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Lo'el "True enough." Perhaps he would be surprised at how calm he must sound, that is if he did not have so much else to think about right now. "But one of these choices is better than the others, so it leaves little need to consider the other paths. Besides, life is full of possibilities where as death can either be so final or, as you say, possibly leave me stuck here for...however long that may be." Eternity, no doubt. Or do these souls simply vanish if Spider should meet her demise? "My friends are strong, yes, but it did take the god of war himself to defeat you, no?" And even that death was not final. His companions may yet try to fight her however they can, but his continued presence around them will only allow Spider to see and know all that he does, which would have them lose before they even begin. Staying gives her too much of an advantage over all his friends and everything that they might yet try to accomplish. "No. Considering all this, it is best if I leave them." The faun's brow furrows slightly as she continues speaking. "Fate, is it? Very well. I shall do as I will and see what it still has in store for me." At least he has the ability to do mostly as he will, even if he cannot escape fully. He had not expected it to be so easy after all. With this damned business seemingly done, he stands and shakes out his tail. "Well then. So long as you leave them be, I will not be with them. Not until this ends, one way or the other." He takes a look around the room before settling his eyes back on Spider, wondering to himself just how long it will be until he sees her again, or -hopefully- if he even will. "Then I will leave here now and then leave them. If you would be so... kind as to allow me to wake up."  5000!
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Jul 2, 2013 14:47
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"Anadyr did the job, yes," Spider says, "...after tricking me into getting weighed down. But never mind that, it was over a thousand years ago. I should hope I've learned not to be so greedy- that oaf wouldn't have been able to take me down had I been as limber as I was supposed to be." Spider sniffs, disapprovingly and stands as well. "One way or the other. Look on the bright side- once the prophecy is fulfilled and I'm real again, I won't have any reason at all to continue meddling with your life." She extends one dark hand. "Shake on it to seal the deal,hmmm?" The spider-woman croons through her fangs; and once shaken, with skin oddly warm to the touch, Lo'el wakes up with an abrupt start in the inn in the dead of night with Lette completely insensate beside him. Just an update for Lo'el, for speed's sake.
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Jul 2, 2013 14:53
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Lo'el Vo'Rintel ♫ Regardless of how he may feel about certain deals, he extends his hand and nods once she offers hers. "Until next time then. After we see what the future holds for us both." And with that comes the feeling of being sucked back into himself before he shoots up in his bed. After a sharp intake of breath and several hurried ones, he begins to slow his breathing and wipes away cool beads of sweat that have formed on his head. He stares forward for a while, lost in thought about all this. Then he turns to see Lette next to him, her own sleep uninterrupted by his sudden waking. She must be experiencing her own dream. Perhaps the others are too. By the look of how peaceful she is, he decides it must not be an unpleasant one. He brings up a hand to wake her, but stops himself just short of her shoulder, moving instead then to her face to simply brush her hair away from it. Perhaps not. He would like to wake her and tell her. Tell them all, even. But goodbyes are not something he considers himself very good with. Saying farewell to his family was hard enough, but this will be just as difficult, if not more so. The faun leans over and plants a kiss on the fae's cheek, finding her skin as warm as he had expected it to be. Then he stands and moves to his pack, removing a single piece of paper before sitting down to write... quote:Dearest Lette. Blinking hard, he lays down his quill and looks at Lette as he waits for the ink to dry. Once it has, he folds the paper and gently places it in her hand. "Until we meet again on a better day." he whispers gently. In solemn silence, he dresses and gathers his things, lingering at the door to look at her once more before he steps outside and shuts it behind him. With a deep breath, he looks up and down the hallway, many will be fast asleep at this time and if Lette is kept in her dreams, then the others might very well be too. Perhaps he can risk another goodbye that he feels must be made. Quietly stepping into Asha's room, he glances at her before deciding that she must too be within a dream. On another piece of paper, he writes: quote:My honourable and enchanting knight master. He considers writing more. Words of a more personal nature that he would like to say, but how can he be sure how Asha will take it? He reminds himself that he can tell her all he wants when he sees her again. Instead, he kisses her hand and leaves the note next to the sleeping knight, under a special parting gift that perhaps says all he would like to. Quietly stepping outside again, he thinks of leaving notes for the others, but time is short and so is his ink supply. Hopefully they will know all he wants to say and how he feels about each of them. Words can be spoken when I return. Until then, he must stay clear to keep them safe. And so the faun leaves their dreams uninterpreted and quietly slips outside. 'Where to now?', he wonders. The Freehold perhaps, if they will have him. Or he can return to Lahti and ask to sleep soundly under her watch. Hiding in Noah is always an option. Or maybe even scout out these Eagle hideouts and see if he cannot learn more about their plans for this land. His stomach rumbles and he finds himself forcing a smile around red eyes. Decisions can be made after he fetches Eclipse from the stables and treats himself to an early breakfast. ♫ The road ahead remains as unclear as it always does, but the faun can at least tell himself that his friends are in less danger because of his actions here. It is a strange part that I play in this story, but perhaps not a completely useless one in the end. And so Lo'el Vo'Rintel steps off into the early morning and disappears into the city, with the friends he has made here forever in his heart and soul. Sadly, this is where I must leave you all  . I cannot possibly begin to describe how much I have enjoyed my time in this amazing and groundbreaking game! You are all amazing people and I am deeply sorry I cannot see this terrific journey through to the end with you, but life just gets in the way of great fun sometimes. Farewell!
