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Post by Veritas on Jun 12, 2011 11:25:31 GMT -4
Flange takes the point, Janiven second, and the rest the party, this storyteller assumes, filters in behind them in their previously established order. Janiven leads the group on, directing Flange left and right as needed for at least another fifteen minutes.
The silence gets deeper as they move, not actually, but surely seemingly. After a moment, Janiven clears her throat.
"It seems to me this might be as good of any time to ask you all...if there are any questions for me. About what happened earlier. I can try to explain as best I can."
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Post by elgatocello on Jun 12, 2011 12:02:37 GMT -4
Flange turns his head to Janiven. "I think, perhaps, it might be best if you start from the beginning."
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Post by Veritas on Jun 14, 2011 12:28:43 GMT -4
"The beginning?" Janiven sighs as she moves forward, leading the party. "It is a long story, and it isn't just mine to tell. Arael started this whole thing, and good for him. This city is better than what it has. Things aren't right here. The guards are corrupt or incompetent, and the people intrusted to rule by House Thrune don't give much of a damn, either. We just want to give people something to focus on. I might dislike the diabolists," and her eyes sweep over her shoulder towards Moira for just a second, "But I know we can't overthrow them. We just want the city to remember that it used to be great."
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Post by elgatocello on Jun 14, 2011 13:03:21 GMT -4
Flange laughed mirthlessly. "Well, I suppose we don't have much of a choice now."
He briefly lost himself in thought. "...But at least it's better than sitting in that damned shop all day. It's good to see action again."
"So, then what shall we do? Where to next?"
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Post by joviality on Jun 14, 2011 21:03:57 GMT -4
We just want to give people something to focus on. I might dislike the diabolists," and her eyes sweep over her shoulder towards Moira for just a second, "But I know we can't overthrow them. We just want the city to remember that it used to be great."
"I... I know what you mean, Janiven. I remember this city in its glory before the death of Aroden. It was a beautiful place with something to look forward to. Now it just writhes in its own misery, caught in the grip of House Thrune.
Moira hangs her head and grows quiet.
I may have studied Diabolism academically, but it never truly took root, I think. Some of the methods employed at the academy in Egorian would literally make your flesh crawl. I never had the stomach for some of the things they did there. It's the biggest reason I left Egorian to pursue my cartography business. In fact, I suspect that was what you saw in me, Janiven. Quite perceptive.
So while I may not outright dislike them, I certainly understand your... Distaste. You have no need to fear me. I will help with your cause if I can but know your aims."
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Post by Veritas on Jun 15, 2011 15:47:48 GMT -4
"First, we will head on back towards our hideout, and hope we don't find anything else nasty along the way. I doubt, however, that we'll be so lucky. The sewers are said to be crawling with lost souls, and they say Whitechin the Goblin King has set up down here somewhere. And I wouldn't be surprised if the Order of the Rack figures out where we've gone. They have plenty of young supplicants they'd be willing to toss into the sewers to find us."
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Post by irishmagician on Jun 15, 2011 20:11:50 GMT -4
"I may have studied Diabolism academically, but it never truly took root, I think. Some of the methods employed at the academy in Egorian would literally make your flesh crawl. I never had the stomach for some of the things they did there. It's the biggest reason I left Egorian to pursue my cartography business. In fact, I suspect that was what you saw in me, Janiven. Quite perceptive.
So while I may not outright dislike them, I certainly understand your... Distaste. You have no need to fear me. I will help with your cause if I can but know your aims."
After hearing this, Eridana's eyes immediately narrow into tiny, silver slits. Immediately, this is replaced by a studiously neutral and passive face. Slowly, she begins to drift forward, until she ends up directly behind Flange, making sure to place Janiven between herself and Moira. Pointedly making herself busy, she reminds Flange when to make the next turn; as well as inform him to watch his step as he almost steps in the molding remains of someone's meal splattered across the path ahead.
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Post by elgatocello on Jun 16, 2011 11:24:30 GMT -4
Flange squints as they move deeper into the sewer.
