the bauble. Maybe he can get his shield enhanced a little in Muhar...
Rock (6:26:53 PM): Grimmric abruptly goes flittering out of Lia's hair. "He will find you meat," Lia assures the others. "And when it sees him, it will not run. But he will return to me at the first sign of danger."
Rock (6:27:41 PM): "Perhaps the metal is of a significant nature," Lia suggests, seeing Tomas' disappointment. "Perhaps Ivor meant you to have it for a special reason. Have it appraised, identified. You never know."
Isabella (6:28:35 PM): Carter nodded to Kuzan, closing his eyes for a second. "I know," he said, and you knew he did, more than anyone.
DocBeard (6:29:13 PM): Tom

NeoTiamat · Post by **NeoTiamat** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 1:43 am

Isabella (10:21:48 PM): Marchand-Renier was much as Kuzan had left him - sprawled out on a shelter bunk and looking decidedly unwell. The priest had done what he could; the angry red marks and the ugly cut on his cheek were gone, and it looked as if the professor could breathe easy now. But the starvation and the poison had still taken their toll, and Sebastian looked gaunt and terrible, like some sort of living ghoul. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut.
Isabella (10:21:56 PM): Possibly unsurprisingly, Remy was there, sitting up straight on the bunk next to his professor's. His notebook was in his lap, and his hands were folded neatly on top of it. It seemed that the sudden and near fatal shift in Marchand-Renier's health had overcome the student's reluctance to confront his professor, although the fact that Marchand-Renier was currently unconscious couldn't have hurt.
Isabella (10:21:59 PM): The student noted the approaching figures out of the corner of his eye.
"It seems strange to see him like this," he said softly, to no one in particular.
YalenusVeler (10:23:44 PM): "I'd...ask how he's doing...but it's a question that unfortunately, answers itself" Andre said quietly, looking at his fellow professor with actual concern. Despite theories about therianthropy, Sebastian was still a colleague. If one that occasionally, Andre had had less than pleasant interactions with.
Kaitou Kage (10:24:20 PM): "He's alive, but the worst problem is that he hasn't eaten in days. I'm a little hesitant to wake him until I know what and how we are going to feed him."
Kaitou Kage (10:24:32 PM): ( Is there meat on the way? >-> )
Isabella (10:25:17 PM): [i suppose we can say the high level ranger can manage to get a lizard or two.]
Kaitou Kage (10:25:36 PM): ( As long as we know it's ok for people to eat

)
Kaitou Kage (10:26:38 PM): ( Just have her stick her head in and say something at some random point. )
Isabella (10:27:13 PM): Remy exhaled audibly. "What's wrong with him?" he asked, mostly to himself. "He didn't do anything worse than...any of us. Is he that willing to die just for pride?"
Kaitou Kage (10:28:21 PM): "It's not just pride, it seems," Kuzan says, "It's guilt."
YalenusVeler (10:28:39 PM): "People die for less all the time, sadly. But I..don't think that's the whole of it. " Andre said, trying to become a bit more clinical, but not doing so well at it. "I'm going to try a spell..should let us know if he has any other potentially fatal allergies to worry about."
Nathan of the FoS (10:29:35 PM) has been invited.
Nathan of the FoS (10:29:45 PM) has entered the room.
Kaitou Kage (10:30:19 PM): "Let's get it overwith, then," Kuzan sighs, "I want to feed him as soon as the broth is ready."
Isabella (10:30:51 PM): Remy shook his head. "But... I'm not dead. None of us are dead."
He watched Andre with some interest, ever the diligent student, trying to study the gestures Andre was using.
Nathan of the FoS (10:31:57 PM): Charles puts his head in. "I asked Sarari about fresh meat," he says quietly. "Shouldn't be too long, I would think, if there's anything alive within miles of us. How's the patient?"
YalenusVeler (10:32:18 PM): "There was the potential though." Andre said, starting the gestures for his spell. It was rather odd, as he took up his waterskin, pouring it over his fingers, and peering through the resulting cascade, almost as if trying to use it as a lens to peer deeper into Sebastian's condition.
Nathan of the FoS (10:34:16 PM): "Er...potential?"
Kaitou Kage (10:35:32 PM): "Same as before," Kuzan said, "He'll be fine once he starts getting more in him than just water."
Isabella (10:35:43 PM): "You really think... it doesn't seem like just potential would bring him to... this, sir," Remy said, his expression unreadable. "The way he talked to Professor Carter outside the city made me think... well, maybe he was just being cynical."
Kaitou Kage (10:36:10 PM): "We all have our dark sides, Remy," Kuzan smiled gently, reminding the student of what he said last night.
Isabella (10:36:48 PM): "It just doesn't seem like him."
Nathan of the FoS (10:36:59 PM): "Why not?"
YalenusVeler (10:37:29 PM): Andre muttered something foul in a language no one here spoke, then repeated the gestures and water pouring. He knew Sebastian was a willful bastard...but this made things...difficult.
Isabella (10:37:52 PM): Remy paused uneasily, trying to put his thoughts into words.
Kaitou Kage (10:38:48 PM): Kuzan walks over to Remy while Andre casts the spell and crouches beside his buddy. "He's going to be okay," Kuzan attempts to reassure him, "I'm here and I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure of it."
Nathan of the FoS (10:39:19 PM): Seeing that this may take a while, Charles enters and sits, looking at the professor (the sick one) clinically and the professor (the spellcaster) with interest.
Isabella (10:40:31 PM): Eventually, though, he gave up. "No, never mind," he sighed. "I suppose I never really knew him. I never thought of him as... human, I guess. Just the professor."
YalenusVeler (10:40:55 PM): Andre let loose with more of what could only be profanity, if the inflection was anything to go by. "It seems Sebastian can be a difficult man to get to know, even magically. I can try three more times...if I can't get a fix on him by then...I'll have to study more and try again if his condition dosen't improve." Andre said before setting off on another attempt..and biting back commentary about Sebastian's potential inhumanity. Glass houses and all
Kaitou Kage (10:41:47 PM): Kuzan chuckled. "I understand. It's like finding out a childhood hero isn't the guy you thought he was at all. Or finding out that the person you hated most growing up is actually a nice guy and you two have been at each other's throats over a complete miscommunication."
Isabella (10:41:57 PM): "Professor?" Remy raised his eyebrows slightly at the professor's tirade.
YalenusVeler (10:43:05 PM): Apparently however, the house was the only thing transparent. At this rate, Andre was going to have to have to borrow someone else's waterskin for this. He quietly muttered "Sebastian, out of all the times to be difficult, now is not one of them..." before trying again, attempting to remain focused and calm as he cast
Nathan of the FoS (10:43:41 PM): Charles chuckles slightly at Remy's failure to answer. "Not an easy man to get to know," he acknowledges. "How long has he been your mentor?"
YalenusVeler (10:46:23 PM): Andre made a rather unpleasant face. "Excuse me a moment gentlemen, I'm going to step outside" And with that, he breifly exited the tent, letting loose with a tirade of profanity in at least 15 languages. And from the nails on chalkboard feeling in one's mind...he was somehow swearing in Oneros.
Isabella (10:46:24 PM): Remy looked at Kuzan. "No, not quite. I just... never could think of him as a person. His fears, his hopes... the things he must have lost..." He pointedly didn't look at Andre. "It was... childish, I guess."
Remy looked slightly pensive at Charles' remark. "He never talked about it, I never asked." He thought for a moment. "It must have been... three years, now."
Isabella (10:47:37 PM): It was probably a testament to Remy's current mood that he didn't react to Andre's swearing with much more than an odd look; likely, the student spoke some of those languages. "Case and point, I suppose," he said.
Nathan of the FoS (10:48:47 PM): "Did he travel much? Or were all those languages book-learning, as the saying goes?"
Isabella (10:50:58 PM): "From books, I think," Remy replied. "I was always impressed by how quickly he could learn them, even without anyone to practice with."
YalenusVeler (10:52:01 PM): ((Languages sworn in:Sri Rajian, Akiri, Zheresian, Sourangien, Balok, Pharazian, Draconic, Vaasi, Darkonese, Lamordian, Sithican, High and Low Mordentish, Onieros, Proto Sumerian dialect))
Kaitou Kage (10:52:30 PM): "How long before the broth is ready?"
YalenusVeler (10:52:34 PM): Andre then stepped back inside, with a bit of a sheepish look "Now then..." And resumed his spellcasting, praying his grand rant would somehow have focused his mind somewhat
Nathan of the FoS (10:53:40 PM): "He's certainly an intelligent man," Charles says. He is tempting to make a joke at Andre's expense about a man of the cloth cursing like that, but considering that he is trying to cast a spell this is probably not the time.
Isabella (10:54:32 PM): When he thought no one was looking, Remy mouthed one of the Rajian curses, furrowing his brow slightly, then mentally filed it away.
Nathan of the FoS (10:55:00 PM): "Did he have any friends among the faculty to speak of?"
Kaitou Kage (10:55:03 PM): Kuzan glanced at Remy, the priest's eyes ever-so-sharp. "Not quite," he says lightly.
Isabella (10:57:47 PM): Remy's eyes darted to Kuzan, then quickly over to Charles. "Friends...?" His eyes slowly drifted over to Andre. "No one I know of. Not that you'd really call a friend."
YalenusVeler (10:57:51 PM): Andre finally seemed to get results beyond induction of multilingual profanity outbursts.
YalenusVeler (10:58:36 PM): "An allergy to fermented grapes, but that appears to be it." Andre finally said, looking relived that the great mystic forces of the universe finally cooperated
Nathan of the FoS (10:58:41 PM): "Not really a winning personality, I'm afraid," Charles says regretfully.
Isabella (10:59:14 PM): Remy set his mouth in a thin line and said nothing.
Nathan of the FoS (10:59:25 PM): "Nothing more...exciting...then?" Charles asks.
Isabella (10:59:58 PM): Remy tilted his head to the side. "Pardon?"
Kaitou Kage (10:59:59 PM): ( Gotta go! I'll feed/wake him when I get back if we're still going! )!
Kaitou Kage (11:00:02 PM): ( brb 20 minutes)
Kaitou Kage (11:00:10 PM) has left the room.
Nathan of the FoS (11:00:21 PM): "Leap to his defense, Remy, you know you want to!" Charles says, grinning.
YalenusVeler (11:01:17 PM): "That depends on how you define exciting if by abnormal..well, then we're practically having a party. And don't make barbs about Sebastian's personality. Because i'll be next on the chopping block." Andre said, starting right back into one of his paces as he looked at Sebastian's sleeping form
YalenusVeler (11:01:21 PM): ((brb))
Isabella (11:01:56 PM): Remy gave Charles a dull look that was entirely too reminiscent of ones given by his professor, in times past.
Isabella (11:02:08 PM): Both of them.
Nathan of the FoS (11:02:19 PM): "Whereas I am widely regarded as charming," Charles says. "Ezra knows why. If true it will entirely unfit me for academia."
Isabella (11:02:53 PM): The continued look Remy gave spoke volumes on his opinion of Charles' charm.
YalenusVeler (11:03:35 PM): "It would explain how you got in, missing half your compulsory classes." Andre said as a retort to charles. "Sebastian is allergic to fermented grapes...but the allergy is supernatural in origin"
Nathan of the FoS (11:03:39 PM): This is all water off a duck's back to Charles; he has been glared at by professionals.
Nathan of the FoS (11:04:57 PM): "Yes, but will it explain how I got out?" Charles replies, grinning. "I did do something in university besides captain the Interrogatory Club."
Isabella (11:06:30 PM): Remy broke off his silent commentary at Charles to puzzle over Andre's comments. "A supernatural allergy, sir?" he asked, filing back through his lessons to see what that might possibly mean.
Nathan of the FoS (11:07:01 PM): Charles raises an eyebrow at this last remark from Andre. You're sure you want to discuss this in front of the lad?
Nathan of the FoS (11:07:35 PM): Given that Charles has all of six months on Remy in age, this might be considered hilarious in another context.
YalenusVeler (11:09:16 PM): "Yes. No clue where it comes from. Other than that, nothing terribly out of the ordinary." Andre said, giving Charles a look back that suggested he didn't exactly care either way. "For a universally accepted standard of ordinary, of course."
Nathan of the FoS (11:09:37 PM): "Is there such a standard?"
YalenusVeler (11:09:58 PM): "If there is, I sure as hells haven't seen it." Andre said with a shrug.
YalenusVeler (11:11:11 PM): "After all, I consider myself a paragon of normalacy."
Nathan of the FoS (11:11:41 PM): "Well then," Charles says brightly, "there you go."
Isabella (11:12:26 PM): "Fermented grapes..." Remy furrowed his brow again, then his eyes narrowed, ever so slightly.
Nathan of the FoS (11:12:44 PM): "Yes?"
YalenusVeler (11:12:47 PM): "Something amiss?" Andre asked, turning to remy's narrowed eyes
Isabella (11:14:21 PM): "Just thinking of what would cause such a thing, sir," Remy reassured, but he seemed slightly tense. "A supernatural allergy..."
Nathan of the FoS (11:14:40 PM): [sense motive!]
NeoTiamat (DM) (11:14:49 PM): [Roll away!]
Nathan of the FoS (11:15:09 PM): [25]
Kaitou Kage (11:16:30 PM) has been invited.
Kaitou Kage (11:16:34 PM) has entered the room.
Kaitou Kage (11:16:49 PM): ( what have I missed! )
Isabella (11:17:05 PM): [you have a feeling this isn't the first time remy's heard rumors about his professor, and it looks like he's starting to reconsider them.]
YalenusVeler (11:17:39 PM): ((Andre revealing Sebastian has a supernatural allergy to fermented grapes,))
Kaitou Kage (11:18:07 PM): Kuzan frowns at Charles. "Given everything we've all seen on this trip, I think it's not going to make anything worse."
Nathan of the FoS (11:18:21 PM): "Er, sorry, what?"
Kaitou Kage (11:19:02 PM): ( Regarding whether we should tell Remy that MR is probably a lycanthrope of some kind

