Arc 2 - Heart of a Monster (Completed)

[PupSage]

Kuori smiled widely, "Must have been that pretty face in the water attracting all of the fish." She reached out and grabbed the big one by the mouth. "Lets get back to camp and rub our feast in Shayne's face. I've still got a bit of bread from that ration and I think I have some jelly in another. If we can't sleep in a mansion tonight, at least we can eat like highway royalty." She turned back and said, "I wish I was more of a traditional woman and could say that we would do makeovers or something tonight, by I've always been more warpaint than makeup. We might be able to do tattoos after we get the supplies though. Abby seems like she might like a tattoo, it might surprise Revenge. Maybe get Arthur's name in a heart on your bicep? Or maybe somewhere else ..." Her voice couldn't help but hide the undertones of laughter. Makeup she couldn't do, talking about boys though ... oh yeah.  

[AlphabetFish]

"Miss Abby, we can--" but Abby was already storming off. Twyla felt awful. She liked to think of herself as good at talking to people, but actions had spoken a little bit louder than her own words, and the situation had gone all pear shaped. She paused to regroup, when Revenge began to talk.

Twyla listened, rapt with attention, as Revenge spoke. She'd gotten only bits and pieces, but this was much more of a complete picture. It was, it was... so romantic! Twyla teared up a little even. He was trying to defend her honor! He cared about her feelings!! Oh, it was all so lovely!

With a loud sob, Twyla would say, "Oh, wow, that was beautiful! I'm so sorry! I didn't realize the depth of your" sob "feelings for her!!" Twyla wiped at her eyes dramatically. "We'll be able to put things right! I'll work with you and Mr. Vincent and Mr. Araethos and Miss Selma or whoever to help make Miss Abby happy again! Myself, I'm thinking of making some kind of apology or giving a gift to them tomorrow morning, to get the next meeting started off on the right foot."  

[Noname 51]

"No,no, I didn't mean personally. As you're talking of her, it seems as though you knew her, maybe though reputation."

With a inhale of the night's cool air, he would continue. "I am wondering, why Archmage Kail would willingly return to a place he knew hated his name? Sure, Palor teaches all undead are abominations, but My understanding is that he only survived due to a servent's interference, in taking the infant Kail away the night the mansion was seized. And she remained searching for, a lover was it? He never knew this was his home, nor knew his sister..."


With a sigh of defeat, he almost could bet these questions she couldn't answer. Turning to the mansion, his mind also begins to wonder why the group needed to stop here? What did they seek from the Archmage, and how well the peacetalks were going?

And the slight ping in his back brought the safety of Kuori and Petra to mind... Gods it was much easier alone.  

[Kowsauni]

Vincent would hold up a hand. "There will be no need for punishment. I agree with you wholeheartedly Mr. Revenge. My father's actions were aggressive, rude and uncalled for. Both in his handling of your wife's situation and with your barbarian companion." Vincent would look down at Valac and sigh. "It would have been better if he had hit the old man rather than damage his research materials. The pains he went through to get some of those species, that I went through as well, though it was worth it to keep Basidia alive."

This thought seemed to to remind him of something as he looks back to Revenge and Twyla and continues. "My father can be an infuriating man, but his heart is in the right place. He would not tell you, but there is a reason why he would like to study the magic behind what happened to your wife, and why I would like you to allow him to do so. You did not get a chance to formally meet her--she is quite shy after all--but that woman you saw in there helping my father is Basidia. She was once a young girl my father found abandoned in the forest, dying of some incurable disease. In an act of desperation he used his magic to fuse her form with a special species of fungus with magical restorative qualities. It saved her life but not without a cost. Her body continues to try and reject the host that is keeping her alive. That is why she must stay here and get continual treatment from my father. Unfortunately, he could only do so much research to help her before it would cross an ethical line. He would never stoop to human experimentation. But, the magic transformation that was done to your wife... It is well beyond anything my father understands. I'm sure he hopes by studying Abigail he could find a way to improve Basidia's condition so she could live a normal life. So I ask you, please forgive my father. He is a suspicious old fool, but if you work with him, it will be to Basidia's benefit more than to him."

Vincent would let out another sigh. "I wish Miss Abigail had not stormed off. I would have liked her to hear this."

