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Kai 
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 295
(6/22/05 18:18)
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From the Ashes (board and/or AIM D&D)
(OOC, pre-RP notes:
The formal out-of-character thread, including a summary of events thus far, is located behind this link.
This post is, for now, a placeholder until I'm sure all involved have gotten a chance to check out the OOC thread. Once that's happened, I'll start us up.)
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 296
(6/23/05 13:59)
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Re: From the Ashes (board and/or AIM D&D)
Myrnal sat up in bed, wondering for a moment where she was. Oh. Right. Castle. Mission. I should probably find that guy then. She dragged herself out of bed, weaving a small section of hair over her left ear into a braid to keep it out of the way. Shoving what few things she’d unpacked back into her bag, she pulled on the black uniform that had become her standard mode of dress. With the addition of a leather belt to hold her favorite knives, she was ready to go.
She opened the door and headed down the hallway to Kerov's office… or at least where she hoped his office would be. She'd been to the castle enough times that hopefully no one would mind her wandering around until she found it.
Eve had been awake for some time, but eventually hunger won over nerves and she ventured out to find Lym's room in case he wanted to join her for breakfast. When she got to his door she knocked lightly to see if he'd woken up yet.
Edited by: Kai at: 6/23/05 19:40
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 2
(6/23/05 20:25)
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hidyho.
Lym woke up several times throughout the night, but finally gave up and left the bed at the crack of dawn. As he dressed, he observed the scratches his untrimmed nails had left all over his torso and face in the night. He hadn't drawn blood, but the irritated flesh was a vivid pink that might have unsettled him on another day.
He must have been having bad dreams again -- or perhaps especially good ones. He was feeling that mix of apprehension, excitement, rage and arousal characteristic of any day he planned to kill someone he really didn't like. These were rare events, but he knew how to plan them. The way he figured it, planning was the only advantage he had.
So he dressed himself in his light leather armor. Today he felt serious -- he closed his eyes, concentrated for a moment, and when he opened them the armor was all black. He loaded up his crossbow -- laughing, not for the first time in the last week, at the very thought of himself engaging in serious physical combat -- and slung it over his shoulder, along with his pack. His collection of potions jingled against each other reassuringly.
He got on his broom, laid down flat lengthwise, and flew straight out of his room's window. He hurtled up above the castle, laughing just a little and regretting all the things he couldn't do today. His powers had to be conserved, so he could not, for instance, enter a trance state and discover what the lovely blonde on the streets below liked in bed. He couldn't magically deduce the one pickup line that would blow that hot little brunette away.
What he could do, come to think of it, was buy himself breakfast. So he did. A huge, sweet pastry filled with honey and jam, and a large bottle of potent liquor.
He flew out to the gates, as close as he could figure to Dawn and the nekogen's planned meeting place, and scoped the place out, looking desperately for any strategic advantage he could wring out of the situation.
Of course there was none. Dawn had probably scoped the place out already -- she could have done it easily enough. She probably had a Yuan Ti spy hanging in the trees now.
"Fuck."
He leaned back, smiling a little, and took a mouthful of the drink. She couldn't be that scary, anyway.
God was he horny. And amused -- something about the whole situation seemed terribly funny. Maybe it was the way he'd lied to Kerov tickling his consciense again. But no matter. What's done is done, and even children can go wrong.
He decided to go back to the castle. He was fooling himself -- there was nothing to accomplish out here.
When he got back to his room he found Eve knocking on the door. As she waited patiently for his response, he smiled and crept up behind her -- placing the booze on the tail end of his broom, and gently pushing it so it floated toward her.
"Hey, you," he said, putting on his most charming smile and sweeping his hair back out of his face. "Think it's too early for happy hour?"
Edited by: Magnus de Silentio at: 6/23/05 20:30
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 298
(6/23/05 20:48)
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Re: hidyho.
Eve whirled around, gasping in surprise. "Lym! Don't do that to me. ...It was too early for happy hour." She grabbed the alcohol off the end of his broom and took a longer drink than was probably wise for someone on an empty stomach who had just woken up.
She sighed and handed him the bottle rather than put it back on the broom. "I was just wondering if you..." She stopped and took a good look at him. "What happened to you? You've got..." She gestured broadly to her face and neck. "Where've you been?"
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 3
(6/23/05 20:54)
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Re: hidyho.
"Oh, it's nothing..." He leaned on the broom and breathed in deeply from the mouth of the bottle. "I just, mm, slept, too vigorously. Don't you ever do that? ... Anyway, I was just out and about, seeing the lovely sights of Doma, grabbing a big pastry... etcetera. Seriously, it was an awesome pastry. If I weren't preserving them chemically" -- gulp, glug, glug -- "my teeth would probably have rotted out on contact. And how is m'lady this fine morning?"
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 299
(6/23/05 21:04)
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Re: hidyho.
Slept...too... Eve mentally shook off any interpretations she had about that statement, deciding none of them deserved further consideration.
"M'lady?" She chuckled a little at the honorific. "I was just heading in for breakfast. Didn't know whether you were up, and I don't know where anyone else might be so I thought I'd stop by. But if you've already eaten I'll probably just head down to the kitchen."
Sidestepping the broom, she passed him with a little wave of her fingertips and a light "seeya" before starting down the hall.
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 4
(6/23/05 21:07)
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Re: hidyho.
Lym, however, followed her.
"Aw, don't leave me alone now! I'm in no state to be hanging out in that room any longer. I can always eat more. Where do you want to go?"
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 300
(6/23/05 21:14)
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Re: hidyho.
Eve stopped to allow Lym to catch up to her, looking back over her shoulder at him. "I was headed to the kitchen for some breakfast. Feathers said that they're always serving something, so I wanted to go grab a bite to eat."
She shook her head, glossy black hair swishing with the movement. "You can't surprise me like that when I haven't even had a smoke yet. Come on. Let's go see what the kitchen staff has for us."
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 5
(6/23/05 21:30)
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Re: hidyho.
"Oh, alright, no more surprises, I promise... it'll be smooth sailing for the next, oh, hour at least. Psionicist's honor. ... I wonder if castles serve the fancy shit to people as awesome as us."
He followed her to the kitchen, rubbing his little stomach happily. He could enjoy the first part of the day, at least.
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NebulaQueen
VACANT
Posts: 2692
(6/23/05 21:40)
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Re: hidyho.
Walking through the streets is a young nekojin swordsman...or at least, it looked like one at first glance. It was Seigi Kei, walking towards the city gates.
She isn't going to be here for a while...I might as well kill some time.
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 301
(6/23/05 21:44)
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Re: hidyho.
As Eve and Lym approached the stairs leading to the basement, they heard angry yelling from downstairs. "Karl, wenn Sie brennen, dass ich Sie toete!" This was followed by the dull thud of metal and bone making violent contact.
"Ich werde nicht es brennen!" cried another rasping voice.
"Ahh, sind Sie hoffnungslos."
Eve looked back at Lym and pointed down the stairs. "Sounds like Goblins to me. Let's go see what they've got ready... unless they kill each other by the time we get there." She shrugged and started toward the noise.
Edited by: Kai at: 6/23/05 21:47
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 6
(6/23/05 22:05)
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Re: hidyho.
Lym mimed rolling up his sleeves as if preparing for a fight, stuck his chest out, took a couple of heaving breaths, scowled, shuffled his feet like a bull rearing to charge, took a couple of steps back as if preparing to leap into action...
...and then followed Eve down as if nothing had happened at all.
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 302
(6/23/05 22:25)
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Re: hidyho.
Eve led Lym down to the bottom of the stairs, and as she peeked around the corner, the voices abruptly ceased. It was like every Goblin in the room had taken a deep breath at the same time.
"GUTEN TAAAGG!" rang out several Goblins.
Eve grinned and reached back to grab Lym by the hand. "Well? Looks like they're ready for guests."
Dragging Lym behind her, she marched across the dining area to the first Goblin she saw. "Hi! We were hoping to get some breakfast. I'd just like some eggs."
The Goblin answered, "We've got food if Karl wuerde erlernen, DAS FEUER UNTEN ZU DREHEN!"
Karl replied, "Ich drehte es niederwerfe, Detlev!"
