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Post by feq on May 15, 2007 6:14:43 GMT -5
Vatndir pauses, waiting for John to make contact. Realizing that John in turn is waiting for him to speak, he does.
"Wraith" Vatndir calls from the pool. "Please come join us pool side. I think we have much to discuss."
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Post by john on May 15, 2007 9:51:33 GMT -5
John stands stolidly at the pool, and favors Wraith with a nod as Vatndir points her out. For the moment he's silent. He's got very little to say at this point, beyond simply accepting the task before him. Payment has already been negotiated, and in his mind there's nothing to do now but collect a little extra information to make things easier to reference, and then begin his research.
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Post by Uathach Blackmantle on May 15, 2007 12:33:09 GMT -5
Wraith turns away from the bar, drawn by the sound of Vatndir's voice. She smiles a little, bends to hoist her heavy pack up onto her shoulders, and slides off the stool with a weary groan. It had been a very long day...
"I'll be sitting over there by the pool, cutter." She says to Bertram, leaving the coins on the counter for him to collect, and shuffles toward the fountain. Drawing closer, her obvious fatigue becomes more apparent; both in the noticeable stoop to her shoulders, and the tired rings that circle slightly bloodshot eyes.
She regards the grinning Genasi with a faint appreciative smile, before her full attention swings toward John. "I'm assuming then that you're aware of the terms?" She asks, trying to sound brusque and businesslike, but her manner and approach is ruined by a loud, almost comical yawn. "Excuse me, basher. I didn't sleep well last night." She mumbles, yawning again, and this time decides to take a seat, sliding her backpack under the table close to her feet.
"Or is there more that you need to know?" She begins again, now that she's taken a moment to rest and collect her thoughts.
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Post by Stix on May 15, 2007 15:04:53 GMT -5
Before Wraith excuses herself, Bertram leans in to lann her about the room rates. "Prices for a night vary from one silver to ten. Depends on whether you want the room to yourself, how many beds, and extra comforts like scented steam, silk sheets, or a private bath and toilet." Pausing, he glances to Vatndir. "Or you can do like your fish-friend: rent a bed and a chest, and sleep in the pool. I'll be right over with your bub."
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Post by john on May 15, 2007 22:30:32 GMT -5
Grits out his response, in a rather toneless fashion. "There is nothing to excuse. It is difficult to offend me. As for the terms, I am aware of them. But tell me first what you know of your father, and your heritage. Your son I expect will bring no danger upon me in researching, but your father might, so anything you can tell me would be of great assistance. Of course, it may be more expensive if researching him is dangerous, but the truth is, so few things bring danger to the hall of records that trouble would almost be worth the danger itself, merely for the experience of something that could be a problem there."
"As for payment, I expect to be fighting in the blood pit shortly. After I have rendered you some information on your son, or father, I will require your assistance in returning to duty at my normal job, either collecting taxes during rest-times or running amok on the planes with Master Fishy, here. If you proved skilled enough, perhaps after our expedition to Arborea... is it?" John looks over to Vatndir, as if he can't quite remember. "I would be glad to hire you on to patch me up for any further scrapes I might get myself in, since Master Fishy has quite a long-term plan, though I expect he'd fill you in on such things himself. I would not wish to steal the pleasure of revealing something so intriguing from the man who thought it up." A tight, but genuine smile plays over the lips of the ugly little brute, and he nods.
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Post by feq on May 17, 2007 6:26:09 GMT -5
While the two discussed terms, something crossed Vatndir's mind. He had apparently forgotten about it, but the sight of Wraith had brought the idea to the forefront. Diving into the pool, he pulled forth his waterproof scroll case, and set it on the outside. He opened it carefully, so as to not get water inside, and withdrew a scroll. He mumbled to himself "I imagine I should figure out what I've thought you are." With that, he opened the scroll, and cast a simple Read Magic on the scroll he acquied at the Society a few days back.
Seeing that the conversation between John and Wraith was slowing, Vatndir spoke up. "Well then, I Imagine its all going to be perfect between you two. I'm glad I thought to have you want to work with him Wraith." Vatndir said with his serious smile. "I think you'll find that I've imagined John quite good at what he does."
