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Into the Icy Darkness: The Great Demon War
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<blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1317062" data-attributes="member: 15043"><p><strong>The Long Last Night in Mephys</strong></p><p></p><p> The party naturally begins to panic as Lucius’ screams reach their ears. In Tess and Siabrey’s mind, the first person to ask is Xanadu (as he is supposedly a wizard, right?). Tess announces, “I’ll go get the idol, you get the cat!” and the two dash off.</p><p></p><p> Tess, while rifling through her stuff, noticing something very odd… the ivory idol is now <em>wilting</em>. Knowing full well that ivory does not melt, she becomes very curious… especially when she sees all the other idols they’d collected off of their foes doing the same. She rushes back to outside the tavern, where she explains the situation to Siabrey and Shaun, showing them the changing statues. She wonders aloud if maybe the idol could help Lucius… until Xanadu blurts out that its unlikely an item carried by an evil paladin would help in ridding someone of poison.</p><p></p><p> Unfortunately, that bit of information is one of the few concrete things Xanadu can provide. He, too is perplexed by the “wilting” idols, and can offer no logical or magical explanation… and his only piece of knowledge on what was happening inside the tavern was that it sounded like the boy was in much pain. Clearly there were things about that he couldn’t wrap his mind around, and the cat was very vexed by it.</p><p></p><p> During this business, the shouts and cries from within the tavern died down, and a few minutes later the very tired looking priest of Pelor and healer of Honoria walk out of the building. The party asks them what’s going on, but its quite evident they are entirely too worn out to even talk. They were closely followed by a very worn out Hidalas, who stopped in front of the group and sighed as the flurry of questions shot his way.</p><p></p><p> “What I can tell you, is sadly very little… much less than I’d like to know,” he began cautiously. “He’ll be fine by tomorrow, but he needs rest right now.”</p><p></p><p> “Why was he screaming like that,” a clearly worried Shaun asked.</p><p></p><p> “Well… needless to say he was poisoned,” Hidalas said quietly, “with a venom that is unknown to me. We did find out the hard way its properties… namely that it was a blood-thinner… hence why he was still bleeding some even a half hour after the battle; it was also… how shall I describe this?” he thought hard over the proper words. A second or two later, his eyes give away his mental shrug as he says, “sticky… as in it was resistant to efforts to get rid of it, and hampered other efforts to heal him. It took all of our divine powers combined to pull the venom out of his body… and from his wails at the time, it was doubtless very painful for him. He called out your names a couple times,” he points to Siabrey and Tess, “as well as his mother’s… if I hadn’t been busy trying to save his life it probably would have broken my heart.”</p><p></p><p> “How is he doing now?” Siabrey asked, pushing her way to the front.</p><p></p><p> “He’s awake, but he needs to stay immobile for a bit. He should be fine in the morning, so you can leave on your journey should you wish. After seeing this, I myself cannot go with,” he looks off in the distance wistfully. After a few moments, he snaps back to the present, saying, “I have to go to Kulloden and find brother Harrapias at the Church of Hieroneous… there’s too much at stake now.” </p><p></p><p>Words of protest were rising on the party’s lips when Hidalas interjected, “I know you are about to ask what if you need healing… well, Lucius found this.”</p><p></p><p>Hidalas produces a staff, made of white ash wood, with carved runes with silver placed in them along its shaft. At the top of its five-foot length is a carved statue of a woman, her arms across her chest, and her head bowed. Tess in particular recognizes this as the symbol of Honoria, the goddess of healing.</p><p></p><p>“It’s a staff with the blessings of Honoria on it, but I don’t know what spells are within it. I’m off to try and find out…”</p><p></p><p>“As well as get some rest, I hope?” Siabrey asks, and Hidalas nods.</p><p></p><p>“I shall bring the staff by tomorrow morning before I ride out… Lucius should have the ability to control it… its likely command word driven, so he merely needs to touch you with it and say the word to activate its power, likely,” Hidalas’ voice trails off again, and his bleary eyes close for an unusually long blink.</p><p></p><p>“Do you need someone to watch over the boy, at least to make sure that those fellows across the street don’t barge their way in?” Tess asks, and Hidalas gives a tired nod, before walking off to find rest, and discover the purpose of the staff. </p><p></p><p>The party meanwhile walks into the tavern, and finds Lucius laid out, bare from the waist up. Numerous large, angry welts covering his upper body, where formerly the flesh was laid open. All was quiet in the room, but the party was nonetheless relieved to see his chest rising and falling with a regular breath.</p><p></p><p>“Lucius?” Siabrey asks, her own voice very quiet.