)
Nathan of the FoS (11:19:30 PM): [yes, I know that. but Charles is confused]
YalenusVeler (11:19:56 PM): "Therianthropy is one possibility, but one that thankfully, I've ruled out." Andre said, a bit blase about the whole thing
Kaitou Kage (11:20:05 PM): "What is...that word?"
Nathan of the FoS (11:20:36 PM): "Therion means beast, anthropos means man," Charles supplies.
Isabella (11:20:38 PM): "Lycanthropy, sir?" Remy seemed to relax slightly, though his mind still seemed to be working overtime.
Nathan of the FoS (11:20:44 PM): "Put 'em together, and you have..."
Kaitou Kage (11:20:59 PM): "Shape changer," Kuzan said. That phrase was easier to remember.
YalenusVeler (11:22:11 PM): "Lycanthropy is a misnomer. It's technically a combination of the root for wolf, and man. Therianthrope is the more general term. The spell I used would have, if Sebastian were a shapeshifter of some sort, revealed it. However, he appears to be an ordinary, if crumudgeony man with a supernaturally induced allergy."
Nathan of the FoS (11:22:16 PM): Charles waves vaguely in Kuzan's direction to indicate that, even if he didn't exactly translate the exact roots of the word, he has supplied the meaning."
Kaitou Kage (11:22:39 PM): "We had thought that the professor was a shape changer," Kuzan explained, "The reaction to the wine that I saw was a lot like a reaction shape changers have to their banes."
Kaitou Kage (11:23:35 PM): "Well, now that that's settled, is the broth ready? If so, let's feed him "
Isabella (11:24:10 PM): Remy looked blank at Kuzan's statement. "More secrets, sir?" he asked Andre.
Isabella (11:24:38 PM): But the student seemed to brush it aside a moment later. "That's an interesting spell, professor," Remy said, casually, flipping his notebook open and pulling out a pen. "How does it work, sir?"
Kaitou Kage (11:24:42 PM): Kuzan gave Remy a confused look, then turned to Andre for explanation.
YalenusVeler (11:26:27 PM): "There is however...something else interesting, now that the cat..is out of the bag. He's also got a supernatural affinity for rodents. Which is...rather odd. And not quite...it was something we only really fully hit upon this morning. So you got in on it pretty early." It's a mid ranked divinatory effect...using the DeMolinari scale, it's a third circle working...I use water as a focusing lens. It tells you strengths and weaknesses of the target...up to 4 bits of information total, divide amongst strenghts and weaknesses how the caster wishes"
Kaitou Kage (11:27:11 PM): Kuzan looks blank at the explanation of the spell. Or, he thinks, you can just concentrate on prayer and request the gods to give you the insight.
Kaitou Kage (11:30:30 PM): "The soup," he reminds people. "And I'll need some cloths for cleanup."
Isabella (11:30:37 PM): Remy diligently copied down the explanation into his replacement notebook, scrawling a few of his own notations into the margins. "When I first started to study under the professor, more than one person told me to be careful around him. And to watch out for rats," he mentioned distractedly. "Did you ever hear anything similar, sir?"
YalenusVeler (11:32:45 PM): Andre gave Remy a look, then looked down at Sebastian "Perhaps something to discuss outside his presence? But things to that effect...but with what I saw in the ethereal...I think now it was more Sebastian should be careful." Andre then considered a moment "Kuzan...after he eats...the poison likely did a number on him...do you know of any way to return vigor to somone who's had it sapped, but hasn't been physically harmed ?"
Kaitou Kage (11:33:20 PM): Kuzan frowns at Andre. "I've been working this Expedition for how long and you doubt me?"
YalenusVeler (11:34:32 PM): "Point. Actually...that thing you did with Devereux during that whole unpleasantness...was thinking...perhaps try that with Sebastian, with me providing a bit of extra kick to it?"
Kaitou Kage (11:34:54 PM): "Extra...kick...?" Kuzan seemed dubious about where this was going.
YalenusVeler (11:36:57 PM): "Ordinarily...clergy can channel faith as a weapon against the undead. Either from my own dabblings with the nature of life energy" Andre clearly avoided using the N word "Or some decision of the Oracle, instead...I primarily can focus faith into an area..and within that area, any curative spells cast for a breif window of time function at maximum potency."
Isabella (11:37:56 PM): "Ah....... sir?" Remy's expression had suddenly turned into a strangely mixed one of apprehension and concern.
YalenusVeler (11:38:17 PM): "Yes, Remy?" Andre turned to look at the Linguistics student
Kaitou Kage (11:38:29 PM): "All ri--" Kuzan pauses.
Isabella (11:39:07 PM): "Didn't you tell me... that sleeping people couldn't resist most divination magic....?"
YalenusVeler (11:41:22 PM): "It depends on the spell." Andre turned to Sebastian, looking for signs of slumber
OnlineHost (11:41:34 PM): YalenusVeler rolled 1 20-sided die: 11
YalenusVeler (11:41:46 PM): ((26 on a heal))
Isabella (11:41:47 PM): [oh, no need]
Kaitou Kage (11:42:00 PM): ( I think if he were awake, Kuzan would've spotted it? )
YalenusVeler (11:42:14 PM): ((Brb))
YalenusVeler (11:46:21 PM): ((back))
Isabella (11:46:21 PM): Remy also turned slowly to look at his professor, his face slightly pained. If he'd been hoping that this had been one of the spells that Andre had suggested, he was disappointed. The professor's eyes were open, and he was staring at the boy.
If this was the way that Marchand-Renier usually looked at his student, you couldn't blame Remy for never having stood up for himself over the years. But you doubted it was. The professor's eyes were feverish, and it was not a stare a sane man would have boasted.
Kaitou Kage (11:47:00 PM): Kuzan hurried over to the professor and put his hands on his chest. "Andre, if you are going to do your thing, do it now, please."
YalenusVeler (11:47:29 PM): Andre nodded, flicking droplets of water into the air, the air almost humming with energy, vital and reinforcing
Kaitou Kage (11:48:03 PM): Kuzan closed his eyes and uttered a mantra. His hands, then his bracers glowed with soft white light as he poured healing energy into the man.
YalenusVeler (11:48:28 PM): ((Hi. If it's a spell of the cure family, it is now maximized))
Kaitou Kage (11:48:46 PM): ( Cure serious wounds converted with caduceus bracers. That would be uh...10 points of ability damage. )
Isabella (11:48:49 PM): [pleasure doin' business with you.]
Kaitou Kage (11:51:01 PM): ( Whoops. I meant cure critical >-> )
Kaitou Kage (11:51:17 PM): ( I did 4d8 in my calculations and that's what I meant to do. )
Isabella (11:52:44 PM): The effect was instantly visible. Sebastian seemed to grow stronger before your eyes, and the dark rings and gaunt lines on his face seemed to ease somewhat. But the burning, obsessed stare continued unabated. His eyes shifted to Andre, Kuzan and Charles in turn, before returning to his student. Remy himself seemed to wilt slightly under the intensity of it, shifting exceptionally uncomfortably in his seat.
YalenusVeler (11:53:14 PM): "Sebastian, how are you feeling?" Andre didn't exactly know what answer he'd get...or should expect to get
Kaitou Kage (11:53:26 PM): "It's okay, Remy," Kuzan said soothingly, "It's okay."
Nathan of the FoS (11:54:36 PM): [sense motive on Remy]
Nathan of the FoS (11:54:51 PM): [29]
Isabella (11:56:51 PM): "I'm perfectly fine, Andre," Sebastian said, sounding almost completely normal, save for a slight hoarseness of voice. But he didn't look over to address the other professor. His stare continued unabated. "I'm a little hungry, I must confess. Did any leftovers survive from last night?"
Isabella (11:57:37 PM): [on remy? he's not particularly comfortable at being stared at like that.]
Kaitou Kage (11:57:55 PM): Kuzan smiles a little. "We have some lizard soup and some bread," he says. "Can you sit up?"
Nathan of the FoS (11:59:58 PM): Charles is looking at Marchand-Renier look at Remy with an expression of intense interest. "Could you spare a moment, m'sieur?" he asks.
Nathan of the FoS (12:00:13 AM): "We might see about fetching that soup."
Nathan of the FoS (12:01:36 AM): [this is addressed to Remy, btw]
Isabella (12:01:36 AM): Sebastian did so, pushing himself upward until he sat up in his bed, staring at Remy like a cathedral gargoyle. "Thank you, Kuzan. That would be wonderful," he said, with no trace of the usual sarcasm in his voice.
Remy looked at Charles, clearly distressed, and nodded a little too quickly. "I think... that's a good idea," he said.
Nathan of the FoS (12:02:08 AM): "Very good," Charles says. "After you."
Kaitou Kage (12:02:12 AM): Kuzan glances rather insistently at Charles and Remy, but with an added don't take too long, this man needs to eat in his gaze.
Isabella (12:02:26 AM): The student quickly closed up his notebook, stood up, and carefully edged out the door.
Nathan of the FoS (12:02:36 AM): Charles followed.
Kaitou Kage (12:03:35 AM): After the two left, Kuzan turned back to Sebastian. "How do you feel?" he asked, even though the professor had just said he was fine.
Nathan of the FoS (12:03:47 AM): [how we gonna do this?...separate chat?]
Kaitou Kage (12:03:49 AM): ( Heal check of about 30 to give him a once-over )
Isabella (12:05:49 AM): [he looks better now, physically. but he still needs to eat.]
Kaitou Kage (12:05:54 AM): ( Okiedoke. )
Isabella (12:07:09 AM): The professor stretched his fingers idly, looking partly amused and partly resigned. "So," he murmured, kindly. "You've discovered my little secret, have you?"
YalenusVeler (12:07:50 AM): "We did. Seems you've now joined the club of individuals whose secrets have been outed." Andre said "Thought about making up members cards, but that would be a bit tacky"
Kaitou Kage (12:08:02 AM): Kuzan smiles a little bit. "Yes, it seems that we have," he says, "Though I'm sure someone like you has many more."
YalenusVeler (12:08:57 AM): "You've an allergy, and an animal that happens to find you pleasant company. Worse secrets out there, really"
Isabella (12:09:16 AM): "None that's caused me more trouble, I think," Sebastian sighed, half-lidding his eyes now that the object of his scrutiny was gone. "My money, at least, has never been a secret."
Kaitou Kage (12:09:57 AM): "Why the stare at Remy?" Kuzan asks. It needs to be doen sooner or later.
YalenusVeler (12:10:01 AM): Andre suddenly went quiet, and serious "Sebastian...what happend to your brother? And when we return to the core..are you in danger from your family back in Richemulot?"
Isabella (12:13:09 AM): Marchand-Renier steepled his fingers and closed his eyes. "To be honest with myself, Andre... no, probably not. Not unless I come too close to Richemulot, or an opportunity too good for my Aunt to pass up presents itself. She'd like me dead on principle, but she wouldn't gain much from it."
YalenusVeler (12:13:52 AM): "What happend? Find out something they'd rather you didn't...or?" Andre asked
Isabella (12:15:37 AM): "It's all for money, Andre. Isn't it always?" Sebastian bowed his head as he recalled the unpleasant memories. He laughed slightly at a sudden thought. "No, I suppose it's sometimes for love. But not in my family."
YalenusVeler (12:17:01 AM): "Your aunt...wants to murder you...to get at the money you and your brother likley inherited from the massive dowry your parents recived when they wed?" Andre tried to parse things together...and seemed almost offended at how...plain..it seemed. He was used to grand conspiracy. Murder for money...it was almost shocking in its normalacy
Isabella (12:19:04 AM): "More or less the gist of the whole thing. It's a little more complex then that. But that's just fine print and details."
Kaitou Kage (12:19:21 AM): "What was with that glare you just gave Remy, then?" Kuzan reiterates.
YalenusVeler (12:19:26 AM): "Now...can you answer Kuzan's question?"
Isabella (12:21:20 AM): Sebastian leaned against the back of the bed. If he heard Kuzan's question, he didn't indicate it. "My brother... you asked?" was all he said.
Isabella (12:21:27 AM): [sense motive]
OnlineHost (12:21:46 AM): YalenusVeler rolled 1 20-sided die: 1
YalenusVeler (12:21:51 AM): ((heh..6 won't cut it.))
OnlineHost (12:21:58 AM): Kaitou Kage rolled 1 20-sided die: 11
Kaitou Kage (12:22:00 AM): ( 21 )
Kaitou Kage (12:22:18 AM): ( 22, sorry. )
Isabella (12:24:19 AM): [well, he's obviously trying to avoid the question. you're not sure he knows the answer himself.]
Kaitou Kage (12:24:44 AM): "No," Kuzan replied sternly, "I asked about Remy."
Isabella (12:25:28 AM): The professor didn't respond.
Kaitou Kage (12:26:35 AM): "You two should probably talk," Kuzan says pointedly
Isabella (12:27:06 AM): Silence.
YalenusVeler (12:27:11 AM): "He's been worried about you, to say the very least." Andre commented
Kaitou Kage (12:27:47 AM): "And, well, we've all taken some pretty nasty hits from that gods-forsaken city."
Isabella (12:29:29 AM): "Thank you for your concern," Sebastian said. "Forgive me, I'm just a little tired." He made no further motion to respond to anything they had just said.
Kaitou Kage (12:30:45 AM): Kuzan's shoulders slumped in defeat, but he nodded. "Food should be here any moment. In the meantime, drink. You had a bad accident with wine and I had to purge you. You need to recover some fluid."
Kaitou Kage (12:30:55 AM): He pulled a waterskin out fo his magic satchel and handed it over.
Isabella (12:31:36 AM): Sebastian took it with some quietly murmured thanks.
Kaitou Kage (12:32:00 AM): Kuzan watched like a hawk to make sure the academic really drank some.
Isabella (12:32:11 AM): As before, he was perfectly willing to drink what was given to him.
Kaitou Kage (12:32:31 AM): "Since you want to talk about your brother, what were you going to say?"
YalenusVeler (12:32:41 AM): "So...your brother? Once you're done drinking of course" Andre said at almost the same moment as kuzan
Isabella (12:35:09 AM): "Mmm." Sebastian put the water skin down, carefully dabbing his lips. "My brother..." His eyes shifted about the room, and the professor suddenly seemed less willing to speak.
Kaitou Kage (12:35:56 AM): "You saw him in Kamarn-Quse, didn't you?"
YalenusVeler (12:37:36 AM): "I saw Josette and Angelique" Andre said quietly, as if that might be encouragement to share
Isabella (12:42:34 AM): "No.... not... as such." Marchand-Renier's face visibly darkened at the mention of that city. "Jaufres.... no, I didn't see him. A bit of mercy, I suppose. He was always so optimistic, and idealistic... he wouldn't have fit the scenery like I did."
YalenusVeler (12:43:23 AM): "What did you see then..." Andre asked, then said quietly "I also saw Professor Pelletier...he was one of the barbed wire impaled statues..begging me for help"
Kaitou Kage (12:44:02 AM): "I saw myself sacrificed as a pledge for Menetnashte's pact with Beherith."
Isabella (12:45:19 AM): "See...?" Sebastian suddenly looked very, very tired. "Myself, Andre..." He sighed, and you suddenly weren't sure if he was aware of your presence anymore. "That damn fool..." he muttered to himself.
Isabella (12:47:07 AM): Sebastian's brow suddenly furrowed. "Where is Remy?" he asked, fixing the doorway with a heated glare. "What's taking him so long?"
Kaitou Kage (12:47:24 AM): Kuzan frowned and glanced to Andre. "Will you go check? He needs to eat."
YalenusVeler (12:47:52 AM): Andre nodded, and made his breif egress
YalenusVeler (12:47:55 AM): ((and grr, brb))
Isabella (12:49:37 AM): "What does Charles think he's doing?" Sebastian said, an angry snarl beginning to form on his face. "It doesn't take that long to fetch soup."
Kaitou Kage (12:50:15 AM): Kuzan put his hands on Sebastian's shoulders and began pushing him back. "Sit still, Sebastian," Kuzan says firmly.
YalenusVeler (12:51:49 AM): ((where to for the Charles and Remy fetching?))
Isabella (12:52:24 AM): [[errrrrrr one sec]]
Kaitou Kage (12:53:06 AM): "So do you want to tell me about Remy now?" Kuzan asked, "You two have a bizarre relationship."
Isabella (12:53:59 AM): Sebastian just glared at Kuzan, trying to wriggle away of the priest's touch.
Kaitou Kage (12:54:46 AM): Kuzan glared back. He was bigger and stronger than Sebastian. "Sit still, Sebastian," he says, pushing back, "You are not going anywhere."
Isabella (12:56:32 AM): [[andre, you can find remy and chaz whenever nathan decides to get back in the chatroom.

