Arc 3 - Glimmers in the Dark (Main Roleplay)

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"Without context, I apologize to no man for the words that leave my mouth." Ruin would state to Revenge following Dieterch.

Once inside, Ruin would hold up his now emtpy water skin. "Before we get started. As you stated, we have came far. and our water reserves are low. Would You have some your willing to part with?"  

[PupSage]

"It's fine, I've given up hope on that front. At least for what is around here." Kuori replied to her companion.
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As they reached the inn, Kuori would remark outside that "The old owner would throw a fit if she knew. She wasn't a big fan of spiders. Irony I guess, now we're the pests at the inn and the spider is running it."

Once they were inside and she saw the lengths the woman was going to in an hide her nature, Kuori stopped the joking. "We came from the surface to see if any on my tribe survived the attack and to get here before my ... si" she struggled on trying to say the word sister, "Before somebody else can get here with a platoon of soldiers to take any survivors away to a horrific fate that their leader believes is rescuing them. A circumstance of existence not unlike yourself, or that one," She goes to point at Vivian, assuming that she is visible. "Though the sentimental part of me was hoping to find something more than a pile of ashes where my home once stood."

Her gaze drifted around the room. "I don't mind negotiating, but given the creature comforts still standing in this building and the ease of defending such a location ... this place used to be an inn, since the chairs are still in tact my guess is that the beds may well be as well, and sleeping on a bed sounds mighty tempting after three," she stops to count, "Four days in the Underdark. We've got gold, food, information, and a particular set of skills to put on offer in exchange for a place to sleep and any information you might have on the Lightlost who were taken."  

[Kowsauni]

((Yes, everyone has gained the benefits of a short rest by this point.))

Lydia smiles at Ruin's request, "But of course, you are my guests after all. Dietrich, be a dear and fetch some refreshments for our guests. They have obviously faced some ordeals coming to this place."

Deitrech would pop up form where he was slouching in a corner and spout out. "Yes! Yes of course my lady! Right away! Though some of those ordeals they brought on themselves..." The deep gnome darts off through a door in the back of the room.

As Kuori steps forward there are two things she immediately notices about Lydia. For one, there is a glimmer of recognition in her eyes. Though Kuori has never laid eyes on this person before, Lady Lydia seems to know her, for some reason. The other thing is around her neck on a silver chain Lydia wore a pendant of Kuroi's god, Kuliak.

Lydia quietly listened Kuori but would laugh a little nervously at the mention of her circumstances. "Ah, I see Dietrich has been gabbing again. To tell you the truth, I am surprised you are still willing to deal with me after learning my nature. But then, if it wasn't for my circumstances my eyes never would have been opened and this conversation would not be taking place."

Lydia would let out a sigh. "This goes against my nature, but I will tell you this to ease your mind. Your people still yet live. A portion of them are currently building a new town in a secret in a much more secure location. My old home in fact, which is why I had to move. These soldiers you speak of. I am aware of their movements and they do not head towards that town. Where they are going though, well, that is all I am giving for free. As for use of these facilities, you are free to use them. I do not own this place after all, it is just my current base of operations. All I ask is that you do not disturb my room in the attic. "

By this time Dietrich returns with a wooden platter with several glasses of water on it. It is clear he has spilled quite a bit on his way over and it is a wonder to how he has not dropped the entire thing at all. "Please, help y'self to somme refeshmintss"  

[PupSage]

"I was chosen to be the cleric of a Goddess of Exiles, a Goddess you seem to have embraced. Are you familiar with the rite of welcoming?" The goliath opens her arms and steps forward. "I can only assume that I have you to thank for keeping the shrine clean. I appreciate that. The Goddess clearly fated us to meet Lydia, if we can help you, I can only assume that it was her will. I am sorry that you lost your home, I know that not all of my people are kind to those whom they judge on appearance alone."



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*Rite of welcoming is just a ceremony of hugging or otherwise embracing somebody three times when the enter a home or join a group. It is done as a counter to shunning to make the exiled feel safe and welcomed.  

[Mongooseh]

Valac would take a glass and down the water before placing the glass back. Keeping quiet to not disturb the conversation between the drider and Kuori,

"Nothing minty about it."  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"Some of those self-brought ordeals brought about good things; like finding you, Vivan, and allowing a sister to grieve..." Ruin would whisper to Dietrich as he took his glass. "Thank you, Dietrich" he first said to the gnome then raised his glass to Lydia. "And Thank you, Lydia."

