VanderLegion
First Post
Tyris waits until Lord Mallaby has backed away a fair distance, then carefully lifts open the lid on the box to see what is inside.
Adventure: Get Me to the Church on Time (DM: BenBrown, Judge: Renau1g)
- Thread starter BenBrown
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BenBrown
First Post
The box contains a rolled piece of parchment, sealed with a waxen seal, with the name "Adelin Mallaby" written in fine script above the seal. Under the seal are a quartet of strange symbols.[sblock=History 14]The seal is that of the Terconis family, to which Mallaby's bride-to-be belongs[/sblock][sblock=arcana 14]The symbols are standard ones used in arcane communcations. The message probably has a magical component.[/sblock]
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VanderLegion
First Post
Tyris carefully examines the letter, and recognizing the seal as that of Lord Mallaby's bride to be, walks over and hands it to the intendant recipient.
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BenBrown
First Post
Mallaby takes the letter from Tyris's hand, looks over the seal and the writing.
"Ah," he says, "a missive from my intended. I hope all is well with her. Let us find out the reason for her delay."
He produces a short knife and cuts the seal open. As soon as he has done so, the letter begins to glow, and then crumbles into a swirling cloud of sparkling dust. From this cloud comes the voice of a woman, her accent refined and her tone sweet--at first.
"Hello Adelin... you two-timing jerk. If you get this, that means you haven't been poisoned by scorpions, eaten by wolves or carried off by Hobgoblin slavers. As your reward for getting this far, I get to tell you exactly what I think of you! Oh, you were so courtly and handsome when we first met, and you danced well, and for a moment, I actually thought you'd be a loyal husband, and help keep our family's fortunes strong. But then I catch you talking with those floozies of yours. Don't think I don't know what was going on. I was so upset I went and told Daddy, and he you can bet he knew what to do. He told me he'd found this old book up in the attic, with a bunch of stuff from hundreds of years ago, if it wasn't all just made up. Daddy said all I had to do was tell you that we had some weird stupid wedding customs in our family where we'd have to travel all the way to Allaria to get married and that you were so dumb you'd fall for it. And it looks like you did. As if I'd go anywhere near a place like that with all of those monsters running around when I've got everything I need right here in Daunton. Hope you've had a horrible time running around in the wilderness and that you'll have an even worse time getting back, and that you die and all those strumpets of yours can cry over it. I should have known better than to think that someone from a house like yours, that hasn't done anything since leaving Allaria, could ever measure up to a daughter of house Terconis. You stink and I hate you. Bye now!"
The message ends, the dust ceases to swirl and sparkle, and gradually scatters into nothing.
Mallaby's mouth moves as if he's going to say something, then, moving slowly and shaking his head, he walks over to a large rock where he sits down with his head in his hands.
"I..." he says hesitantly. "I... know that I'm... that I count many beautiful women amongst my friends. I've always been a handsome man. I've always had women around me--but it's not what she thinks. They're my friends, and I enjoy their conversation. If only she'd said something. If only I knew she was upset. Then I could explain. If it was that important, I could have even--reluctantly--left my friends behind. But what kind of person would want that? I was ready, though. I thought I had found the my one true soulmate. I thought I had found the key to my happiness. I'm not without flaws, but I thought that despite them, we were meant for each other. I... I thought she loved me."
"Ah," he says, "a missive from my intended. I hope all is well with her. Let us find out the reason for her delay."
He produces a short knife and cuts the seal open. As soon as he has done so, the letter begins to glow, and then crumbles into a swirling cloud of sparkling dust. From this cloud comes the voice of a woman, her accent refined and her tone sweet--at first.
"Hello Adelin... you two-timing jerk. If you get this, that means you haven't been poisoned by scorpions, eaten by wolves or carried off by Hobgoblin slavers. As your reward for getting this far, I get to tell you exactly what I think of you! Oh, you were so courtly and handsome when we first met, and you danced well, and for a moment, I actually thought you'd be a loyal husband, and help keep our family's fortunes strong. But then I catch you talking with those floozies of yours. Don't think I don't know what was going on. I was so upset I went and told Daddy, and he you can bet he knew what to do. He told me he'd found this old book up in the attic, with a bunch of stuff from hundreds of years ago, if it wasn't all just made up. Daddy said all I had to do was tell you that we had some weird stupid wedding customs in our family where we'd have to travel all the way to Allaria to get married and that you were so dumb you'd fall for it. And it looks like you did. As if I'd go anywhere near a place like that with all of those monsters running around when I've got everything I need right here in Daunton. Hope you've had a horrible time running around in the wilderness and that you'll have an even worse time getting back, and that you die and all those strumpets of yours can cry over it. I should have known better than to think that someone from a house like yours, that hasn't done anything since leaving Allaria, could ever measure up to a daughter of house Terconis. You stink and I hate you. Bye now!"
