Arc 2 - Heart of a Monster (Completed)

[PupSage]

Kuori shoved Revenge back, took a few steps back herslef and said, “You just don’t get it do you? Who you were is part of who you are. You keep saying that Naeem and Halima are dead, but if that’s true, then so is your marriage. You came down here to get me to try and talk to her. What the hell will I say that her own husband couldn’t get through to her? You’re to wrapped up in being a stupid paladin to remember to be a ******** husband you idiot. Go be Naeem. Go back to your roots. Go be a husband and be in love. I don’t know what she looks like under her guise, but go hold her close and tell her that its going to be all right as long as you are together.” She let out an unintelligible scream and rushed in a few steps closer again, her voice a little calmer than before. “A caterpillar always remembers that it had to crawl on the ground Revenge. That’s why its so meaningful once it learns how to fly. I don’t know what you meant when you said that she sacrificed her dignity, but I know enough to know that if she is able to return and talk tomorrow that she isn’t in trouble yet. I also know that this guy,” she knife hands towards Valac, “Got his a** beat and that you are here trying to orchestrate some plan to make everything go it its perfect place. Go be a husband. If Petra goes in there they might want to do whatever they had intended for Halima to her.” She stood to her full height and said, “And yes I kill people who try to kill me. I don’t feel guilty when I put down somebody that attacked me because I know that I am saving more lives in the long run. Wanna know what else? I am looking forward to planting an arrow in the skull of any Arian scum that show their faces and try to hurt you, me, Abby, or Petra. And I also look forward to looting their corpses and taking my filthy blood money so that they can’t put that money back into research and torture. I like my job Paladin. Killing bad people makes me sleep well at night. And when I find a man or woman that I want to spend my life with that fortune of blood money is going to make sure that that family never has to see half of the crap that I have witnessed in my time alongside you.” She went back to the fire and said, “So if you need people killed or need money, apparently that’s all I am to you, but when you need a friend who actually has your back, guess what? I’ve been here.” She turned the fish in the fire to let the other side get charred a bit. “And ******** your culture if it means forgetting your roots.”  

[Rain Yupa]

Revenge would let out a breath when Kuori finally backed off (technically, backed him off, but whatevs).

"So you're the type of person that's unwilling to spend any money - even if it's money you wouldn't normally have as much of if I had been a little bit more unscrupulous - if it would save a life?" Revenge would frown a bit, shake his head, and turn away. He wouldn't address anything else Kuori said.

"Thank you, Petra," he would say, turning to her, smiling. "For acknowledging me and my wife as we are. And yes, you are correct; Abby is fine, and currently in the manor, safer there than any of us are out here. I'm grateful that you see the situation for what it is. I didn't - and still don't - think its a good idea for you to head in there, because I don't particularly trust that archmage, and I worry what he might do if you show up there. But maybe my distrust is misplaced, based on something Vincent told me..."

Turning his head to Shayne, he would correct him. "It's Revenge. That is my name. Halima was what Abby was called, before she..." He would pause. "It's something I'm not at liberty to discuss fully, since you aren't committing to helping us out. Something was done to her, and she lost her memory for it. Some of us don't have roots to remember, after all." A pause. "She calls herself Abby now, and though she isn't Tiefling like Valac or myself, I respect her choice to be Abby instead of Halima. Someone who wants to make the most of who she is, rather than someone trying to be a person they can't remember. If she wants to try, I will support her, but if she wants to move forward, I will support her then too."

He would bow his head respectfully. "And sorry I misjudged you, Shayne. Twyla, a fellow arcanist, was incredibly interested by Archmage Kail's work. I thought you might be too. I didn't want you to feign interest - I could have done that - but I was trying to encourage you into a symbiotic situation. If that's a pursuit you don't desire, I won't push you for it." He would frown once more. "I'm sorry, I can't tell you any more details. It's something that will be dangerous both to you and to us if I did and then we parted ways. I'd rather keep everyone on the same page as a group, due to the delicateness of... well, everything... but I can't force you to do anything against your will. If you aren't comfortable parting with your weapon, I'm not going to make you. I'm willing to do anything it takes to save people, but I acknowledge not everyone is motivated by the same things I am."

He would shrug. "Maybe if you were there, Shayne, it would have played out differently. That's why I wanted your help. You are free not to give it."