Detlev sighed. "If you'll have a seat, that neuer Junge over there will bring you something, because he's sure as hell done cooking for the day." He looked to Lym, still dangling by the end of Eve's hand. "And what are you looking to have?"
Edited by: Kai at: 6/23/05 22:31
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 7
(6/23/05 22:39)
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Re: hidyho.
Lym smiled like a kid in a candy shop operated by insane goblins who wanted to make him some really incredibly awesome candy.
"I want the most exotic, unexpected dish you know!"
Another drag from the bottle. Glug, glug, glug.
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 303
(6/23/05 23:00)
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Re: hidyho.
Detlev slammed Lym on the back affectionately. "Liquor in the morning and suicide for breakfast. Heh. Boys! The man'll have leber des Aals mit einer Seite des gestampften chocobo Pankreas. He wants a surprise!"
The Goblin staff laughed as they dragged together ingredients squirreled away in serveral corners of the kitchen. Apparently they didn't need these supplies much, but kept them around in case an adventurous guest really wanted a challenge.
As Detlev made his way back to the kitchen, he turned to face a woman making her way down the stairs. "Myrnal! Ich wusste nicht, dass Sie hier waren!"
Entering the room behind them was a young woman in black with more knives than some of the kitchen staff. "Ich erhielt gerade hier gestern Abend. Wie ist die Frau heute morgen, Detlev?"
Detlev threw his hands in the air in frustration and they both laughed, totally forgetting about the two psions.
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Magnus de Silentio
(6/24/05 11:12)
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introductions abound
Lym wasn't sure he liked the sound of that chocobo pankreas, but what was done was done. He hunkered down in his seat to watch the flurry of foreboding kitchen activities, dead set on ingesting whatever monstrosity of a dish they placed before him. He always had more liquid courage at his side, if it came to that.
When Myrnal entered, he turned to look at her, started to say something, and then let his mouth hang open -- partially due to the fact that she was speaking Goblin, but probably due more to her collection of cultery.
"Myrnal, is it?" he asked, scratching the back of his head slowly. "And I don't suppose you like knives?"
Without giving her a chance to answer, he shot to his feet, put his right hand out and introduced himself. "Name's Lyminali Eddress, madame. But my friends call me Lym. And if you can help us out with this mess, well, you can call me Lym too."
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 306
(6/24/05 12:41)
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Re: introductions abound
Myrnal looked the elf up and down before taking his hand. "Yeah... Look, Lyminali Eddress. I don't know you, and I don't know what I'm supposedly helping you with. And why the hell does everyone recognize me by my knives?"
Eve chimed in. "Because you've got too damned many and you look bizarre."
Myrnal shot her an irritated look. "Not having enough weapons is how you get yourself killed. I should know this. And who're you, since we're getting acquainted?"
"Eve. Lym and I are working with Kerov and he mentioned that you were going to be doing us a couple of favors."
Myrnal smirked and glanced at Eve, but her next words were to Lym. "That so? Guess I am helping you then. Though favors implies I'm not getting paid. Which I intend to be. At any rate, Lym it is. I'm Myrnal Shalienza."
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FF Fanatic 80 
Imposter Brit
Posts: 1599
(6/24/05 18:14)
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 Translation: I type too damn much x_x
...........
...it's dark... where am I...?
...so quiet... where is everyone? I can't see or hear anything...
...footsteps...? ...Who's there? Where are we? What...
!?!?!
...What are you...doing... why are you...?
"...you're such a pretty little thing... do you know that?"
...down...? ...no I don't... Stop... I don't like this game...
"I've done so much for you... it's time you did me the same favor..."
...no...
...no stop it...
...stop it...
...Stopit... stopit.. STOPIT
STOPITSTOPITSTOPIT
DADDYDANNYMOMMYPLEASE
STOPITSTOPITSTOPIT
Heavy breathing echoes against the walls of the room, as a young man sits up with a start. He clutches the bedsheet tightly between his light skinned fingers, glancing around the room frantically in search of something. But he starts to calm down somewhat as recognition sets in. This is a room in the Ivory Horn. He is sitting in the bed rented for the night. He's not... where he thought he was.
"...mmm...S...Stephan?"
The mound of red hair next to him begins to stir. As it rises, the hair falls back, revealing a thin man with dark blue skin, patches of red hair in various parts of his chest and arms. He looks over with concerned eyes of bright green, the other man's dark green eyes looking away toward the window.
"...it's nothing Midoku, just go back to sleep love." Stephan answers, running a hand shakily through his short, somewhat wild brown hair. He moves to get up out of bed, but the other man's hand stops him, grabbing his arm.
"If something has you waking up like that, it is quite obviously NOT nothing." Midoku tells him. Stephan remains silent, sitting on the edge of the bed and watching the night sky. The blue man ponders a moment, thinking of other times the brown haired man woke with such a start. Then it occurs to him.
"...was it the nightmare about... 'then'...?" Midoku asks nervously. The other man remains still a moment, continuing to watch the shining stars outside. Then he bends his head down toward the floor, letting out a soft sigh. The red haired man just looks on a moment, unsure how to respond. Then he slides himself next to the other man, trying to meet his gaze for a response.
"Stephan, that was a long time ago. It is in the past, where it belongs." he tells him, placing a reassuring hand on the man's shoulder. The other man's eyes finally meets his for a moment, before sighing and looking back down at the floor.
"...I know... I'm sorry, it's stupid." Stephan tells him, running a hand through the wavy brown hair again, "I guess...all this shit going on it's... hitting close to home, I guess."
The 'shit' he refers to, is his current job for Hakaril Silvar, a powerful mage and one of Doma's generals. Months ago, the eccentric man asked Stephan and a few others to investigate some missing children. While he would be hard-pressed to admit it to strangers, problems involving young kids were an exception to his general rule. That rule being 'if they can't sort it themselves, they can go f#$k themselves... unless they can make it worth my time'.
They had come to find out, over the past few months, that a woman named Dawn was taking in young kids, and training them for her own purposes. It was one thing for adults to join such a woman, since by then they should have enough sense to know what the hell's going on. But when you're that young, you can't know better. You don't know yet how shitty people the world can be, or the horrible... horrible things some people will do to you. No matter how she tried to justify it, she was using these kids and f#$king with their lives. And the bitch had to pay for it.
Midoku knew how the other man felt, as he leaned over and hugged him tight around the waist. He had experienced much the same treatment in his own youth, convinced for a long time there was nothing 'good' about mankind. Until the day he met, of all people, Stephan Hyral. The irony of this still gives him a chuckle, when he thinks back to years gone by.
But this was not the time to reminicse. He knew what Stephan and the others would be attempting today, and the severe dangers involved. The mage had done what he could to help Stephan prepare, but his knowledge of Dawn's strange powers, psionics, was limited. He had borrowed a book on the subject from Hakaril years ago, but such powers rarely came up during their travels, making it difficult to remember anything specific. It bothered him a great deal, that no useful information came to mind to help the man beside him. Perhaps that is what caused him to speak up again, despite their long talk the previous evening.
"...I still think you should allow me to come help you all." Midoku suddenly blurts out, looking up from the man's shoulder. Stephan pulls away, looking down with a slight glare.
"...Mid, we talked about this. You know what we may have to do right?" he tells the other man. Midoku closes his eyes a moment, before meeting the other man's gaze once more.
"I know why but... I still do not like the idea, of not being there for you." Midoku tells him, leaning his face down toward the floor. He knew this would only make the swordmage more upset, but part of him could not accept sitting back and waiting. Not while the person dearest to him in the world was risking his life.
Stephan seemed to know this as well, taking a hand and caressing the blue man's cheek.
"I know you'd be there for me, love." he says, smiling as he rubs the man's cheek gently, "I can't think of anyone else I'd want at my side for this. But..."
He pulls the hand away, turning his gaze back out to the night sky.
"If... if something happens to me... you have to make sure... if she manages to..."
Stephan stopped himself, as Midoku now stood before him, blocking his view of the window. The blue man leans foward, embracing the swordmage tight as his lips press against the other man's. Stephan closes his eyes, returning the embrace and just enjoying this moment together. No matter how bad things seemed, this was the one person who gave him peace of mind. He couldn't put to words accurately what this man meant to him, and Stephan knew how important he was to the man in his arms.