Settling into the food and his new scroll, Vatndir sudnly had a flash of insight. A moment where his conscious mind and his universal center worked as one. "WRAITH!!" He said, a little louder than he probably should have. Not realizing this, his voice returned closer to normal levels for complely unrelated reasons. "Of course. My mind has been trying to tell me for days. Why did it take me till now to understand what was going on. " Not waiting for any response from Wraith, he continued "I've been working on a project," He added to John without missing a beat "Not that one John, a smaller one", before turning back to wraith. "I imaigne you are the one who could help me overcome the obstical I've reached. You see I've been working on a spell. I've been thinking about it for a while, and then my mind put forth the Society we visited the other day to make me want to finally finish the spell. However, when I looked into it, For some reason my mind thought up an obstacle that I couldn't overcome. I was trying to imagine why my mind would do something, and then I met up with you in the School. Of course, I was so excited to have thought of you again I didn't think to question WHY I would have thought of you at that very time." Vatndir's face twists and turns, showing both deep emotion and deep thought as he talks. Clearly, he has made a connection in his head, and the joy of reaching it has drivin him like a man who finaly figures out a key to a treasuremap.
"When you approched me about working with John, I assumed that the reason I thought you there was for that, and that alone." HIs excitement rose, "BUT NO! While I am thrilled to have imagined you and John working together, that arrangement does not include the thoughts of US working together, and thus seems to be a less pleasant thought." Oblivious to any implications of his last sentance, he moved on. "Thus, there must have been a thought which supported the idea that we would work together as well. And this is it! I imagine I could assist John, or do some work on your problem directly if you need it, in exchange for your help on my spell! Doesn't that sound like a wonderful thought?"
Vatndir stopped, finally, and took in some air. In the pause before anyone could truly respond, he finally added, "Oh, this is all dependant on whether I've imagined you capable of working with Illusions. I hope I've thought right.".
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Post by TheGratefulNed on May 17, 2007 12:14:13 GMT -5
Bertram calls to Wraith from in the kitchen. "We don't have too much stock left -- sodding busy day, it was! -- but I made meat pies out of what was left of tonight's stew. Six coppers if you'd like one." He hurries back in, setting down the house's current special in front of both John and Vatndir. He returns to Wraith promptly and adds, "I could also stand to do some more cooking, if you want something else." Spying Gl'Fnak prowling around the bar, Bertram gives the tiefling an appreciative nod before filling John's mead cup and returning it to him, once again brimming full. Catching the barman's gaze, the tiefling calls to him without waiting for the human to walk over. " Evening Bertram! I'm thirsty, surprise me with something." |
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Post by john on May 17, 2007 18:50:43 GMT -5
John gets an expression of confusion, having a bit of trouble following vatndir's logic, and clamps up by drinking more of his mead, waiting for a coherent explanation to present itself. Maybe Wraith got it. Vatndir's self-referential style, while amusing, is something very confusing to anyone othe than the center of his universe.
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Post by Uathach Blackmantle on May 21, 2007 12:47:22 GMT -5
Wraith seems utterly perplexed for a moment. Her mouth gapes open slightly as she stares at Vatndir, giving the first impression that she doesn't know what to say. Or she couldn't make sense of all he'd said. Truth be known, she was an astute woman, gifted with a mind far sharper than most. But that was... too much to absorb all at once, after so little sleep.
His startling run-on speech reminded her a little of trading barbs in jest with a Tinker Gnome; or asking a Quadrone to calculate the exact date and time.
"Huh." She begins with another yawn, and props her chin up with her hand, to stop herself from slipping face-first across the table. "Umm... yeah?" She mumbles. She knows it isn't quite what the genasi might've been expecting, but hopefully he'd understand just how exhausted she was. And now wasn't the time to go bombarding her with ideas. Even if they were in accord with her own.
Wraith stares off into space for a little while, trailing her finger over the polished grains of wood. Until she remembers with a start why she was here, and not already snoring on one of the beds upstairs. She sits up with a groan, and rummages through her backpack, producing what appears to be an old, torn journal that looks as though someone had attempted to burn it.
She carefully leafs through the charred pages, glancing about the open common room to make sure that no one is watching them, and discretely passes the open ledger to John. "This comments briefly on an arrest warrant for my blood father, X'artru Blackmantle." She explains in hushed, serious tones. "That's all I know about him, as this was how I first tumbled to his existence. Please return it when you're done."
When the journal has changed hands, she sits back in her chair again, and runs her hands through her hair with a weary sigh.
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Post by john on May 21, 2007 19:50:00 GMT -5
"An arrest warrant, eh? Expired or not? If there's a bounty would you be opposed to my collecting it. If not, I'll leave it alone. DO you want to meet him, or simply know more about him? I can arrange for both, given enough time, enough luck." John looks at Vatndir for a moment, "And enough money spread around to the right people."