A Velociraptor! fucked around with this message at 18:12 on Jul 2, 2013 |
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Jul 2, 2013 18:09
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Isit "We'll just have to think of a scheme of our own then. I have surely come up with one or two in my time, and we have a mercenary contract to negotiate. Among other things. I think our best bet might be trying to draw him out right before the negotiations perhaps."
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Jul 3, 2013 04:44
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The goddess of death sighs. "No. It doesn't feel like much of anything at all, does it." She doesn't sound like she's asking a question, and then looks over sharply at the burst of laughter, stifling a question when she sees that Lette's alright. "Everyone looks for meaning. Especially when there's none to be had. It is, as best I can tell, just part of being alive. ...who?" She peers at the cliffs, squinting, then shakes her head. "No, I don't know them. This isn't just my territory, after all. You're welcome to go- this part of me'll be here, at least." --- "Tell me about unstable," Caria sighs. "I'm sure I will be able to maneuver through all the interlocking schemes and make sure things turn out properly, but the complexity is becoming enough that unknown schemers could pose a serious difficulty. Timing isn't as large a problem as you may think. The Queen is, at a minimum, several days away and if you do nothing I hope to be able to batter through whatever wards are around the man... in a few days." Caria grins, tight-lipped and tense, without showing teeth. "That is when the timing will be tricky. I'm... whether the wards can be weakened depends greatly on who actually put them in place, at least the ones over and above simple crowded humanity making it hard to find any particular person. I have every faith that you'd be able to help weaken anything put in by merely human hands, but if Spider's somehow woven a web around the palace- figuratively of course- that would be significantly harder to disperse. But it could not hurt-" she catches herself, and adds, "I don't see how it could hurt." At the last sentence, as Martin thinks about the map, Caria's eyes widen just a tiny fraction of a percent. "I see." She says. "Yes, well, he could be saved, but if he was weak enough to be seriously affected I would have to consider just how much trust I could put in him in the future. It would still be worth it, of course. As would... mercenaries, I suppose." --- As Dolan flees deeper, pursued by that which he doesn't know, Iklist flees with him- down deep into the psyche that is, itself, already a battlefield. The throne room wavers, once, a rippling distortion of energy that shows the throne room that was as a moving window passing by, before leaving the shattered room once more. The wayspirit in his head keeps its own counsel, knowing that this confrontation was not one where her input would be at all productive- and this time, like all others, the other part of Dolan flees back whence it came, leaving the throne room more pure- more like a memory- to bide his time for the next encounter. Though he may try to forget, the throne room stays stubbornly present, and his mind inconsiderately awake. Heat shimmers, a sudden lightheaded feeling overcoming Dolan and then a sensation of weight on his lap- the thing causing the sensation of weight seems to shimmer, being a plain dwarf woman one second, a massive black-furred feline the next... and after a second, it seems to settle on the puma's form. It- Iklist- looks around, with eyes that are not cat's eyes. "So," she says, the same voice coming incongruously from a small feline mouth, "I can do this now! I had hoped- oh. Sorry." She peers at Dolan, not making any move to stop cutting off circulation to his legs. "Is there, um... anywhere you wanted to go? Or just- back to sleep?"
