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<blockquote data-quote="Hairy Minotaur" data-source="post: 4198339" data-attributes="member: 11574"><p><strong>Menthos recruitment drive</strong></p><p></p><p>As Xanthos flew Haimish back to Highcastle, he observed the physical changes the bard was going through, his hair was falling out in clumps, Haimish’s fingernails grew at an alarming rate and tuned a sickly yellow, the bards teeth turned a mixture of green and black and his frame grew more and more gaunt as the miles passed. Xanthos tried vainly to engage the bard in conversation, Haimish however seemed intent on starring into the black orb as if it were a crystal ball into a forgotten library of lost knowledge. Xanthos changed tactics and just made insightful observations about the land beneath them, hoping that would prompt Haimish to reply, but to no avail. Once Xanthos could see Highcastle’s wall on the horizon, the shifter noted Haimish’s eyes had turned from brown to pitch black to match the sheen on orb the bard carried. </p><p></p><p>“I’m going to set you down at the temple to Rontra; I don’t want you wandering the streets.” Xanthos advised</p><p></p><p>“No, put me down near Moremekar’s place by the cemetery.” Haimish answered with a parched and burning throat</p><p></p><p>“I think that would be a bad idea, don’t you?” Xanthos questioned</p><p></p><p>But as the shifter banked to the right to head for the northern part of the city, Haimish leapt from the back of Xanthos’ giant eagle form and <em>feather fall’d </em> down to the ground. Xanthos looped in midair and dove down into the crowd to pick up Haimish; the bard had a few tricks up his sleeve. Haimish turned invisible and waded through the crowd, Xanthos’ awe-inspiring ability of sight allowed him to catch glimpses of the shimmering form even through the mass of marketplace shoppers. </p><p></p><p>The shifter turned into a sparrow to better navigate the area and not raise alarm the form of a giant eagle would have above a commoner. After only a few dozen few, Xanthos realized Haimish wasn’t headed for the Dead One’s church at all, Haimish was headed straight for the School of Ancient Knowledge. Concerned about Haimish’s real motives more than ever, the shifter abandoned the chase and flew straight to the school. Xanthos arrived a couple minutes before Haimish could wade through the crowd, turning back into an elf the shifter waited for Haimish to arrive.</p><p></p><p>“What do you think you are doing?” Xanthos spoke as the invisible Haimish climbed the steps of the school.</p><p></p><p>“Saving us.” Haimish replied</p><p></p><p>“Saving us from what?” Xanthos said putting his hand out to halt the advancing Haimish </p><p></p><p>“From Orcus.” Haimish answers and shoves Xanthos off the steps and faces the school’s doors, “I come to negotiate with the daywalker!” </p><p></p><p>Xanthos quickly recovers and leaps back to the steps in hopes of wresting the orb from Haimish’s grip, the always alert school however acted instantly when Haimish mentioned the experiment and teleported the bard inside the school and Xanthos only grabbed empty space. Xanthos paced in writhing anger wondering what his options were next, he tried pounding on the door, vandalizing the steps, hurling curses at those he assumed were inside laughing at his failed attempts to gain entry. Then a new passion caught fire, this was all Menthos’ fault, he would fly back to the party and force the truth out of that pompous ass if he has to turn into a tick and suck it out of him. </p><p></p><p>Adokul busied himself regaling the hopeful treasure seekers of the riches promised to him by someone called Anbhas Ceirtlin, this individual promised Adokul all the riches found if he could lead a team on scouting a fact-finding mission.</p><p></p><p>“To where?” Menthos asks</p><p></p><p>“It’s underground; I think he was afraid of the place. Probably too dark and spooky for his taste.” Adokul answers</p><p></p><p>“What is this Anbhas Ceirtlin?” Menthos inquires</p><p></p><p>“A man with the ability to follow through with his offer.” Adokul answers</p><p></p><p>“You never answered the question.” Menthos presses</p><p></p><p>“What difference does it make? The man says we’ll get to keep everything, then we’ll get to keep everything.” Adokul replies</p><p></p><p>“True, who cares if he’s a kobold or a cambion if we’re getting some due reward from this then I say we should check it out. I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m not exactly swimming in the gold right now.” Eeyore offers</p><p></p><p>“I agree, I learn nothing by staying in this keep. Only through explorations of forgotten locals can I gain power.” Dahlgren interjects</p><p></p><p>“Doopa ready to stomp something, Doopa get itchy feeling in Doopa hands.” The ogre announces</p><p></p><p>“See it’s nearly unanimous considering the drow is passed out drunk, stay here if you want the rest of us go forth to glory! Let’s go everybody.” Adokul rallies.