</p><p></p><p>“Hi…” his whisper responds as he turns his head to see them. They see he tries to sit up, but his body defeats him. Some near tears rise to the surface at this. Lucius himself seems to be in better spirits, however.</p><p></p><p>Lucius explains to everyone the events since his leaving… his decision to follow the “path of his bloodline,” using his magic, and his fight with five orcs. Throughout his retelling, his voice goes in and out, and he frequently has to stop at times because of it.</p><p></p><p>“I was right near death, when Mr. Dice,” he explains later one, “…came through in quite a spectacular manner… melted up several of those orcs.”</p><p></p><p>“Melted?” Siabrey asks rather incredulously.</p><p></p><p>“He has a longbow that shoots flaming arrows,” Lucius confirmed. “He then saved my life again as that ghoulish monster tried to slash me to death… if he hadn’t have been there, I likely would have been food for the undead. On top of it all, he saved two little kids whose parents were here...did you ever find their parents?” he turns to Shaun. Shaun’s face drops, while Tess explains that one parent was found… the other would never see his children again.</p><p></p><p>Shaun snaps out a curse before realizing it, and apologizing. Siabrey, still curious as to what Shaun’s intentions were, asks Lucius.</p><p></p><p>“Oh, Mr. Dice… he was on his way here to…”</p><p></p><p>“Settle some business, ma’am,” Shaun says quickly. He isn’t sure if he wants Tess, and more importantly, the rather hostile Siabrey to know what his true business is. Lucius, however, blurts out that he is seeking the return of stolen money. Several “ahs” go around as people put things together with the earlier episode with Rogar.</p><p></p><p>“So… this ‘Ilia,’ robbed you?” Tess asks.</p><p></p><p>“Yes… she not only robbed me blind, but hit me over the head, and nearly paralyzed me!” Shaun exclaims. HE then further describes how she has basically used people in the past, and quickly adds on the spot that he is concerned that their friend might be in danger. Tess and Siabrey agree (Siabrey rather curtly… she still doesn’t like this fellow), and Shaun mentions he merely wants to regain his valuables, and, “teach her a lesson.” </p><p>Tess proposes that the group look for Ilia tonight, to safeguard Rogar from any trouble.</p><p></p><p> As if on cue, Geoffrey wanders into the empty tavern, a bit slovenly. </p><p></p><p> “That man is plastered,” Lucius says quietly, provoking Siabrey to state in a motherly tone, “the possible future Emperor shouldn’t know words like that!”</p><p></p><p> “Mr. Dice and I talked quite a bit.. he taught me quite a few words that commoners use to describe things… such as stacked.”</p><p></p><p> Siabrey’s face drops, and Tess starts to giggle. </p><p></p><p> “You should not be teaching the boy things like that! Lucius, if Hidalas heard you saying that…”</p><p></p><p> “Oh, Siabrey,” Tess says cheerfully, “you’re just upset that I’m more, ‘stacked’ than you, to use Mr. Dice’s crude phrase.” A sharp, quick exchange broke between the two after Siabrey claimed it was she that was more stacked. It ended when the fighter looked at Shaun again… this time with a look of death. The potential killing was interrupted by Geoffrey’s rather… happy voice.</p><p></p><p> “I decided,” he begins sluggishly, “that considering I’ve been attacked by the undead for the first time in my life, and nearly saw a boy get slashed to death, I deserved a drink… Mr. Dice I spent your money wisely… I got <em>three</em> wines!” he shouts as he proudly holds up two bottles. Tess rolls her eyes.</p><p></p><p> “That is our source of information on this woman?” Siabrey asks curtly.</p><p></p><p> “Yes..” Geoffrey blurts out, “but I remember more when I have something inside my belly… such as this dee-lightful wine. The boy can even have a bottle, considering the mess he went through!”</p><p></p><p> “He speaks the truth,” Shaun says, taking the halflings defense. “He does remember more once he’s had a few under his belt… have you seen the one they call Rogar anywhere, Geoffrey?” </p><p></p><p> “Wait… ah… yes! He’s in the tavern across the way… rather sullen, he’s taken a table for himself and has scared all the other patrons into not trying to sit next to him. And as for Ilia,” the halfling now smiled and swayed, “She left town today on a brown pony… riding west towards Kulloden , it would seem!” Shaun raises an eyebrow, but Tess and Siabrey are more concerned about their friend and comrade.</p><p></p><p> Tess sighs, and says, “It sounds like we need to talk to him. I’ll go, Siabrey, are you coming?” The fighter nods, and Shaun volunteers to come with, despite some concerns voiced over the incidents earlier in the day. Tess, in addition, makes Siabrey promise to not be blunt. </p><p></p><p>“Are you insinuating that I’m blunt?” Siabrey asks as if affronted.</p><p></p><p>“No, I’m telling you,” Tess replies rather handily. Siabrey rolls her eyes and agrees, though Tess plans immediately to get in front of the small fighter to keep her from speaking first and possibly destroying the situation.</p><p></p><p> Tess’ plans are foiled, however, once the group reaches the other tavern, which is in the process of being destroyed by the overcrowding of patrons still reveling in the recent victory over the ice hordes. The group takes a few seconds to find where Rogar is, and Siabrey lunges through the crowd, and pushes Tess aside to slip into the booth seat across from the man.