He would cup his glass in his hands and wait for Vivian to get hers.

"Dietrich said, you were ashamed of your body and sought a way to be rid of your curse. What if your new home was among others who had a similar type of your curse inflicted on them? Add to it, know that I am searching for a device to reverse their curses. I am a member of a court, a group of individuals like yourself. I would just need a way to communicate with our leader, and I am nearly certain they would take you in as well. Would you part with your wisdom for that?"  

[Rain Yupa]

Quote:

"Please, help y'self to somme refeshmintss"

Quote:

Valac would take a glass and down the water before placing the glass back. "Nothing minty about it."

Revenge would raise one finger to object, then apparently think better of it.



"Thank you, Dietrich," he would say lowly as he took a glass for himself, drinking it quietly.  

[Kowsauni]

"Well, to be honest, Your people did not know it was my home, I left once I saw them coming and left no trace of my presence. That is how one such as myself stays alive. Instead, I now dwell their old abode. Ironic really."

As Kuori steps forward and offers her embrace. Lydia seems hesitant. But after a moment she lets out a small sigh and walks out from behind her desk, or rather, over it. As she does this, her whole drider body emerges from behind the curtain. She embraces Kuori for a moment and then returns to behind her desk. "My conversion to your goddess is a recent change and their is more truth to your words then you realize. I wish to speak to you privately once our negotiations are done.”

Lydia, eyes would light up at Ruin's word's for a moment. He sees a gleam of hope in them, but it is quickly replaced by skepticism. "I don't know if ashamed is the right word, but yes, as my chatty companion pointed out, I do quite desire to return to my formal form. But this change, it has touched my very soul. How does one undue such a thing? My own extensive research has not shown this to be possible. What information do you have that proves otherwise?"

Vivian takes a glass and gulps it down instantly, apparently she was still quite thirsty. Irene politely declines the water and simply takes a seat, listening to the conversation. There was a little twinkle in her eye when Lydia revealed her full form, but she said nothing.  

[SCN_ Grey_fox]

"What the word a tiefling warlock who wants out of both his contracts, isn't enough?" Ruin spoke with a coquettish smile, "Fair enough, an Archmage, said it is possible with an item called... Soul cleaner... scrubber?... names are not really, my strong suit. But, if mortals can perform the same torturous curse with arcane, then there is a chance we can counter your curse as well with such an item."

Diplomacy 14

"Besides, the soldiers you know of, and we are looking for would know better than anyone here"  

[Kowsauni]

Lydia still remained skeptical but also still interested. "My transformation was done by an insane god, not by mortals, but this artifact, this soul scrubber...you are saying it can be used to restore my body, and that it is in the possession of your group? What do those soldiers from the surface have to do with any of this?"  

[PupSage]

"There is a nation that has been kidnapping people. Mostly female children, but they occasionally break away from that pattern. They take them and through some magical process combine them with monsters, hoping to get them to fight for them. We've rescued a few, and many more have saved themselves. The army coming down, is lead by my sis ..." again she struggled, "An exile who was one of the taken. She intends to take the rest of the Lightlost clan and subject them to these experiments, believing that in doing so she is saving them from the ones that took them, though in our minds it is simply trading one hell for another. The Soul Cleanser is a wand that can undo transformations, and while I cannot guarantee that it will undo the work of a Goddess, what these men do now was once thought to be something only capable by the Gods and yet we undo it."

Diplomacy: 20  

[Kowsauni]

Lydia would listen intently to Kuori's words and it seemed she was finally coming to believe what the group was saying. She would lean over on her desk and put her chin on her hands. "Some really interesting things take place on the surface, don't they? So, before we continue, let me lay out what is being proposed so far. In exchange for my information you are offering to put me in contact with this group of individuals who have been changed, such as my self, by these soldiers' nation, and, that they poses this artifact that could be used to restore me to my original form?"  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"I would make the offer for free because I think you could teach Iliya something And Seraphina could use someone else who knows Elven to talk with. But we kind of need your info. So, ... Would it be better if you heard it from Fox, herself?" Ruin said,  

[Kowsauni]

Lydia would respond. "It's alright, I believe you. I find this deal acceptable. My only question is how do you plan on putting me in contact with your associate. The surface is far away from here."  

[PupSage]

"Well, luckily our friends are very magically inclined. We may have to get to the surface at least, but I am certain that once we finish our mission here that we can get in touch." She looks past Lydia, "Now, about those beds." She starts to head to where the rooms for the inn had originally been.