Undine the Sea

[Rystil Arden]

"I know why you are here...I find that sometimes the best way to sense the mettle of a man is to throw him off guard a bit. A speech you gave me might have been rehearsed a thousand times, you see," she laughs lightly, the sound a bit like tinkling bells--perhaps she is smiling underneath that cloak, though he has no sense of what that might look like, "So why not let loose a bit and amuse me--do something that you find fun too. Goddess knows you could probably use some laughter right now. And don't try to tie it into your current situation or I will be most upset."

 

[Amaury]

Jallembo is a bit lost. He was really not expecting having to make the priestress laugh to prove their point. He looks around looking for inspiration. His problem was not that he had no joke, he had lots but they were pretty much below the waist level and certainly not appropriate.
He turns around and suddenly says: "Well, let's play then! Cat-and-mouse! But a cat-and-mouse game that will satisfy my curioisity!
I'm gonna run after you and try to catch you! If I catch you, you'll have to reveal your face to me! And.. I can keep a secret if needs be... Ok? Reqdy? At 5! One.. two.. three.. four.. FIVE!"
Assuming she doesn't object, Jallembo playfully leaps at her as soon as he counted to five.


OOC: i let you roll the dices or think of some magic tricks to embarass Jallembo

 

[Rystil Arden]

"I'm afraid you will have no chance to catch me if I truly did not wish to be caught. At least, not here," to emphasise this point, suddenly she shimmers and vanishes, her voice coming from behind him now, as he whirls around and sees that she is located on the other side of the pool of water, "And...I do not think you are ready to see my true face."

"But this game you suggest would not be fun that way. So I will elude you only through mundane means, and if you catch me, I shall reveal...a face for you. Perhaps this hood disconcerts you?"

*She walks back closer towards him as he begins to count to five, then turns to run away. She seems to be incredibly spry and agile for a woman that even the elves describe as 'ancient' and 'elder priestess', and she would probably easily be able to elude him even without magic if not for her tendency to somewhat-playfully run back towards him and brush right past him, sometimes even touching him on the shoulder as she passes by too quickly for him to react and turn around. Eventually, however, this allows Jallembo to plan for such an occurrence and snatch her enshrouded wrist as she moves behind him, able to guess her location even before he turns around.*

"Well, I suppose that was an enjoyable game, Jallembo. Teza is a bit better at playing the cat than you, but then, I guess that's only natural. She said you seemed surprised, perhaps frightened of her. If you be virtuous, you should not be. Nothing in this place would harm you if your heart is pure," she extracts her wrist, which was still covered by folds of shadowy silk, almost like a long glove, "But I suppose you would like a face?"

*She removes her cloak of shadows, revealing a strangely-familiar-looking woman clothed in a simple dress of pale blue. Jallembo can't initially put his finger on where he has seen this woman before, but he knows he has somewhere. Eventually, it comes to him--the reason it was so hard to recognise her is that this face, this woman...she isn't a real person that he has met before. Rather, her appearance seems to be formed from the imagined image he had sometimes seen in his mind's eye of the mother he has never met.*

"Will this suffice?"

 

[Amaury]

Jallembo stops net when she disapears and feels disappointed but as she agrees to play again he starts chasing her. She moves fast and she's agile, escaping hisgrasp at the last minute.
Whether she let herself be caught by him, he would never know but he cannot help a grin of satisfaction. "Got you!!" he exclaims.

When she agrees to remove her hood he waits patiently before frowning as he can fathom exactly whether he knows the face or not. ""Err.. you.. you.. is.. is she?" Jallembo says troubled by the face.

"Yes, yes it will suffice... curiosity is a bad habit of mine.." he says recovering his breath as well. "Well I hope I amused you a bit..."

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Curiosity, they say, killed the cat," Lysianassa replies, "I try to tell Teza that sometimes. Really she probably shouldn't have startled you like that. A more dangerous petitioner might have attacked her by instinct...But then, I think they picked you because they thought you would not be dangerous without your weapons. Silly girls, they think I need protecting!" there is no small amount of amusement in her voice as she expresses what she considers a ridiculous sentiment, "Let us say, then, that you have amused me. And I have watched the way you move...Hmm..."

"As far as I can see, your spirit is not one of malice. More like carefree. However, I cannot be sure of your true intentions. One who is carefree in such a way cares not so much for his fellow man as one who is determined to sacrifice self for the good of all. In the right situation, methinks, you might be tempted, by coin or privilege or...other enticement, but probably coin...to take up a cause that some might consider against the common weal. Admit to me, is this not so?"

 

[Amaury]

"Well, that would be lying to say that I cannot be tempted by the coin as you say.. I had to survive in my early days, you know.
But since I went adventuring and in particularly in my last adventure I have more than I need.. If they had let me take my equipment you would have seen my new outfit.. So, I don't really need to steal anymore, but I may get tempted sometimes, though wisdom tells you that easy preys are bad investment, and I've always seen meself as a businessman!
Indeed that particular mission gets me to meet people of a completely different status. Rulers. I've never worked for these types, and to me this mission is a long term investment : prove my worth and make the right connections.. " he says.

"So yes this mission seems to be of the utter importance considering our employees and the means they have put at our disposal. Yes it is a noble one or at least we are led to believe it. But for me, it is also an opportunity to raise my game. I'll admit freely to this..
But, but I won't be a traitor.. In my group are people I fought along side with.. people who rescued me and combat brings close bonds between people. They're my friends. I have few. I won't fail them, or if I do, it will be because of treachery or magic cast upon me.." he concludes.

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Desire to stand by your friends no matter what comes...in some ways, it is a noble sentiment," Lysianassa replies, her eyes softening, "However, what if one or more of your few and precious friends proved to be capable of evil, willing to destroy the lives of others...would you stand by them then?"

 

[Amaury]

By the 9 Hells, this is turning into a philosophical debate!.. Jallembo thinks whilst remaining cautious in his answers..
"Err.. well, first they would not be my friends.. I had to deal with enough of these types when I was a kid.. and I don't want to have to again..
As to killing, yes, my friends and I have killed, but in situations where we had to defend ourselves.. like against animated walking deads for instance.. Some of my friends may be prompt to think with their axe rather than with their minds but they're not evil.. err, I'd say more temperament thing really.. Some care about others and will save the innocent.. so actually to be honest their company has rather had a good influence on me.. The city forces you to be, well, sometimes a bit un-nice.. eh eh.."

Jallembo cannot help tell the truth. He feels as if he was judged from inside as well.

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Destroying undead? That's not really killing. It's the right thing to do--you're allowing their tormented souls to rest."

"Anyway...hmm, well, I think that I am convinced by your words and by what I have seen of your spirit and your past..." she sighs, "It is...unfortunate that the priestesses were deceived."

*She grins slightly.*

"You shall have my sign. And perhaps the others will choose to fulfill your friends' request. And since you have amused me, I shall grant you one boon. What is it that you desire...I think perhaps I can guess. If you wish, I can show you my true face..."

 

[Amaury]

"Err.. you're convinced?.. Alright, good then! My wish? Err.. well yes knowing you would be kind of good.. but first if you could tell the priestresses that we're the good ones in that story that'd be great.. and, maybe give a little help to my group in our mission as we must be late now.. like helps us travel or something.. you seem strong in the ways of magic.." Jallembo replies still not sure whether she's toying with him or is serious..