]]
Nathan of the FoS (12:57:39 AM): From outside the tent, Charles' voice can be heard. "Yes, here it is...soup's ready, professor!"
Isabella (12:57:42 AM): Remy deferred on the soup, handing the bowl off to Nathan. "Maybe it's better if I stay here," was all he said.
YalenusVeler (12:58:16 AM): Andre popped out of where Sebastian was convalescing "Remy...he specifically asked for you...so you'd probably best go in"
Nathan of the FoS (1:00:11 AM): Coming inside with the soup, Charles says, "Come in, Remy. Let's clear the air a bit, shall we?"
Kaitou Kage (1:00:49 AM): "You don't have to talk for now," he says a bit more gently, "It's fine. But you need to at least eat before you go anywhere."
Isabella (1:02:04 AM): The priest's bedside manner only seemed to enrage Sebastian further, and for a second, it looked like the professor would try and strangle him. He glared at Charles as he arrived with the soup. "What were you doing to him?" he hissed.
Remy grimaced and tiptoed inside after Charles, at which point Marchand-Renier calmed down, but resumed his constant looks. The professor took and ate his soup in silence, a silence his student seemed very happy to mimic.
Kaitou Kage (1:02:46 AM): Kuzan looks at Sebastian sternly. "Perhaps you should explain," he says, considering taking the soup away.
Isabella (1:03:22 AM): The professor did not. His gaze simply flicked back and forth between Remy and his soup.
Kaitou Kage (1:03:53 AM): "What are you so afraid of, Sebastian?" Kuzan asks, "What could Charles possibly do to Remy that has you so worried?"
Nathan of the FoS (1:04:36 AM): "Doing to him?" Charles asks. "Reassuring him. Your demeanor was rather unnerving just now."
Isabella (1:06:38 AM): "Hmm," the professor replied gravelly. He looked Remy over as way of confirmation, and finding nothing amiss, made a marked effort to stop snarling. Remy gave the others a pained look.
Nathan of the FoS (1:07:20 AM): "Why? What might I be doing to him that would provoke this outburst?"
Isabella (1:09:55 AM): Marchand-Renier didn't respond, and instead kept eating his soup. It seemed the professor's good humor had run out.
Remy carefully edged himself over toward Professor Theroux, giving him a concerned look. "I think I liked him better when we were just shooting each other," he mumbled under his breath.
YalenusVeler (1:10:34 AM): Andre's response was a quiet mumble as well "Careful, or you might encourage him to start up the whole gunplay bit again"
Isabella (1:12:29 AM): "Professor Carter said Captain Harris has his gun," Remy murmured back, missing any humor Andre might have meant, possibly intentionally. "I think he meant for that to reassure me."
Kaitou Kage (1:14:38 AM): Kuzan shot the two a frown.
Kaitou Kage (1:14:53 AM): ( Remember, priesty has good ears. )
Kaitou Kage (1:15:52 AM): "Well," he says, "Unless anyone has any grand revelations to make on why Sebastian here can't explain things, I think that's enough for now."
Kaitou Kage (1:16:20 AM): He looks at Remy. "I think it's best if we keep you two separated until the professor explains himself. For your sake."
Isabella (1:17:03 AM): Remy nodded eagerly.
Sebastian himself finished his soup, licked the spoon, and set the bowl aside. "Remy," he called out, completely ignoring what Kuzan had just said.
The student jumped slightly.
Kaitou Kage (1:17:34 AM): Kuzan looks at Sebastian to see what this is about.
Nathan of the FoS (1:17:38 AM): Charles gives Kuzan a look. Better let them hash it out themselves at this point...
Kaitou Kage (1:18:00 AM): Kuzan catches the look and returns one. I'm not seeing much hashing.
YalenusVeler (1:19:09 AM): Andre just began to do one of his nervous paces, almost wishing his spell had given a result of therianthropy. Sure, it would create another unpleasant situation, but one that could be in potentia, solved with displays of mystic potency and highly focused sound
Isabella (1:19:28 AM): Marchand-Renier paused for a minute, examining Remy again before continuing. "We'll be staying in Muhar, Remy. I have some contacts there I'd like to introduce you to, and I think that the field work will be a good experience for you."
Kaitou Kage (1:20:20 AM): Kuzan folds his arms across his chest. He's not sure he likes this.
Isabella (1:21:27 AM): Remy looked completely nonplussed, unable to fully work out the ramifications of what the professor had just said. When it became apparent that Marchand-Renier expected a response, he managed to say "Yes, sir," mostly out of reflex.
Kaitou Kage (1:21:42 AM): "I think you forgot," Kuzan says, "That you agreed to come back with us and help deal with the university when we return."
Isabella (1:22:39 AM): "Indeed, I will," Sebastian said. "We shall wait in Muhar for your return."
Kaitou Kage (1:22:53 AM): "What are you afraid of at the Tomb?"
YalenusVeler (1:24:40 AM): "Shadow fiends, likley. But that's rational fear."
Kaitou Kage (1:24:53 AM): Kuzan sighs at Andre.
Isabella (1:25:34 AM): "Afraid? Whatever would I be afraid of?" Sebastian said, the familiar acid beginning to return to his voice. "The group of well-armed traitors that are racing us to it, perhaps? Or maybe it's the demon at the bottom of it. Perhaps you think that if I ask them nicely in another language, they'd leave me alone?"
Kaitou Kage (1:26:40 AM): "And before Kamarn-Quse you were willing to face all of that and more," he says firmly, "What else is it?"
YalenusVeler (1:26:55 AM): "Trying to protect him, aren't you? Over your head, on a trip you worry about being qualified for, dealing with things that weren't in the job description. Karman Quse was the wakeup call."
Kaitou Kage (1:27:14 AM): Kuzan blinks at Andre. Wow, that might just be right.
YalenusVeler (1:28:20 AM): "Your brother was an optimist...you saw that reflected...why you try your damndest to make Remy just as much a cynic as you or I..."
Isabella (1:29:13 AM): Beside Andre, Remy stiffened. Marchand-Renier bristled, sending a glare at his colleague.The message was crystal clear: You leave Remy out of this, or I'll make you pay.
Kaitou Kage (1:29:50 AM): "You're trying to protect him because you failed to protect your brother," Kuzan says.
Kaitou Kage (1:30:10 AM): "Because you saw your brother die and there was nothing you could do, even if you wanted to." He sounds like he's making a realization here
Kaitou Kage (1:30:36 AM): "You see him in Remy and you don't want Remy hurt."
Nathan of the FoS (1:31:35 AM): This is all getting a little maudlin, rather. Apparently the world is full of bad father-son relationships, even among people who aren't really father and son. This is certainly food for thought, but not something Charles feels much like talking about
Nathan of the FoS (1:31:36 AM): .
Kaitou Kage (1:31:51 AM): ( Chaz has daddy issues! )
Nathan of the FoS (1:32:01 AM): [you might say so]
NeoTiamat (DM) (1:32:01 AM): [IC....]
Isabella (1:36:52 AM): "Profe-" Remy gulped and cut himself off at the look on Sebastian's face. Though Andre's spell had seemingly cleared him of an inhumanity, the look on his face was particularly feral.
"Over the course of this expedition," Marchand-Renier said, his old personality returning in full force, "We have been attacked by every supernatural creature in Van Richten's Guides, a few more even the good Doctor didn't get around to writing on, and our own compatriots. That is what I am afraid of in the tomb, Kuzan. The fact that you consider this... protecting anyone instead of plain common sense shows how much this trip has warped your own perceptions."
Kaitou Kage (1:37:56 AM): Kuzan smiled a little bit. "Then I think Remy gets to decide for himself if he goes on to the Tomb or stays in Muhar. The field experience will be good for him, after all."
Kaitou Kage (1:39:06 AM): "Besides, what are you afraid of? We've made it this far."
YalenusVeler (1:41:58 AM): "He's got a good point, Kuzan." Andre finally said quietly. "We have made it this far...but at what cost?"
Isabella (1:43:43 AM): Remy, contrary to looking relieved, gave Kuzan a look reminiscent of a mouse with a hawk bearing down on it.
"We, Kuzan? Perhaps Allikhain, Ulsaon, and Pelletier aren't important enough to merit your mention?" Professor Marchand-Renier scowled. "I've answered you three times now, Kuzan. Be glad you aren't my student, or I'd have thrown you out of my class."
The professor snapped his fingers at Remy, who started. "Remy. We'll be staying in Muhar until the expedition gets back." His voice did not leave room for argument.
"Y-yes sir," was all Remy could reply.
Nathan of the FoS (1:43:54 AM): "Not all of us have," Charles points out. "And, recent instruction in arcana aside, M'sieur Lessard, I am not sure that either of you are particularly well-trained in...well, the things that will prove to be most useful. Killing things, principally."
Kaitou Kage (1:46:08 AM): Kuzan throws his hands up in defeat, but he does turn to Remy, watching the student in concern. He doesn't seem too put off by the loss, but he does want to make one more question. "Are you really okay with this?" he asks.
Isabella (1:49:51 AM): Remy swallowed hard as he looked at Kuzan. "Ah..." The student searched Kuzan's face as he tried to form a reply, deathly afraid of disappointing his friend.
"He has no say in the matter," Marchand-Renier snapped.
Kaitou Kage (1:50:13 AM): "Oh, shut up, Sebastian," Kuzan snaps back, "Nobody's afraid of you except Remy here, and he had the balls to SHOOT you."
Isabella (1:50:56 AM): "Kuzan!" Remy looked hurt and angry. "Don't bring that up!"
Nathan of the FoS (1:50:57 AM): "Doesn't he?" Charles asks, with a certain deadly politeness. "I think we had all better consider that question at length."
Nathan of the FoS (1:51:00 AM): "Later."
Kaitou Kage (1:51:02 AM): "Remy, if you want to stay with him, it's okay."
Nathan of the FoS (1:51:29 AM): "At present, I think we are, perhaps, no longer contributing to the peaceful air that a sickroom ought to have."
Kaitou Kage (1:52:05 AM): Kuzan smiles at the student. "I trust your judgment."
Nathan of the FoS (1:52:18 AM): "Shall we withdraw, gentlemen?"
YalenusVeler (1:52:23 AM): "Agreed. I'm going to adjourn before i say unpleasant things." Andre faux bowed "Good day gentlemen" And with that, he departed
Isabella (1:53:00 AM): "Yes, yes, get out," Marchand-Renier said irritably, waving everyone away. He settled back in his bed and shut his eyes.
Nathan of the FoS (1:53:09 AM): Charles rises, bows, and departs.
NeoTiamat (DM) (1:54:07 AM): [Call it a wrap?]
NeoTiamat (DM) (1:54:21 AM): Well, that was certainly epic.
Kaitou Kage (1:54:29 AM): Kuzan nods and turns to go. He glances to Remy, smiling a little bit, with a sort of let's talk later.

