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| | 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy | |
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RorytheRomulan
Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Sun 11 Nov 2018, 9:07 pm | |
| "These are like the one you gave Nick, right Jacob?" She takes one. "What exactly do they do?" |
| | | Zeiss
Posts : 5013 Join date : 2007-01-26
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Mon 12 Nov 2018, 9:14 pm | |
| "Weren't they supposed to carry the will of the Enemy?" Anne inquires.
"Yes," Jacob says. "That didn't work, but they kept experimenting with them. The first time they did, they used it on a green mage. It..." The fairy pauses, finding it difficult to retells the events of that day. "It freed him from the Enemy's control. Permanently, even after taking the orb out. They never experimented with it in front of me since then. But listening to them, I think it does something else. Something they don't like."
He looks at the squad with piercing eyes, determined to stop the Elementals. |
| | | RorytheRomulan
Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Mon 12 Nov 2018, 9:55 pm | |
| "I wonder what that is... We'll stop them, Jacob."
She puts the orb in her head. |
| | | K
Posts : 3812 Join date : 2017-05-16
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Mon 12 Nov 2018, 11:32 pm | |
| Nick is struck by something Jacob said, and can't help but stare into nothing. Smirk looks a bit shocked for a moment and looks at his summoner. The two share a look, grimacing sympathetically until Smirk lightly punches Nick in the shoulder, snapping him out of it. |
| | | Kolson
Posts : 3529 Join date : 2017-05-16
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Mon 12 Nov 2018, 11:40 pm | |
| May takes the offered orb, watches Sam stuff it into her own head, and then copies what her friend did. "Not so bad. May didn't feel at all." |
| | | Zeiss
Posts : 5013 Join date : 2007-01-26
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Mon 12 Nov 2018, 11:50 pm | |
| Anne and Marcus follow us, apprehensive at first, and then surprised. May was right; they didn't feel anything at all. As for Jacob, he looks pleased to see his new companions so eager to help him defeat the Elementals.
"Well..." The colonel began, puzzled. "That's not what I expected."
"How did it feel, Mr. Riddle?" Jacob asks.
"Like... if the orb wasn't there at all."
"Same thing for me," Anne says.
"I didn't break it, right?"
"I don't think so," the fairy replied, fascinated. |
| | | RorytheRomulan
Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Mon 12 Nov 2018, 11:58 pm | |
| "What happens if an orb is dewoven, Jacob? Do you know if the owner of that orb would still be protected?" |
| | | Zeiss
Posts : 5013 Join date : 2007-01-26
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:04 am | |
| "I don't know," Jacob admits. "I thought about what I saw when the green mage used it, and... well, I don't think the orb ‘protects’ you. I think it cuts the mental link between the mages and the Enemy."
"So Nick should still be okay if he ever removes his orb," Anne says, relieved.
"Yes." |
| | | K
Posts : 3812 Join date : 2017-05-16
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:09 am | |
| Nick and Smirk snap out of their dour reverie enough to register - "Huh? That's a thing?" - Smirk inquires absentmindedly - "It comes off?" |
| | | Zeiss
Posts : 5013 Join date : 2007-01-26
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:11 am | |
| Jacob nods at Nick. "I just need to put my hand on your forehead and—although, maybe you can do it yourself...?"
He considers the possibility. |
| | | Kolson
Posts : 3529 Join date : 2017-05-16
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:12 am | |
| "Is good. Thank you for orbs Jacob. Now May punch right things." She takes a drink. |
| | | K
Posts : 3812 Join date : 2017-05-16
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:13 am | |
| Nick tries it. Smirk notes - "If i suddenly go all Down with Humans, just hammer it back in." |
| | | Zeiss
Posts : 5013 Join date : 2007-01-26
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:15 am | |
| Marcus and Anne instinctively reach for their daggers, and wait for Nick to say something. The green mage has now his orb back in hand. Jacob doesn't seem worried though. |
| | | K
Posts : 3812 Join date : 2017-05-16
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:18 am | |
| "Uh... i'm still pretty ok with everyon..." - Smirk starts, but then nudges Nick on the head and they both stare at the floor - "Just in case Phil is just watching. So uh... anyone detect anything nasty?" |
| | | RorytheRomulan
Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:24 am | |
| Spellcraft 31 Answer: Mental link between summoner and aspect, enchanted items, a lot of magical distortion around May's wineskin.
"I can detect the mental link between Nick and Smirk, but nothing that indicates whether they've been compromised." She eyes May's wineskin for a second, then returns her attention to the colonel. "Even so, I trust Jacob knows what he's talking about, sir." |
| | | K
Posts : 3812 Join date : 2017-05-16
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:27 am | |
| Smirk's eyes go wide and he grabs Nick by the shoulders - "You're my Summoner!? All this time i thought it was Anne!!" - he points at the White Mage without looking, for dramatic effect. |
| | | RorytheRomulan
Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:28 am | |
| Sam genuinely giggles at this. |
| | | Kolson
Posts : 3529 Join date : 2017-05-16
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:30 am | |
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| | | Zeiss
Posts : 5013 Join date : 2007-01-26
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:39 am | |
| Marcus is unfazed by Smirk's latest antics, unlike Anne who smiles at the duo. Jacob waits a moment before he speaks to the colonel again.
"I see nothing either, Mr. Riddle," he confirms.
"Good enough for me," the Colonel replies. "Still, I'd prefer you keep the orb Nick. Just in case the Enemy can regain control of you." |
| | | K
Posts : 3812 Join date : 2017-05-16
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:42 am | |
| Nick looks at the Orb for a moment, then puts it back in.