</p><p></p><p>“What? Now? I can’t go now, I just impressed myself by making it from Hledra to here in two days walking. No way are my feet ready to wander around in the dark looking for the boogeyman.” Eeyore complains</p><p></p><p>“But I can get you there in no time!” Adokul pleads</p><p></p><p>“And then I’d still be walking around in the dark, I’m waiting until morning.” Eeyore counters</p><p>“I agree a good night’s rest would be very helpful indeed.” Kourk answers</p><p></p><p>“Aren’t you still hallucinating you’re a dwarf? Why would you be tired?” Adokul replies</p><p></p><p>“Hallucinating? I don’t follow you’re train of thought wizard.” Kourk answers</p><p></p><p>“I can’t believe this, all of you are ready and excited to go and then it’s wait! That’s ridiculous!” Adokul bellows</p><p></p><p>“Maybe tomorrow after a good praying we’ll feel more inclined to travel?” Menthos says</p><p></p><p>“Religion is a tool for the weak minded to justify their lot in life, I don’t need smoke and mirrors and faith in a rock to help me, I make my own power!” Adokul roars</p><p></p><p>“Point of order. Do you plan on healing us with your lightening bolt of burning scorchness, or would do you plan for them to die of disease after scraping their hands on a moss patch? I’ve never seen a <em>magic missile </em> of healing before perhaps you’ve located some obscure spell?” Kourk retorts</p><p></p><p>“This whole keep is filled with useless wastes of nursemaids, Menthos can pick us out a spunky one and we’ll drag them along for healing, we can leave tonight and be rich beyond our dreams tomorrow!” Adokul addresses</p><p></p><p>“Sure, you convert and I’ll be more than happy to set you up with a spunky little firecracker.” Menthos counters</p><p></p><p>“Convert? Are mocking me? Or are you that stupid you can’t follow a conversation!” Adokul rants</p><p></p><p>“Calm down, we said we’d go in the morning, what’s sixteen hours going to cost us anyway?” Eeyore replies</p><p></p><p>“Rip his nuts off!” Aust slurs drunkenly</p><p></p><p>“See it’s not even dinner time yet and the drow is one alcohol swab away from cirrhosis.” Menthos points out</p><p></p><p>Dahlgren helps his friend to his feet and leads him away towards his room, whilst the rest of the party also gets up and head towards the dining hall for dinner. Adokul stands dejected, but does not teleport away. Instead the wizard tracks down Doopa with a plea.</p><p></p><p>“Doopa, would it be alright if I bunked with you tonight?” Adokul requests</p><p></p><p>“Sure, if can stand celebration of happy colon.” Doopa responds</p><p></p><p>That night as Adokul tried in vain to ignore the constant gas seepage from Doopa, the wizard tossed and turned in his bed unable to get comfortable. He thought about getting up and going for a walk but quickly dismissed that as a bad idea. Instead he grabbed his blanket and huddled in the furthest corner of the room away from Doopa. Scrunched up in the fetal position, the wizard propped his head against the cold stone wall and tried to get some rest.</p><p></p><p>Menthos stood atop the cold and blustery gatehouse, watching the sun quickly recede behind the Majestics, Dahlgren approaches from behind and stands east to watch the darkening sky overtake the last vestiges of the day’s light.</p><p></p><p>“What troubles you so, that you feel the need to long for the return of object that revisits us daily?” Dahlgren asks</p><p></p><p>“I see I’m no longer adept at hiding from the keep if you were able to spot me up here.” Menthos answers</p><p></p><p>“I was coming up here anyway, I’ve searched the patterns of the keep proper and found none, I planned to search the night horizon here as well.” Dahlgren answers</p><p></p><p>“What are you looking for?” Menthos inquires</p><p></p><p>“Patterns, symbols, hints at something beyond reach yet once so close. I derive my power from finding these fonts and creating a mutual benefiting pact with them.” Dahlgren answers</p><p></p><p>“So you talk to dead people.” Menthos remarks</p><p></p><p>“In a way, I talk to their essence. They no longer exist on this plane physically, but they long to embrace the memory.” Dahlgren replies</p><p></p><p>“Must prove frustrating, I don’t think you’ve found a thing yet to help you.” Menthos comments</p><p></p><p>“Quite the contrary, your faith in Kador intrigues me.” Dahlgren states</p><p></p><p>An awkward silence fills the space as Menthos wonders what Dahlgren is getting at, Dahlgren however leaves the remark hanging there, “Nevertheless, you have still failed to tell me what it is you are doing up here.”