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Jul 3, 2013 14:39
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Martin "I see." The last little bit struck Martin as slightly odd - jilted, almost. Perhaps given the situation and everything he knew about Caria and Roland, it should have been less surprising, but it still seemed strange from a God. It certainly was not worth worrying about, though. Not now, anyway. For now there were other concerns - and quite a lot of them. He had to do his duty - to the people of Noah, to his friends, to his wife - and yes, to Caria herself. "So to sum up, then." He taps his chin in thought. "We'll want to see if we can do anything about the wards, and see if Roland can be saved from whatever's been done to him. Since after all, hopes for a peaceful resolution to the current political troubles mostly rest on him right now, and we should make sure if at all possible the summit happens with him involved." He looks to Isit. "But we move forward with contingencies all the same - and it sounds that you're already quite far along on that subject, dear. The mercenaries first, so long as we are particular about the terms and the parties to the agreement. We will need to arrange some things in the city itself as well, certain pieces to be moved. I am sure we can handle that, the both of us." Martin flashes Isit a smile before continuing. "And there's the matter of the alliance with the Freehold in such a scenario; I have some solutions to that problem, at least." He crosses his arms, seemingly unable to keep completely still. "Which then also leaves trying to get a sense of the Eagles' doings, and stop them from disrupting anything further. As if we don't have enough reasons already." Martin grimaces slightly. "A heavy schedule, no? But all quite important. Did I miss anything that's imminent in the short-term?"
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Jul 3, 2013 17:01
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Dolan The weight drew Dolan back from whatever thoughts he'd been having, as Iklist took on a physical form -- as physical as forms can become in the realm of one's dreams. He remembered the cat he saw that first day he had come to this place, and the suggestion that that be the form she take on. She had been a dwarf, for a moment, and he remembered how casually he had dismissed the idea of her taking on the form of a dwarf. He couldn't even remember why he had done so -- it was obvious it was what she wanted, and there was no danger. "That's good," he said quietly. "If you like, I could create a dwarf's body for you. From my memories."
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Jul 3, 2013 23:01
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Lette The expression that passes over the goddess at the sound of laughter is not lost on Lette, but nor does she know how to interpret it. She'll not dwell on it for the moment, though; the presence of a stranger calls for investigation. She shrugs, rising to her feet. "Alright. I'll go check it out. Be right back. Or..." Maybe she doesn't have to go anywhere, even? Bending dreams, bending yourself — it's a blurry line to begin with. But if she's going to lecture others about the kind of loose-and-lateral approach to 'space' that dreams permit, she may as well make use of it. Being in multiple places was technically something she'd already toyed with. But such cases had been little more than multiple sides of the same object — the edges of the horizon became a bubble, and the most coherent "directions" all took the central object as their focus. Thus, one moves towards or away from it, one circles it, and so on; but by that same token, one does not move "northeast" so much. So then, this would be something a bit different: multiple foci. Could independent movement in two places be out of the question? One way to find out. She stares at a sturdy-looking ledge along the cliffs, and focuses on the weight in her heels, feeling the faint give of the pier just the same as the stiffness of the rock: two different senses of the same state. She starts with something more familiar: a single focus. Thus, she isn't just looking at the water from the pier, but from the rocks as well. And then, she has but to force herself to look somewhere else. Gonna give that all a try! If it doesn't fly, then will suffice to dream-zap the sole instance of Lette over to the cliffs on her lonesome for a closer look. Will/Dream 15.