Moving to Valac, he would reach out for his halberd, but hesitate. "Petra, maybe I'll see if I can escort you back to the manor to talk to Abby - she's currently mad at the two of us, which I understand. I figure I'd talk to her in the morning sometime, after she had a chance to cool off, but I was going to have Kuori talk to her now and maybe put some unanswered questions she may have to rest, but she doesn't want to. What do you think, is the hour too late for that?"  

[Noname 51]

Shayne followed Revenge to Valac, "You are probably going to say, ******** off, but... How are you doing?" he would address the barbarian.

After a moment for Valac's answer, Shayne would turn to Revenge. "Revenge, first of all don't assume the man's arcane advancements doesn't impress, the story impresses me more. Second, I was being truthful, all you had to do was ask. And, this 'it is important and you gotta trust me' answer is a reason. Though, It would be wrong of me to ask for new housing at such a late hour. And, I have things I am working on out here, but If I am not inside by the morning... send someone to wake me...Preferably, someone cute...With coffee."  

[Kowsauni]

Petra would consider Revenge's words and respond. "Hmm, I have never seen Abby get mad before. I think we should just leave her alone then for the night. I know she likes her sleep. I think we all should just go to bed. Its been a long day and everyone is on edge. Some sleep will do us good. "

Petra would move over next to Kuori where she would stare at the cooking fish. "Do you think it is about done? I'm looking forward to tasting our catch. Last Time I had fish I had to eat it raw."  

[PupSage]

Kuori handed the little one to Petra and said, "That one should be good, the big guy has a bit left on him."  

[Rain Yupa]

Rain Yupa

''... A paladin's first duty, is to dirty their hands so others do not have to. I would have fought for you, if you had only asked." A pause.

"I'm not sure where our paths will go from here. Both Corsica and Kuori may want my life in exchange for sticking to my convictions. If not, I suspect I may be marching against Aria... somehow. But for you... if you wish to continue this refugee lifestyle, if you ever are threatened like this again... if possible, find another paladin, and ask for his or her help. Just ask. They will do anything and everything for you, if you ask them with sincerity. Can you promise me this, Miss Ying?"

Noname 51

Second, I was being truthful, all you had to do was ask. And, this 'it is important and you gotta trust me' answer is a reason."

The irony would not be lost upon the Paladin. Being a devout of one of the gods, there was one thing he had to keep an open mind about was signs. Revenge trusted Valac, because the fellow tiefling was willing to put his life on the line for his wife's safety. This was proven tonight. Revenge trusted Twyla, since she wasn't quick to arms nor blind to others' plights. Revenge did not trust Kuori, since her own convictions vastly contrasted his own and she proved herself a danger to others. But he had no idea what to make of Shayne - he seemed erratic, as wizards are frequently purported to be. But now, Sehanine had given him the sign, the guiding star, he needed to find that particular answer.

"I'll fill you in in the morning," he responded, making it a point to not sound particularly enticing and deprive the man of slumber.

Revenge would nod to Petra's mention of turning in. Turning to Valac, he would hand him the torch that was given to them after taking his halberd.
"You can hold the torch the guards gave us. Not that either of us need it. I don't think any of them had low-light vision." He would smirk slightly. "I'll be turning in over there. Subdual damage only, Valac."

Revenge would turn and walk slightly away from the others, to the nearest tree (or, failing that, against the wall of the manor). Undoing just enough of his armor where he could sleep, he would sit with his back to the tree (or wall), the half of his halberd propped up against his shoulder. If not disturbed, he would nod off eventually.  

[Mongooseh]

Taking the torch Valac would head back to the mansion turning in his weapons once again.  

[Noname 51]

"Sleep well, Ladies and Gents." Shayne would walk back to his tent. Where he would try to aim for 3 healing potions, using his own regents, passing out.  

[Kowsauni]

Petra would take the fish from Kuori and begin to eat it in silence, but the small smile on her lips, illuminated by the flickering light of the fire, belied her enjoyment.  

[PupSage]

Kuori stays up for a bit to stand watch before eventually turning in herself.  

[Kowsauni]

The night passes peacefully and everyone benefits from an extended rest. Shayne successfully makes three potions of healing (Subtract 150 gold in reagent from your character sheet and add 3 Potions of Healing.))

