TCotM: Rinaldo Gets Schooled

[Velmont]

My chance to hit are less then 4% if she see throught the feint. If not, it must double... guess what, dead, I'm good for nothing. There is a time to fight, there is a time to escape, and even if I do a commotion, Rinaldo tongues, with the argument she was burning him alive when she isn't suppose to be able to cast a single cantrip will allow him to make her a liar. If I can't beat her on fight, better beat her on social, my speciality.

 

[Rystil Arden]

*Rinaldo retreats to the door and opens it, calling out his dire rantings about being attacked. He manages to attract the attention of a few of the passerby.*

*When Troglodyte Fake-Laynie sees the people looking, she calls out:*

"This strange man who conned his way into the dormitories turned out to be some kind of criminal. He attacked me in my room and I'm using my magic to defend myself. Quick, help defend me and make sure he can't get away!" as she says this, she dismisses her form-changing magic, which lowers some of her defenses, as she changes from a Troglodyte into Elektra, the face that matches the voice. She must figure she doesn't need as high of defenses with everyone watching.

 

[Velmont]

"Elektra is at the library. She left a few minutes ago." and Rinaldo turns into Elektra too. "And any one can do that trick anyway." Rinaldo returns to his true appearnce. "She pretended to be Elle, a new student, the girl of a friend of mine, but she is an imposter. Call the Dean, teh head of the order, I don't care, I'm ready to explain myself to them, I won't oppose... can you do tell the same?" asks Rinaldo to teh false Laynie. "Tell me where she is!"

 

[Rystil Arden]

"I was just at the library--I didn't see Lex there," one of the people comments.

*A dark-haired lad pushes his way to the front of the gathering crowd. His face has a bit of a grim set, but he's still fairly handsome, except perhaps for the dark eyepatch over his left eye, covered with a mystic rune.*

"Listen up, you. You're not a student here. You shouldn't even be in the dormitories without an escort. Do you even have paperwork to be on a guided tour? Where's your guide."

"And don't even think about using dark magics on me to get to Lex. My mother loves me, so I'm immune to all magic," he states, rubbing his eyepatch--the last bit about being immune to magic seems a bit of a bluff.

"And just in case..." he whispers something to Elektra/fake-Laynie/??? and she whispers something back, "I just asked her out safety question to see if she was a fake or not, and she got the right answer. Whatever this man says, this is the real Elektra Planter, and if he was in her room without authorisation, well, I don't even know how he got there."

"Thanks Truman. I didn't know he was a threat at first, so I let him in after Jules brought him in the dorms," Elektra confesses.

 

[Velmont]

"Elektra, Elle migth be in danger. She might even become a danger if we don't remove the aspects in her." Rinaldo tells. "I didn't want to kill you, or I would have use my rapier. I though you were Elle ridden by the aspect in her. That must not happen. You know what happen with the journal. Do you want the same events be repeated here? Let's talk to someone who have authority here, he will understand. I understand you want to protect your friend, but you endanger everyone else with that."

[SBLOCK=OOC]Rinaldo will want to play on the fear of the students about the events that happen recently here, related to the journal to put the others on a more neutral side. He will want the other to beleive him enough to call some head of teh order quickly, where Rinaldo will explain the whole story...

Here the story:

Rinaldo have sold a trinket to a client, Elle's mother. That trinket was an object that contain part of the soul of the Dark Lord. Elle's mother was possessed by the aspect of the Dark Lord contain in the trinket. The aspect of the Dark Lord then lept into Elle, taking part of Elle's mother soul and flee here. That drain the aspect and have grown dormant but it could awaken anytime. It also left weaken Elle's mother.

Rinaldo discover that and asks two reknown wizards and Monemvassian Knights, Ashnar and Tenebrynn, to see what have happen. Tenebrynn, a good diviner, explain what could have happened. Rinaldo contacts also refer him to someone who had seen a similar case, Vanitri Duskrider. Vanitri explains what happen at the Academy.

The group came to a solution to save the mother, but they need Elle to take back the aspects and give it back to her mother. But the solution is not perfect yet, and it is something risky for Elle, but her mother, without her hope, can die as she see nothing worth to stay alive. She is actually waiting with Tenebrynn, Ashnar, Hogarth and Vanitri in the wizard's tower in Monemvassia.

Rinaldo came here once they discovered where Elle was hiding. He found Elle, but when she replied "I can't let you near her to convince her sacrifice herself, you monster!", Rinaldo have interpreted it as Elle was ridden by the aspect of the Dark One and she didn't want him to get near Elle's personality, so he decided to subdue her before she do something bad and then try to save her.