Yet in a few hours he would be putting that all on the line, for a bunch of kids he didn't even know. He briefly considered walking away from the whole thing, rather than risk Midoku being alone again. But he couldn't. He couldn't let them be used by that woman. Not like he was. But the doubts still lingered. Midoku seemed to pick up on this, pulling back and looking into Stephan's eyes.
"Do not think that way. You are all accomplished warriors, and you shall find a way to prevail." Midoku tells him, a wistful smile on his face as he continues, "That, and I know you are far too stubborn to listen to anyone."
Stephan smiles back, giving a brief kiss in return. Then he eases Midoku off his lap, crossing the room and getting some of his gear together.
"...you are leaving already?" Midoku asks from the bedside, as the swordmage start putting his undergarments on.
"Not just yet, but I might as well get ready now. I'll probably leave after I grab something to eat." Stephan tells him, as he starts to put the plating of his armor on. The blue man just sits in ackward silence for awhile, as the other man suits up in his blue mithril armor. Once Stephan starts checking the sharpness of his blades, Midoku tries to break the silence.
"...Are you certain you do not wish company?" he asks. The swordmage glances up for a moment, then back to his weapon.
"Nah, I'll be fine. Shouldn't be too long anyway." Stephan answers. He places the weapons into his bag, and the greatsword to the back of his armor. Then he crosses back over to the blue man, holding him tight.
"I'll be back soon enough love, try not to worry too much." the swordmage tells him, placing a kiss on his cheek, "Just relax for awhile."
"...alright. Just... be careful." Midoku tell him, squeezing him tight.
"I'll try harder for once." Stephan reassures him. Then he pulls away, crossing the room to the door. He takes one last look as he opens the door, the two meeting each other's gaze. Both know he doesn't want to go, but both know he has to. He finally leaves the room, closing the door with the blue man alone. He sits watching the sunrise for a few minutes, then lies himself down, silently praying for any of the Gods to watch over his love.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
As Stephan descended the stairs into the Ivory Horn's dining area, his nerves started to kick in. This could really be it. From all he'd seen and heard, there was a very likely possibility he wouldn't come out of this alive. He knew dwelling on it would just make things worse, but after Dawn's little 'message' with the young woman, it was hard not to.
One thing was for certain. He needed a drink, and by Gods he needed it now.
"...you got anything light for alcohol?" Stephan asks as he sits himself down, placing elbows on the counter and resting his face in palms of his hands.
Edited by: FF Fanatic 80 at: 6/24/05 18:16
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 308
(6/24/05 19:12)
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It's too early for all of us to be drinking!
The bartender on shift was checking the sediment in a wine bottle, frowning a little in disapproval. When Stephan approached the counter, he resumed his proper station to find out what the guest needed.
"...you got anything light for alcohol?"
He blinked for a moment, surprised at the man's order. It was a little early for alcohol, but Stephen did look like he needed it. Far be it for any self-respecting bartender to deny a man in need.
"What did you have in mind, sir? If you'd like some kind of mixed drink, what we don't have prepared I could make to order."
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FF Fanatic 80
Imposter Brit
Posts: 1601
(6/24/05 21:41)
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Re: It's too early for all of us to be drinking!
Stephan gazed up at the man, a look of impatience and annoyance fairly obvious on his face.
"...I don't really care, just anything right now." he answer the bartender.
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 8
(6/24/05 21:49)
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Meanwhile, with the goblins.
Lym smiled in the most charming fashion he could -- though it didn't take a trained seer to know that Myrnal was not in the market for what he had. This was simply how he greeted women, whether they liked it or even cared.
"Hey, you'll get paid one way or another. If Silvar doesn't pony up -- and I can't imagine why he wouldn't -- I'll pay you myself. Not that I'm exactly, you know, made of money at the moment...just bought this broom a few months ago, you know."
He nervously checked over his shoulder to see what the goblins were up to. Their continued flurry of activity was not exactly comforting.
"Regarding the knives, I think they're great. I bet each one's got a story behind it. For instance: is that a Valthi stiletto? Not often you see something like that in these parts. Makes me curious." He leaned back, putting both elbows on the table and making himself real comfortable.
"But then, most things do. It's what Eve here likes about me so much, right?" He gestured to her, smirking playfully.
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 309
(6/25/05 11:10)
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Re: Meanwhile, with the goblins.
The bartender nodded, familiar with this particular condition. It being morning and all, he thought he'd offer the man something at least halfway nutritious. That thought done with, he reached for a bottle and pulled out some variety of juice. Dropping some ice in the bottom of a glass, he covered it with a good bit of liquor and filled the rest with enough juice to color the contents of the glass a shade of orange-pink.
"Here you are, sir. This ought to be about right for, uh... this time of day." He smiled and pushed the glass over to Stephan. "If you want or need anything else, I'll be waiting to help you out with whatever we've got stocked."
~~~~~
Myrnal looked down at the stiletto as Lym mentioned it, surprised that the man recognized it at all. "Yeah," she said, the annoyance beginning to ease out of her voice a little. "Gift from a friend of mine." At his inspection of the Goblin staff, Myrnal smirked again. "Don't worry about them. Shouldn't take them too long for... what you ordered." She turned back to the Goblin chef standing next to her. "Detlev, that reminds me. After what happened to the Jade Dragon, do you know where the staff ended up?"
He sighed dramatically. "They are with my brother-in-law. Hopefully they don't all kill each other before 'Frau Dia' gets it rebuilt. Anyway, I'm going to go check on your order, sir," he said to Lym, suppressing a laugh. He went back into the depths of the kitchen with a stream of angry Goblin at the unfortunate new boy.
Eve meanwhile... simply stared at Lym. Yeah... Right, Lym.
Edited by: Kai at: 6/25/05 11:55
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FF Fanatic 80
Imposter Brit
Posts: 1603
(6/25/05 13:34)
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Re: Meanwhile, with the goblins.
Stephan nods to the bartender, tossing him a few gil to cover the drink. Then he starts to take sips, waiting for it to take some effects as he thinks about the situation. An activity he hopes the drink will discourage in a few minutes.
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 311
(6/25/05 16:28)
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Re: Meanwhile, with the goblins.
It seems the bartender was taking good care of Stephan, for though he didn't feel better immediately, the drink did seem to be taking the edge off. For his part, the bartender slid the money into a pocket and went back to frowning at his wine.
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 9
(6/25/05 19:05)
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it keeps giving me blank subject lines.
"Have a seat, if you want," he said to Myrnal.
Without waiting for an answer, Lym settled in to wait for his meal, looking a little apprehensive.
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 312
(6/25/05 19:23)
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Re: My subject lines are fine, if slightly random.
Myrnal hesitated a moment, giving Lym an odd look. If he puts his hand on my leg or some shit when I sit down here I'll kill him. Coworker or not. She slowly sat down across from him and Eve and with her back to the kitchen.
"And, Lym. Just so you know. What you ordered shouldn't be all that bad. You didn't hear this from me, but it sounds a lot rougher than it really is. The worst part is eating it knowing what the ingredients are. So I'll spare you and let you find out for yourself," she ended with another wry smile.
Meanwhile, Eve sat a little more quietly than was normal for her. She slipped her hand across the table and pulled Lym's bottle toward her, having another small sip before replacing it.
From behind Myrnal came a rather short, green Goblin with a bruise developing on the side of his head. "For ze gentleman. Ya. Don't eat ze fuzzy stuff." He set a plate in front of Lym, nodded curtly, and ran back into the kitchen.
The dish Lym was given looked like it was covered in several rather interesting-looking items. There were slices of what might have been some variety of liver, and then... some kind of... paste? Pate? It was difficult to tell, but it was garnished with cocktail onions and a few small pickles of some sort. The 'fuzzy stuff' the Goblin referred to was probably for presentation and not fit for consumption. Little sprigs of what might have been multi-colored fur decorated one edge of the plate.
Myrnal looked Lym straight in the eye and raised her brows at him expectantly. "Well, Lym? What are you waiting for?"
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 10
(6/25/05 19:46)
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Well, screw you too. ;0p
Lym thanked the goblin, then looked down at his dish with understated curiosity.