(9:04:06 PM) Nathan of the FoS: *deep bass voice*
(9:04:12 PM) Nathan of the FoS: HELLO, REMY.
(9:04:17 PM) Isabella: OH GOD WHY
(9:04:24 PM) Isabella: okay, seriously now.

(9:05:22 PM) Isabella: As soon as they were outside, Remy pressed himself against the wall of the shelter, looking pale, freaked out, and completely dumbfounded. "Wha- tha... eeeesh!" was all the normally eloquent student could respond.
(9:05:51 PM) Nathan of the FoS: "You mean, why is he looking at you like that?" Charles asks politely.
(9:07:35 PM) Isabella: Remy didn't really have a response to that. Charles suspected that he wasn't giving him his full attention.
(9:07:51 PM) Nathan of the FoS: "Are you all right?"
(9:08:06 PM) Nathan of the FoS: "You look as if a goose had walked over your grave."
(9:10:30 PM) Isabella: Remy looked at Charles, taking a few breathes to calm himself before he trusted himself to speak. "That's not... how he normally acts," was all he could manage.
(9:12:05 PM) Nathan of the FoS: "No, I don't suppose so," Charles says. "It would draw attention, even in a group like this one...with its share of eccentrics. Why would he be looking at you that way, m'sieur?"
(9:14:03 PM) Isabella: Remy eyed Charles dubiously. "You believe I would know? He's never done anything like that before, certainly not to me."
(9:14:39 PM) Nathan of the FoS: Charles shrugs slightly. "If you don't know, who would? Let's see about that soup, shall we?"
(9:15:08 PM) Nathan of the FoS: Suiting deeds to words, he goes toward the campfire.
(9:16:21 PM) Isabella: [you can fetch soup without much difficulty, though you might wait a bit before coming back. or, for that matter, not bring remy back with you.]
(9:17:12 PM) Nathan of the FoS: [well, if Sarari had to hunt for stuff the soup is presumably not ready yet...i just want him out the shelter for a bit so i can try a hunch]
(9:17:32 PM) Isabella: oh believe me. he'll stay out if you want.
(9:17:46 PM) Nathan of the FoS: haw
(9:19:10 PM) Nathan of the FoS: "You seem rather eager to avoid him," Charles notes. "Is it just the thousand-yard stare, or is there something more?"
(9:20:20 PM) Isabella: "We... shot each other," Remy reminded Charles, quietly. "In anger, for my part, at least."
(9:21:20 PM) Nathan of the FoS: "Yes...I suppose having tried to kill each other produces a certain...tension." Charles looks a little nonplussed at this for a moment, then forges onward. "Why were you angry enough to kill him, Remy?"
(9:23:50 PM) Isabella: "I'm not even sure I remember anymore," Remy admitted. "Something stupid... a past participle we were arguing over. He's always right." The student's face twisted into a rather nasty snarl for a second.
(9:25:39 PM) Nathan of the FoS: "Yes...that's a bad quality for a teacher, isn't it? But why was he angry enough to kill you, Remy?...or was it fear, rather than anger?"
(9:27:49 PM) Isabella: "Because I shot him over a past participle?" Remy asked, looking uncertain and troubled. "I... assumed that, anyway. At least..."
(9:28:00 PM) Isabella: "I honestly don't know why?"
(9:28:21 PM) Nathan of the FoS: [sense motive 28]
(9:30:55 PM) Isabella: [he's been wondering this quite a bit, and has been going over every reason he can think of - but something about it must not fit, because he's still not certain why himself.]
(9:34:53 PM) Nathan of the FoS: "Well, it would be hard to forget," Charles allows. "Under the circumstances, I'm not surprised he thought his aunt had hired us to dispose of him!"
(9:35:06 PM) Nathan of the FoS: [now a real big sense motive! does this produce a reaction?!?]
(9:35:21 PM) Isabella: [roll it.

]
(9:35:50 PM) Nathan of the FoS: [pfft. natural 1. sheesh. that's a 17, though, so if he's surprised enough i guess it may work anyway]
(9:37:47 PM) Isabella: [he is surprised. and confused.

]
(9:38:18 PM) Nathan of the FoS: [oh, well.]
(9:38:37 PM) Isabella: [although in a minute his mind starts working again, and he seems to think this makes sense.]
(9:39:09 PM) Nathan of the FoS: [but Charles gets no idea of whether Remy has, in fact, been spying for Louise?]
(9:39:24 PM) Nathan of the FoS: [that is what Chaz is trying to figure out here, really]
(9:39:42 PM) Isabella: [nothing charles can pick out of his reaction would indicate such a tihng]
(9:40:06 PM) Nathan of the FoS: [fair enough. stupid natural 1. :*(]
(9:40:51 PM) Isabella: "Assassins...?" Remy pondered this for a moment. "So when I shot him, he must have thought... ahhh, great. And that stupid room, too. Yeah, you're right. Small wonder, huh?"
(9:42:20 PM) Nathan of the FoS: "Indeed...which was why he promptly decided to kill us all. Paranoia!" Charles shrugs. "For all I know, that's what's behind his death-glare as well...some kind of idea that you're secretly in league with Auntie."
(9:42:37 PM) Nathan of the FoS: [sense motive again! if you'll let me?]
(9:43:20 PM) Isabella: [i suppose, but you're starting to push it

]
(9:44:01 PM) Nathan of the FoS: [heh. i have frequently threatened to roll a Sense Motive for every DM statement--usually when RPing with Sam...]
(9:44:33 PM) Nathan of the FoS: [eh. 23]
(9:46:07 PM) Isabella: [he seems... upset. and resigned. but nothing in his look would indiacte you've hit home.]
(9:46:54 PM) Nathan of the FoS: [well, i guess he is in the clear then, as far as Charles is concerned.]
(9:47:30 PM) Isabella: Remy sighed slightly. "I suppose that must be it, then... but..."
(9:48:07 PM) Isabella: He looked slightly upset, as if it was hard to say to anyone, but he wanted to say it. "Back at the room, he looked.... sad."
(9:48:26 PM) Nathan of the FoS: "Yes?"
(9:50:36 PM) Isabella: Remy shook his head. "I don't know. Never mind... I don't know what he was thinking..."
(9:51:10 PM) Nathan of the FoS: "Would he be sad about having hurt you?"
(9:52:59 PM) Isabella: Remy had a strange expression on his face, both hopeful and skeptical. "That.... wouldn't make a whole lot of sense, would it? Why would he be...?"
(9:53:13 PM) Isabella: [now move back to the chat room, because andre is looking for you]
(9:54:17 PM) Nathan of the FoS: "Why would he regret shooting you? Well, he does like you, you know. Much as he fails to show it." Charles smiles wryly.

NeoTiamat · Post by **NeoTiamat** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 1:44 am