"As for Aerin, if I come across him in my research and have the capacity of personally retrieving him, do you desire him back, or simply information on his location. I am confident I could get him back safely depending on who has him, or at least would be part of the team that gets him. Be advised, my methods of retrieval would not be... seemly for anyone who took him. I would take care to preserve him of course but anyone holding him would be, well... suffice it to say I have methods of retrieving items and people from those holding them that render the holders beyond even your skilled care, and I would suppose you'd not care too much how I dealt with them. I am no assasin, but..."
John shakes his head. "I have no desire to be merciful to those who keep a child from it's parents. Nor do I have any particular incentive to. And certain prices must be paid by any who'd undertake certain tasks."
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Post by feq on May 22, 2007 6:32:02 GMT -5
Upon hearing the "yeah" Vatndir became exicted. "Excellent, I thought so." he bubbled. Uncharacteristically, Vatndir then noticed Wraiths tiredness, and nudged John. "I think we are overwhelming her. I imagine each of our questions would get better answers in the morning." Turning to Wraith, he suggested "Why don't you get some sleep, and we can pick this up when you are rested. I imagine both of us have a lot of details to go over with you."
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Post by Uathach Blackmantle on May 30, 2007 18:29:11 GMT -5
Wraith yawns again and sighs. "No... No, cutter, I should be fine, although I appreciate your concern." She says with a wan smile that fails to illuminate her tired eyes. "I'd much rather get these details sorted out now, while the opportunity has presented itself. Besides, I haven't eaten much today, and I'm waiting on my meal." She runs a thin hand idly over her flattened stomach. It growls at her in protest.
She pauses in pensive silence, quietly mulling over John's words. Glancing around at her surroundings - taking in the spacious dining room, the tinkling shell fountain, and the vibrant underwater decor - she's taken back to the last time she was here, a week ago.
Again she hear's the Soothsayer's warning; that the ploy which netted the son, was a trap intended for the mother... She shakes herself from her brief reverie long enough to spare a glance for both John and Vatndir.
"I... I would like to meet my father, if such a thing is even possible. If not, I'll settle for whatever information you can find on him." She pauses, and thoughtfully fingers one of the scabs on her bottom lip. "Although I'd rather not place you - either of you - in any danger on my behalf. I have every reason to believe my son is being used as bait, to lure me into a trap. But I can't let it go, and leave it to the hands of Fate. Not after I saw with my own eyes, how his nursemaid was murdered."
Her misty eyes shimmer in the subtle lighting of the dining room, and began to weep with unshed tears. She swiped at them stubbornly with the lacy cuff of her gown, and released a shaky sigh. As exhaustion settled in and weighed her down, it was all she could do to not break down into a blubbering heap, and humiliate herself further in public.
It wasn't always easy maintaining an air of grim composure about oneself, in the face of such crushing odds. Wraith yawned, and sighed again, trying her best to temper the crushing pain, and shove it aside as a tiny knot to be examined later.
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Post by feq on May 30, 2007 21:20:45 GMT -5
"Well, if you insist" Vantdir said, hoping to lift his companions spirits. "I had hoped we could work together on a spell of my design. It combines elements of water and illusion. Creating a watery double if you will. Here are my basic notes."
Vatndir pulls out some notes, scribbled on his waterproof papers. He hands them over to Wraith. The notes are scrawled in the same way as his speach, but they present an interesting idea - creating bodies of water in the form of another, and making them mimic another. However, there is a clear intent for the double to LOOK like the original, but no magic to make that happen.
"What do you think. Can you help?"
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Post by john on May 31, 2007 22:33:12 GMT -5
"Don't leave it in the hands of Fate. Leave it in the hands of a Fated." John smiles, a predatory grin spreading across his darkened features, turning into a gash-like rictus. "Danger is the one thing I absolutely cannot resist. Some men desire wine, some men desire women, some men desire money. But nothing gives me the feeling I feel when my life is in my hands and my blood is up. You're not dissuading me with your words." He pauses, considering the tactics of such a trap. "If it's a trap, make the trap's jaws close on the one who intended to entangle you. Find allies, prepare them well, and when your son is located, cut a path to him with all the force and skill you can muster."
After vatdnir starts prattling about magict John returns to stolid silence, sucking on his mead and looking at the notes and comprehending basically nothing about them.
