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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Galfridus" data-source="post: 69411" data-attributes="member: 119">Episode 18: "Every Rose Has Its Thorn"Flanesville, March 1, LE 654After twenty or so minutes, a key turns in the lock, and Rose enters the room. He crosses to the desk, sits, and begins writing in a small book. Thorald, hidden under the bed, sees little; Magnimiliar, in the corner, can see what looks like a journal entry but cannot make out the words. Time passes, and Rose continues to write. The Invisibility spells have almost worn out when Magnimiliar decides to act.Incanting as quietly as possible, he casts Charm Person, becoming visible - and wincing as he senses Rose resisting the spell. Rose stands, drawing a long sword almost casually. Thorald hears this, but his poor vantage point delays his response. "What are you casting on me?" he asks politely but with coldness in his tone. Magnimiliar's only reply is another casting of the spell; but Rose resists once more. Finally, however, Thorald lets loose a Mind Blast which leaves Rose stunned and reeling. Magnimiliar holds him still while Thorald ties and gags him. Then, Thorald manifests Control Body so Magnimiliar can check and tighten the knots. They drop him in the Bag of Holding and exit via the window, running across to Alamar's shutter. Magnimiliar grabs the book and a couple of scrolls which Rose had placed on the desk. "Did you get him?" Tiesa's voice whispers from empty air nearby. They nod, then knock at Alamar's shutter while Tiesa goes to inform Jonetello and Elbryn. Everyone departs to rendezvous back at the other inn - except for Thorald, who has an idea. Sneaking back into Rose's room, he writes a message in large letters on the wall:"DO NOT DEFY MALEFICE." "If only I had some blood to write with," he mutters, then sneaks out. Meanwhile, Magnimiliar feels the bag begin to stir; Rose must be awake. He looks up and sees a guard, not thirty feet distant, staring at the jostling sack. "It's a pig?" suggests Magnimiliar."Pretty quiet for a pig," replies the guard, and starts walking closer. Magnimiliar squeals in fear and bolts for a nearby alley. The guard is no match for Magnimiliar's sneakiness, and less than minute later Magnimiliar is back on his way. Back at their room at the other inn, the party opens the bag briefly to give Rose some air and make sure he is still tied up (he is). They split into three groups, in case Rose's bodyguards come looking for them later. Each group leaves town by a different gate, then heads for last night's campsite on the eastern road. From there, Jonetello leads them into the woods, toward a small remote hollow he knows from his childhood. As they walk, Magnimiliar opens the bag again to let some air in - Rose's hand reaches out, clutching at his wrist. Shrieking in surprise, he slips free and closes the bag, tying it shut this time. Once at the hollow, the party prepares to release Rose. They stand in a circle around the bag, ready for anything. Jonetello unties the knots and steps back. Before anyone can react, Rose climbs out of the bag and draws a sword. Jonetello sends the sword flying to the ground with a flick of his rapier, then trips Rose as he tries to retrieve it. Magnimiliar, Thorald, and Alamar try various spells, but Rose resists them all. He reaches into a pouch and produces what looks like a small black pearl. Turning to Thorald, he draws his arm back to throw; but Jonetello is too quick. He impales the small black bead with his rapier.The Bead of Force shatters in Rose's hand, battering both Rose and Jonetello with a rapidly expanding wave of magical power which threatens to engulf them both.To be continued...</blockquote>

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