Re: Book One: Chapter One: "Dark Skies"

[Malazek]

The dwarf pleads with the man-
"Halp me! Kind sir, dere be a bedamned hag runnin' amuck in yer town! Me thinks she cause da storms ta lure da folks inta da inn an' plots ta make 'ems inta stew! Me be a wanderin' priest seekin' shelters ..."
"... Halp me please!"


Diplomacy roll = 10 (+2) =12

[Malazek]

Vangg ...

"A hag?!" the man responds. "I don't want no hag following you into my home ... please, lead her someplace else!"
And he quickly closes the door.

[Malazek]

"Bedamned humans ...", grumbled Vangg as he raced off to the next lighted house and knocked on the door.

[Malazek]

Vangg ...
The next home seems very much like the last, but instead of a smithy it's a cooper. After a long wait in the rain, a man cracks the door, just a smidge. "We're closed, Masterdwarf. I understand you need barrels to gather rainwater, but if you come back in the morning I'll give you a discount."

[Malazek]

"Kind sir, me be a poor, wanderin' priest seekin' shelter dis stormy night. Would ye be so kind ta lend me yer floor ta sleep on fer da night?"

Diplomacy roll, if needed: 16 (+2) = 18

[Malazek]

Vangg ...
"Oh, certianly! Come on in! The kids have all grown and left the nest, so to speak, so we've got a spare room if you'd like to use it," the cooper says. Reaching out a welcoming hand, he adds "Cooper's the name. Jonas Cooper."

[Malazek]

"Beblessed ye sir. Many thanks!"

[Malazek]

Jonas Cooper leads Vangg through the barrelshop, and up stairs to the spare bedroom.
"Here ya go! Sleep tight. The wife'll be making flapjacks in the mornin', if you're up for it."

"Oh, did you hear that? Sounds like someone else is at the door. Sleep tight, Masterdwarf."

[Malazek]

Kardan notices Davin drinking his ale..."Hail friend , it been many moons , your hunting going well? I would doubt it with the heat and lack of rain. If your gonna be up abit , ill buy you an ale and we can talk of better days when i return...."


Kardan then grabs 8 buckets and returns to the water tarps to fill them.


O.C.C. Kardan goes to grab the water after whatever discussion transpires with Davin and of course returns to the Stewbowl should nothing happen.

[Malazek]

Seeing the potential fight defused, I finish rubbing down my bow and lean it on the chair next to me with my quiver.

I wish the lady a good night, and when she suggests asking the dwarf to join us, I say "Perhaps. It seems he has a level head, and knows when discretion is the better part of valor." I then continue to drink my ale, finally beginning to feel dry again.

Overhearing Kardan's exchange with the innkeeper about the dwarf, I think to myself, 'well, there goes one potential companion....I hope the lady will still need me alone...'

As Kardan makes his leave, I say "I'll be here, friend. Don't stay out in he rain too long, you'll find yourself drowned."

Finishing my ale, I wipe the foam off of my mouth with the back of my dirty sleeve, and then say "bartender, another, if you will" while holding my mug in the air.

-Swift

[Malazek]

Of course, the Bartender brings Davin another pitcher.
By the time Kardan returns, Davin has drank almost half of it.

When Kardan gets back, a hot meal is waiting for him. Tomas tosses him 8 more silver and the keys to a room. He reappears shortly after with two MORE frothy pitchers. "Thanks Kardan! I always appreciate staying dry when you bring me clean water! I'm off to bed, so I hope this ale holds you boys over."

OOC: Feel free to role-play some more between you; the night's not over.

[Malazek]

“Gods be damned you fool, whatever possessed you to get directions from a ‘wisp? Not miserable enough with the damn storm, you want to play in a bog?”
"Stop it Ayrikai, someone will notice. Remember the last village."

Hmm. Well can’t say that inn looks much better then the bog, but at least it’s dry. Laughing and muttering to himself, the travel worn Tiefling enters the Stewbowl.

[Malazek]

Noticing the lack of an innkeep, I chuckle lightly at my continued run of luck and make my way to the fire, ignoring everything else for the moment.

[Malazek]

"Kardan tyvesh kliametra avanadon" (Come, have a seat with me, brother Kardan, in Elven). I pull out a chair for Kardan at my table. After talking about the storm for a bit (again, in Elven), I mention the old lady and her need for a guide and sellswords.

"Gothan diavo felianon gilthalad homyr evinderoo." (I noticed you gathering water for old Tomas; well, there be a better use for that longspear, my friend.)

Just then, the Teifling enters the Stewbowl. Noticing him look around for a moment for the innkeep, I say, in a low voice, "He just went to bed a bit ago. We could probably rouse him or his kith."