It is only now Rinaldo understood it wasn't Elle, but Elektra who was overprotecting Elle. Rinaldo is aware the magical process to save Elle's mother can be dangerous for Elle, so Rinaldo want to talk to Elle and explain the situation.

Anything else that doesn't fit in this story and is told by Elektra is just add on made by Elektra in hope to save Elle. She is overprotecting her friend and try to discredit Rinaldo. Anyway, Chronomancy, Wild magic in the same tower, that would be just crazy and too unstable and the world would have been blown off long time ago. Anyway, does anybody have ever been able to use Chronomancy? And the Dark One being the mother's of Elle... just as much ridiculous. And him figthing the Dark one herself... even more ridiculous, he can't even beat Elektra who is a student, so him figthing an archmage??? Bah.

And if that doesn't work... well, I think I'm screwd. I hope a Bluff +15 and Diplomacy +22 will do the job in front of head order and the other students... I doubt Elektra will catch to that, but he just need to discredit any story she will tells.[/SBLOCK]

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Oh, someone with authority is coming," Elektra assures him, "Why do you think I went to so much effort to delay?"

(OOC: The trouble for Rinaldo, of course, is that many of these people are Hostile or Unfriendly to an armed intruder who was beating up a student. Ordinarily, he could easily get them to Indifferent or Friendly if he's lucky, but when there's also someone else they know and trust making an opposed check to defeat his attempt, he's in big trouble. Fortunately, IC hasn't abandoned you yet--Rinaldo got a natural 20 on Diplomacy. Unfortunately, Lex did pretty well herself...)

*Most of the students still seem sceptical of Rinaldo, but at least they don't look like they're all about to blast him with spells at once (a semi-common look for students in the dorm that specialises in Evocation!). Truman still trusts Lex implicitly and ignores every word Rinaldo said, possibly because he knows who Elle really is and thus knows that Rinaldo must automatically be lying.*

*Eventually, a beautiful and friendly-looking woman with pale blue hair walks gravely through the dormitory halls towards them. She is clad in an elaborate and clearly magical robe with entwining patterns and wears a medallion with the symbol of the House that he has seen sewn on each of the Daryne students' robes. She seems a bit too young to be a figure of such authority that everyone turns and defers to her, but the elfin ears peeking out from beneath her long blue hair give the answer to that question. Rinaldo would swear he's seen her before somewhere if it weren't impossible.*

"Elektra, I came as soon as I could. Is this the man?"

"Yes, Housemistress."

"Very well. Elektra, will you come with me?" the Housemistress glances at Elektra, who nods, "Good. Then you shall both come to my office and I will deal with this unpleasantness," her voice holds a hint of steel as she turns to Rinaldo--it is clearly not a question for him.

 

[Velmont]

Rinaldo nods and follow the Housemistress without adding a word.

 

[Rystil Arden]

*The Housemistress exits the dormitories and takes the pair up to her office. It is a spacious office and apartment, well-furnished and well-kept. Tea is brewing in a kettle, a bit over the boil thanks to being interrupted by the violence in the dormitory.*

"Now then. Elektra, you explain everything to me. You," she looks at Rinaldo, "Keep quiet until she is finished."

*Elektra explains everything that Rinaldo told her.*

"Very well. With that as a preface, would you like to make your introduction and explain your side of the story?" the Housemistress asks Rinaldo, beginning to take the role of a mediator, at least in appearance.

 

[Velmont]

"I'm sorry for the trouble I have caused. I never meant to disturb the tranquility of your institution, but things had an unexpected turned. I don't mean to be forgiven, only to be understood.

My name is Rinaldo di Senzio. I'm a magical item trader and Knight of Monemvassia. If I am here, it is because of my business. I lately acquired some items from a collector. I've been able to sold on of these item to a women. That women falled ill in the month following the acquisition of my item, a delicate necklace that was suppose to help health. Concern by the events, I've sent a friend of mine, a follower of Gundar, to help her. It's always good to business to keep good relation with the client. But Hogarth, my friend, wasn't able to help, his magic being not appropriate for that sitation. At that time, we didn't knew yet what was happening.

I asked to wizard, Tenebrynn Glimmersight and Ashnar, two knights of Monemvassia which I have some relation with to look at it, as it seemed to have some relation with the collar. They discovered the necklace was an item that had once been owned by the Dark One. My contacts put me in touch wit one of your student, Vanitri Duskrider, who had to deal once with a similar case, the journal that has been found her. It helped us but it seemed to not act exactly the same way.