Perception Check
[dice=20] +3[rand=21469958802965960959229936747482181882491057037199435306100633634]
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Post by joviality on Jun 16, 2011 12:02:01 GMT -4
...After hearing this, Eridana's eyes immediately narrow into tiny, silver slits...
Moira looks a bit dejected as the little gnome shuns her.
To think I thought her a sign from Desna... everything seemed to point toward the Dreamer reaching out to me. The dreams she'd been having of late were of her mother and family worshipping Desna as they used to do out in the forest, and now the little starchild... even her star charts seemed to indicate great change was forthcoming in Moira's life. Perhaps it wasn't true though?
She fiddles with her pendant in the shape of a butterfly as she walks along behind Flange, slightly depressed but wondering what all the signs mean.
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Post by elgatocello on Jun 16, 2011 12:51:41 GMT -4
Flange stopped and sheathed his sword.
"This is not going to go to shit right now." Flange spit on the ground.
"Right now, we are in no position to be fucking around with who likes whom and why." The half-elf stared down each of them. "We are all in grave danger. I won't have any of you bitching about 'Oh, she worships devils' or ANY other crap right now. Not when this is our LIVES on the line."
Flange paused for a beat and crossed his arms. "If any of you are unwilling to work together as a team, you will be considered a liability and WILL be left behind. I'm not going to die today because of some sort of bitch fest going on here."
Flange unsheathed his sword and resumed his point position. "If this is something we need to hash out, you damn well better wait until we're in a place where people AREN'T trying to kill us. Now move out."
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Post by hockeyisgood on Jun 16, 2011 13:38:13 GMT -4
Sense Motive on Janvien [dice=20]+5.[rand=9538397238989512790948910828586298103448843809884455886090069]
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Post by irishmagician on Jun 16, 2011 14:11:15 GMT -4
Before her family had made their fatal pilgrimage to this accursed town, being berated in such a way would have cut like the sharpest knife. But after what those devil-worshippers did to her mother and father, and what they almost did to her, that language was kind compared to how everyone talked to her now. Smiling innocently with wide eyes, as if she had no idea what was going on, she pulls out a couple of stones from her pocket and begins playing with them.
[bluff = [dice=20]+4] [rand=774858333949968846385564843621581270914592165513764197392754998]
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Post by joviality on Jun 16, 2011 16:26:52 GMT -4
Moira looks at the insolent half-elf as he berates her and the child. She is calm and quite collected, waiting for him to finish. When she speaks, her voice is stern but calm.
"If you paid attention, dear sir, you would find that we were being quite civil. I was merely explaining to Janiven that I am on her side, and expressing regret for the past - for times long before you were even a glimmer in your parents' eyes. Dear Eridanna here likely has reason to distrust diabolists, I am sure, and I don't disagree with her. Many of them are nasty, evil things. But do not tell me to be quiet when I am but doing as Janiven asked and you yourself prodded - simply telling the story from the beginning. Nothing was "going to shit" as you so eloquently put."
Moira has a stern look on her face that reveals her age. Then, thinking again, she says, "Furthermore, that is no way to speak to a child."
She looks apologetically at Eridanna, hoping to garner some degree of trust.
"I have your back, and will do everything in my power to protect all of us as a team. Now please, lead onward. I don't want to spend one more minute in these dank and smelly tunnels."
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Post by hockeyisgood on Jun 18, 2011 15:56:21 GMT -4
"So listen," Heldalel states "I think she is telling the truth, which is good enough for me. This indecision is getting me a little ticked to be honest. I think we just keep going. We're going to be fine as long as we don't fight with each other. I say we just help her out, afterall are we not adventurers?"
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Post by Veritas on Jun 21, 2011 0:50:17 GMT -4
"I hope," Janiven says as the party moves forward, "That you will consent to be more than just adventurers, mercenaries for hire. But again..." and she pauses, looking back to you. "Arael was supposed to explain all this. Whatever the Hellknights have done to him...we will have to undo. If it can be undone."
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