</p><p></p><p>“I see the coming storm, the clouds for it haven’t even formed yet, though I know it comes. I thought that by coming here I could expunge that knowledge, I find that the harder part.” Menthos answers</p><p></p><p>Adokul is startled awake by a terrifying nightmare of him trying to out run the pursuing Anbhas Ceirtlin, pleading with him for more time. Backed against a cavern wall Adokul tries in vain to ascend the slope backwards. Suddenly a piercing pain in his left forearm forces the wizard back to reality, throwing open his eyes Adokul just makes out the dissolving form of a smoke mephit as it returns to the fireplace. A quick glance down at his arm finds a needle mark with a rapidly expanding area of grey flesh. Adokul reaches over to grab his arm in a worthless attempt to stop the poison but he grabs cold hard stone instead.</p><p></p><p>In the morning Doopa retrieves Menthos to inform him of Adokul’s odd state, they find a statue of Adokul sitting against the wall looking down at his forearm.</p><p></p><p>“Security has been breached, get Gorn. Doopa can you please bring Adokul and follow me?” Menthos says</p><p></p><p>Menthos has Doopa carry Adokul to Aleena’s quarters and place him in the secret viewing room. Lighting the brazier the flame it creates forms a window to Statinistor.</p><p></p><p>“My you’ve become resourceful haven’t you?” the high priest comments</p><p></p><p>“Kindoras has been breached by an assassin.” Menthos informs the priest</p><p></p><p>“Really? That’s alarming, who was killed?” Statinistor asks</p><p></p><p>“A new convert, I believe we may have a holy war on our hands.” Menthos answers</p><p></p><p>“What? Show me this death.” Statinistor demands</p><p></p><p>Menthos parts to the side to show the crouched statue of Adokul.</p><p></p><p>“That’s not a convert. He’s not even a priest.” Statinistor says</p><p></p><p>“Not true, just last night I was extolling the virtues of a Kador worship and he was intrigued enough to return with me to Aleena’s room where he read from the Book of Fire and expressed his need to reform. We planned to baptize him in the fire not even one half hour from now.” Menthos bluffs</p><p></p><p>“Who else knew of his turning?” Statinistor asks</p><p></p><p>“No one except maybe his god, Orcus.” Menthos bluffs again</p><p></p><p>“Send him through the gate and we shall check him over at once.” Statinistor requests</p><p></p><p>Menthos has Doopa toss Adokul through the fire gate. An hour later Statinistor returns with news.</p><p></p><p>“It’s a very nasty poison the only way I can help him is if I change his make-up a little to better fight the poison long enough for me to neutralize it. It will likely make him less than human.” Statinistor advises</p><p></p><p>“If it brings him closer to Kador, I believe he would cherish the change.” Menthos bluffs yet again.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Hairy Minotaur, post: 4198339, member: 11574"] [b]Menthos recruitment drive[/b] As Xanthos flew Haimish back to Highcastle, he observed the physical changes the bard was going through, his hair was falling out in clumps, Haimish’s fingernails grew at an alarming rate and tuned a sickly yellow, the bards teeth turned a mixture of green and black and his frame grew more and more gaunt as the miles passed. Xanthos tried vainly to engage the bard in conversation, Haimish however seemed intent on starring into the black orb as if it were a crystal ball into a forgotten library of lost knowledge. Xanthos changed tactics and just made insightful observations about the land beneath them, hoping that would prompt Haimish to reply, but to no avail. Once Xanthos could see Highcastle’s wall on the horizon, the shifter noted Haimish’s eyes had turned from brown to pitch black to match the sheen on orb the bard carried. “I’m going to set you down at the temple to Rontra; I don’t want you wandering the streets.” Xanthos advised “No, put me down near Moremekar’s place by the cemetery.” Haimish answered with a parched and burning throat “I think that would be a bad idea, don’t you?” Xanthos questioned But as the shifter banked to the right to head for the northern part of the city, Haimish leapt from the back of Xanthos’ giant eagle form and [I]feather fall’d [/I] down to the ground. Xanthos looped in midair and dove down into the crowd to pick up Haimish; the bard had a few tricks up his sleeve. Haimish turned invisible and waded through the crowd, Xanthos’ awe-inspiring ability of sight allowed him to catch glimpses of the shimmering form even through the mass of marketplace shoppers. The shifter turned into a sparrow to better navigate the area and not raise alarm the form of a giant eagle would have above a commoner. After only a few dozen few, Xanthos realized