</p><p></p><p> “How are you doing?” she asks as Tess huffs with a little indignation at being pushed aside like that. Rogar lets out a thin chuckle, and remarks that, “It's been a long time since two young ladies like yourselves fought over me.” He begins toying with a toothpick at the table.</p><p></p><p> Before Siabrey can destroy the slight lessening of tensions, Tess cuts in, “We have some reason to be concerned about you and your friend, Rosalyn.” Rogar immediately seems to stiffen, and the toothpick breaks in his hand. To add to Tess’ woes, Shaun pushes his way through and begins blurting out items in a rather blunt manner.</p><p></p><p> “A woman, named Ilia…” he began, only to have Rogar interrupt.</p><p> </p><p> “That’s Rosalyn’s middle name…” the rogue says rather quietly. </p><p></p><p> “Ilia robbed me blind in Kulloden only three days ago… and nearly left me paralyzed! I mean to recover my items… and I’m not saying that your Rosalyn is the woman I’m after, but the evidence is growing more substantial…”</p><p></p><p> Rogar’s gaze stops Shaun’s speech… a mounting fury builds in his eyes till something else replaces it suddenly… sadness floods away the anger, as a raging river strips the land bare.</p><p></p><p> “She left today… rather suddenly, without telling me,” Rogar says, his voice very low and quiet. His eyes well up, and both Tess and Siabrey are more than a little shocked.. their roguish, conniving friend seems to have a tender place in his heart for someone other than himself. “She had met her in Kulloden four years ago… she’s saved my life so many times since… she had a letter dropped off in Holstean two weeks ago that she’d be in this area around this time… and it was luck that we met again.” Rogar started to sniffle.</p><p></p><p> “So… its serious between you two?” Siabrey said with a great deal of gravity. Rogar held up his hand, which was formerly bare. Now, on his fourth ringer was a bright golden ring, with a large diamond cut perfecting sitting on top. </p><p></p><p> Never missing a beat, Shaun launched forward. “See, she’s betrayed you too! I don’t want this woman to hurt anyone else, which is why I want to teach her a lesson! Heck, you’d rather I reached her than the Thieves Guild in Kull…”</p><p></p><p> “Don’t presume to lecture me on the Thieves Guild, boy,” Rogar said quietly, his voice steadier now. “Even if Rosalyn is this woman you are looking for, they do not know what she’s capable of… I have seen her take down four bugbears by herself… something I doubt you or any of the Guild people could ever do. You’ll never find her in the dark.. she has too much of a lead. As if she could ever do anything to someone claiming to be innocent as yourself… As for ‘looking’ for her, I am not going to have any part of it! Doesn’t someone need to look after the boy over there? I shall do that while you run about with your useless hunting.” He then stands up and walks out.</p><p></p><p> The three party members sigh, and can merely hope Rogar isn’t too upset, and plans to search for Ilia are scrapped. Siabrey decides instead that since it is the party’s last night in civilization for a while (if they even return at all from demon hunting), that she is going to have a few drinks. Tess agrees with this logic, though she decides to pull out her harp and play some nice drinking songs as things go on.</p><p></p><p> Not to be outdone by a petite woman (Siabrey is only 5’3”, perhaps 120 pounds), Shaun strides up to the bar, and starts to order his drink. Siabrey gets an evil smile, and challenges Shaun to have dwarven ale with her. Shaun obliges, and the two down their drinks, with no effect. And the game is on.</p><p></p><p> Shaun then orders <em>two</em> dwarven ales for himself, and not to be stopped by an upstart, Siabrey does the same. They chug down both drinks, once again with no effect. Siabrey then orders <em>another</em> two dwarven ales, looking Shaun up and down, knowing he wasn’t foolish enough to match.</p><p></p><p>He was. </p><p></p><p>He was not only foolish enough to match, but he ordered a large stein… three ales in one mug. Siabrey changes her order to the same, and they down them… only showing slight tipsiness (DM’s Notation: Their fortitude rolls were insanely lucky at this point). Siabrey then orders a large stein of her own, Shaun follows suit, and quickly their drinking contest collapses into a drunken contest.</p><p></p><p>The ales, it seems, had a delayed effect, as both grow dizzy and have to hold onto the bar for support. They glare at each other for a bit, before Shaun begins to grin… and then to laugh, almost insanely. Siabrey’s clouded mind couldn’t figure out what was so funny… yet she started chuckling too until Shaun blurted it out to her.</p><p></p><p>“That Lucius is great.. he can pick out really good ones! You are really stacked!”</p><p></p><p>Her laughter was instantly replaced with furious anger, and she loudly and slovenly yelled, “stacked! YOU WANT TO SEE STACKED!” Despite her inhibitions, her mind realized rather quickly that was not the best thing to say in an overcrowded bar filled with intoxicated men. Shaun’s mind isn’t working particularly fast now, but its working fast enough for him to say something regrettable.