"Well, I asked for it. Now to take my medicine." He shoveled as much as he could up with his fork, put it in his mouth, and started chewing. His eyes swelled briefly, then his eyebrows shot up, then they went limp -- lowering, slowly, gracefully, to his eyes.
"THIS is what makes it all worth it," he said. "All the bizarre beastie entrails, the beholder fetus, the...the...well, we don't need to talk about that. THIS is what I do it for."
Lym dug into his strange meal in earnest. The glow wore off soon enough and in a minute's time he was simply enjoying a pretty good meal. The initial glee had clearly been from a sense of triumph -- a gambler's thrill.
"Eve? Myrnal? Want to try some?"
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 313
(6/25/05 20:49)
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Ah, bugger off. ~_^
Myrnal shook her head. "No thanks. But, now that you've eaten it and don't seem to mind, that--" she pointed to the slices "--is eel liver, while that--" she pointed to the strange paste "--would be mashed chocobo pancreas. And... um. Congrats on the beholder fetus, or something."
The jittery Goblin returned with Eve's eggs and set them in front of her. They looked like they'd been poached, since Eve hadn't specified how she wanted them. "Eggs," he said simply, making his way back to the kitchen from whence he came. Eve picked up her fork and gestured to her food by way of an answer to Lym's question. "Nah. Mine's already here. Thanks anyway." She plowed into her own breakfast without any further deliberation.
When Eve was finished she looked up from her empty plate. "So. What exactly are we planning to do today? Is she-- she's going to be here, isn't she?"
Myrnal answered, "I don't know shit. I just go where I'm told and kill what needs to die. For the most part anyway." Myrnal winced a little, but shrugged it off and waited for Lym to answer Eve's question. Presumably he knew more than the irritable ninja who'd just gotten dragged into this insanity.
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NebulaQueen
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Posts: 2699
(6/25/05 21:11)
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Re: Ah, bugger off. ~_^
You know, this is rather early, Kei thought to herself. While she had originally planned to get a closer look at the area around the city gates, there was still plenty of time left before her meeting with Dawn. Plus, there was one thing she hadn't planned on.
Kei was much hungrier than she expected.
She sighed to herself, before changing direction towards the Ivory Horn. She'll just have to go back when she was done.
Edited by: NebulaQueen at: 6/25/05 21:14
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 315
(6/25/05 21:32)
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Re: Ah, bugger off. ~_^
Kei finds that there are few people out on the streets at this point in the day. There are a few Domans going out for breakfast, but the main slice of the population that would already be going about their business are shopkeepers getting ready for the day and, hopefully, a nice profit. She gets a couple of friendly waves, but it doesn't look like anyone's ready to vigorously hock their wares. As a result, she makes it to the Ivory Horn without being disturbed.
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 11
(6/25/05 21:37)
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Mmmmmhm.
Lym shrugged at Myrnal's cullinary revelation. "Hey, as long as it didn't come from nobody's uterus, I consider pretty much anything edible, if prepared correctly."
"As for today's plans..." Lym shrugged a little and frowned. He was trying not to be an asshole of a man, flexing his biceps and protecting the emotionally fragile and generally helpless woman (that is, Eve) but this situation demanded a certain delicacy, no matter how highly he thought of Eve's ability to cope.
So his voice lowered a little -- without really asking his permission -- and he turned inward on her, subtly, tilting his head a little to the side. "Yeah, Dawn's going to be coming today. She's going to talk to Kei out at the gates sometime tonight. Now, we've got something of a plan going at the moment, and Kei doesn't know anything about it...by her own design. She doesn't want anybody, mm, picking her brain."
He took another drink.
"What about you? Do you want to know the plan so far? I think you know the goal."
Without really thinking about it, he put his hand down on the table, palm-up and open.
"We want to stop Dawn. Probably we want to kill her. Right now, there are complications beyond our understanding...so honestly, dear, I'd be surprised if we get that far and if it stays that simple. But right now I see what she's doing to those children and I wonder what she's going to be up to a day, a week, a month from now, and I know what needs to be done about it, if it can be done."
He smiled at her, just a little, but lowered his eyes, maybe a little ashamed.
"So honestly, do you want to know more?"
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 316
(6/25/05 21:44)
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Re: Mmmmmhm.
Myrnal watched the conversation with a rather quizzical look on her face.
Eve stared Lym straight in the eye. "Lym. She's my sister. I've known her longer than anyone else alive now. Don't you think if anyone deserves to know... it's me?"
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FF Fanatic 80
Imposter Brit
Posts: 1605
(6/25/05 21:59)
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Re: Ah, bugger off. ~_^
Stephan definitely felt a bit 'lighter' on his seat there, sipping a bit more of the drink. Maybe just a bit would be enough, enough to calm his neves for the task at hand.
...then he realized he was dwelling on it again, and figured he needed a bit more 'calming' down. So he goes ahead and continues to have his drink.
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 12
(6/25/05 22:12)
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Moo.
Lym sighed.
"Sure, you're right. Sorry."
Glug.
"Well, honestly if you'd asked me yesterday I would've said, we kill her the second we see her. Now I've had a little rest, a little to drink, I've got some food in my stomach, and I...I think we ought to give her a chance to talk to Kei. But I also think we need to stack the odds in our favor, heavily, so when she's done talking, we can corner her and take her out. If we could imprison her, it might be better."
He hunched his shoulders and leaned on the table, speaking to someplace between it and Eve.
"Now the way I figure it, our biggest problem is that if she don't like something that happens, she can teleport out of there, and fast. That is...irritating.
The second thing is that Dawn isn't stupid. I made it perfectly clear what I thought of her, and assuming she took me at all seriously as a threat -- I'm sort of hoping she didn't -- she's going to check where I am before she comes to the meeting place. She can presumably do that without too much effort, so I shouldn't be there. Neither should Kerov, Stephen, or you. I think we ought to be hanging out in a tavern or something, having a perfectly good time, looking like we've got better things to worry about tonight.
Now Myrnal, I think you need to be on the scene. I don't know if you can hide there, I don't know what you can do, really, other than stabbing things...but you look like you can take care of yourself, and -- unless she's, hey, watching us now, in which case all hope for this plan is lost, heh heh heh -- I bet you can take care of that.
I'm going to be watching. I may open up a telepathic pipeline, I may just keep an eye on the place -- I'm not sure. But I'll know what's going on. And when it looks like Dawn's said everything of interest that she's going to, before she can possibly teleport out, Myrnal, you'll do your thing. She won't be able to get away so easily.
When that happens, Eve, ideally, I'd like for you to take Kerov, Stephan and I to the immediate proximity of the anti-magic field. Kei and Myrnal here can handle themselves without any special tricks, I'm sure -- and I imagine Kerov can, too -- but we'll be most useful as a perimeter, to keep her where they can take care of her, and to deal with her kids if they try to get out or pull any tricks.
Also, as a contingency, if you're willing to work with us, Eve, I need to know how good you'll be at following Dawn, should she try to get away.
And again, I'd like to stress, given how temporary death can be in this parts...given that she's already died once...ideally, we'll capture her. We'll capture the kids. Get them into the Doman prison where they can't do any harm, and see what we can do for them from there. But I have my doubts that they'll make it that easy. I have doubts that anything I've just said will happen the way we think."
He sighed and folded his arms, resting his chin on them. He wasn't used to talking this much all at once -- not that he particularly minded, he just wasn't used to it.
"Thoughts?"
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 317
(6/25/05 22:48)
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Re: Moo.
"You want what?" Myrnal asked, surprised. "You tell her when she asks but I'm the one who's supposed to do this. I'm basically going in solo to kill her, because I'm sure as hell not going to stake my life on someone I haven't even met yet." Myrnal stood and braced her hands on the table. "She's met me, you know. Once she knows I'm there she'll probably know how to tip the scales back in her favor. I'm all right with the risk but here's my problem. Your plan could get me killed and you were planning on telling me when?" She sighed and sat back down again. "Besides. The anti-magic scrolls will probably work wherever I cast them. That means I have to get close. Not only that..."