Haimish wasn’t headed for the Dead One’s church at all, Haimish was headed straight for the School of Ancient Knowledge. Concerned about Haimish’s real motives more than ever, the shifter abandoned the chase and flew straight to the school. Xanthos arrived a couple minutes before Haimish could wade through the crowd, turning back into an elf the shifter waited for Haimish to arrive. “What do you think you are doing?” Xanthos spoke as the invisible Haimish climbed the steps of the school. “Saving us.” Haimish replied “Saving us from what?” Xanthos said putting his hand out to halt the advancing Haimish “From Orcus.” Haimish answers and shoves Xanthos off the steps and faces the school’s doors, “I come to negotiate with the daywalker!” Xanthos quickly recovers and leaps back to the steps in hopes of wresting the orb from Haimish’s grip, the always alert school however acted instantly when Haimish mentioned the experiment and teleported the bard inside the school and Xanthos only grabbed empty space. Xanthos paced in writhing anger wondering what his options were next, he tried pounding on the door, vandalizing the steps, hurling curses at those he assumed were inside laughing at his failed attempts to gain entry. Then a new passion caught fire, this was all Menthos’ fault, he would fly back to the party and force the truth out of that pompous ass if he has to turn into a tick and suck it out of him. Adokul busied himself regaling the hopeful treasure seekers of the riches promised to him by someone called Anbhas Ceirtlin, this individual promised Adokul all the riches found if he could lead a team on scouting a fact-finding mission. “To where?” Menthos asks “It’s underground; I think he was afraid of the place. Probably too dark and spooky for his taste.” Adokul answers “What is this Anbhas Ceirtlin?” Menthos inquires “A man with the ability to follow through with his offer.” Adokul answers “You never answered the question.” Menthos presses “What difference does it make? The man says we’ll get to keep everything, then we’ll get to keep everything.” Adokul replies “True, who cares if he’s a kobold or a cambion if we’re getting some due reward from this then I say we should check it out. I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m not exactly swimming in the gold right now.” Eeyore offers “I agree, I learn nothing by staying in this keep. Only through explorations of forgotten locals can I gain power.” Dahlgren interjects “Doopa ready to stomp something, Doopa get itchy feeling in Doopa hands.” The ogre announces “See it’s nearly unanimous considering the drow is passed out drunk, stay here if you want the rest of us go forth to glory! Let’s go everybody.” Adokul rallies. “What? Now? I can’t go now, I just impressed myself by making it from Hledra to here in two days walking. No way are my feet ready to wander around in the dark looking for the boogeyman.” Eeyore complains “But I can get you there in no time!” Adokul pleads “And then I’d still be walking around in the dark, I’m waiting until morning.” Eeyore counters “I agree a good night’s rest would be very helpful indeed.” Kourk answers “Aren’t you still hallucinating you’re a dwarf? Why would you be tired?” Adokul replies “Hallucinating? I don’t follow you’re train of thought wizard.” Kourk answers “I can’t believe this, all of you are ready and excited to go and then it’s wait! That’s ridiculous!” Adokul bellows “Maybe tomorrow after a good praying we’ll feel more inclined to travel?” Menthos says “Religion is a tool for the weak minded to justify their lot in life, I don’t need smoke and mirrors and faith in a rock to help me, I make my own power!” Adokul roars “Point of order. Do you plan on healing us with your lightening bolt of burning scorchness, or would do you plan for them to die of disease after scraping their hands on a moss patch? I’ve never seen a [I]magic missile [/I] of healing before perhaps you’ve located some obscure spell?” Kourk retorts “This whole keep is filled with useless wastes of nursemaids, Menthos can pick us out a spunky one and we’ll drag them along for healing, we can leave tonight and be rich beyond our dreams tomorrow!” Adokul addresses “Sure, you convert and I’ll be more than happy to set you up with a spunky little firecracker.” Menthos counters “Convert? Are mocking me? Or are you that stupid you can’t follow a conversation!” Adokul rants “Calm down, we said we’d go in the morning, what’s sixteen hours going to cost us anyway?” Eeyore replies “Rip his nuts off!” Aust slurs drunkenly “See it’s not even dinner time yet and the drow is one alcohol swab away from cirrhosis.” Menthos points out Dahlgren helps his friend to his feet and leads him away towards his room, whilst the rest of the party also gets up and head towards