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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1516395" data-attributes="member: 15043">Recruiting a Team“So... Luke’s not evil... but we still have a major problem,” Tess mused as the party made their way out of the Temple of Pelor.  “There’s still only six of us... seven if you count Geoffrey... though I doubt he can be counted as a full person when he’s that plastered.”“I remember getting yelled at for using that word,” Luke said musingly, as Siabrey still clung to his arm, grinning happily.  The two smooched again, and Tess rolled her eyes.“My point is,” she said with some exasperation, “we need to get some others to help out if we’re going to go in after the Countess... or drag that thing down to the Abyss.  I don’t think seven will...”“Six,” Shaun said emphatically.  “Six.  Elenya will not be going with.”  Tess raised an eyebrow, and Siabrey giggled.“If she was here you wouldn’t have said that,” the fighter chuckled.“Yes I would have... and I’m going to tell her that anyway when I get the chance.  Its too much of a risk, considering she’s got four to look after now,” the rogue grunted.“Oh by the gods, Shaun,” Siabrey gasped, “are you thinking...responsibly?”  The mock gasp turned into peals of laughter, which caused Tess to groan that the party wasn’t paying attention.“Regardless,” she said louder than necessary, to get their attention, “we need to get some backup.  The question is... how much?  We get too much and we’ll be easy to track, not enough and we’ll be easy to kill...”“Ten sounds nice and even,” Shaun offered.  When Tess pressed as to why he offered that number he shrugged.  “Ten fingers and toes?”“How about instead we compile a list of people we’d like to ask, and split up to ask them, to save time,” Tess said pragmatically.  “Now... we have Pyrion of course, Xanny and Alisandra, Hidalas, Harrapias, Quin, Aeron maybe?  I mean he’s a powerful wizard,” she shrugged when Siabrey made a face.  “Then... Elenya.  Thats-““You forgot Geoffrey,” Shaun pointed out.“I don’t count drunken halflings as full fighting bodies,” Tess groaned again.“Well... let’s see how effective he is when he’s pissed off... I’ll go talk to him... as well as tell Elenya that she’s staying here.”“I’ve should head by the Tarantor temple to pay my respects and give thanks... considering what happened,” Lucius said slowly.  He still looked a little dazed from Tess’ magic.  “I can go talk to Hidalas there... Harrapias is probably nearby... those two are close.”“Pyrion seemed to get along with you, Siabrey... how about you talk to him?” Tess offered, and the fighter groaned.“Why do I have to talk to the nutcases?” “Because you are one yourself... you understand them a little better!” Shaun laughed, artfully dodging Siabrey’s swing.  “You should talk to Aeron too... he seems to treat you and you alone civilly.”“Fine,” she huffed.“I’ll talk to my brother then,” Tess grinned.  “He’s probably not up to much right now.”Tess tapped her foot insistently, as her annoyance grew.  He teeth grated, and she undiplomatically covered her ears to hide the noises of her brother and likely some courtesan engaged in very blissful fun.Damn Quin! she groaned.  Always chasing skirts when he has no business doing so!  ARGH! Finally, she banged her fist against the door repeatedly.“Go... away!” his breathless voice called.  “I’m... busy!”“Quin!  I’m giving you one minute to get clothed and come to this door, or I’m going to send in some guardsmen to DRAG you out!  One second, Two...” Tess shouted.When she reached thirty-two, the door opened a crack, and a very unhappy looking Quin poked his head out.  There was a smear of lipstick from his own lips down to his jaw.“Dammit Tess!  Always getting in my business, always messing me up, tripping me up, causing me trouble...” he started to rant, until Tess held up her hand and interrupted him.“Quin! No time for ranting!  We’re going to kill the Countess... we need your blade by our side!  Would you come along?” she said, trying to keep it short so she could get away from the bad mental images of what she’d likely interrupted.“Quinnie...” a whiny female voice came from out of view.  His disheveled head disappeared for a second, before returning.“Yes.  I’ll go, so long as I get my name memorialized in song so that all the ladies in the realm know I’m a hero and whatnot.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, Tess, I have unfinished business!”  The door unceremoniously shut in Tess’ face, and within the minute, she could hear the noises starting up again.“Stupid brother,” she groaned.(DM’s Note:  Quin’s character, when you read his lines... imagine a combination of The Fonze and a player... combined into one.  That’s Quin.... Eeeeeeyyyy! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> )Siabrey didn’t find Pyrion hard to find... she just had to ask the servants where the strange gnome with an obession over demons had wandered to, and everyone pointed her towards the right direction.  She found him in one of the dining halls, where he sat, admiring a large stuffed head of some unknown beast slain by a long dead Emperor.“Hey, Pyrion?  We’re off on a secret mission, and I know I’d sure like those... pistols by my side,” she struggled to remember the name of the weapons she was fascinated by.“Bah... I’d rather check out your collection of stuffed heads... are there any demon heads on display?” the gnome asked.  We really need his expertise, if he indeed is a demon hunter... THAT’S IT! Siabrey beamed.“We’re going to be going after the Countess of Holstean, the one who summoned this current infestation of-““When are you leaving!?” he’d already leapt out of his seat and was by her side.  “Can I keep the heads?  I would adore having the head of the woman that summoned thousands of demons mounted on my wall!”The last comment made Siabrey wince, and wisely she felt Luke might not react to such sentiments well.  Thankfully he wasn’t present.“Um... well, if possible, I suppose,” her voice drifted off.  I’ll sort it out later!The gnome leapt up and down for joy at the news, and stated he’d be ready in no time.Next on her list of ‘targets’ was Aeron the court wizard.  He as well wasn’t hard to persuade to come with, though something he said made her ski crawl.“Perhaps,” he had leaned up close to her, “defeating this beast might help me become the Chief Court Mage with the help of a certain someone... hmmm?”Did he just proposition me?  Or try and ask for a bribe? Siabrey’s mind swam in confusion.  She sputtered out a “maybe,” before ducking out of the room to ask Luke what the correct, formal response would be...With some trepidation, Shaun walked up to his and Elenya’s quarters in the palace.  She’s going to be so upset with me, he thought mentally.  He could see her now launching into a rant about how she wasn’t going to let him waltz into danger.  God she loves me so, he gave a wry grin... too bad she’s a hardhead like me...Gingerly he opened the door, and was greeted with a surprise.  Elenya was knitting... he’d never seen her knit before.  When she heard the door open she turned around and gave him a brilliant smile.  For the first time as well, he noticed her stomach had a slight distension.  “Hello gorgeous,” she chuckled, and held up small tunic that was nearly complete.  “I decided while the rest of you were testing Luke, I’d... be productive, I guess,” she set the tunic back down.  “I’m guessing by your lack of screaming and terror he passed?”“With flying colors,” Shaun allowed himself a short grin before becoming serious again.  “Elenya, I’ve got something to talk to you about.”“Going to the Abyss?” she raised an eyebrow.  “I know that tone of voice Shaun... you’re running off somewhere, and you’re going to persuade me not to go, right?”  Slightly shocked, Shaun nodded her head, and was rewarded with a weak smile from her.  “Well... you were expecting a slight spat over that... well, its not happening this time,” Elenya sighed, sitting back down. “Hon...c’mere,” she tapped the bed next to her, and when Shaun had sat down, she laid her head on his shoulder.“Shauny, I would really like to go with... I don’t feel confident that you’re safe unless I’m there,” she sighed, her own face growing sad.  “But... I’ve got three little ones in me,” she turned to face him, and he could see her eyes were shaking slightly.  “I... I can’t run around and zap things and get zapped like before... that dragon’s acid convinced me of that.”“Elenya,” he pulled her close and hugged her tight, “I’d... I’d rather you come with, but you’re right, you can’t.  There’s the little ones,” he rubbed her belly lovingly.  “I’ll be fine,” he gave a fake grin.“Shaun Dice,” she smiled, “you get yourself into and out of the greatest scrapes and escapades of any man alive.”  She nuzzled his face, “and I have no doubt you’ll get yourself out of this one... even if I’m not there to save your behind.”“Oh!” he pulled back in mock horror, “when have you saved my behind?”  His look of shock couldn’t hold, and just before she spoke, a giggle broke through.“Let’s see,” she grinned, and started counting.  “First, at my uncle’s inn.  Then, in Irulas in the governor’s mansion.  Then, in the wizard’s tower, then fighting Zoe’s assassins... then finally, when you were being attacked by Ilia.” Elenya gave a triumphant grin at her memory.  “So I tend to be quite useful to-” her voice was cut off as he kissed her deeply.  Shaun then pulled back, and gave a laugh, this one more throaty and husky. “Well then,” he grinned, pushing her further up the bed, “since I’ll probably be gone for a bit while we’re out doing deeds of derry doo... how about some deeds of derry doo right here for the next couple of hours?”  He raised an eyebrow as he loomed over her, and she giggled.“Mmm..” she kissed him deeply, “Derry doo... thats a new one...”About three hours later, Shaun gently closed the door to Elenya’s room, the huge grin of afterglow written all over his face.  His glowing self pride lasted only a few minutes, however, before a rough, cranky voice called out his name.“Dammit!” Geoffrey growled, his previously merry and boyish face now dour and castled with frowns, “Where the alcohol in this joint! The damn servants won’t let me have anymore!”“Perhaps thats for the best, Geoffrey,” Shaun said dryly, prompting an angry huff from the halfling.“That’s definitely not for the best, not in my eyes... they won’t even let me have some wine,” he groaned.“Thats because you whine enough by yourself,” Shaun commented sourly.  “Listen.  We’re going to be heading out for the next few days... please behave, ok?”“Heading out where?  Wherever the hell that is, its gotta be better than this place... I’ve never seen such an opulent place suddenly run out of spirits!”An idea popped into Shaun’s head, and he gave a malicious grin.“Geoffrey... what if I told you that we were on the way to kill the Countess... the one that paid the same Ilia that hurt you?”  Shaun’s grin grew larger, “and what if I told you she had a massive stock of alcohol... and that no one would mind if it got drained... since she’s a traitor and all?”“Liquor!?  Where!?  TAKE ME THERE, DAMMIT!” the halfling shouted with glee.</blockquote>

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