</p><p></p><p>Lucius, when describing Siabrey to Shaun, had mentioned that she had wings she kept hidden under her cloak. He didn’t know if she could use them or not, but it seemed, in his inebriated mind, the right thing to use in an insult.</p><p></p><p>“What are you going to do now? Fly?” he shouted.</p><p></p><p>Siabrey’s muddled mind instantly froze. Images of her mothers’ admonitions flooded into her mind, her drunken state propelling them to the forefront.</p><p></p><p><em>If they find out about you, and how you’re not like them, they attack you and hurt you, child!</em> her mother’s voice rang louder and louder in her head. </p><p></p><p></p><p>Deciding she’s had enough, she draws back and delivers a haymaker swing…</p><p></p><p>…which merely brushes Shaun’s chin, and sends her sprawling to the floor, much to Shaun’s delight and the delight of those gathered around. She struggles to stand, and after a few moments, is using the bar to steady herself when she swings again, and connects hard… sending both of them sprawling to the ground. Tess sees their predicament, and the crowd drawing in, and fortunately covers for them with another rousing ballad of drinking, which attracts the crowd’s attention from the increasingly hostile pair by the bar.</p><p></p><p>Several more blows were traded, before Siabrey’s fright grew to the point she had enough. She panicked, and stumbled out of the tavern before Tess could get to the front. Shaun shouted more drunken taunts, only to fall and be caught by Tess.</p><p></p><p>Siabrey stumbled outside, panicking. Obviously the noise from the fight was loud, as Rogar had now stuck his head outside the opposite building’s door.</p><p></p><p>“Was it you making all of that noise?” he calls, and Siabrey ignores him. Noticing her quiet drunken gait, Rogar comes out and tries to grab her to take her back to the building where Lucius is being held… at the very least so she can sober up. Siabrey, however, puts up the fight of her life, swing, trying to bite, all in a desperate effort to get away… to run away from the horror that had happened in the bar behind her. She had no way of knowing all the patrons, save Tess, had merely assumed it was drunk talk and paid no attention to it. Finally, she struggles to the point where Rogar merely hefts her over his shoulder, and carries her into the empty tavern.</p><p></p><p>Tess arrives shortly afterwards, a quite drunk and lively Shaun in tow. Rogar had placed Siabrey in a seat, but when she saw Shaun she promptly tried to stand and draw her sword… instead she drew air, and waved her hand about as if a katana was there, telling him to back off. Shaun’s brain didn’t realize how much he’d hurt her, and he merely called for her to calm down. Rogar takes a more proactive approach, and grabs her and shoves her into her seat. </p><p></p><p>Lucius sits up with pain, and asks what’s going on… and Tess replies that, “This is what drunk people look like after the fun of drinking.” The young man immediately forswears any alcohol after seeing the states of two of his friends. </p><p></p><p>Siabrey, meanwhile, twists, turns, and struggles against Rogar’s unfailing grip. Shaun falls over in mid laugh, out like a light as Siabrey gives one last burst of fury… which Rogar’s sober arms easily contain. Finally, the fight broken out of her, Siabrey breaks down and starts to cry. </p><p></p><p>Tess runs over, and starts to comfort her, asking her why she’s crying, and narrowly avoids being befouled as Siabrey’s drunkenness, fear, and tears cause her to lose her breakfast, lunch and dinner. Very worried, Lucius manages to struggle to his feet, a shuffle over and give her a tight hug, rocking her back and forth as her tears finally stop, and an unconscious sleep takes over her.</p><p></p><p>The next morning dawns late but extremely bright for Siabrey and Shaun. Tess has already run out and found some medicines to fight the massive hangovers she knows the two will be having, and forces the bitter herbs down their throats. Hidalas also came by, leaving the staff with Lucius, along with directions on its use (it’s a Minor Staff of Healing from the Church of Honoria… the orcs likely killed a priest and stole it because it looked pretty).</p><p></p><p>Siabrey, however, is still very very worried over the events of the last night, and looks the haggard part for it as well. Lucius asks her what’s wrong, and she replies that some information was told last night that might endanger her.</p><p></p><p>”Oh, you mean about your wings?” Lucius asks, and Siabrey does a painful double take.</p><p></p><p>“How… do you know about them? When?” she asks in her quiet, headache-ridden voice.</p><p></p><p>“I’ve known for three days, Siabrey,” he says, urging her to eat some more of the breakfast that Tess found. “You have to take your armor off when you go to sleep… no, I didn’t see anything underneath any of the underclothes, but it was plainly obvious then that there was something on your back… your cloak moved, and I caught sight of part of one wing.”</p><p></p><p>“And you’re not scared of me?” she asks even more quietly, fearful of the result.