the dining hall for dinner. Adokul stands dejected, but does not teleport away. Instead the wizard tracks down Doopa with a plea. “Doopa, would it be alright if I bunked with you tonight?” Adokul requests “Sure, if can stand celebration of happy colon.” Doopa responds That night as Adokul tried in vain to ignore the constant gas seepage from Doopa, the wizard tossed and turned in his bed unable to get comfortable. He thought about getting up and going for a walk but quickly dismissed that as a bad idea. Instead he grabbed his blanket and huddled in the furthest corner of the room away from Doopa. Scrunched up in the fetal position, the wizard propped his head against the cold stone wall and tried to get some rest. Menthos stood atop the cold and blustery gatehouse, watching the sun quickly recede behind the Majestics, Dahlgren approaches from behind and stands east to watch the darkening sky overtake the last vestiges of the day’s light. “What troubles you so, that you feel the need to long for the return of object that revisits us daily?” Dahlgren asks “I see I’m no longer adept at hiding from the keep if you were able to spot me up here.” Menthos answers “I was coming up here anyway, I’ve searched the patterns of the keep proper and found none, I planned to search the night horizon here as well.” Dahlgren answers “What are you looking for?” Menthos inquires “Patterns, symbols, hints at something beyond reach yet once so close. I derive my power from finding these fonts and creating a mutual benefiting pact with them.” Dahlgren answers “So you talk to dead people.” Menthos remarks “In a way, I talk to their essence. They no longer exist on this plane physically, but they long to embrace the memory.” Dahlgren replies “Must prove frustrating, I don’t think you’ve found a thing yet to help you.” Menthos comments “Quite the contrary, your faith in Kador intrigues me.” Dahlgren states An awkward silence fills the space as Menthos wonders what Dahlgren is getting at, Dahlgren however leaves the remark hanging there, “Nevertheless, you have still failed to tell me what it is you are doing up here.” “I see the coming storm, the clouds for it haven’t even formed yet, though I know it comes. I thought that by coming here I could expunge that knowledge, I find that the harder part.” Menthos answers Adokul is startled awake by a terrifying nightmare of him trying to out run the pursuing Anbhas Ceirtlin, pleading with him for more time. Backed against a cavern wall Adokul tries in vain to ascend the slope backwards. Suddenly a piercing pain in his left forearm forces the wizard back to reality, throwing open his eyes Adokul just makes out the dissolving form of a smoke mephit as it returns to the fireplace. A quick glance down at his arm finds a needle mark with a rapidly expanding area of grey flesh. Adokul reaches over to grab his arm in a worthless attempt to stop the poison but he grabs cold hard stone instead. In the morning Doopa retrieves Menthos to inform him of Adokul’s odd state, they find a statue of Adokul sitting against the wall looking down at his forearm. “Security has been breached, get Gorn. Doopa can you please bring Adokul and follow me?” Menthos says Menthos has Doopa carry Adokul to Aleena’s quarters and place him in the secret viewing room. Lighting the brazier the flame it creates forms a window to Statinistor. “My you’ve become resourceful haven’t you?” the high priest comments “Kindoras has been breached by an assassin.” Menthos informs the priest “Really? That’s alarming, who was killed?” Statinistor asks “A new convert, I believe we may have a holy war on our hands.” Menthos answers “What? Show me this death.” Statinistor demands Menthos parts to the side to show the crouched statue of Adokul. “That’s not a convert. He’s not even a priest.” Statinistor says “Not true, just last night I was extolling the virtues of a Kador worship and he was intrigued enough to return with me to Aleena’s room where he read from the Book of Fire and expressed his need to reform. We planned to baptize him in the fire not even one half hour from now.” Menthos bluffs “Who else knew of his turning?” Statinistor asks “No one except maybe his god, Orcus.” Menthos bluffs again “Send him through the gate and we shall check him over at once.” Statinistor requests Menthos has Doopa toss Adokul through the fire gate. An hour later Statinistor returns with news. “It’s a very nasty poison the only way I can help him is if I change his make-up a little to better fight the poison long enough for me to neutralize it. It will likely make him less than human.” Statinistor advises “If it brings him closer to Kador, I believe he would cherish the change.” Menthos bluffs yet again. [/QUOTE]
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