Myrnal looked at Lym like he was the most exasperating man she'd met in a long time. "Look. I barely know you so I'll be totally honest. Wands are easy. Scrolls can be tricky. Some of them are easy, one-shot deals. Some of them blow up in your face if you don't read them just right or angle your feet with the nearest giant laying a golden fucking egg or whatever it is that makes them work. The point is... I can't use them one-hundred percent of the time. I may be a bitch, in fact I've never denied it. But I'm not an arrogant bitch. You need another plan in case I get myself killed trying to do this for your stupid ass."
Eve looked back and forth between the two of them. "I... could try to follow her. It's imprecise, but I think that I may be able to try and divert her teleporting if she tries." She looked down at her hands resting in her lap. "I want to know more about what she's done, too. I can't... I can't imagine that, even after all she's done to... done to me and to all of the others that she would... I don't know. I just want to figure out what's going on before we decide to kill my sister."
Myrnal rolled her eyes, but said nothing in response to this last statement.
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 13
(6/25/05 23:13)
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Moo.
Lym winced, but quickly his expression of hurt turned to one of annoyance.
Politely, slowly, and with an even tone, he said to Myrnal, "Madame, my stupid ass is none too impressed with your capacities at the moment. I don't know you that well, but I have to assume if you can operate a magical device without any actual magical talent, you're smart enough to know anything you do involving Dawn or anyone of her caliber is going to be a risk to your life. Don't you sit there and pretend the fact that your ass is going to be on the line is some kind of shock -- you may be rude and short sighted, but surely you saw that one coming.
So yeah, your ass is on the line, and yes, you already knew that if you know how to breathe, because you're a hired arm, and hired arms put their asses on the damn line. Don't like it, find a new line of work -- put those pretty knives to work in a kitchen, or a circus.
Now, if you're done working out the sticky particulars of a job description you chose in the first place, we can work out and negotiate the details. That's what we're here to do.
Don't like that plan? Here's a second version. We let her talk, Eve brings us in, and then we start fighting, free for all. I do what I can to decapacitate her. Everybody does. If it doesn't look like it's working, you set up your anti-magic field and finish her off. She tries to get away, Eve redirects her right back to us.
Or if you're fine with my first plan and you just want a fail-safe, that's why we're there -- scroll blows up in your face, I'll personally pour a potion on your scorched body, just as soon as I've helped put down the dangerous people in the area.
Or if you have any suggestions, in spite of your apparent bizarre beliefs about the safety of life as a mercenary, I'd be glad to hear them out. And if you can find a way to get paid and stay safe at the same time, more power to you."
His reponse to Eve's concerns was simple. He reached over, slowly, and softly stroked her upper-back, just a little.
"And yeah, we don't have to rush anything unless she forces our hand...but if she does, don't get in the way, alright? You don't want to risk it."
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NebulaQueen
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(6/26/05 0:50)
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THERE IS NOTHING TO SEE HERE
As she walked into the inn, Kei noticed one of her companions, Stephan. Instead of going over towards him, she decided to take a seat and see if anyone else would come down and join him.
Edited by: NebulaQueen at: 6/27/05 20:12
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 318
(6/26/05 13:50)
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Re: Moo.
Myrnal sat totally silent for several seconds.
She went over his words to herself a few times. ...put those pretty knives to work in a kitchen... kept popping up. Myrnal repressed the urge to drag Lym onto the table and castrate him right there in front of his lady friend. But... killing one's coworkers is usually less necessary than Myrnal would like.
"Lyminali. Don't tell me about dangerous plans. Don't tell me about taking risks. I'm pretty much only good for two things: sneaking around and killing people, usually at the same time. I have no illusions about the risks involved in my job. But you believe me when I tell you I have done things that were easily more dangerous than the average mercenary faces. And I know the kind of thing we're dealing with."
Myrnal stood and walked over to where Lyminali was sitting. She squatted down on her heels so that he was looking down at her and spoke to him in a low voice that was barely above a whisper. "You want to know some of the things I've done? You want to know how safe my life is? I first killed a man when I was nine years old, and that after everyone I knew was already dead. Then, not all that long ago actually, I allowed myself to be possessed by the god of hate because, believe it or not, it was actually the safest choice for everyone involved. So, Lyminali. Tell me what we're dealing with. Tell me it's dangerous." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Please do. Go slow, it might take a while for you to make it clear enough that I understand. But do not ever imply that I am a coward ever again, or I will filet you so fast your grandkids' heads will spin."
She paused, and stood again. "That being said. I think the second plan is better. My ability to use the scrolls is much better suited to an emergency backup plan. If Eve can help with transportation I have a much better chance of getting close to Dawn. If I can get behind her without her seeing, that's all I need. I agree with you that we should give her a chance to not turn this into an all-out battle. If it does, we can be ready. I'm sure she'll be planning for the same thing in case we're the ones who decide to break whatever deal you people made. I'll stay nearby since, like you said, she won't be looking for me, she'll be looking for you guys. At least that way we won't be leaving your friend alone with Dawn. In fact, it's probably best if we stay in groups from here on out. If anyone's alone for too long, that might be enough time for them to get nailed by Dawn. We'd have an enemy in our midst and not know until it was too late."
Eve glanced away with a strange look on her face... was it guilt? But she didn't seem to have a problem with Myrnal's estimation. "I agree. We may not have to fight. I don't think she'll push us to it. She tends to do no more and no less than is actually necessary. She's very efficient. If she doesn't need to fight, she won't. But... we can't leave Kei by himself. Not with Dawn."
Myrnal nodded, and looked to Lym for an opinion. "Well? Sounds pretty reasonable to me. We fight if we have to, but we don't need to charge in, spells blazing. If we're planning for a fight, you can bet she is, too."
(ooc: Neb, Stephan is the only one in the Ivory Horn. Lym, Eve and Myrnal are all in the palace kitchen in the basement.)
Edited by: Kai at: 7/8/05 8:39
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 14
(6/26/05 16:09)
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moo
Lym was amused by Myrnal, but not impressed, and it showed.
"So now you're all badass? Not upset anymore that I had the gall to put the trade killer at risk? Wonderful." He laughed a little. "And if you're really only good for killing, I suggest you find a hobby...you know, wood carving or smithing or weaving, whatever.
It's a funny thing about ending lives. It's pretty easy to do. If we were really, honestly determined, we could give ourselves a much surer shot here. Fuck the antimagic fields, just forget it -- simply take a trip overseas, come back with some Valthi firearms, grab some potions of invisibility, then teleport into the middle of Kei and Dawn and start shooting till we can't shoot any more. We could enlist some friends, maybe half the Doman army...
Hell, it wouldn't be hard. Murder's about as rare a talent as standing upright. So I'm sorry if I don't look impressed, because I'm not.
Now, there is one thing that I think could use clarification -- there will be a fight. I am not dead set on killing anybody but I am dead set on stopping them from killing or manipulating anybody else. Nobody leaves this meeting unless they're dead or in chains. Dawn may feel that she's being all diplomatic deigning to discuss her assorted crimes with us, but they're still crimes and she doesn't get room to negotiate. The possibility of letting her go and continue this rampage is not something that's really up for discussion.
We got that?"
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 320
(6/27/05 8:38)
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The GM finds a PC in the hotel lobby
Myrnal's hand seemed to creep of its own accord toward her belt of assorted weapons, but she nodded. "Yeah. Makes sense to me. I'm no fan of mental domination and, I uh..." She glanced down briefly at the silver symbol of Kazeros just visible above the neckline of her uniform. "I owe some people some favors."
Eve looked over to Lym. "I know how you feel, Lym. I know that Dawn has upset you and that... you're probably right about her. I just want to tell you again that she's not going to be so easy to match up against. ...It's a big risk and I'm not..." She stopped, making a couple of nervous vowel sounds. "I'm not going to let you get hurt."
Eve stood and stepped away from the table. "I think I need a smoke. I'll just be right outside. Myrnal, nice to meet you." Myrnal nodded, and Eve headed for the stairs.
Rather than be left to continue small talk with Lym, Myrnal headed back into the kitchen to talk to the Goblins. She passed one rather tall Goblin as he came out to clear everyone's dishes. He bent over the table to speak confidentially to Lym. "Young girls. Zey get angry. And many not quiet like your friend." He winked and grabbed the dishes.