I then take a long draw from my mug, wiping the foam from my lips with my dirty sleeve.

-Swift

[Malazek]

"That would be appreciated sir. That is of course if you were speaking to me."

[Malazek]

Splash. A dark blue boot thumps into another muddy puddle. Alex can feel the water soaking in, and looks down with a grim face. Having spent the last five days in the swamp fruitlessly searching for an ancient tribe to be hiding there.

Yes, the trip to The Malbog was indeed grim. Imil now seemed barely a wonderful memory of days crunching crystal white snow beneath the same boots that were now quickly sinking into the dirty bubbling mud of the awful swamp.

And now it had started to rain. Finally things were looking up.

The cleansing waters soaking his silver blue hair; Alex continued on his path out of the swamp, cresting a hill and spotting the twinkle of fires in the distance, like the stars that were now blocked with roiling clouds.
"Hmm. Thats quite a storm."

Scrutinising the clouds with his eyes, the colour of shaved ice crystals, Alex absentmindedly catches the raindrops falling above his hand with his powers, swirling them together to create a larger and larger ball of water floating above his hand as more raindrops patter from the clouds above to join those he has collected.

-------------------------
27 Arcana, 23 Nature. The nature of the storm, and if it is not magical, how long will it last?

[Malazek]

Alex ...
At first, the storm seems perfectly natural, albiet a bit severe; but as you approach the peaceful town of Brackwater, the storm takes on a much more sinister countenance. It's definitely NOT natural ... but it would be difficult to judge how long it COULD last, let alone how long it WILL. Still, if it's original nature is any indication, it should let up by morning. But no promises. (In other words, you're not sure how long it could last, but if it's dependent on the natural storm it seems to have sprung from, then it should be over by dawn).

[Malazek]

"Thats not right." Alex mutters to himself. Having spent the last month travelling with no companions, the thinking-out-loud was becoming disturbingly more frequent. The orb of water instantly freezes into a smooth ball of ice, landing in a puddle with a wet plop and splattering him with mud even more. Rolling those blue-white eyes, he sets off at a quicker pace towards the little town down a muddy slope.

The ball of ice settled in the mud gradually begins to melt.

[Malazek]

Alex ...
As Alex climbs from the bog, and onto the ridge, the silhouette of Brackwater comes into view; moving across the wet ground, he eventually emerges on one of the town's southern roads. The immediate buildings are dark, and the heavy rain isn't making it any easier to see; there seems to be a dim light somewhere to the left.

As Alex heads towards the light, he hears a distant, muffled voice, but can't make out the words; as he gets closer, he hears a voice, this time precluded by a brief pounding sound. Then, he hears another voice, this one much clearer. "Oh, certianly! Come on in! The kids have all grown and left the nest, so to speak, so we've got a spare room if you'd like to use it ... Cooper's the name. Jonas Cooper."

Alex looks around, but sees no one through the wicked downpour. Then, suddenly, he sees someone, just a few yards ahead: a person with a horned helm, maybe? A sudden stroke of lightning reveals the person to be a Tiefling, heading into a nearby building.

[Malazek]

"What is going on here?" mutters Alex, unconsciously tapping out a trickle of water and allowing it to flow like a snake around his palm, coiling between his fingers as he spins on the spot.

Well, at least the Jonas man sounded friendly.

Alex cautiously steps towards the sound of the man, his snake of water evaporating into the air as walks towards the noise.

[Malazek]

Alex ...
As he steps forward, Alex sees the two men who were speaking: an older (but not elderly) human male, and the scrawniest dwarf he ever saw. The homeowner quickly pulls the door closed after the Dwarf steps inside; he apparently didn't see you.

The storefront appears to be that of a cooper.

[Malazek]

"Wait!" Alex calls, stepping forward into the light. Sodden silvery hair stuck to his face. "I've no place to stay, would there be room for me too?" the Mage of Imil asks. A slight frown creasing his brow as his water snake evaporates in his hand.

He awaits to be shunned, dressed in his mud stained Imil garb; a long loose shirt belted by a dyed blue belt, and his lighter blue leggins, which are tucked into long bootwarmers. His hands embraced by wide gloves and his exotic (and again, watery) complexion that the Imil tribe of mages are so proud to cultivate, yet often find difficult to hide in situations such as these.

"I've no money, but...erm...I can clean. I'm a Mage of Imil; a Water Magician." Demonstrating his power he holds his hands out, and stepping forward, he commands all the moisture in his clothes and on his body to stay behind, forming a ghost of a man in fluid behind him for a milisecond before it settles, joining the puddles on the floor. He brushes off the dust that now covers him that was once mud. And trys to offer a smile.