The next morning, those who slept by the gate are awoken by the thunderous sound of hooves passing by. Revenge, who slept outside the tents, could see Vincent pass by with a large group of armed men on horseback. No doubt they were leaving to dismantle the bandit camp as Vincent said they would do the previous day. Not long after their exit, some servants from the manor approach the tents with coffee and a light breakfast. Shayne would recognize Hiya among them. At the smell of food, Petra emerges from her tent, cloaked as usual in her hooded cape.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Valac and Twyla are awoken the next day by a servant knocking on the door of their separate lavishly decorated rooms. The satin-sheeted four post bed was especially decadent for Twyla as it was sized for a human. The servant would come into each room with a kettle of warm water for the washing basin, (Twyla was already feeling pretty clean from her bubble bath the previous night) and announce breakfast was being served.

Once everyone had a chance to wash up, the servant would lead Twyla and Valac to the enormous dining room. A large, ornately carved table that could seat twenty was set in the center of it. Abby was already sitting at the table. She avoided looking directly at Valac. He would get the feeling she still kind of mad at him. She would invite Twyla to sit next to her and whisper into her ear. "I was going to go see Master Kail alone this morning, but now I'm not so sure. Do you think I should wait for the others? Perhaps just you should come along."

Besides Abby, there are four other individuals at the table: Selma, Rowena, and a young woman with a thin, wispy build and pale blond hair. Twyla would recognize her as the eldest Areathos daughter, Odessa. Servants soon begin to bring food from the kitchen for what would be a much grander meal than the one brought outside.

The effects of Selma's injection could still be felt from last night. In fact, Valac felt even more hardy than before, but at the same time his muscles almost felt a little sluggish this morning. (Valac has a +2 bonus to saving throws, but a -1 penalty to REF till further notice.))  

[PupSage]

Kuori gets up in a morning grog. Downing a few cups of black coffee and making a meat and meat sandwich with extra meat from the breakfast tray.
she stared at the cinders and ash of their fire, looking slightly above it with a zombie-like expression.  

[Rain Yupa]

Revenge would of course, get up when the riders got by. Odds are, he had been up for a little bit. Most clerics of the good gods tended to do their daily prayers at dawn; he, like most Sehanine-worshipers, would do so before sunrise, during the fading twilight.

Plus, sleeping against a wall wasn't the most comfortable, and he wouldn't mind getting up. Since he started adventuring, comfort wasn't a frequency for him.

One of the things he would soon notice was that Valac was gone. He had escorted his fellow tiefling out here, abiding by the archmage's intended wishes, but where did he run off to? Did he... leave?

Frowning, but fully armored after donning his gear, he would head over to Shayne's location. "I'm really sorry for your inconvenience," he would apologize to the staff that showed up, knowing that the stubbornness of his fellow adventurers were adding to the difficulties of these people.

Taking a cup of coffee, he would call out to the wizard. "Shayne, let's move. I don't know what the others' schedules are like, but I don't think we can be late."

Looking to Petra, he would frown slightly. "I think you should remain here, at least for now, but I can see justification of you coming with me inside. Until an understanding can be reached, you're probably safer out here with-

Cutting off, he recalled the argument last night.

"You're better off out here," he would correct himself.

He would once more turn towards the entrance to Shayne's tent, waiting impatiently, his tail flicking back and forth.  

[Noname 51]

"Unless if you want to know the difference between; Silver icor, Silver liqueur, and Fermented silver equir..." Stepping out of his tent dressed in his adventuring clothes, without his armor. The red eyed wizard stumbled to the Revenge and places a silvery potion in the teifling's steel hands "Don't yell so loud. And, if she wants to help, why not let the young lady talk to Lady Po..." Upon seeing the young maid, "Hiya! How is the best story-telling maid, this morning? And, you brought coffeeee, java, the good stuffs!" he walks over to get a cup of the black brew.  

[AlphabetFish]

Twyla felt quite luxuriously cared for after her night at the Araethos manor, and she felt perhaps unexpectedly magnanimous towards her companions. "Hey, Abby," she would whisper back to her employer, "I think we should kind of... prepare Mr. Araethos for the full brunt of the rest of the group. Let's go talk to him for a bit at first, just us, then I'll run go get the others. Call me crazy, but I like them for the most part, and I think it's only fair that they should get to talk things over, too. But I think we'd be crazy to not go in there and try to lay a smooth groundwork first!"

Once Abby had been addressed, Twyla would make her way to the tallest chair, saying good morning to each person as she passed. "Good morning Miss Selma, Miss Rowena... oh, and a lovely morning to you, too, Miss Odessa! I must say, as a fellow musician, I'm simply enchanted by what I've heard of your prowess." Twyla would curtsy low before heading back to sit down. "Oh, and good morning, Valac the Well-Rested! You're looking much less charred this morning than last night!"