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 15
(6/27/05 11:41)
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And somehow, no one is dead!
Lym seemed touched by Eve's concern. When she and Myrnal had left, Lym shrugged and chuckled at the goblin's observation. Remembering what Myrnal suggested earlier about staying in groups, he projected his awareness outside with his sense eye to watch Eve having a smoke. Not because it was particularly interesting, but because he was getting paranoid.
"What a way to start the morning," he said, sighing heavily.
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 323
(6/27/05 19:36)
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No one has died or been a sacrifice to a dark god!
Watching Eve smoke turned unproductive after a minute or two. Eve apparently wanted a bit more privacy than the castle could offer, as she went all the way to the castle gates and showed the guards her pass. After they'd made certain of her identity, she turned a corner and teleported.
Myrnal meanwhile, was still in the kitchen, talking animatedly in Goblin. Some of the staff glanced in Lym's direction with expressions of mixed irritation and pity. The Goblin who'd spoken to him before made eye contact and smiled (with nearly all his teeth intact to boot) seemingly to defuse any concerns about them spitting in his food.
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FF Fanatic 80
Imposter Brit
Posts: 1607
(6/27/05 20:08)
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Re: No one has died or been a sacrifice to a dark god!
Stephan glanced about the bar for a moment, after another large gulp from his morning 'pick me up'. The bar seemed pretty hazy, probably from all the heat. Although, everything really looked a bit hazy. And Stephan felt oddly upbeat for some reason.
And there was the matter of the giant cat at the door. Except... it wasn't a giant cat. Just a nekojin, not a housecat of enourmous size. It took a moment, and a few blinks, for Stephan to place the fuzzy face in his memory. Memory which seemed as hazy as his vision at the moment. Once he did, he just knew he had to talk to the person. Cause when you were feeling this alright, you had to share it with your buddies.
"Heeeeeey kittyperson! Care fora drink?" he suddenly blurts out.
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NebulaQueen
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Posts: 2702
(6/27/05 20:20)
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Re: No one has died or been a sacrifice to a dark god!
"I...think I will pass, Mister Stephan." Kei sniffed the air a bit, before asking, "Have you been drinking?"
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FF Fanatic 80
Imposter Brit
Posts: 1608
(6/27/05 20:22)
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Re: No one has died or been a sacrifice to a dark god!
"Nah, I just like holdin' crap in a glass... curse I been drinkin'..." Stephan semi-slurs, downing another mouthful of the liquid, "Gotta, ya know... keep mahself from goin nuts. Whatcha been up to?"
Edited by: FF Fanatic 80 at: 6/28/05 8:16
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 16
(6/27/05 22:15)
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metasubject
Lym sighed deeply.
"We were supposed to stay in groups. Oh well...guess I know what I'm hypercognating next time I see Eve."
It was a struggle, of course, for him to respect her privacy this much. He wanted to trace her, see where she was going...he suspected, for instance, that she migh have gone to talk to Dawn on his own.
"But I can't be watching her all the time, can I? As tempting as it is. As much as I'd like to take care of her, she's a big girl," he said to himself. Not really knowing what else to do with his day, he decided to sit by and read -- maybe Myrnal would cool down and do something interesting. Besides, he really did mean to stay within sight of others whenever he could, just in case.
He dug through his pack and eventually withdrew a book from the library. It was a thick tome of nekojin history. It was clear from his expression of intense concentration and genuine interest that he could read this all day if nothing else came up.
"Incidentally," he eventually called into the kitchen, "I really do think some potions of invisibility would be a good idea. You know a good dealer around here Myrnal?"
Edited by: Magnus de Silentio at: 6/27/05 23:29
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 324
(6/28/05 17:56)
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Re: metasubject
One of the Goblins Myrnal was talking to gestured in Lym's direction. She turned and pulled a wand out of the side of her belt.
"This should take care of us. It's better than a normal invisibility spell because you stay invisible even when you attack. I keep it around for myself mainly, but if anyone else needs it, it has quite a few charges left." She exhaled, obviously still repressing her annoyance with Lym, but doing her best to get along with him for now. "Why do you ask? You don't really seem like Combat Guy to me."
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NebulaQueen
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Posts: 2703
(6/28/05 17:57)
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Re: No one has died or been a sacrifice to a dark god!
"I am just getting some breakfast..." she said. While Kei certainly did not approve of Stephan's current state, she couldn't judge him too harshly. Like he said, he had to keep himself from going crazy.
Just as long as he sobers up by this evening, it shouldn't do too much harm... she thought uneasily to herself. Afterwards Kei cleared her throat, and asked, "Have you seen any of the others this morning?"
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 17
(6/28/05 19:41)
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metasubject
"You're right," he said, shrugging. "But most of my few really nasty offensive abilities require me to be real close, and there's one in particular I'd like to try on Dawn, should the opportunity come up."
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 326
(6/28/05 20:49)
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Re: metasubject
"Oh? Well, that sounds promising. Most of my abilities are the same way, quite frankly. Just keep in mind that invisibility doesn't mean you can't still be heard. I've never needed any items for that kind of thing, so I couldn't help you there."
She walked to the table and sat down again, keeping an eye on Lym but not being openly hostile. "I should be all right getting up close to her because of my training, but if it comes to real combat, no amount of sneaking will help me most of the time." She rolled up the sleeves of her Nekonian uniform, and it was pretty clear from her build that she wasn't trained to take hits. Like Lym, she had to take out her opponents before they could get in a good shot. "So. What kind of abilities are you thinking to use if we can get you invisible first?"
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 18
(6/28/05 21:13)
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metasubject
"Well," he said, smiling a little -- he liked discussing what he could do -- "I'd do two things. First, real fast, I'd make her a little sick. It's a peculiar ability, not the sort of thing I can easily explain...but the important thing is this: it would make her worse yet at defending against something we psions are ill-suited for: defending against attacks on the flesh. Then I'd make an attempt at turning her into a harmless ball of blinded, deafened flesh. It's nasty, nasty stuff, and like your scrolls, depends more than a little on my good luck...but it'd be good."
He laughed.
"And it just might scare the motherloving shit out of her kids."
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 327
(6/28/05 21:14)
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Re: metasubject
"Yeah. About the kids... I was wondering what the deal was. Have you met them? I mean... what the hell is going on there?"
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 19
(6/28/05 21:41)
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metasubject
"What, she hasn't always had them? I figured they were pretty much a fixture in her life, and if you'd run into her, you'd run into them..." He shrugged.
"Well, now I guess I understand the situation a little better. Sort of. At any rate, she's got a unique mix of psionic domination and good old-fashioned brainwashing going on with them...they're some sort of cult or something. The only question left to me is whether they simply worship Dawn's ego, or something a little more dangerous. Something had to bring her back, after all. Huh...that makes me wonder..."
He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Shit, I knew I wouldn't be able to make it all day without doing this." He closed his eyes tightly and began to concentrate without a word of explanation to Myrnal. He was trying to find out who or what it was that brought Dawn back in the first place.
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 328
(6/28/05 21:49)
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Re: metasubject
Lym can feel information sifting from the corners of his mind: stories he's heard, rumors of dark powers and sinister gods, words he's heard from Dawn herself. The data is pulled from every corner of his awareness and then... stops. Lym draws a blank. This theoretically shouldn't be possible, should it?
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 20
(6/29/05 1:17)
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metesubject
Lym opened his eyes. He looked almost afraid.
"Shit. Fuck. That's never happened before."
He closed his eyes again, this time only to rub his temple and breathe deeply.
"Shit..."
He took the liquor and drank what remained of the bottle.
"Myrnal. I don't know who brought her back. I tried to find out...I reached out with my mind...I opened myself to my own consciousness. The hidden parts and the communal zones, the telepathy wavelengths. All of it. And I got absolutely nothing. That isn't supposed to be how it works."
He gestured wildly toward nothing in particular. He stood on his chair and paced from one edge to the other.
"I mean, you don't always get what you're looking for. There's maybe a fifty percent chance the information looks anything like what you wanted. And even then, the chances of it being useful...but still. You get something. But I tried to see who brought Dawn back, and Myrnal, I got jack shit."