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Petra would laugh. "Oh I couldn't! I don't know the first thing about makeup either. I don't think it would stick well to my scales anyways, and you would be hard pressed to find a needle that would pierce them." After a minute or so her laughter would die down. Her eyes focused on the ground as her mind lingered on something Kuroi had said. After a few steps, she asked Kuori a question. The tone in her voice made it clear she was serious. "Kuori... How old do I look to you?"

((Quick reminder--Petra looks around 14))

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Hiya would laugh. "I think that's a question you would have to ask the Master himself. I'm sure it had something to do with reclaiming his family's honor and returning his sisters soul to rest. I do know quite a bit about his sister, Lady Mitzka. Her pictures still adorn several of the walls in the manor. Story has it she was in love with the head gardener's son. When her parents found out, they tortured the boy to within an inch of his life in front of her and made her swear to never see him again. I believe that was when the seeds of the rebellion were planted, fueled by the young lovers so they could be together again. But the people's anger was too great and their lust for vengeance too strong. An evil seized their hearts and they murdered Mitzka along with the rest of her family, though, she was innocent of their crimes. You can't see it now that it is night, but they hung her from a large tree that sits in front of the Manor. Her lover, originally part of the angry mob, died trying to defend her." Hiya would stop to take a breath and smile apologetically. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get so dark on you all of a sudden, but that's what happened. Her ghost rose from the grave and cursed the city of Myir for over 30 years. She was responsible for the deaths of hundreds. They eventually started to hire adventures to try and vanquish her, but in all honestly they were just sacrifices to try and direct her wrath away from the city. It wasn't until the Master returned from his hidden exile that her soul was put to rest. He doesn't talk much about what happened but it is known it had something to do with reuniting her with the soul of her lost lover... Anyways, let's talk about something less depressing. The food will be here soon and with that I'll probably have to leave."  

[Rain Yupa]

"Well," Revenge would start, stroking his chin briefly. "I have a plan about how we should go about-

Suddenly, he would look down at Valac, and frown.

"Twyla, Vincent... do either of you have anything that can get him on his feet? I don't see the sense of repeating myself if I don't have to."  

[PupSage]

A young 87 was Kuori's first thought, but she felt that Petra was serious. "Depends on what race you were before Aria played Doctor Demented with you. Human, I would say 15 or 16, Halfling? Probably more like double that. Then again, there is the whole Basilisk side to things ... I don't know how they age. I'll guess 20 something."  

[Kowsauni]

Vincent looked a bit hesitant at Revenge's request. "It is in my power to revive him, but I was going to wait until I had safely moved him to outside the gate. I imagine he might have a bit of pent up frustration at these turn events. If he was to vent his anger again here in the house after I have been instructed to remove him... let's just say it would be bad for everyone involved."

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While continuing to look down at the ground, Petra would repeat Kuori's last word. "20... You know, that is how old Arthur is now. Back when I was in the orphanage, he was two years my senior... that was four years ago. He would be out of that place by now, most likely working at the docks. It's where all the kids went once they got of age. I... I wonder if he even remembers me. I feel like I lost my place in time and it has moved on without me. Arthur's an adult now and I'm still just a kid. Whatever they did to me in there... it stunted my growth. I don't feel like I've aged a day in all this time. Will I be like this for the rest of my life? How am I supposed to be with him if I'm going to be a kid forever?"

Petra would trail off to silence as she walked behind Kuori. She would momentarily try to look at the stars through the treetops, but would then stumble on something and focus her eyes gaze back on the ground. "As much as Abby wants to believe it... I don't think there's any going back."  

[PupSage]

Kuori batted at some branches with her free hand and said, "Bah, your to hard on yourself. Being a kid is about maturity, not what you look like. Halflings look like kids and they get by just fine. After the s**t that you went threw I bet that you grew up plenty fast, even if you don't physically show signs of aging." She looked back and said, "Chin up. Eyes forward. We will reunite you with Arthur and he can decide for himself, and you decide for yourself. That's what adults do."  

[Noname 51]

As you wish, is their anyway I could trade for regents ? I am going to make a few healing potions.  

[Rain Yupa]

"If I recall correctly, your father has instructed you to remove him from the house, not the property. Am I remembering it correctly?" Revenge would ask Vincent. "Because if I were a barbarian with deep-seated anger issues, waking up thrown out with the trash probably wouldn't improve my disposition. Not like, say, being allowed to walk out on my own two feet would."