NeoTiamat(DM) (2:55:47 PM): At this hour of the evening, the Governor's Hotel was only beginning to truly come to life. Elsewhere in the building, small parties and salons were being held, and despite the ever-present rain the whirl of Dementlieuse social life continued. Only the suite of rooms accorded to the Expedition, down one end of a corridor, were quiet.
NeoTiamat(DM) (2:57:59 PM): The rooms accorded to Samael were at the end of a corridor, and quieter than most even as Tomas approached them. Only a few soft sounds came from within, the shuffling of feet and of slow breathing. The wooden door opened and Lily 'D'Envers', the green-eyed reporter, slipped out. She paused as Tomas arrived and narrowed her eyes. "He's finally fallen asleep."
DocBeard (2:58:45 PM): "Good to know we've gotten the good rooms." Tomas drawls to himself, adjusting his hat and rolling his eyes at yet another debutante snickering at his dress. Even without the armor, Tomas is something of a laughing stock. He looks up at Lily, crosses his arms, and frowns himself. "I have something I need to tell him and Jervis. I wouldn't have come if it wasn't important."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:01:15 PM): "It always is, isn't it." Lily sighed. The reporter watched one of the debutantes pass quietly. [Sense Motive]. "Come, let's take a walk somewhere quieter. He needs his sleep just now. Jervis is.... out. Probably killing something."
DocBeard (3:03:36 PM): "We can only hope Herr Jervis is getting his excercise!" Tomas says in about as bright a tone you can talk about a sociopath with. He follows Lily, hands in his pockets.
DocBeard (3:04:43 PM): (Rolled a 4. :/ 15 after mod.)
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:05:39 PM): "Mists, I hope so." Lily shuddered delicately. The reporter had abandoned the green dresses of the Expedition for a simpler house-dress of undyed wool. It made her seem... older, in a way. Not the most flattering of outfits, it brought out the lines of her face. She looked tired. "Him bored is not something I care to contemplate."
DocBeard (3:06:53 PM): "He seems the type able to make his own entertainment." Tomas murmurs, trying not to seem too bloodthirsty himself. He used to-well, still does admire Lily's writing style very much, if not her morals, and he's a little embarrased by how well he can get along with Jervis. "I'll find him. I owe him that much. You all weren't at the Dread City."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:07:41 PM): "No.. might have been better if we were. What happened there?" D'Envers asked.
DocBeard (3:08:53 PM): Tomas looks, perhaps for the first time in his aquaintence with Lily...forlorn. Usually the man fakes a smile or erupts with righteous fury-it looks kind of, well, thin and young like this. "Lots of things." Tomas swallows after a moment, "But the pertinant part is being what we learned about the Eye, and how it is to be used."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:11:42 PM): "Devereux told me a little bit about that night." Lily said. "I'm guessing if the Eye was used, it would be bad. Very bad."
DocBeard (3:17:21 PM): "Ja. But..." Can he tell her? Tomas's eyes narrow for a minute, as he checks the ether around the woman. Crossing his arms, Tomas broods for a second, before nodding. "...the important thing is not the what, but the how. Namely, how someone can get it to work in the first place."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:18:27 PM): "There's a catch?" From the sounds of it, Lily was not surprised.
DocBeard (3:19:57 PM): "Plenty of catches." Tomas mentions, nodding. "But the specific one Samael needs to know about is that, in order to get the thing inside of it to work for you, a sacrafice is needed. An unwitting person from a particular lineage-someone related to the founder or reviver of a religion." Presuming she knows Samael and Jervis's real family, Tomas figures she should put it together right about...now.
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:21:10 PM): "How direct a lineage do you need." Lily frowned. It made the lines of her face grow deeper.
DocBeard (3:23:38 PM): "Distant works. Both bruden are candidates." Tomas pauses for a moment. "Look. I know some of the others are trying to convince you all to help us-Cavendish is of the required heritage as well, see, and if we kill him while he is preforming the ceremony, the fiend does as well-but that's not why I'm telling you this." Tomas takes his cap off, running a hand through his hair. "I...it would be wrong not to tell them that they are potential targets."
DocBeard (3:23:54 PM): (*does=dies)
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:26:08 PM): "I'll pass along the word." Lily said absently, the gears in her mind still working out all of the ramifications. "Jervis would enjoy it, I think, but we'll be leaving Port-a-Lucine soon as we can."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:26:34 PM): "Thank you for telling us." Lily added, giving Tomas a sidelong look. "You're a good man."
DocBeard (3:29:42 PM): "I am simply Eisenwald." Tomas insists, unable to hide his dissapointment at the lack of back up quickly enough. "Be careful. The wizard can shift his shape-he even fooled me when I knew what to look for." The stoic Lamordian front crumbles, and for a second, Tomas looks an awful lot like Jervis when he has decided to murder someone, damn the consequences. "But he will probably settle for a closer target."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:31:59 PM): "Simple?" Lily quirked a smile for a moment. Then she went quiet. The two reached one of the balconies of the Governor's Hotel, currently unused, and Lily stepped out onto it, looking across Port-a-Lucine's night sky. "You think I'm a monster, don't you?"
DocBeard (3:33:23 PM): "I was hoping to speak with Samael about..." A pause. Tomas blinks, then, honestly taken aback by Lily's question. "A monster?" As if she had just declaired herself queen of the angels and mermaid princess of the lunar ocean.
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:36:29 PM): "For not helping. For not fighting. For not caring..." Lily said, her voice suddenly tired. She sat down on one of the chairs. "You're a good man, Tomas."
DocBeard (3:37:38 PM): Tomas shakes his head. "I think you and your lot were selfish, and used that greed to justify something as moral that was not. Did you honestly think we would stay when your departing note said you left us because of our incompetance?" Tomas puts his hat back on, taking his slim wooden pipe out, stuffing it a little, and lighting what's inside. "That one stick in my craw becides...everything you and your friends did was entierly human. Or a civilized related species, naturally."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:39:32 PM): "That was Iosef's idea, not mine." She shrugged. "I would've been surprised if it worked, but what was there to lose? A piece of paper, some ink, and a few minutes of time to write it."
DocBeard (3:40:36 PM): "If you are ashamed of your actions, Frauline D'Envers, that is your burden. You have not acted cruelly." Tomas concludes, "I do not hold a grudge. I cannot speak for the others-but virtue does not come hand in hand with judgement. I act as my conscience demands, and that is all."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:41:55 PM): "You remind me a bit of my father. He was a good man too. Kind. Loyal. Generous." Lily's emerald eyes hardened. "Care to know what happened to him?"
DocBeard (3:43:25 PM): "If you care to tell me." Tomas says, the electricity in his eyes dimming a little in the light of the personal revelation. The inhumanity that was slowly bleeding through Eisenwald's features dries up, though unlike before, some stain of it remains.
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:47:44 PM): "He went bankrupt. He couldn't keep his plantation running, couldn't do anything to stop the money from running through his fingers. For all his kindness over the years, how many of his friends came to help him, do you think? One, two, for a few weeks till it was clear that the money wasn't coming back." Lily's voice could've cut diamond. "He died not half a year later, still trying to care for everyone, for me, for my mother, for the workers to whom he still owed money. His heart just gave out. He was the best man I ever knew. He was a fool."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:48:25 PM): "I was lucky. I could read and write." Lily said, a ghost of a smile appearing on her lips. "You know what happens to girls who can't do that?"
DocBeard (3:48:59 PM): "Yes." Tomas is from a sailing town, after all. "Did he come back, though?"
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:49:39 PM): "Come back?" Lily's eyebrows shot up.
DocBeard (3:51:10 PM): "Do you remember Baroiva? I didn't believe in ghosts until then, but even in Lamordia, we have stories of those who's regrets and sins drive them to suffer past the grave." Tomas explains, looking back out over the city. "The earth is positivly eager to give some men back up. Does your father rest peacefully?"
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:52:28 PM): "Mists take me if I know. He was buried in a pauper's grave in Souragne. I expect the damp and insects have gotten to him by now." Lily said. "He never came back to me. Maybe to mother, though she's been dead for years now."
DocBeard (3:53:44 PM): Then is that really such a bad way to die?, Tomas does not say, instead putting a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder. "I'm sorry. You must miss him very much."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:55:33 PM): "He was a fool." Lily said harshly. A little too harshly, perhaps. She turned sharply, glaring at Tomas with agate-hard eyes. "He was a good man, and it cost him everything. I'm selfish. So be it. But I won't end that way."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:56:34 PM): "I don't love Iosef." Lily said suddenly, twisting away from the Lamordian's hand. "Horrible thing to say, isn't it? But he's not a good man, and he accepts me. And Vladimir, madman though he is, will protect us both to the grave. I'm not giving this up."
DocBeard (3:57:01 PM): "Who taught you to read and write, Miss D'Envers?" Tomas asks, abruptly. "I have long envied your eloquence with the pen. I don't expect you to be familiar with the penny-novel stories I write, naturally..."
NeoTiamat(DM) (3:58:44 PM): "My father." Lily said, placing her hands resolutely on the railing of the balcony. Tomas noticed a tiny bit of blood where she'd cut herself with her own nails, so hard had she clenched her hands a moment ago. "He used to write poetry, once. Augustin St. Germaine. You might even be able to find it in some waterlogged library in Souragne."