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Post by Stix on Jun 2, 2007 15:04:50 GMT -5
Bertram obliges Gl'Fnak's request as soon as he gets back behind the counter. Counting to himself and waggling his fingers as he chooses from among the selection of wines. After a few seconds, he picks out one of the newer bottles and pours a cup, handing it off to the tiefling.
The wine smells... earthy, somehow. Also a bit salty, as though it were tainted. "It's from, uh... oh, sod it all, where's it called... well, where Water meets Salt. There's a fruit-bearing seaweed that grows there. The plant makes a good stew, and the fruit makes a wine that, uh... well, it won't be like anything you've ever had. Let me know if you twig to it -- it's not too expensive, and I've got three more bottles where this came from."
[whisper=TheGratefulNed]The flavor is unique, all right. Almost like sugar-sweeted vinegar.[/whisper]
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Post by TheGratefulNed on Jun 7, 2007 20:33:10 GMT -5
The wine smells... earthy, somehow. Also a bit salty, as though it were tainted. "It's from, uh... oh, sod it all, where's it called... well, where Water meets Salt. There's a fruit-bearing seaweed that grows there. The plant makes a good stew, and the fruit makes a wine that, uh... well, it won't be like anything you've ever had. Let me know if you twig to it -- it's not too expensive, and I've got three more bottles where this came from." " That would probably be the Saline Sea you're speaking of," the horse-legged tiefling remarks. Taking a long whiff of the oddly scented wine, Gl'Fnak smiles and takes a hearty draught. Barely having taken the cup from his lips, the Baatorian nods his head and again addresses Bertram, " I'll have another fill after this one and one of the full bottles for the road. It will be dichotomously refreshing in the Crematorium. So Bertram, how's business been...keeping the bubbers happy?" His grin broadens as he continues his wine. |
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Post by Uathach Blackmantle on Jun 7, 2007 21:47:02 GMT -5
Wraith slides the proffered sheets of parchment across the table, and frowns at the hastily scrawled diagrams, and crabbed notes for a long moment. She stiffles a tired yawn, and rakes her long fingers through her blue hair.
Pursing her lips thoughtfully, and fiddling with the silver stud, she mumbles. "Though I work with illusions, water magic isn't exactly my forte." She blows out a long breath, and a deep sigh. "It depends exactly on what kind of effect you want to achieve with this.
Looking at these notes, I can suggest now that by weaving elements of Necromantic energy through the base dweomer, you might be able to create an effect like blood, or ichor. Might not be what you had in mind, cutter, but I suspect such an illusion would be quite horrifying to look upon." She shrugs, and yawns again.
"I'd be willing to go over this with you sometime, when I'm a bit better rested. I've twigged to spell research and other types of experimentation throughout the course of my studies." She rises from her chair again with a long stretch, and a loud crack from her spine. "But now I need to see about getting a room for the week, and that bub I ordered. I'll return shortly." Leaving her pack tucked away under the table, she shuffles off to the bar.
"Evening, basher." She says to Gl'Fnak with a polite nod, and turns to Bertram. "Cutter, I'd like to rent a room for myself, with one bed, and a private bath and latrine for the week, please."
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Post by TheGratefulNed on Jun 8, 2007 16:55:54 GMT -5
The ashen-skinned Cipher nods in acknowledgement to the other tiefling, "evenin'. Did I hear you cutters wig-wagging about some spell research?"
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Post by john on Jun 8, 2007 21:05:00 GMT -5
John looks over to Vatndir. "Magic is subtle but I've learned that a good blade in your hand a a knowledge of when to cut and run is twice as useful as the somewhat variable reins of the universe. Magic changes, depending on what plane you're on, or so I'm told."
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Post by feq on Jun 9, 2007 7:12:10 GMT -5
"Blood or Ichor?" Vatnidr asked increculously. "I can't imagine making water more like Blood, when being like water is one of its best qualities." Vatndir considered the proposal a bit more and continued, "Honeslty, the purpose of the spell is to have a watery double such that one's opponents have a hard time telling which is the real you. I imagine this would be excellent for someone like John as it would make him less likely to hit, and someone like me as it would give me a chance to escape."
Vatndir looked over his own notes. "I think i've gotten the duplicaiton and construction portions down. The water should move and shape right. But it looks like water. I can't imagine anyone being foold by a pool of water shaped like someone. It has to also look and sound like them."
As the new tiefling approached, Vatndir turned to him. "Ah the new cutter, I was just thinking that it couldn't have been a coincidence that I imagined a basher like you banging around in the bar at this time. I imagine you have some magical skill that could assist the ondfullr Moer and I?"
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