Moving down to begin hoisting Valac up, Revenge would get to his point. "I ask of you, just get him out the front door and then use your power." Looking to Twyla, he would say to her, "I suspect he'd listen to you if you try to talk him down from any bloodcraze he might be feeling when he awakes, more than Vincent and I. Can I count on you to do that for him, Twyla?"

Quote:

A very lackluster 14 Diplomacy to start trying to re-include Valac into the plot.

 

[AlphabetFish]

Twyla was looking down at Valac, unsure. "I don't know... I have known him to be Valac the Inconvincable... Plus, it's not like if he was still in the mood to fight I could do anything to stop him." She shrugged her tiny shoulders at Revenge. "But if I promise I'll try to talk him down if you promise you'll knock him down if he tries to do anything violent, all right?"

Provided Vincent has no serious objections, Twyla would wait until Valac was moved outside the front door of the house, then, once he was put down, she would kneel down at Valac's side and begin to hum. She would tap him on the forehead and sang, very softly:

"Wakey-wakey, Tiefling guy,
It might be true that you got fried,
But you're okay! You're all right!
So wake and don't start no more fights!"

((Twyla starts her Skald's Aura and uses its power to heal Valac. He can spend a surge +3. This constitutes two minor actions.))  

[Rain Yupa]

"Don't worry, I'm on it," Revenge would respond.

Assuming the above happens with DM's consent, Revenge would wait there, a boot firmly planted on Valac's chest before Twyla sang her song.

Readied action to press down on Valac's burn mark from where he became a lightning rod if he tries anything squirrely!  

[Mongooseh]

Valac awoke with a startle as he immediately wriggled around trying assess what was going on. He absent mindedly with both hands grabbed a hold of Revenge's boot, looked at it before addressing its owner, "Get your boot off me Revenge!"


Then looking around the room he spots Twyla whom he had nothing to say to and that other Paladin who Valac begun shouting at despite the ridiculous position he was in.

"Well!? You coward letting your father interrupt! I ask again, do you yield!? Or do we need to go outside and get my sword so we can finish this properly?!"

(15 hp get.)  

[Kowsauni]

Vincent

((Hold up, people are getting ahead of themselves.))

Vincent would give Revenge a bit of a smirk. "You're trying to argue semantics with me, Sir Revenge. But I know what my father's words meant. However, it is a bit of a trip to the front gate. I would have to mobilize a cart to get him out there and I don't feel like causing further trouble to the servants at this late hour, so we will try things your way. Help me get him to the front entrance. This place can be a bit of a maze so I will guide us out."

Vincent would guide the group through the maze of doors and hallways until they were once again at the high marbled archway that marked the entrance to the manor. The night had gotten quite colder by this point and the only sound was that of the crickets in the garden.

Vincent, with the help of Revenge, would set Valac down on the cobbled road at the edge of the stairs leading to the double doors of the grand entrance. Once the barbarian was awoken and began making his demands, Vincent would put his hands up in the air. "We already are outside, my friend, and I have no desire to fight you. However, you must control yourself while on these grounds. My father instructed me to escort you to the gate, but I will allow you to stay here in the manor with your companions, if you give me your word you will cause no further trouble."

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Hiya would chuckle a bit Shayne's request. "I'm but a maid. I can arrange food or drink. For such things as that, you would have to deal with master Kail, or perhaps Lady Selma. She is quite young but is a master at rituals and potion brewing from what I am told. Nonetheless you will have to wait 'til morning, for I'm sure the family has retired for the evening."

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Peta would look directly Kuori, and, after a moment or so, smile. "Heh, you are beginning to sound like Fumiyo. You are right though. We will just have to see what the future brings. After we clear up this mess I think I'm going to part ways from Abby and head towards Angin to find Arthur. Now that she found her husband I don't want to be a third wheel."

The glow of the torches from the front gate began to become visible through the trees once more. Petra pulled her cloak around her tightly once more and hid her face in her hood. "I can smell them. There are other people at the campsite now besides Shayne."

((You may write Kuori arriving back at the campsite in your next post if you like.))  

[Noname 51]

"As should you, Miss Hiya, it was a rare pleasure to hear another side of the infinite faseted jewel we call life." Shayne spoke with a smile, as he gave a slight bow. "But, before you go... Why did you deside to be come a maid?"