DocBeard (4:00:24 PM): Tomas blinks, and smiles a little. "Rhyming couplets, ja? 'I pray my manhood now to keep/admitting that which makes me weep/not the stars, nor moon, nor sky/but the sorrow in your perfect eye.'."
DocBeard (4:00:42 PM): (*clear blue sky)
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:03:10 PM): "You're a darling, Tomas." Lily laughed suddenly, as genuine a sound as Tomas had heard recently. "Come on, let's see if Samael is awake. He's a thief by nature, I've never seen him sleep more than two hours at a time."
DocBeard (4:03:48 PM): "Ladies first." Tomas motions, tapping his pipe out over the balcony and turning to follow the woman.
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:04:52 PM): Lily said nothing as the pair walked back to the corridor, though there was a somewhat melancholy smile on her lips as she knocked on Samael's door. There was a muffled noise, a "Come in." just barely heard.
DocBeard (4:05:38 PM): Tomas continues to let Lily lead the way-it would be wrong, with the intimacy between the pair, to do otherwise. He's a little jealous, if he's honest with himself, having always been a bit of a loner.
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:07:42 PM): Samael sat up at a table, dressed in a pair of black breeches and not much else. In other times, he would've been a handsome man, perhaps, and the image appealing to any woman (and many a man, perhaps). Now though, he mostly looked like a wreck. Tomas could count his ribs, and there were dark circles under the Borcan's eyes. He looked a bit like a plague victim.
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:09:00 PM): "Evening Tomas." Samael said. Lily cast an appraising eye over her lover, then deciding that he wasn't in desperate need of medicine or rest, slunk out of the room again, giving Tomas and Maleagant a measure of privacy.
DocBeard (4:10:38 PM): There is only one cure for this sort of condition, Tomas remembers back in his aslyum days, as brief as they were. "I explained most of my message to Frauline D'Envers, and as it is somewhat personal, shall be leaving the explination to her." He'll also tell Jervis, just in case Lily decides to fib. "But there is something I wanted to ask you." The warrior takes a step forward, and it might be Samael's eyes tricking him, but his steps almost seem to shudder with building static electricity. "Face to face."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:12:01 PM): "Go ahead, Herr Eisenwald." Samael leaned back a bit in his chair, fixing Tomas with two misty-Grey eyes. "I'm all ears." It looked that even if he physically looked worse, Samael had at least recovered a bit of his old attitude.
DocBeard (4:13:49 PM): "Why..." Tomas looks the Dilisnya dead in the eye, and it may be a question of just who is crazier if it comes down to it. And then, abruptly, "Have you been sulking since the tomb, Malegeant? Even your brother's been looking a little worried."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:15:45 PM): "Sulking? I do not sulk." Samael said lightly. He didn't meet Tomas's gaze. More quietly, he continued. "I've just been tired. Which makes sense, considering everything I have to deal with."
DocBeard (4:17:08 PM): "You saw something in the tomb." Tomas concludes, as though Samael did not just deny him. "Something that shook you to your very core. Talk to someone about it-I am here, if you cannot admit what happened to your friends."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:18:33 PM): "And what? All my problems will just fly away?" There was a quiet bitterness in Tomas's voice. "Just like that?"
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:19:30 PM): [er... Samael's. I'm multitasking a bit too much]
DocBeard (4:20:20 PM): "No." Tomas insists, as unforgiving as a stone statue of Ezra in the face of Samael's suffering. "But, perhaps, you will move far enough past the hurt to see some wisdom. If not, I fear that your new hesitance will mark your and your fledgling little family's becoming a target." Tomas shrugs. "Or it will do nothing, and you shall again have the satisfaction of being more intellegent than I am."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:23:36 PM): Tomas couldn't have gotten more of a reaction out of the Borcan if he'd shot him. The man flinched, and turned his body half-away from Tomas, hanging his head. The black hair fell to cover his eyes, so Tomas couldn't quite see what happened there, but Samael drew a long, rattling breath and spoke. It sounded a little like a death-rattle. "Alright. Alright. You win. What do you want?"
DocBeard (4:24:42 PM): "I've told you what I want, Iosef." Tomas informs, entierly different from the hot headed young swordsman Samael saw for so long. Almost inhumanly calm. "It is your decision."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:26:49 PM): "Alright." There was another ragged breath. "Well, you're right that I saw something. I saw that I'm a murderer, is what. A killer worse than Vladimir. Much worse."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:27:27 PM): "I didn't mean any of it, but we all know how much that matters." Samael looked up, a bitter smile on his lips. "Road to hell, and all that."
DocBeard (4:27:51 PM): "The domino argument." Tomas reasons, sitting down and taking his hat off to listen. "It showed you the effects of every con job you ever pulled...or something like that. Am I right?"
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:28:31 PM): "How did you know?" The Borcan frowned. "I know I haven't told a soul."
DocBeard (4:30:18 PM): "Logic." Tomas says, simply. "What else could shake a confidence artist up so badly than taking away the little lies that let him function? You pride yourself on being a 'moral' thief, only taking what deserves to be stolen, and seeing the consequences of your actions knocked the air from your lungs."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:33:12 PM): "You, sir, are unwholesomely intelligent." Samael said. He sighed. "And now what do I do? Lost and damned and going to hell, it seems. Ever tried dying? Pelletier gave me a taste of it back in Kermanshah. It's cold."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:33:16 PM): "Very cold."
DocBeard (4:35:41 PM): "Yes." Tomas's voice sounds all of twelve for a moment. "I know about the cold." He takes a second to recompose himself, and continues as though the slip had not happened. "It is a potent argument, until you look at it hard enough." Tomas continues, softly, moving Ivorsen's hilt in and out of its sheath in order to keep his hands busy. "But, let us look at our relationship. You used me, my nature and my desire to help in order to keep the Expadition memebers you were not allied with from looking at those you were tied to too closely. You used the good we did along the road as an excuse to abandon us. You left us in the den of a demonic being who's sleeping form menaced the whole of the desert, knowing full well the fight could continue. What would your theory say that, since everything is your fault, I am bound to do, now? I guess 'betray my word and gut you like a fish' but I'm interested in hearing your thought."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:39:45 PM): "Given that we're in Dementlieu, probably hang me out to dry." Samael said. "A few years in Montmort prison. God knows I deserve it..."
DocBeard (4:41:45 PM): "Probably." Tomas agrees, clasping his hands behind his head and nodding along with Sam. "But, as it so happens, I am not a domino. I am Eisenwald, and when I gave my word that my only intention was to give you fair warning, I ment it." Tomas stands, again, grabbing Samael's shoulders and looking him in the eye. "Do you understand, man? The gods have nothing to do with the process of damnation, only its implimentation!"
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:44:57 PM): Samael said nothing. He said nothing for a long time. His grey eyes were dark, and they had heavy bags under them. Finally, the Borcan said. "Meaning?"
DocBeard (4:48:15 PM): "I don't know. I'm new at this god thing." Tomas admits, hanging his head and taking a deep breath. Oh good he let that slip. "My point is, Sam, that yes, you were likely some painful squall that spun past the lives of these people you saw. You were a bad thing that happened to them. But if a man is hurt during a storm, and uses that as an excuse to never go out again-the reaction remains the man's choice. I choose to forgive you, rather than become petty and vengeful."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:50:20 PM): "Doesn't make any of it any less my fault." Samael said thickly. "What's worse, what else can I do with my life? It's not like I'm much good at anything other than looking and sounding pretty."
DocBeard (4:54:40 PM): "But it means you are not a murderer." Tomas insists, releasing Sam and clasping his hands behind his back. "Because if that were true, I would have killed you or blackmailed you into helping me. What I mean is that you damn or save yourself, Samael-try listening to that little voice inside your head that says to do the right thing, once in a while. Most people have one." Another pause. "As for what else you can do, being a good friend to Lily's a start. The girl has abandonment issues-can't say goodbye to her father or admit she misses him, so on, so forth. She needs a friend-and I think caring for someone's needs would be good for you."
NeoTiamat(DM) (4:57:32 PM): "Maybe you're right. Maybe we should just get out of this hellish city. If I never see another wizard again it will be too soon." Samael's lip quirked up a bit. "And maybe we've both been hit on the head one too many times. Who knows?"
DocBeard (5:00:11 PM): Tomas raises an eyebrow. "I thought you were planning on leaving, before..." Tomas trails off. "I should let you speak to Lily. I need to give your brother my warning, out of courtesy if nothing else." Eisenwald pauses. "I hope we meet again, Samael Malegant, once I fufill the oath I made in Barovia. It will be...interesting, to see how you adapt to your expanded horizons, now that you are done wallowing."
NeoTiamat(DM) (5:01:12 PM): "I don't know if I'd go so far as that." Samael said with a smile that was only partially forced. "But I'll try and cut back. It'll be good for my health, I think. Good luck in Barovia, Tomas."
DocBeard (5:01:48 PM): Wrong oath, Tomas thinks, and hopes that the rogue will be allright. Even if he isn't exactly an /innocent/ victim...Eisenwald heads for the door.