</p><p></p><p>“No,” Lucius responds in a normal voice, “its rather neat actually. I think they look nice,” he gives her a hug, which prompts somewhere in her brain something to start to raise some questions… before she realizes he just said this in front of the others. Her fear returns a little, till Tess says that she knows as well… it was easy to figure out after Siabrey requested special holes in her armor.</p><p></p><p>“So you don’t think I’m a succubus or anything horrible like that?” she asks, a lot more relieved.</p><p></p><p>“No… you’re just fine the way you are,” Lucius says. The questions start coming back into her brain, louder this time…</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Emperor Valerian, post: 1317062, member: 15043"] [b]The Long Last Night in Mephys[/b] The party naturally begins to panic as Lucius’ screams reach their ears. In Tess and Siabrey’s mind, the first person to ask is Xanadu (as he is supposedly a wizard, right?). Tess announces, “I’ll go get the idol, you get the cat!” and the two dash off. Tess, while rifling through her stuff, noticing something very odd… the ivory idol is now [I]wilting[/I]. Knowing full well that ivory does not melt, she becomes very curious… especially when she sees all the other idols they’d collected off of their foes doing the same. She rushes back to outside the tavern, where she explains the situation to Siabrey and Shaun, showing them the changing statues. She wonders aloud if maybe the idol could help Lucius… until Xanadu blurts out that its unlikely an item carried by an evil paladin would help in ridding someone of poison. Unfortunately, that bit of information is one of the few concrete things Xanadu can provide. He, too is perplexed by the “wilting” idols, and can offer no logical or magical explanation… and his only piece of knowledge on what was happening inside the tavern was that it sounded like the boy was in much pain. Clearly there were things about that he couldn’t wrap his mind around, and the cat was very vexed by it. During this business, the shouts and cries from within the tavern died down, and a few minutes later the very tired looking priest of Pelor and healer of Honoria walk out of the building. The party asks them what’s going on, but its quite evident they are entirely too worn out to even talk. They were closely followed by a very worn out Hidalas, who stopped in front of the group and sighed as the flurry of questions shot his way. “What I can tell you, is sadly very little… much less than I’d like to know,” he began cautiously. “He’ll be fine by tomorrow, but he needs rest right now.” “Why was he screaming like that,” a clearly worried Shaun asked. “Well… needless to say he was poisoned,” Hidalas said quietly, “with a venom that is unknown to me. We did find out the hard way its properties… namely that it was a blood-thinner… hence why he was still bleeding some even a half hour after the battle; it was also… how shall I describe this?” he thought hard over the proper words. A second or two later, his eyes give away his mental shrug as he says, “sticky… as in it was resistant to efforts to get rid of it, and hampered other efforts to heal him. It took all of our divine powers combined to pull the venom out of his body… and from his wails at the time, it was doubtless very painful for him. He called out your names a couple times,” he points to Siabrey and Tess, “as well as his mother’s… if I hadn’t been busy trying to save his life it probably would have broken my heart.” “How is he doing now?” Siabrey asked, pushing her way to the front. “He’s awake, but he needs to stay immobile for a bit. He should be fine in the morning, so you can leave on your journey should you wish. After seeing this, I myself cannot go with,” he looks off in the distance wistfully. After a few moments, he snaps back to the present, saying, “I have to go to Kulloden and find brother Harrapias at the Church of Hieroneous… there’s too much at stake now.” Words of protest were rising on the party’s lips when Hidalas interjected, “I know you are about to ask what if you need healing… well, Lucius found this.” Hidalas produces a staff, made of white ash wood, with carved runes with silver placed in them along its shaft. At the top of its five-foot length is a carved statue of a woman, her arms across her chest, and her head bowed. Tess in particular recognizes this as the symbol of Honoria, the goddess of healing. “It’s a staff with the blessings of Honoria on it, but I don’t know what spells are within it. I’m off to try and find out…” “As well as get some rest, I hope?” Siabrey asks, and Hidalas nods. “I shall bring the staff by tomorrow morning before I ride out… Lucius should have the ability to control it… its likely command word driven, so he merely needs to touch you with it and say the word to activate its power, likely,” Hidalas’ voice trails off again, and his bleary eyes close for an unusually long blink. “Do you need someone to watch over the boy, at least to make sure that those fellows across the street don’t barge their way in?” Tess asks, and Hidalas gives a tired nod, before walking off to find rest, and discover the purpose of the staff. The party meanwhile walks into the tavern, and finds Lucius laid out, bare from the waist up. Numerous large, angry welts covering his upper body, where