It seems she had invest part of her in the item before she died. That 'aspect' of the Dark One have taken over the women body. But the aspect wasn't in her anymore. It had lept into another body. Before we find which one, Elle, my client's daugther, had dissapeared, which was strange, as she had given no reason. The conclusion was easy, the Dark One had taken over her body. not only that, but have teleported her near here, but that has tken more time to find. That effort must have the drain the Dark One aspect and must have gone dormant, just as when it had first lept into teh woman body, and that would explain why she has been sick only a month after.

We also discovered that my client was dying because part of her soul was taken in the transfer process. It seems to have taken only aspect of her personality, like her hope, her love for her children, her joy... we end with a woman in deep depression and with nothing to hold to live, so her health was degenerating at disturbing way. We found a way to solve all that, but teh process have never been use before, so it isn't without risk, I must conceed, we will need to drag out of Elle teh part of teh Dark One soul and her mother soul, split them apart, gives back her soul and bound back the soul of the Dark One to the necklace, which is the best container as it already have contain it. After that, it will be easy to destroy the necklace.

During the otehrs are taking care of Elle's mother, I've been sent here to take her back. I am here to speak with her and explain the situation. I don't want to force her back home. If she don't want to take that risk, I suppose you have the power to remove the aspects within her, but if we want to save her mother, she will need to come back with me to Monemvassia, to Tenebrynn and Ashnar's tower, where her mother is living on teh edge of the death.

Once I've found her, Miss Juliana led me to Elecktra's room, where Elle was lodging, Elektra has left me alone with Elle... well, it was what I thought as I saw no reason why someone would trick me, but it seems what Elektra have done. It seems an illusion of her left for the library and Elektra was disguised as Elle.

I explain the situation to Elle, including the risk. She told me she wouldn't let me near here as she love too much her mother. It seems she wanted to protect her friend from harm that could be brought to her. I understand that emotion, but as I thought I was talking to Elle, I was thinking it was the Dark One aspect who had taken over Elle and she was keepin away Elle's mind away from me and any influence my words could have on her. I couldn't let her to control Elle and if the Dark one knew she was discovered, she could flee, or maybe worst, so I decide to subdue her. I tried to knock Elle out before she do something bad, but she protect herself with so many spell and start to burn me, so I could only flee for my life and asks for help.

It is there Elektra revert into herself and after a moment, I understood the mistake I had done.

I'm just sad to see how Elektra is overprotecting Elle. That story about me figthing the Dark one in a tower of Chronomancy and Wild Magic is pretty concerning but have no senses. I can't even fight against a student of you academy, so I should be dead against the Dark One and so many of her sbire.

And so much use of chronomancy, in an enviroment of so much wild magic. I knew little about both type of magic, but for what I know, chronomancy is a very powerfull and very delicate kind of magic and anyone who has even try to play with it got killed... and wild magic is the opposite, it is pure and brute magic that is so dense that it can hardly be controlled and always end by giving side effects. Combining both seems just the best way to kill yourself and destroy a whole region on the side, if not the whole continent or even more worse.

Headmistress, I just ask one thing, I just need to talk to Elle. If you can call her here, it is the only thing. Elle's mother is dying and maybe even dead as we speak, but my friends all doing all in there power to keep her alive. Time is against her."

[SBLOCK=OOC]1. Did Elektra mentionned the location of the tower? Rinaldo had no need to speak about that.

2. Rinaldo tries to raise the headmistress opinion about Rinaldo with his Diplomacy and try to gain credibility by his titles and reputation... I hope as a Knight of Monemvassia and a guy level 9, he can be known by a few people...

3. Rinaldo try to discredit any part of the story about the Crux, Chronomancy, teh tower and him figthing against the Dark One.

4. Rinaldo want to be able to speak to Elle, that's want he seek, which have nothing to take her away yet, it should be more acceptable for someone unfriednly or indifferent. And I hope my reputation (and a good diplomacy roll) could make her even friendly.[/SBLOCK]

 

[Rystil Arden]

"I see. Your words are honeyed, Mr. di Senzio, and they are reasonable as well. It is hard to discount them so easily, even though I usually trust my own students implictly...But tell me--you have a friend who worships Gundar, yes? Gundar watches his clerics. Do you mind if I use my magic to contact Gundar's plane and ask him to verify your story?"

(OOC: Ooh, you rolled very well on Sense Motive--Rinaldo believes her about contacting Gundar, which of course would be disastrous for Rinaldo because Gundar is going to say Rinaldo is lying. But another thing--she seems a bit more suspicious of Rinaldo than her words let on: perhaps she already knows that one or more parts of Rinaldo's story is a lie based on prior knowledge of the situation. It would make sense if, for instance, she knows who Laynie's mother really is.)