The message ends, the dust ceases to swirl and sparkle, and gradually scatters into nothing.
Mallaby's mouth moves as if he's going to say something, then, moving slowly and shaking his head, he walks over to a large rock where he sits down with his head in his hands.
"I..." he says hesitantly. "I... know that I'm... that I count many beautiful women amongst my friends. I've always been a handsome man. I've always had women around me--but it's not what she thinks. They're my friends, and I enjoy their conversation. If only she'd said something. If only I knew she was upset. Then I could explain. If it was that important, I could have even--reluctantly--left my friends behind. But what kind of person would want that? I was ready, though. I thought I had found the my one true soulmate. I thought I had found the key to my happiness. I'm not without flaws, but I thought that despite them, we were meant for each other. I... I thought she loved me."
Mewness
First Post
Goldenhorn looks a little confused as the magical voice begins speaking, but listens to the entire message in silence. He considers Mallaby for a moment, then says solemnly:
"It is not for me to judge the courting customs of humans. I know nothing of such matters. All that I can offer on the subject is this: if you love this woman, and would marry her still after she has led you into such danger, such inconvenience as we have suffered, it must count in your favor. Return to her; swear that you will no longer engage in that behavior that she finds so repugnant; accept whatever penance she cares to devise. No doubt she will send you upon a well-nigh impossible quest to prove your devotion."
"It is not for me to judge the courting customs of humans. I know nothing of such matters. All that I can offer on the subject is this: if you love this woman, and would marry her still after she has led you into such danger, such inconvenience as we have suffered, it must count in your favor. Return to her; swear that you will no longer engage in that behavior that she finds so repugnant; accept whatever penance she cares to devise. No doubt she will send you upon a well-nigh impossible quest to prove your devotion."
Tenchuu
First Post
Jarro added, "Or, dere always be da warria princess Ismene dat I an I met an da road."
He said it seriously, as if it would help, but realized perhaps it wasn't so helpful. So, he further added, "idda whey, I an I gotta deal wit dis Daddy-mon, ya 'ear? Dis badmon issa cold-bludded killah, an Lor' Malabee needin some justice."
He said it seriously, as if it would help, but realized perhaps it wasn't so helpful. So, he further added, "idda whey, I an I gotta deal wit dis Daddy-mon, ya 'ear? Dis badmon issa cold-bludded killah, an Lor' Malabee needin some justice."
BenBrown
First Post
"But do I love her?" Mallaby says, "Had she sent me on an impossible quest to begin with, I would have gone with no thought of danger. Had she ever told me she was upset, I would have listened. I could have changed my ways, if not without regret. But she did none of these things. This was no quest to prove my love she sent me on. This was to dispose of me. Could I ever love someone who simply wished me dead?"
Mallaby brightens at this.
"Yes," he says, "Thank you, my friend, for reminding me that my lady Elena Terconis"--he speaks the name now with a hint of scorn--"is not my only chance at love. If she does not love me, then my search must continue, and all women are not like her. Ismene, since you mention her, would not send me off into the wilderness to get rid of me. She'd stab me herself, which I suppose is a comfort." He stops for a second, as if considering what he has just said.
"Yes!" he begins again, "I will love again!"
"No, no. I must put this behind me. Besides, he never leaves his home without armed guards. Assaulting him in the middle of the streets of Daunton would be madness, and I, for one, will not stoop to hiring an assassin, although no doubt he would. He may be a cad who does not even honor the history of his own house, but he is no longer my concern. I must put this behind me, for it is said that the best revenge is living well."
Mallaby leaps to his feet.
"We must go forward!" he shouts. "My friends, I thank you all. Let us prepare for our return journey."
"By the way," he says to Jarro quietly, "Do you really think that Ismene would think of a man like me?"
Mewness
First Post
Goldenhorn looks a little confused, not having expected so rapid a change of affections even from Mallaby. "It is to your credit that you are so little weighed down by grief as to consider marrying a bandit with whom you are barely acquainted," he says, with only a hint of dryness. To Spider, he remarks, "If it was the woman's father who infested this place with unholy spirits, that is a grave thing indeed. But I doubt that it is so."
Tenchuu
First Post
"If nottin else, den dat durty ol'mon needtabe told dat dis issa de end of it, an if anyting else happen to Lor' Malabe, den 'is door is gonna be da first place I an I show up."
He cheered up, answering the other question, "Ya mon, o'course da warrior princess would like ya, but da long distance ting could be a problem. An, no doubt, she would take da matters a payback inta her own hands, ya 'ear?"
He cheered up, answering the other question, "Ya mon, o'course da warrior princess would like ya, but da long distance ting could be a problem. An, no doubt, she would take da matters a payback inta her own hands, ya 'ear?"
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