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Jul 4, 2013 05:32
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Vuoksi gives Lette a tired grin as the fae tries to dual-locate herself; in the end, all she manages to get is a vicious headache. "Trying to be two places at once on this," she murmurs, "is effectively equivalent to trying to split your mind in half. If I'm not badly mistaken, you've had some experience with that." She stretches, wings fluttering, adding, "If you're-" but by then, Lette's already moved herself to the cliffs. As soon as she stops attempting to split her attention, the travel itself is quite easy. Only an instant of vertigo marks her transition to cliffs, but being high up is not the ideal place to suffer such a moment. Still, the view is a delight; higher mountains yet rise behind her, while below the long, blue river lazily wends its way around a bend and out of view; the pier below like a thin brown line cutting into the water, with woods behind and a small house. The bird cocks its head at her, shrieking defiance, before flying off; a sudden weight announces the presence of another bird on her shoulder, gently holding on with her talons. A harmless friend, Vuoksi says. He knows not to attack ravens. --- "If," Caria points out, "Anything other than a nasty wound has been given him- that's still uncertain, despite the circumstantial evidence." She brushes back a lock of hair, listening to the rest. Leaning forward, she says, "The problem of an alliance with the monsters? An interesting choice of words, to regard them as such given their weight and the weight of the queen's oncoming army. You mean in the event that Roland must be removed, yes?" She shoots Isit a slight smile, and adds, "I note that you've rather neatly removed one solution to that 'problem'. You have an alternative, then. As far as imminence, nothing else comes to mind but continuing to hunt down any who worship Spider. As for you-" she turns to Asha, and gives the centaur a smile. "After all you've done, it seems selfish to continue asking you to protect those working on my behalf, and yet. Martin still needs your sword, Dame. Is it still his?" --- The puma- Iklist- actually snorts. And the next time you saw him, he'd accuse you of letting your distaste for him push you into giving me too much. And he would be correct. The big cat pads off Dolan's lap, restoring blood flow to feet already suffering from pins and needles. This will do. The other isn't trying to drag you away anymore- it reached out, and I clawed it to knock it away. It's probably gone after someone less well protected. The cat preens.
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Jul 5, 2013 16:09
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Martin "The problem is not the alliance itself or with anyone involved in it, I apologize if I was not clear, Your Grace. The problem lies in finalizing it should the worst case happen," says Martin, somehow if anything amused over the misunderstanding. "Though you of course seem to have caught my meaning even with my lack of clarity." He looks over at Isit once more. "Of course, one cannot afford to make decisions based only on preserving contingencies. I have no regrets." He smiles, then looks back at the Huntress. "In any case, yes. Not just one alternative, but several. But of course it matters not at all if Roland is himself. And many steps to guard against the probability of him being compromised can easily be turned to aid him should he be well, so either way, our work will have a good result." "Also, I expect in the course of other things, the cult's trail will be picked up again," Martin notes. Especially going in the direction they were set to, there would likely be some sign, even if perhaps they were a few days out of date. His train of thought on that subject is interrupted as Caria addresses Dame Asha. The knight had been rather quiet of late, he reflected, to the point where he wondered now if there was something wrong. Until the silence was broken, he could but only hope that was not the case.
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Jul 5, 2013 16:58
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Isit She arches an eyebrow. "It was neatly done, wasn't it? Not about to lose a man to that home-wrecking cat. Besides, one cannot stay the course of true love, no?" Straightening her skirts, Isit shrugs, before flashing a discreet grin at Martin. "You're the goddess of scheming, a fine tribute isn't it? A lowborn woman like me aspired to be more, and lo and behold, I am. That's ambition." Isit nods along agreeably at her husband's words. "We do have contingencies. And contracts. A decent contract lawyer could scare even the queen no doubt."
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Jul 6, 2013 06:30
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Lette Briefly, this one slams into a wall; the particular experience of duality in question remains a bridge too far. A girl called Lette sways, clutching her head. That'll be quite enough of that, she must say to herself, for while she says no such thing aloud, she halts all such efforts in favor of a brass ring more easily grasped. "Oh! Don't fly away, mister birdie!" Lette says, feeling suddenly guilty for upsetting the avian's browsing. "Sorry!" Her birdlessness proved short-lived. "Oh, hello. Sorry, I may have stood myself here just as you were saying something over there. Didn't mean to cut you off. My own 'twoness' is a funny thing, true enough. A heritage long dormant." She peers over in the direction of the fishing goddess once more. "You sure do see a lot, to know about that. I don't even think I've given it any detail to my friends." Hearing this admission said out loud gives her pause. "Maybe that should change... when the crisis downgrades a little." Besides, it's not like it stands to affect the others, really; she's quite happy to make peace with herself, as their last few meetings have made so very clear. "But were you saying something el- oh, hey, who lives there?" she asks, espying the house. Perhaps it's the lovely setting, or maybe it's just the joy of freedom inherent to a lucid dream — whatever the case may be, it is clear that whimsy remains ascendant, for Lette wastes no time willing herself over to the distant structure.