--------------------
Prestidigitation
-------------------
If he lets me in

Alex smiles and his shoulders sag with weariness. He walks into the warm room and smiles at the scrawny dwarf.

"Hello. Who are you?"

If the dwarf responds in a friendly manner Alex introduces himself in the same manner as he did with the Cooper. "W-Would you like me to erm...clean those clothes of yours?" he asks the dwarf, raising a hand instinctively but holding off the magic until he recieves a reply.

[Malazek]

OOC: I felt the need to blend a few previous posts with the most recent one, to clarify continuity.
This is the way it really happened ...

Alex ...

"Wait!" Alex calls, stepping forward into the light. Sodden silvery hair stuck to his face.

... but the men are gone; a second too late it seems.



Vangg ...

Jonas Cooper leads Vangg through the barrelshop, and up stairs to the spare bedroom.
"Here ya go! Sleep tight. The wife'll be making flapjacks in the mornin', if you're up for it."

"Oh, did you hear that? Sounds like someone else is at the door. Sleep tight, Masterdwarf."

Alex ...
Disappointed, Alex turns away ... and then, thinks he hears the door re-open. "Hello?" a voice calls out. When Alex turns back, the Cooper finally sees him. "I'm sorry sir, we're closed. I know you want barrels for rainwater, but if you come back in the morning, I can give you a discount. At least you'll have them for next time."

"I've no place to stay, would there be room for me too?" the Mage of Imil asks. A slight frown creasing his brow as his water snake evaporates in his hand.

He awaits to be shunned, dressed in his mud stained Imil garb; a long loose shirt belted by a dyed blue belt, and his lighter blue leggins, which are tucked into long bootwarmers. His hands embraced by wide gloves and his exotic (and again, watery) complexion that the Imil tribe of mages are so proud to cultivate, yet often find difficult to hide in situations such as these.

"Isn't there room at the Inn? I've only got the one spare room, and I've just lent it out."

"I've no money, but...erm...I can clean. I'm a Mage of Imil; a Water Magician." Demonstrating his power he holds his hands out, and stepping forward, he commands all the moisture in his clothes and on his body to stay behind, forming a ghost of a man in fluid behind him for a milisecond before it settles, joining the puddles on the floor. He brushes off the dust that now covers him that was once mud. And trys to offer a smile.

Prestidigitation

"A water mage, you say? That could come in handy, I guess. Come on in. Right this way. I already promised my spare room to my other guest, but there are bunkbeds in there. So, if it's alright with him, you can take the other bunk. If not, I'll throw some bedding down for ya in the hallway."



Vangg and Alex ...
Jonas Cooper knocks on the spare room door, and then opens it. "Masterdwarf, it seems we have another guest. I wanted to introduce you, so you wasn't caught off guard in the morning. I hope you don't mind if he sleeps in the other bunk? If you do, I can put him out in the hall, seeing as how I promised the room to you, first."

If he lets me in

Alex smiles and his shoulders sag with weariness. He walks into the warm room and smiles at the scrawny dwarf.

"Hello. Who are you?"

If the dwarf responds in a friendly manner Alex introduces himself in the same manner as he did with the Cooper. "W-Would you like me to erm...clean those clothes of yours?" he asks the dwarf, raising a hand instinctively but holding off the magic until he recieves a reply.

[Malazek]

OOC: So, Davin, Kardan, and Ayrikai are in the common room of the Stewbowl.
Vangg and Alex are holed up in Jonas Cooper's spare bedroom across the street.
If the party doesn't form-up by morning, I'll split things into two threads.
(Though, a single unified team would have obvious benefits).

[Malazek]

Kardan replies to Davin in Elvish Yes , my spear has seen better days brother. Imperials have been about more often , yet i cannot say if that is the reason for the decline and my profession.I would be most interested in a job , would do it damn near for 3 meals a day at this point just to get out and stretch my legs. The woods have been quiet i notice , undoubtly hampering any hunting as well." Kardan turns and see's a Tiefling enter the main room and gives him a welcome nod. After hearing the Tiefling is interested in a room , Kardan goes to Tomas's room and gives the "YOU HAVE A CUSTOMER KNOCK" and returns to the main room.

"The innkeeper will be out shortly , make your self warm by the fire sir" Kardan tells the Tiefling .



Turning back to Davin , Kardan continues in Elvish" So yes , i would be in your debt if you could include me on this job of your with the woman , let us drink our ale and tell tales of yester , wake me in the morning if i have the job , and you will see a smile on my face once again."

O.O.C. Kardan continues small talk with Davin and Ayrikai if he joins in.

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