NeoTiamat · Post by **NeoTiamat** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 1:45 am

Andre (6:11:58 PM): Andre..was a touch nervous heading to the Falkovnian Embassy. That whole Darkonian mother thing tends to instill one from birth with a certian combination of distaste and distrust for the Kingfurher's people. But then again, their ambassador happend to be of all things, SOMEWHAT reasonable. In a "Member of a baleful arcane conspiracy" sort of way. Either way, Andre found himself making way to the Embassy. It was actually kind of sad, he hadn't stopped by his own home yet..
NeoTiamat (DM) (6:15:38 PM): There was, of course, a guard on the front door. This was Dementlieu, after all, where Falkovnians are none-too-fondly thought of. On the bright side, it was Niklas, one of the Falkovnian soldiers from Muhar, the young pup who'd entered the Temple of Osiris with the group. "Herr-Doktor Theroux, yes?" Niklas was so spit-and-polish he hurt the eyes to look upon. Literally, his buttons were blinding. "It is good to see you, sir."
Andre (6:16:32 PM): "Yes. Niklas, right?" Andre said, actually managing somewhat of a smile. "It's good to see you too. I was wondering, is Ambassador Vedarrak in this evening?"
NeoTiamat (DM) (6:17:56 PM): "Yes sir. I'll take you up to him right away." Niklas actually managed to click his heels together, something Andre had only heretofore read about in Devereux's books, and spoke quickly to his fellow guards. His accent was from somewhere near Morfenzi, and quite nearly impenetrable.
NeoTiamat (DM) (6:20:08 PM): Eventually, Andre was brought to the Ambassador's office. Vedarrak was dressed in Dementlieuse fashion, and actually looked almost like the Dementlieuse native he was, ethnically. Though few Dementlieuse bore the kind of muscle the Ambassador did. Vedarrak was working on papers as Andre entered, squinting at the tiny handwriting on some form in the candle-light.
NeoTiamat (DM) (6:20:37 PM): "Ah, hello Professor. A pleasure to see you." Vedarrak said with a broad smile. He put the forms down. "Just catching up on the paperwork."
Andre (6:21:21 PM): "I'm glad to see my personal nightmare isn't quite as personal as I suspected. Though mine only tends to come around finals time." Andre said with somewhat of a grin. "I've come to speak with you about the...grand unveiling, if you will."
NeoTiamat (DM) (6:22:55 PM): "I've been away from the office for six months now, so even though my deputy did a passable job, there's a small mountain of documents to sign." Vedarrak spoke with the resignation of a long-standing bureaucrat. "So, what about the gala tomorrow do you want to talk about?"
Andre (6:24:13 PM): "Defense preparations." Andre said, trying to find a seat to somewhat slump into.
NeoTiamat (DM) (6:25:03 PM): "Go ahead." The Falkovnian noded his head.
Andre (6:26:46 PM): "It all but screams to the four winds "Attack me!". Plus, in a way...it's the easiest time for Cavendish to make an attempt. Public to a certian degree. And we both know he's no slouch, mystically speaking. I fear any wards...may only be a delay."
NeoTiamat (DM) (6:28:06 PM): "I would point out that Lord de Casteelle will be there as well, not to mention myself and... other... friends." Vedarrak said. 'But I suspect you had considered that."
NeoTiamat (DM) (6:28:20 PM): [And I need to go AFK for dinner. Can we recommence in 45-60 minutes?]
Andre (6:29:43 PM): ((sure)) "I had. However, I don't put it past Cavendish to bring friends. Or attack from relative suprise, perhaps disguised as one of the...friends..in attendance."
Auto-response: NeoTiamat (DM) is away (6:29:43 PM)