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Jul 6, 2013 12:36
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Dolan Dolan sighs. "You are probably right. If you are content, though." That she could manifest now was not a surprise to him -- it was only a matter of time before she would grow strong enough to do so and separate herself from him, even in his own dream. He wondered if his connection to her would allow her to eventually manifest in the physical world. It was unlikely; the gods who so wanted exactly that would likely have found that capability long ago. "The other," Dolan comments. "Who was it this time?"
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Jul 6, 2013 17:58
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Asha It would be well enough to say, stars knew, that the knight would never have fathomed conversing with the gods--let alone to have been pursued and enlisted by their word. Curiously, perhaps, the centaur is left more disquieted by the talk of 'monsters' than anything else, old rhetoric beginning to resurface and dredge deep from where it lurked in the recesses of old and often painful memories. Such as it is, her jaw is tight and expression grim as Caria turns attention her way--and Asha straightens as one of the argent ought, rigidly... dauntless. That was always the pursuit, wasn't it? Drilled and disciplined, emphasized to the last even when brothers loosed yawps to send an empire crumbling. Distracted, more apt. Asha nods curtly to Caria, even now not entirely sure what to make of how... comfortable she felt about the goddess. "Until such a time as the good Baron may declare otherwise, my sword and lance are his til the end."
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Jul 6, 2013 18:08
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The bird of prey shows no inclination to heed Lette's words. Well, Vuoksi says, do you think you're the first in your family to have to deal with your particular issue with your heritage? I have seen much. The raven preens. Secrets have power. Keep them if you wish, share them if you wish, but don't ever do either lightly. WAI- Lette, catching the house, is off again like a shot, but this time instead of the house she ends up on the pier with a ringing head and the sensation of bouncing off a wall run into headlong. That house, Vuoksi says with chill politeness, is mine. After an awkward pause, the goddess adds, I believe that is all you wished to ask me, yes? And without giving her time to respond, the dream melts away around her. --- "Believe me, I wasn't criticizing, Isit." Caria grins. "Does me proud to see people preempting other possible plots with their own to get what they want. I wish the two of you all the happiness you can find." She flicks her eyes over to the centaur just before Asha speaks up, perhaps realizing what she'd called the centaur indirectly... or perhaps not. "Well, and good. He needs it." She clears her throat, looking at the three once more. "Well, I'll let you have the rest of the night to yourselves, then. Good luck- and if you need help, just call on me. I'll be listening as best I can." --- Iklist yawns widely, padding around- enjoying apparent separation from Dolan while still staying.. linked. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe it was Spider. Why take chances?" The spirit says, casually. "Anyway, enjoy the rest of the night. I'll keep watch," as blackness seeps back in around the dwarf's mind, taking him back down into dreamless slumber. --- When all awake in the morning, Asha and Lette both have notes; one in lieu of a faun's warm body beside her, and the other just as much a surprise.
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Jul 6, 2013 18:27
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Martin He looks to the others in turn. "I am very glad to hear it," he says, which seems to suffice as the perfect response to everyone. Just as well, as soon Martin finds himself awake again. His eyes open peacefully. Even with the ill news and the plotting, the afternoon, evening and night had been excellent - food and drink, music and dancing, a soft bed in civilization instead of the hard ground outdoors. Even the dreams, this night, had been kind. Though not everyone he'd wanted to be there had been, and it'd taken his intervention to arrange it, it was hard for Martin to complain about a dream featuring his wife, his patron, and the bravest sword he knew; at least as long as the others were safe too. If the work ahead went right, then in the future there'd be more times like this, in a world safe of malignant spirits and maddened Imperial partisans and the creeping threat of war. Somehow, here in the encroaching morning light, and with the news of Lo'el not having reached him yet, he was entirely confident that day would come. "Morning, love." He punctuates it with a kiss. "That's for being worried about losing out on me. I'm very glad things worked out this way, and not the other way. ...I suppose that's obvious, really. Of course, I'd have done everything I could to make sure we could be together, but...it's no longer a worry, eh?" Chuckling slightly, Martin sits up, taking a deep breath, eyes half-closed as he turns towards the window where the sun filters in. "And to think Caria's blessed our union, too. Seems a rare thing." "Anyway. We should get to work before too long, Isit." The Baron grins. After all, their plotting had been blessed. There was little to temper his present good mood, blissfully unaware of Lo'el's departure as he was. "I've thought up a couple errands before we all leave Noah. Work for everyone. I think you'll approve. I'd guess you have a few good ideas of your own, too. Let's have a wash if we can, get ready, and meet up with the others. See to these errands after breakfast and then set about finding these mercenaries you were looking for." Coyly, and with a knowing grin he adds, "Why, I'd wager a company of decent numbers would be at least as large as the city watch."