formerly the flesh was laid open. All was quiet in the room, but the party was nonetheless relieved to see his chest rising and falling with a regular breath. “Lucius?” Siabrey asks, her own voice very quiet. “Hi…” his whisper responds as he turns his head to see them. They see he tries to sit up, but his body defeats him. Some near tears rise to the surface at this. Lucius himself seems to be in better spirits, however. Lucius explains to everyone the events since his leaving… his decision to follow the “path of his bloodline,” using his magic, and his fight with five orcs. Throughout his retelling, his voice goes in and out, and he frequently has to stop at times because of it. “I was right near death, when Mr. Dice,” he explains later one, “…came through in quite a spectacular manner… melted up several of those orcs.” “Melted?” Siabrey asks rather incredulously. “He has a longbow that shoots flaming arrows,” Lucius confirmed. “He then saved my life again as that ghoulish monster tried to slash me to death… if he hadn’t have been there, I likely would have been food for the undead. On top of it all, he saved two little kids whose parents were here...did you ever find their parents?” he turns to Shaun. Shaun’s face drops, while Tess explains that one parent was found… the other would never see his children again. Shaun snaps out a curse before realizing it, and apologizing. Siabrey, still curious as to what Shaun’s intentions were, asks Lucius. “Oh, Mr. Dice… he was on his way here to…” “Settle some business, ma’am,” Shaun says quickly. He isn’t sure if he wants Tess, and more importantly, the rather hostile Siabrey to know what his true business is. Lucius, however, blurts out that he is seeking the return of stolen money. Several “ahs” go around as people put things together with the earlier episode with Rogar. “So… this ‘Ilia,’ robbed you?” Tess asks. “Yes… she not only robbed me blind, but hit me over the head, and nearly paralyzed me!” Shaun exclaims. HE then further describes how she has basically used people in the past, and quickly adds on the spot that he is concerned that their friend might be in danger. Tess and Siabrey agree (Siabrey rather curtly… she still doesn’t like this fellow), and Shaun mentions he merely wants to regain his valuables, and, “teach her a lesson.” Tess proposes that the group look for Ilia tonight, to safeguard Rogar from any trouble. As if on cue, Geoffrey wanders into the empty tavern, a bit slovenly. “That man is plastered,” Lucius says quietly, provoking Siabrey to state in a motherly tone, “the possible future Emperor shouldn’t know words like that!” “Mr. Dice and I talked quite a bit.. he taught me quite a few words that commoners use to describe things… such as stacked.” Siabrey’s face drops, and Tess starts to giggle. “You should not be teaching the boy things like that! Lucius, if Hidalas heard you saying that…” “Oh, Siabrey,” Tess says cheerfully, “you’re just upset that I’m more, ‘stacked’ than you, to use Mr. Dice’s crude phrase.” A sharp, quick exchange broke between the two after Siabrey claimed it was she that was more stacked. It ended when the fighter looked at Shaun again… this time with a look of death. The potential killing was interrupted by Geoffrey’s rather… happy voice. “I decided,” he begins sluggishly, “that considering I’ve been attacked by the undead for the first time in my life, and nearly saw a boy get slashed to death, I deserved a drink… Mr. Dice I spent your money wisely… I got [I]three[/I] wines!” he shouts as he proudly holds up two bottles. Tess rolls her eyes. “That is our source of information on this woman?” Siabrey asks curtly. “Yes..” Geoffrey blurts out, “but I remember more when I have something inside my belly… such as this dee-lightful wine. The boy can even have a bottle, considering the mess he went through!” “He speaks the truth,” Shaun says, taking the halflings defense. “He does remember more once he’s had a few under his belt… have you seen the one they call Rogar anywhere, Geoffrey?” “Wait… ah… yes! He’s in the tavern across the way… rather sullen, he’s taken a table for himself and has scared all the other patrons into not trying to sit next to him. And as for Ilia,” the halfling now smiled and swayed, “She left town today on a brown pony… riding west towards Kulloden , it would seem!” Shaun raises an eyebrow, but Tess and Siabrey are more concerned about their friend and comrade. Tess sighs, and says, “It sounds like we need to talk to him. I’ll go, Siabrey, are you coming?” The fighter nods, and Shaun volunteers to come with, despite some concerns voiced over the incidents earlier in the day. Tess, in addition, makes Siabrey promise to not be blunt. “Are you insinuating that I’m blunt?” Siabrey asks as if affronted. “No, I’m telling you,” Tess replies rather handily. Siabrey rolls her eyes and agrees, though Tess plans immediately to get in front of the small fighter to keep her from speaking first and possibly destroying the situation. Tess’ plans are foiled, however, once the group reaches the other tavern, which is in the process of being destroyed by the overcrowding of patrons still reveling in the recent victory over the ice hordes. The group takes a few seconds to find where Rogar is, and Siabrey lunges through the crowd, and pushes