He jumped down off the chair. "I don't know what that could mean, but we need to find the others. Fast. And we need to understand that whatever goes down tonight, it's going to be a lot uglier than we thought. ... Do you guys have someone you can count on to bring you back, should it go that way? I need someone like that. I need someone like that now."
He walked quickly out of the kitchen, apparently to seek out the others.
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FF Fanatic 80
Imposter Brit
Posts: 1609
(6/29/05 6:59)
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Re: metesubject
"Nuh uh. I jus seen dis bloke here." He says, gesturing toward the barkeep, "An Mid upstairs."
Stephan just stares off into space for a moment after saying that, then blinks and turns back toward Kei.
"He was all, bloody upset I told 'em he had ta stay 'ere. He dun say it, but I know it." He tells the feline, somehow looking completely serious... yet seriously wasted at the same time, "But he has ta, right?" "I said da right thing, right?"
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 329
(6/29/05 17:36)
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Re: metesubject [sic]
Myrnal blinked at Lym's apparent distress, but shrugged and followed him out. She caught up to him and matched her stride with his. "Lyminali. Do you mean bring us back from the dead, or to fix us if she does something to our minds? I mean, death isn't as serious a problem as it could be. Not here. In Doma there are people who literally heal people and resurrect them for a living. Having had opportunity to compare, I can definitely tell you that dying is the least of our concerns."
She paused. "In fact, the first time was actually one of the best things I ever did. Being chewed on by a book was much worse. So, in case it makes you feel better... you should feel free to kill me if you need to." Myrnal didn't seem bothered by this statement, but she wasn't exactly enthusiastic either. More than anything else, she looked tired. Much more than any nineteen-year-old should. "Seriously."
As they walked she rearranged a couple of items on her belt. "So. About Dawn. Do you have any guesses that don't involve whatever you just tried?"
If Lym considers the information he's got so far, he'll remember Dawn telling them (and him in particular) that some information is protected even from him.
Edited by: Kai at: 6/29/05 17:50
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Squintz Altec 
Fist of the KOSHER STAR!
Posts: 2846
(6/29/05 18:48)
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Re: metesubject [sic]
Kerov woke up with a start. When he opened his eyes, he realized that he was in the castle. In his office. Sleeping on his desk. On top of that, he was hung over. He figured he'd be going through some rough times in the future, so he might as well try to forget in advance. That plan didn't work out so well. He vaugely recalled having a spirited argument with his sword, a punch, and then the realization that his sword wasn't a person. And on top of that, it was sharp. At least he remembered to bandage the wound.
Man, he was a mess. Kerov took a moment to put his hair into a tiny inkling of what it was supposed to look like, found a replacement set of clothes, changed into them, and then grabbed Goel. His sword was being quiet today. Either he knew that Kerov wasn't in a good mood, or he was still pissed off over last night. Either way, good. Kerov opened his door, and stumbled down to the kitchen area. Hopefully, if he had something in his stomach, he'd be able to think again.
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 21
(6/29/05 20:16)
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metasubject
Lym sighed. "Well, that's good to know. I guess... Of course, I don't plan on killing you.
I haven't died yet. No idea what's going to happen when I do. Way I understand it, it's a little different for everybody. Well. Anyway.
No, I don't really know who could be doing this. Dawn said that some things were beyond even my abilities to discover. I thought she was full of shit at the time, but this proves it pretty conclusively. There might be other means through which to ascertain this information, but I definitely don't have them. Which bothers me.
Basically, Myrnal, it's theoretically impossible for me not to be able to find something out if I want to, and if I can pay the price in terms of energy. But I just tried it, and I got nothing. Anything that can do that to me is either really unusual or really powerful -- and I'm going to guess it's both. You know, I wonder if this is anything to do with the time travel shit..."
He scratched his head.
"Could something acting from outside of this time not leave any clues, any impressions for me to work from? That sort of makes sense..."
He shrugged, desperately. "I've got nothing. Our best hope is to grab her and coerce her to answer the questions. Or, hey, hope we piss off whatever it is enough that they show themselves."
At this point, they ran across Kerov.
"Hey, Kerov! Good to see you! I was just looking for you guys. ... Hey, man, did you know you look like shit?"
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NebulaQueen
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(6/29/05 21:47)
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Re: metesubject
Wait, he's upstairs? And very worri-...oh dear...
"You certainly did," Kei said. "There is no need to get him involved."
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FF Fanatic 80
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(6/29/05 22:38)
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Re: metesubject
"I know! But he dun wanna lisen to me, an...and he's always the one bloody whinin 'bout me not lisenin either..." Stephan semi-slurs, putting the empty glass down, "You ev'r have a prob'em like that?"
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NebulaQueen
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(6/29/05 22:57)
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Re: metesubject
Kei nodded, perhaps a bit more empathetically than she would think. "It happens to everybody. When people get worried, they become conveniently deaf."
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FF Fanatic 80
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(6/29/05 23:04)
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Re: metesubject
"Well, he bett'r lis'n, cause he has ta make it for me, if we get... get uh..."
Stephan looks back at the glass, taking one last gulp of the remaining liquid before putting it back.
"Whatev'r, so dat's dat."
He seems to stare at Kei for a moment again, then speaks.
"Say... do you people git all riled and shit if people call you 'kitties'?"
Much to the nekojin's dismay, likely.
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NebulaQueen
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(6/29/05 23:09)
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Re: metesubject
"...it is annoying. Think about how much you would like it if I called you a hairless ape."
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FF Fanatic 80
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(6/29/05 23:16)
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Re: metesubject
"I'd be damned bloody pissed, yeah..." Stephan answers. He gets up from the stool, steadying himself best he can. After a good two or three stumbles, he manages to get over to Kei.
"Ya know, you're pretty spot on alright. I mean, most folks get on my shite list pretty bloody fast..." he explains, an unco-ordinated hand patting the feline on the shoulder, "...but you seem reasonable and shite like that."
Whether he was entirely sincere, or it was mostly the alcohol talking, would be up to Kei to decide.
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NebulaQueen
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(6/29/05 23:41)
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Re: metesubject
"I...am flattered," she said, with a bit of awkwardness in her voice. Inwardly, she was debating whether she should find a way to get away, or to keep Stephan company...and out of trouble.
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Squintz Altec
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(6/30/05 0:13)
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Re: metesubject
Kerov let loose a grunt that could, in some circles, be considered a "Hello, good morning, how are you today?" However, it's doubtful that any of the others were members of that group.
"What're we up to this fine morning?"
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 22
(6/30/05 0:38)
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metasubject
"Well, we just had breakfast, and liquor...now we're trying to get the group together. We're really into groups right now, Kerov -- you know, just in case any crazy psionicists decide they want to kill us all.
Incidentally, Dawn is probably in service of a power so great or so weird (or so both) that it cannot be known, even with the power of omniscience! I thought you should know."
Lym laughed a little. "It's shaping up to be a fine day."
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Squintz Altec
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(6/30/05 0:44)
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Re: metasubject
"Superb." Kerov sighed, and scratched at the five o' clock stubble that had somehow found a way to grow. "Well, I suppose we should find Stephan and Kei then, so we can set off and be done with this. Does anyone know where they are?"
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Magnus de Silentio
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(6/30/05 0:57)
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metasubject
Lym shrugged.
"Not a damn clue. I guess they might be getting something to eat too? An army marches on its stomach, as the saying goes."
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FF Fanatic 80
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(6/30/05 8:43)
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Re: metasubject
"So... whadda ya think? We g'nna make it through th's thing? Or are completely forked?"
Stephan stops for a second, then started chuckling slightly.
"Hehe, 'forked'..."
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Squintz Altec
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(7/1/05 0:13)
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Re: metasubject
"Quite possibly." Kerov nodded. "Hmm. Well, with the Jade Dragon gone, I suppose they'd go to the next best thing, which is the Ivory Horn. Been there once or twice, they have a good bartender there, or at least used to. I say we check it out."
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 24
(7/1/05 0:47)
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metasubject
"Lead the way, Feathers. I've already eaten, so this is all purely social for me...well, maybe a little business. And, well, it's a tavern...so I guess maybe pleasure too.
Anyway, let's go. And keep an eye out for Eve, would you guys? She up and vanished."