I am away from my computer right now.
Andre (6:47:52 PM): ((brb, eating dinner m'self))
Andre is available (6:53:37 PM)
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:01:14 PM): [Back!]
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:02:47 PM): "One of us will be running a spell of true sight at all times." Vedarrak said mildly. "Going in shifts. I've the first ten minutes of every hour."
Andre (7:04:20 PM): "Good" Andre said "At the same time...i'm still worried. Or the gem could spit out Shadows...again"
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:05:08 PM): "That... I am not certain of." Vedarrak rubbed his chin. "Though I've an idea or two about that. Do you need another ring?"
Andre (7:07:54 PM): "It would be only proper." Andre said "As for the shadows the gem produces...as far as I can tell, they're exact replicas of the individuals in question. Possibly even including the items they carry. It's likley they were only so powerful due to being at the tomb itself...but it's a factor we do need to take into account. As odd as it may seem...focus fire on Kuzan's doppleganger first, or the bastard will be keeping everyone else's unpleasant double alive far longer than common sense would suggest." Andre positively scowled at that particular memory
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:09:58 PM): "I'll have another ring to you by morning then." Vedarrak said. He steepled his fingers and thought for a while. "I believe a certain re-writing of the spell-triggers in the wards might be enough to keep any shadowy creations down. Can you describe these shadows as best you can?"
Andre (7:13:52 PM): "They appeared as esentially unnaturally dark shadows flitting about the room to start with. Except for Fasshad, interestingly enough. Then, when we made preparations to leave with the Eye, there was a burst of intense green light, and when our vision cleared, the shadows rose up from the floor and began their attack"
Andre (7:14:15 PM): "Oh, and their eyes glowed an intense green."
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:14:46 PM): "Insubstantial?" Vedarrak asked, jotting down Andre's words. "Any rapid-transportation, mutability?"
Andre (7:17:35 PM): "No, solid and substantial. And posessing noticable anatomy, so not constructs or some sort of undead. I'd hazard outsiders, actually." Andre paused to think a moment. "As for rapid transit or mutability, they didn't manifest any abilities other than those which we brought to the confrontation. My double for example, utilized sound lances. I'm somewhat certian they're an exact duplicate of the person in question, as of the moment of creation."
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:19:18 PM): "Curious. You could so much with shadow-constructs." Vedarrak mused. Still, he took down the notes. "Perhaps there's a power-limit to what the Eye's resident can do while still bound. It would explain why we're not seeing the veritable armies of shadows rising up."
Andre (7:20:02 PM): "Or the fiend's learned the virtue of patience. I much more hope for the former than the latter."
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:20:55 PM): "A possibility, though I have my own theory as far as that goes." Vedarrak said, a smile of academic interest on his lips. "Sadly, I doubt I'll ever be able to publish any papers on the subject."
Andre (7:21:43 PM): "Oh? Care to share? Though it won't find any press in the common accademic journals...nothing to say it dosen't have merit for an...in house publication."
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:22:41 PM): "Oh I intend to, I intend to." Vedarrak sighed, though without any real rancor. "It would be nice to be respected as something other than a useful tool, but there's time."
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:22:54 PM): "You've read the Jackal Wars, I trust?"
Andre (7:23:53 PM): ((Is that one of the ones we got our hands on, or is that the one that got away?))
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:24:15 PM): [It's the one you eventually found in the Monastery of Stilled Nightmares.]
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:24:26 PM): [Though which got away from you in Phiraz]
Andre (7:24:50 PM): "I've read it. Not in Phiraz, but later on. Only a mild familiarity though, i'm afraid. Do elaborate and banish my ignorance?"
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:25:38 PM): "It's an admittedly somewhat jaundiced accounting of Menetnashte's rise to power and all that involved." Vedarrak said. "As well as her eventual end at some Coalition of Divinites. I'm afraid I had to deal with a somewhat bad translation."
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:26:52 PM): "But it does contain several accounts of the Hierarch actually using the power of the demon, both in early military conquests and in a few, choice, later demonstrations." The Falkovnian said. "If you study them, an interesting pattern emerges."
Andre (7:27:00 PM): "Translation issues...the bane of any scholar"
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:28:06 PM): "For instance, Beherit has never been recorded as speaking. Or for that matter, communicating at all, except on an emphatic level." Vedarrak continued. "Feelings of rage yes, chill whispers yes, but never a word of intellegible conversation, nor even sign language or writing or similar."
Andre (7:30:16 PM): "Interesting...and what do you posit from this?" Andre was already starting to formulate a few theories...but at the moment, they were simply wild theories
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:32:08 PM): "I'm not done yet." The Falkovnian raised a hand. "Likewise, Beherit is always under extremely careful control. I've counted in all of the writings eighteen reasonably reliable accounts, and only in three of them is he not following Menetnashte's orders to the letter. More than that. To the spirit. In the other three instances, each time it consisted of the Pharoah slipping the leash and letting Beherit indulge in mindless destruction for a time, prior to being collected back again."
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:35:16 PM): "Do you have any idea what the mortality rate is amongst diabolists?" Vedarrak said, a note of excitement entering his voice. "It's over 90%. By the Hawk, even wizards who summon imps get killed by them better than half the time."
Andre (7:40:07 PM): "Right. It's...well, it's not a professional choice with good long term prospects. So...your theory from this, or are you yet to finish?" Andre said. There were disturbing implications there. "I know of the three fiends associated with Beherit, Marchiosias was rather intelligent...and talkative too. Ronoph was a raging idiot, though it had an EXTREMELY powerful imprint in the onieric plane...and the woman with the feline head, if she is a fiend...I know sadly nothing about other than apperance."
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:41:57 PM): "Well, there are two possibilities, I admit. First is that Menetnashte was a demonologist of power that is literally unheard of today. Enough to make Kind Azalin look like a new-born kitten." Vedarrak said with just a bit of malice.
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:42:43 PM): "To control a fiend so completely, to dominate it not just contractually but thoroughly, spiritually, absolutely... is a power that even mighty mages have difficulty with. To practice it on something of Beherit's power is unimaginable."
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:43:00 PM): "But more likely..." Vedarrak took a breath. "I think Beherit isn't a fiend at all. Not any more."
Andre (7:44:55 PM): "She was an acolyte" Andre said simply. "everything we encountered suggested she found the pact, and made it with a MINIMUM of actual training as a priestess, and that it was the power she gained from the pact that propelled her on such a meteoric rise, and without it...she would've likley been unremarkable, or at best an interesting footnote. And..." Andre blinked. His particular carraige of thought had just managed to take somewhat of a detour down the road, took a brief trip through Vechor by way of Il-Aluk, and crashed into Vedarrak's somewhere around Morfenzi.
Andre (7:45:08 PM): "It's not a fiend anymore. It's a god."
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:45:42 PM): "More than that. I think Beherit is a fiend's corpse."
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:47:56 PM): "If you ignore the nigh-cosmic power, Beherit's actions are completely identical to that of a particularly carnivorous zombie." Vedarrak continued quickly. "He doesn't communicate. Nothing indicates that he's even able to. Menetnashte used him not as a servitor, but as a tool. An extension of her own will. The few times Beherit is given free reign, he acts in mindless violence. Creative violence, I grant you, as his range of actions is broader than a zombies, but simple violence nevertheless."
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:48:43 PM): "I don't think Beherit is an Outsider at all." Vedarrak finished. "I think he's an unimaginably powerful undead."
Andre (7:50:09 PM): Andre swore. Andre swore rapid fire, and his profanity included phrases which were in that fun hissing language which made you breifly feel like there were maggots living just inside your eyelids. "That makes PERFECT sense....Cavendish used the nercrotic resonance of the Jackal's Ruse to produce the waveform that created the death pit...he'd need an equally powerful resonance source to pull of what he intends for our fair city...and where better than the corpse of a fiend, which has been fed and amplified by years of reverence as a comingling with the Akiri psychopomp deity, in that delightful conflux Anuberith..."
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:52:50 PM): "Of course, that's why if Cavendish shows his face, we'll be doing him the favor of unleashing a small, localized version of the sun upon it." Vedarrak said with a small smile. "But it's an interesting idea? Marchosias and Ronoph might be simply hangers-on, attracted by the fiend-ghost's raw power."
Andre (7:54:32 PM): "It makes perfect sense. And Cavendish is a necromancer, not an infernalist...at least as far as we know. It seemed a bit out of sorts for him suddenly to decide to switch focuses...but if Berith's been some form of undead all along, it makes perfect sense."
Andre (7:55:09 PM): "And that's saying dumping the sun onto the gem dosen't just crack it open releasing Berith unbound..."
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:56:55 PM): "Doesn't seem likely. If it's a divine creation, I'd be surprised if anything we could do could even dent it." Vedarrak admitted. "It also explains how Menetnashte was able to control the entity for so long without it trying to stab her in the back."
Andre (7:57:50 PM): "Point. Has there been any word about long term plans? Or are we being kept in the dark about them?" Andre hardly noticed the mild pun
NeoTiamat (DM) (7:59:38 PM): "If there have been, I haven't heard of anything." Vedarrak said. He sighed a little. "I believe there are some discussions going on far above my head, but nothing's filtered down. I know at least one of the Fathers will be coming to town for the ceremony, however."
Andre (7:59:52 PM): ((brb))
Andre (8:02:26 PM): "....how much do you trust them with it?" It was an odd question...but one that did somewhat bear asking.
NeoTiamat (DM) (8:03:43 PM): "Not particularly." Vedarrak said with a silent laugh. "But I trust them to be selfish and cautious. None of them are going to let one of the others gain that much power, and none of them will want to let something like Beherit loose."
Andre (8:07:13 PM): "When everyone has the mother of all dagger's at everyone else's back, one plays nice. Not the ideal situation, but one that shall need to do till a more permanent way of dealing with it comes up. It, as far as i've been able to determine, took literal divine intervention to seal away last time. And I can count on one hand the number of deities which would come to our aid." Andre then held up his hand...and curled his fingers into a fist, signifying a big, fat zero
NeoTiamat (DM) (8:09:42 PM): "Isn't that the way it always works?" Vedarrak laughed again. He rose up and slapped a hand on Andre's shoulder. "Don't worry. It's out of our hands now. I'll get you your ring before the ceremony. Sit back, relax, and plan the number of theses you can write out of this trip. If you don't make Esteemed Brother off it, I shall be surprised."
Andre (8:12:54 PM): "Let's see, Pre-Akiri Sebuan culture, Religion of Pre-Akiri Sebua, Introduction to the tounge of the river valley...Introduction to sodding Onieric?" Andre smiled "Though I do belive the last class will require a waiver be signed before one takes it." Andre then sighed "And I've got a speech to write. What do i say? We trapsed through the desert to pick up the housing of the corpse of a manifestation of orderly evil, people died along the way, we didn't...hooray for accademia?"
NeoTiamat (DM) (8:13:27 PM): "Lie. It always works when I have to give toasts." Vedarrak suggested drily.
Andre (8:13:41 PM): ((.....i think that is just one of Andre's best lines ever. especially when taken with the next statement.))
NeoTiamat (DM) (8:14:34 PM): [Wrap up, I think. I've got to go pretty soon.]
Andre (8:14:40 PM): "Always a wise option. I'll leave you to your paperwork, Ambassador. I've got writing to do. And theories to run around. I'll let you know if i think of anything truly useful."
NeoTiamat (DM) (8:16:13 PM): "Thank you. Good night, Professor." Happy distraction gone, Vedarrak returned to clearing through the backlog. Masterful conspirator, member of a secret society of malign mages, and emissary of a military dictatorship he may have been, but he had a day job same as everyone else.

NeoTiamat · Post by **NeoTiamat** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 1:48 am

And for our last epilogue, we bring you Menetnashte. With her this story began, and so with her this story ends.

Let me thank everyone for their patience with fifteen epilogues and ten Director's Cut RPs, and I now proclaim the Eye of Anubis Ravenloft Campaign FINISHED!

The Giamarga · Post by **The Giamarga** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 2:44 am

NeoTiamat wrote: Isabella (6:28:35 PM): Carter nodded to Kuzan, closing his eyes for a second. "I know," he said, and you knew he did, more than anyone.
DocBeard (6:29:13 PM): Toma

This one got cut off...

NeoTiamat · Post by **NeoTiamat** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:44 am

Whoops. Last quarter-page got cut off. Fixed it. (There's something symbolic about this, and I'm not sure I want to know what).

Café de Nuit

Welcome, friends, to our establishment.

The Eye of Anubis: OOC Thread