Tess aside to slip into the booth seat across from the man. “How are you doing?” she asks as Tess huffs with a little indignation at being pushed aside like that. Rogar lets out a thin chuckle, and remarks that, “It's been a long time since two young ladies like yourselves fought over me.” He begins toying with a toothpick at the table. Before Siabrey can destroy the slight lessening of tensions, Tess cuts in, “We have some reason to be concerned about you and your friend, Rosalyn.” Rogar immediately seems to stiffen, and the toothpick breaks in his hand. To add to Tess’ woes, Shaun pushes his way through and begins blurting out items in a rather blunt manner. “A woman, named Ilia…” he began, only to have Rogar interrupt. “That’s Rosalyn’s middle name…” the rogue says rather quietly. “Ilia robbed me blind in Kulloden only three days ago… and nearly left me paralyzed! I mean to recover my items… and I’m not saying that your Rosalyn is the woman I’m after, but the evidence is growing more substantial…” Rogar’s gaze stops Shaun’s speech… a mounting fury builds in his eyes till something else replaces it suddenly… sadness floods away the anger, as a raging river strips the land bare. “She left today… rather suddenly, without telling me,” Rogar says, his voice very low and quiet. His eyes well up, and both Tess and Siabrey are more than a little shocked.. their roguish, conniving friend seems to have a tender place in his heart for someone other than himself. “She had met her in Kulloden four years ago… she’s saved my life so many times since… she had a letter dropped off in Holstean two weeks ago that she’d be in this area around this time… and it was luck that we met again.” Rogar started to sniffle. “So… its serious between you two?” Siabrey said with a great deal of gravity. Rogar held up his hand, which was formerly bare. Now, on his fourth ringer was a bright golden ring, with a large diamond cut perfecting sitting on top. Never missing a beat, Shaun launched forward. “See, she’s betrayed you too! I don’t want this woman to hurt anyone else, which is why I want to teach her a lesson! Heck, you’d rather I reached her than the Thieves Guild in Kull…” “Don’t presume to lecture me on the Thieves Guild, boy,” Rogar said quietly, his voice steadier now. “Even if Rosalyn is this woman you are looking for, they do not know what she’s capable of… I have seen her take down four bugbears by herself… something I doubt you or any of the Guild people could ever do. You’ll never find her in the dark.. she has too much of a lead. As if she could ever do anything to someone claiming to be innocent as yourself… As for ‘looking’ for her, I am not going to have any part of it! Doesn’t someone need to look after the boy over there? I shall do that while you run about with your useless hunting.” He then stands up and walks out. The three party members sigh, and can merely hope Rogar isn’t too upset, and plans to search for Ilia are scrapped. Siabrey decides instead that since it is the party’s last night in civilization for a while (if they even return at all from demon hunting), that she is going to have a few drinks. Tess agrees with this logic, though she decides to pull out her harp and play some nice drinking songs as things go on. Not to be outdone by a petite woman (Siabrey is only 5’3”, perhaps 120 pounds), Shaun strides up to the bar, and starts to order his drink. Siabrey gets an evil smile, and challenges Shaun to have dwarven ale with her. Shaun obliges, and the two down their drinks, with no effect. And the game is on. Shaun then orders [I]two[/I] dwarven ales for himself, and not to be stopped by an upstart, Siabrey does the same. They chug down both drinks, once again with no effect. Siabrey then orders [I]another[/I] two dwarven ales, looking Shaun up and down, knowing he wasn’t foolish enough to match. He was. He was not only foolish enough to match, but he ordered a large stein… three ales in one mug. Siabrey changes her order to the same, and they down them… only showing slight tipsiness (DM’s Notation: Their fortitude rolls were insanely lucky at this point). Siabrey then orders a large stein of her own, Shaun follows suit, and quickly their drinking contest collapses into a drunken contest. The ales, it seems, had a delayed effect, as both grow dizzy and have to hold onto the bar for support. They glare at each other for a bit, before Shaun begins to grin… and then to laugh, almost insanely. Siabrey’s clouded mind couldn’t figure out what was so funny… yet she started chuckling too until Shaun blurted it out to her. “That Lucius is great.. he can pick out really good ones! You are really stacked!” Her laughter was instantly replaced with furious anger, and she loudly and slovenly yelled, “stacked! YOU WANT TO SEE STACKED!” Despite her inhibitions, her mind realized rather quickly that was not the best thing to say in an overcrowded bar filled with intoxicated men. Shaun’s mind isn’t working particularly fast now, but its working fast enough for him to say something regrettable. Lucius, when describing Siabrey to Shaun, had mentioned that she had wings she kept hidden under her cloak. He didn’t know if she could use them or not, but it seemed, in his inebriated mind, the right thing to use in an insult. “What are you going to do