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Jul 7, 2013 18:59
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Lette She checks his bedding and finds it cold, then returns to pacing. She reads the note a fifth time. Hadn't she said she'd stick with him through it? That she'd figure out a way to wrest him from that web? Sure, a lot remains to be understood about his condition, but... That monster. That- The paper creases with her tightening grip. Visions of web, cocoons, that whole wretched ballroom blossoming into a pyre sure to dwarf even her own dream-offering flicker through her mind. Her breathing grows erratic as she fights back even the first appearance of tears. No time to mourn; only rage finds purchase here. And in those breaths, a rhythm: a distant war drum, its clarion call growing ever more powerful. The beat inflames. It ignites — literally, as the paper itself begins to burn. As the flame crosses the page, her eyes once more catch a line. Her power is growing. "So is mine!" she barks, far too angry for reflection, and tosses the letter onto the sheets. With a muffled shriek, she kicks the bedframe. She stares at the developing fire, huffing and shaking and waiting for good sense to kick in and inspire her to throw the sheets out the open window. And so she waits. And waits. The corner of her mouth twitches upward for the briefest of instants. Aeolius fucked around with this message at 19:53 on Jul 7, 2013 |
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Jul 7, 2013 19:51
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Isit Isit yawns. If scheming was a form of worship, then Caria might very well like her, religious or no. "Good morning to you too. Things are looking slightly up. For now at least. You know how these things go. I do think that hiring a proper mercenary band is the order of the day. I do need some more bodkins too......." She looks up at the sound of Lette yelling. "Well gently caress, what is it now?"
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Jul 7, 2013 23:27
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Dolan He awakens, albeit slowly, and elects simply to lie in bed for a few more minutes. It had been a long time since he had been able to sleep in a proper bed, or at least it had felt like a long time. Too much happening these past few weeks, so many pages to fill. And more was happening, by the sounds of things. He hears Lette yell from somewhere else in the inn -- was she across or above him? -- and in his current state it takes him well over a minute to realize that she might be yelling about something serious. If Iklist had had to fend off some scavenger, it might have gotten her. Lurching from his bed, he stumbles towards the door of his room to try to remember exactly where it was he should find her.
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Jul 8, 2013 02:35
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Martin "We will need the extra strength in numbers, indeed. If we could only accomplish one thing, that would likely have to be the one we focused on." Martin is busily getting dressed and chattering about the planning; he tilts his head at the yell, but the meaning doesn't seem to quite click until Isit's invective reaches his ears. Martin stands quickly - thankfully more or less done dressing anyway - and listens. Despite that, it's another sense that finally tips him off. "Do you know something dear?" Martin's face becomes rather grave. "I could swear I smell smoke." That statement hangs in the air for perhaps half a second before he springs towards the door. "This can't be good. Let's make sure everyone's safe. Hurry!"
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Jul 8, 2013 04:36
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Asha Gone. Gone. It was numbing, more than she'd have properly expected; of course, she had felt a powerful fondness for the faun--yet know, conflicting feelings roiled as echoes of spidery whispers drift the periphery of her thoughts. Distracted, as ever, she stirs rather sharply at the proclamation of smoke--drawing a sharp breath as her eyes go wide and she straightens with immediacy. Lette had shouted, something was burning and--Stars, I will NOT lose another! With a yawp of a cry the centaur bolts to swift and sudden alacrity, shouldering bodily past whatever may lie in her way as she hammers directly towards where Lette may be imperiled. Kool-aid Knight on the way. gently caress obstacles.