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NebulaQueen
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(7/1/05 4:08)
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Re: metasubject
Kei stiffened her pose, before answering him. "Of course we are going to make it. Do not even begin to think we won't...that is just what she wants."
Plus...we have to make it.
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Squintz Altec
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(7/1/05 10:08)
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Re: metasubject
"Please. Do not call me Feathers." Well, that was what he should've expected. These wings stuck out in people's mind. "Follow me, I have a good idea of where it is." Kerov neglected to mention his hangover, and the fact he could barely find his way down to the kitchens.
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 25
(7/2/05 21:31)
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metasubject
Lym followed him. After a prolonged awkward silence he observed, "Nice place you got here, Kerov."
He didn't find sufficient cause to say another word before they reached the tavern. The silence was excruciating, but there might be worse things.
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FF Fanatic 80
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(7/2/05 22:57)
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Re: metasubject
"Y..yeah, you're right. We're g'nna make it." Stephan declares aloud, standing up and pounding his fists into the table, "Gonna st'p th' bitch no matta what!"
...then he seems to teeter a bit in place, plopping back down into the chair.
"...soon as th' floor stops movin'..."
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NebulaQueen
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(7/3/05 2:20)
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Re: metasubject
"Just stay still and drink some water, and you will be fine."
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Squintz Altec
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(7/3/05 20:31)
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Re: metasubject
Kerov sighed. "I'm just glad I'm not the King, and I only work for him. You wouldn't believe the crap that happens around here, seriously." Thinking back, a ton of messed up shit had gone down in Doma. It wasn't good to be the King, not at all.
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Magnus de Silentio
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(7/3/05 23:18)
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metasubject
Lym shrugged. "I guess I'm seeing a little sample of it now..."
Once they reached the Ivory Horn, he walked straight in. Immediately he spotted Stephan and Kei.
He burst out laughing. "Oh man, oh man...what is with this crowd? You're all even worse than me!" He plopped down on a stool next to Stephan and dropped some cash on the bar. "Hey, tender, get me something stiff and simple."
"Oh, you guys...you guys..." He addressed Kei: "Think he'll be sobered up by tonight?"
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NebulaQueen
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(7/4/05 2:45)
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Re: metasubject
"I hope so," she replied. "After all...there is still a lot of time left in the day, yes?"
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 27
(7/4/05 2:55)
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Re: metasubject
"Oh, a little drunkenness won't hurt anyway. Not too much. At least, I think. There's a sweet spot where everything is almost just as good as being truly sober, but your senses are a little dull and you aren't quite so easily frightened. Maybe that's a good place for our Stephan to be."
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FF Fanatic 80
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(7/4/05 15:27)
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Re: metasubject
Unfortunately for Lym, it seemed Stephan was still in the 'impared common sense' phase, as he turned to address the man.
"H...h'y now... you best not b'sayin shite ab't me again. Just b...b'cause you c'n kick my arse... dun think I won' be willing ta try anyway."
Then he sorta paused ackwardly, glancing around at everyone and blinking several times.
"...where the f'k did ya all come from?"
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 28
(7/4/05 16:19)
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metasubject
Lym gestured with a thumb over his shoulder, as if that explained it all. "Castle," he said. "Came looking for you and the kitty here, rummy. Incidental-like, any of you seen Eve?"
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 332
(7/5/05 18:42)
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Not unlike MacArthur... I return.
The bartender smiled, as apparently Stephan's friends were as intent upon early intoxication as he was. He poured Lym the same combination of alcohol and juice as he gave Stephan, figuring that it fit both qualifications nicely. Slipping Lym's money into a pocket, he pulled out a towel and began wiping down the glasses behind the bar.
Myrnal slipped in the door a few moments behind Lym and Kerov. "Your friend must be having one hell of a smoke to be gone so long. Think she'll know where to find us?" She sat down at the bar but declined to order anything, simply observing her new coworkers.
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 29
(7/5/05 19:30)
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metasubject
"Well, I think she ought to be able to track us down, if she feels like using a power...but I'm going to drop her a telepathic line in a bit if she doesn't show up."
Glug, glug.
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
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(7/5/05 19:34)
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Re: metasubject
Myrnal nodded. "Probably a good idea. Can't have her running off by herself, getting herself all mind-fucked or whatever."
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NebulaQueen
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(7/6/05 21:21)
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Re: metasubject
Kei's ears twitched in annoyance when he called her that obnoxious name. However, she ignored it for now.
"I have not seen her, nor has Stephan I think."
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Squintz Altec
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(7/6/05 21:49)
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Re: metasubject
"So, what's the plan? Meet up with Eve, then what?" Kerov winced at all that alcohol. He was still hung over, dammit, and he didn't need any reminders of last night.
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 30
(7/6/05 22:05)
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metasubject
"As thrilling as discussing our sub-plan for the fiftieth time would be..."
Lym tipped his drink back and emptied it down his throat. As he did so, he sent a telepathic message to Eve.
"Eve, dear, we're supposed to be in groups now. For safety. We're all in the ivory horn, and I'd really like it if you could come down soon."
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
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(7/6/05 22:08)
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Re: metasubject
Even though none of this is actually audible, Lym could swear he hears an irritated sigh. "Lym. Don't talk to me inside my head. You know I hate that. I'll be there soon. I'm shopping. I'm fine."
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 31
(7/6/05 22:11)
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metasubject
Lym sighed audibly into his emptied glass.
"You don't leave me much choice running off like that. See ya when I see ya."
He turned to the group at the bar. "Apparently," he said, "she's shopping. She'll be on her way shortly. Until then..."
He shrugged and tossed his glass back and forth from one hand to the other, studying the way it refracted the light on its journey.
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NebulaQueen
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(7/7/05 23:12)
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Re: metasubject
"Unless you have something else to talk about, I think I will be leaving now," she said.
Hopefully he'll be able to keep an eye on Stephan...
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 32
(7/7/05 23:37)
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metasubject
"Seeya 'round, I guess. Stay vigilant. And... look after yourself."
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NebulaQueen
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(7/8/05 2:42)
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Re: metasubject
Kei smiled, and said, "Do not worry. I already know how to do that."
And with that, she began to walk out.
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 336
(7/8/05 8:41)
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Re: metasubject
When Kei was out of earshot, Myrnal made her way over to Kerov.
"I don't know how long you want me to keep an eye on him today, but I'm thinking that I should probably follow your friend. You don't need me for anything else at the moment, so I'm going to give Kei a head start and go after him."
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Squintz Altec
Fist of the KOSHER STAR!
Posts: 2854
(7/8/05 22:25)
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Re: metasubject
"Sure, if you want to follow her, go for it." Kerov paused slightly as he realized how androgenous Kei was, but then decided that there was no use correcting it now. Besides, now his head hurt. "Do whatever you want to do."
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 337
(7/9/05 8:50)
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Re: metasubject
"Her? Damn. I need to spend more time in Nekonia. It's usually not so hard to tell with Nekonians, but Kei's... eh. Whatever. Anyway, when you get hold of those scrolls, send them my way."
With a quick wave to all present, Myrnal headed out the door after Kei.
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Magnus de Silentio
Posts: 33
(7/9/05 10:04)
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metasubject
Lym didn't look troubled to see Myrnal go. Not at all. After she was gone, he spoke to the group in general.
"Somebody can vouch for her, right? I'm none too impressed with her thus far, and I don't necessarily trust her either."
He thought to himself: Eve is making me nuts. She's better get here soon.
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NebulaQueen
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(7/10/05 17:52)
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Re: metasubject
Kei was on her way to the city gates, so she could get a better look at the area where she was supposed to meet with Dawn. Or at least, that was the plan. Instead, she stopped as she noticed Myrnal following her.
"Is there anything I can help you with?", she asked.
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Kai
The Mysterious Priest
Posts: 340
(7/10/05 18:02)
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Re: metasubject
Myrnal tossed a knife into the air and caught it in one hand, using it to give Kei a brief salute. She lengthened her stride to catch up with Kei. "Hi. I'm Myrnal. Kerov asked me to help you guys out, and with Dawn running around, it's probably best if people stay in groups. That way we can all keep an eye on each other. It's for our protection as much as for yours."
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