now? Fly?” he shouted. Siabrey’s muddled mind instantly froze. Images of her mothers’ admonitions flooded into her mind, her drunken state propelling them to the forefront. [I]If they find out about you, and how you’re not like them, they attack you and hurt you, child![/I] her mother’s voice rang louder and louder in her head. Deciding she’s had enough, she draws back and delivers a haymaker swing… …which merely brushes Shaun’s chin, and sends her sprawling to the floor, much to Shaun’s delight and the delight of those gathered around. She struggles to stand, and after a few moments, is using the bar to steady herself when she swings again, and connects hard… sending both of them sprawling to the ground. Tess sees their predicament, and the crowd drawing in, and fortunately covers for them with another rousing ballad of drinking, which attracts the crowd’s attention from the increasingly hostile pair by the bar. Several more blows were traded, before Siabrey’s fright grew to the point she had enough. She panicked, and stumbled out of the tavern before Tess could get to the front. Shaun shouted more drunken taunts, only to fall and be caught by Tess. Siabrey stumbled outside, panicking. Obviously the noise from the fight was loud, as Rogar had now stuck his head outside the opposite building’s door. “Was it you making all of that noise?” he calls, and Siabrey ignores him. Noticing her quiet drunken gait, Rogar comes out and tries to grab her to take her back to the building where Lucius is being held… at the very least so she can sober up. Siabrey, however, puts up the fight of her life, swing, trying to bite, all in a desperate effort to get away… to run away from the horror that had happened in the bar behind her. She had no way of knowing all the patrons, save Tess, had merely assumed it was drunk talk and paid no attention to it. Finally, she struggles to the point where Rogar merely hefts her over his shoulder, and carries her into the empty tavern. Tess arrives shortly afterwards, a quite drunk and lively Shaun in tow. Rogar had placed Siabrey in a seat, but when she saw Shaun she promptly tried to stand and draw her sword… instead she drew air, and waved her hand about as if a katana was there, telling him to back off. Shaun’s brain didn’t realize how much he’d hurt her, and he merely called for her to calm down. Rogar takes a more proactive approach, and grabs her and shoves her into her seat. Lucius sits up with pain, and asks what’s going on… and Tess replies that, “This is what drunk people look like after the fun of drinking.” The young man immediately forswears any alcohol after seeing the states of two of his friends. Siabrey, meanwhile, twists, turns, and struggles against Rogar’s unfailing grip. Shaun falls over in mid laugh, out like a light as Siabrey gives one last burst of fury… which Rogar’s sober arms easily contain. Finally, the fight broken out of her, Siabrey breaks down and starts to cry. Tess runs over, and starts to comfort her, asking her why she’s crying, and narrowly avoids being befouled as Siabrey’s drunkenness, fear, and tears cause her to lose her breakfast, lunch and dinner. Very worried, Lucius manages to struggle to his feet, a shuffle over and give her a tight hug, rocking her back and forth as her tears finally stop, and an unconscious sleep takes over her. The next morning dawns late but extremely bright for Siabrey and Shaun. Tess has already run out and found some medicines to fight the massive hangovers she knows the two will be having, and forces the bitter herbs down their throats. Hidalas also came by, leaving the staff with Lucius, along with directions on its use (it’s a Minor Staff of Healing from the Church of Honoria… the orcs likely killed a priest and stole it because it looked pretty). Siabrey, however, is still very very worried over the events of the last night, and looks the haggard part for it as well. Lucius asks her what’s wrong, and she replies that some information was told last night that might endanger her. ”Oh, you mean about your wings?” Lucius asks, and Siabrey does a painful double take. “How… do you know about them? When?” she asks in her quiet, headache-ridden voice. “I’ve known for three days, Siabrey,” he says, urging her to eat some more of the breakfast that Tess found. “You have to take your armor off when you go to sleep… no, I didn’t see anything underneath any of the underclothes, but it was plainly obvious then that there was something on your back… your cloak moved, and I caught sight of part of one wing.” “And you’re not scared of me?” she asks even more quietly, fearful of the result. “No,” Lucius responds in a normal voice, “its rather neat actually. I think they look nice,” he gives her a hug, which prompts somewhere in her brain something to start to raise some questions… before she realizes he just said this in front of the others. Her fear returns a little, till Tess says that she knows as well… it was easy to figure out after Siabrey requested special holes in her armor. “So you don’t think I’m a succubus or anything horrible like that?” she asks, a lot more relieved. “No… you’re just fine the way you are,” Lucius says. The questions start coming back into her brain, louder this time… [/QUOTE]
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