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Jul 9, 2013 03:38
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Dolan The sound of hooves growing ever closer confuses the dwarf for a moment. Why would there be horses inside? Did he wander into the stable by mistake? He turns, and just barely has time to see Asha charging towards him, and even less time to get out of the way. In the closed confines he manages only to get himself aside enough to avoid being trampled, but not enough to avoid getting knocked aside entirely. As he tries to rise again and begins to follow her, he can only wonder exactly what he missed last night.
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Jul 9, 2013 04:44
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Martin The Baron is in the hall not long after, and with both the smell of smoke and the trail of splinters and plaster displaced by a half-ton of centaur muscle to guide him, it is not difficult for Martin - and anyone along with him - to find the source of the morning's worry. If Dame Asha is going in this direction, thinks Martin, she certainly is not running away from the problem, but towards its origin. An origin that, when reached, has him much confused. "What the bloody hell?" The question is asked to no one and everyone all at once.
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Jul 9, 2013 04:59
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Isit Not properly dressed for battle, or much else, Isit follows Martin into the hall, dagger discreetly tucked behind her back. She sighs and tucks it into her waistband, as Asha thunders by, looking quite bothered. "Well then...."
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Jul 9, 2013 05:10
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Lette Absorbed in the fire as she is, Lette does not even hear the hoofbeats in the hall. The sound of her door bursting inward, however, does draw her from her reverie. "...Hi," she says simply, then turns her gaze back to the burning bedspread. "He's gone, you know."
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Jul 9, 2013 13:43
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Martin It is somewhat difficult for the Baron to process exactly what he sees and hears upon following Asha's route towards the fire. Thankfully the fire is small; less thankfully, it occurs to him as he looks through the ruined doorframe and around the knight that Lette may have just snapped. But with what she says, the reason for that becomes clear. After all, there was only one he unaccounted for at the moment. He looks back at Isit, eyes wide, before turning to face Lette and the fruits of her grief. "Gone..." Martin blinks rapidly. "gently caress's sake," he growls, saddened but also quite angry. "...I'm sorry," says Martin softly after a moment, composing himself as best he can. "I know that you..." He doesn't seem to know how to finish the sentence in the circumstances, and so changes direction. "I'm so sorry, Lette." A pause. "Why? How? Did he just...leave, or did he..." Sighing heavily and shaking his head, his eyes scan the fire. "Can...can we put that out before someone gets hurt, please? If the floor catches..." He looks to Dolan, hoping he has a trick or two to deal with the minor blaze.
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Jul 9, 2013 17:02
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Lette "Shut up, Martin. Just... shut up."
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Jul 9, 2013 18:03
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Martin It wasn't that he didn't want to let her grieve. Nor was it that Martin himself wasn't upset; there was loss, and also a feeling of betrayal. But neither could Martin encourage doing it this way, either. Too many things that could go wrong. It was reckless. Dangerous. Negligent. And as Lette grew used to her heritage more, honed and perfected her power...the next time it might not be only an innocent bed that burned. The next time it could be a whole room, or people, or half the damned city. Spying the fireproof cloak he'd bought his cousin days ago - before she was his cousin, technically - Martin snatches it up in an instant, before turning to her. It had to be done, even if she'd hate him for it in the short run, perhaps. "Lette, no one is happy about this. Not me, not anyone," he says softly, sympathetically. He wants to be comforting, to say it'll be all right - but this had to be done first.. "You can't do this just because you're mad, though, people can get hurt - not us, but everyone in this building. The bed did nothing, nor the inkeep, nor the others staying here. Be in control. You have to hold onto the hurt, and save it all for the ones who hurt him." Hadn't Isit tried to teach him a similar lesson once? "Look in the flames, count to five, then I'm putting them out."
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Jul 9, 2013 23:39
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Lette No one is happy, he says. Her nails dig into her palms. "Spider is," she responds. "But she won't be for long." The subtle emphasis on the word 'be' perhaps hints at the scale of her thinking. With great effort, she pulls her eyes from the bed even before the count begins. "Whatever," she grunts, spinning on her heels and moving to grab her pack. As she steps, her foot throbs where it had connected with the bed. "I'm getting dressed in someone else's room. This one has no door."
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Jul 9, 2013 23:53
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Martin "Use ours if you need to," he says, understanding. Once Lette's out of the way, Martin looks to the flames. He imagines the fire has a face; it shifts back and forth between the mask Spider wore, and the defiant-to-the-last Eagle he'd slain. Without delay, he proceeds to pummel the fire into submission with the cloak, his frustrations put to use in putting the fire down.
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Jul 10, 2013 01:39
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Dolan With Martin handling the fire, and Dolan powerless to stop it, the dwarf almost follows Lette, but stops. If Martin wasn't able to console her, there was little he would be able to do. Instead, he just looks to the others, and shrugs. Spider had something to do with it, but any connection beyond that was unknown.
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Jul 10, 2013 01:48
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Isit Raising an eyebrow, Isit looks from the burnt sheets to the fae. Lo'el had left, she was a bit surprised, but the boy had been easily led by his heart. Thankfully, she was not burdened with such a thing. With a sigh, she follows Lette into their room. "Lette, we should talk about this now. You did have a fondness for Lo'el, and when people you love get harmed, revenge is the first thought. Are you in a right mind to seek it?"
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Jul 10, 2013 03:16
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Martin quickly sees to the fire; with Lette gone, the... spirit seems to have gone all out of it, and it doesn't put much of a fight up against the cloak. Still, with the rather intimidating holes that the centaur made in her headlong rush to assure Lette's safety, and the smoke, the second floor of this inn isn't going to be in good shape for some time. Huffing heavily, a rotund innkeeper puffs his way into the doorway, and takes the measure of the damage. "My gods!" he blurts. "Was... anyone in here?" He eyes the hole in the wall, and then eyes Asha.
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Jul 10, 2013 03:48
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Lette Closing the door, she fishes through her pack for her new clothes. She'd been so fond of the flagrant colors. Now, they're just a remembrance. They even feel heavier. "When I close my eyes all I can see is that time my brother and I caught a black widow. Used tongs to hold it over the hearth until its guts burst out. I think I can do that again. But I'm still trying to figure out how to work some really bloody big tongs. "Does that count?"
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Jul 10, 2013 03:54
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Isit "I suppose it counts. However, don't rush in. Might be what she expects, or even wants. Find what is dear to her, and use it like she used Lo'el. No impulsiveness. You must be as cold minded as you can be. I'm not asking you to be calm, or not hate her. She took what was yours. Just to be clever about it." Pressing her lips together, she thinks for a moment. "Maybe keep the letter, and once she dies, pin it to her chest."
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Jul 10, 2013 04:04
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Martin With the fire obliterated, Martin turns to address the innkeeper, unceremoniously tossing the cloak onto the bed as he does. Not like it'd burn, anyway. Exhaling heavily as if he'd just run a long distance - indeed, he'd put more effort into it than was really necessary, the cloak being perfect for the job - he shakes his head. "Everyone got out. Not quite sure what happened. Bad luck I suppose," Martin says. "But lucky we got here before the floor caught." All of which was true, of course. Mostly. He wipes a bit of sweat from his brow, looks to the damage to the walls, then back to the innkeeper. "Suppose we did a number on the hall, hm? My apologies. I know times are tough. Tell us what you need: we'll pay for the bed, the doors, and extra for your trouble, with our apologies. Just tell us what it'll run. I want you to know I'm not a man who leaves others to suffer misfortune." Fast-Talk 16.
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Jul 10, 2013 04:05
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Lette "What she loves? Well, that one cultist, Basauri... but she's gone." She pauses. "Caria and Sviyaga got her good and bothered by going after her kids. Think she's got any of those left?" If there is any part of her shocked to think such a thought, it does not raise a fuss. "Fine to talk about it openly, now that she's not hearing us through his ears. Did you know she could? It's what he said in the letter." She pauses. "Well, I'll pin something to her. Not that, though; that's what started the fire. I mean... that's where I started it."
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Jul 10, 2013 04:12
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Isit "She does love her kids, doesn't she? That would put her off her loving balance. Hell, maybe we can pin it on someone else, let then weaken each other, and then....."
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Jul 10, 2013 04:16
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Lette "Eagle-shaped tongs." She grins the wickedest grin she's probably ever grinned.
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Jul 10, 2013 04:19
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| # ? May 28, 2024 07:22 |
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Isit "As you say. We find a relative of hers, slip it to the eagles, and....watch the fire." She returns the grin. "gently caress them, right?"
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Jul 10, 2013 04:25
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