Smirk is still down in the dumps - "My whole life was a lie..." - he whispers. |
| | | RorytheRomulan
Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:46 am | |
| "Well, I don't think I'll be taking mine out unless I have a very good reason. So, poker?" |
| | | K
Posts : 3812 Join date : 2017-05-16
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:48 am | |
| Nick shakes his head, trying to get something off his mind. Then looks at Sam and shrugs. |
| | | Kolson
Posts : 3529 Join date : 2017-05-16
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 12:50 am | |
| May throws her hands up and says, "Poker!" She's ready. |
| | | Zeiss
Posts : 5013 Join date : 2007-01-26
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 1:05 am | |
| The squad members move to the galley, the one place on this ship where they can find a table large enough to seat them all. Colonel Riddle makes sure to lock the door while they're in there so that Jacob can fly around freely without having to worry about the crew seeing him—which must be avoided whenever possible, the fairy explains. And so for the next two hours, they play their first game of poker. Samantha proves herself to be a skilled player, which should not come as a surprise since she's the one who suggested they play, but she often struggle to call on Nick's and Smirk's bluffs. It's a good thing they agreed to play as one player and alternate who gets to make the decisions on each hand, or they'd probably beat her without too much problem. May plays competently and even wins a few hands, even though Marcus proves to be a thorn in her side. He seems to enjoy disrupting the game from time to time by betting without even looking at his cards. As for Anne and Jacob, they decide to team up just like Nick and Smirk since they've had to learn the rules of the game on the spot. The fairy proves himself to be a fairly quick learner however, and with some practice, could become a very skilled poker player. Unfortunately for the rest of the squad, Samantha wins this one. Marcus comments that he's glad they didn't have to play for money. Anne tends to agree, while Jacob tries to understand the concept of gambling piles of coppers and silvers. - May and Captain Oldturn:
While May stretches her legs on the deck in late afternoon, she sees the corpulent captain at the wheel. When she passes near him, he smiles at her and says, "Hello, miss...? I apologize, I'm afraid I haven't learned your name."
"Is alright, May not have time for proper introductions back then. Mein name ist May Brauer, schön Sie zu treffen." She holds her hand out to shake his.
*My name is May Brauer, pleased to meet you.*
Captain Oldturn briefly lets go of the wheel and takes her hand. "Just as I thought; you're Lorinthian. Pleased to meet you May. Feel free to call me Theodore. Would you prefer we speak in Harmonie? I have to admit I'm partial to the language. I like the way it rolls off the tongue."
"That suits me fine," May says, switching to Harmonie.
"Not too bored yet?" he responds without traces of an accent in his voice. "I've known certain passengers to become restless when they travel by sea."
"My friends and I are keeping busy I assure you though it's not a problem for me. I by far prefer the smell of the ocean to the smell of the city." She takes a deep breath and contentedly lets it out. "Is it the same for you?"
Theodore shifts his gaze towards the horizon.
"Yes," he says softly. "I've always felt more at home at sea than any city I've visited. Although, I could do without any capsizing storms." He looks at May again, a contemplative expression on his face, and asks her, "Would you like to take the wheel?"
"Me? Take the wheel?" Her face lights up. "Of course I would!"
The captain takes one step away and motions for her to take his place.
May walks up to the wheel and happily places both hands on it like she saw Theodore doing. "How does it work?"
"When we're at sea, it's all about staying the course. The wind sometimes pushes us in the wrong direction, so we have to constantly correct it. You see the coast? We're going a little too much on the right, so..." He puts his right hand on top of hers and nudges it to the left. "Like this. Gently."
"Oh! This is brilliant! What happens if you turn it fast?"
"Try it."
May doesn't hesitate. She tries to spin the wheel fast to the left. The Happy Frog quickly turns left, away from the coast and going north. The sailors on deck, unprepared by the sudden maneuver, stumble around until they regain their footing. Captain Oldturn however had anticipated this and made sure May didn't lose her balance by holding onto the rail with his right hand and her waist with his left. He chuckles and says, "We better go back to the right; we're losing the wind."
The ship was indeed losing some speed.
"Oh, you are a crafty man, Theodore." May laughs and turns the ship back on course, just as quickly as she did the last turn.
The sailors stumble again, but recover faster than before. Despite their ragged look, they truly are men of the sea. Theodore once again makes sure that May's doesn't lose her balance, and he lets his hand linger on her waist for a moment before he removes it. "And you are quite the helmswoman," he responds with a smile. "Seems like I could leave you here while I go take a nap."
"Now why would you go and do a foolish thing like that?"
"I like naps," he jokes. "But I see your point. How about we stay like this and find out how long it takes before you start getting bored of steering this ship?"
"Too late. I'm contemplating whether to steer us towards land to see what everyone will do. Best take it back before I do." She's probably joking.
"Let us postpone the munity, shall we?" He takes back the wheel and waves apologetically at his crew. "If you still wish to taste my Lofellian wine, I'd be happy to see you again this evening."
"Drinking with the moon is always the best."
"Then I shall be waiting for you at nightfall." He nods at her and refocuses his gaze on the horizon.
"See you then!" She springs onto her hands and starts hand walking back to her cabin for a nap. He laughs when he sees her do that. The crew is quick to forget about the incident she caused and cheer her as she leaves the deck.
Comes nightfall, Sam and a few other members of the squad are meeting with some of the crew for a secret game of poker down in the hold. May however declined her companion's invitation for she had a bottle of wine to drink with the captain. When she arrives on the upper deck, she sees only a few sailors who are keeping watch while the rest of the crew is either sleeping or having fun. She also sees light coming through the glass window of the captain's quarters' door.
May has changed into her yellow jacket and black pants after a quick wash from her basin. Otherwise she has her usual braids and ribbons except that she has exchanged her usual sky blue ribbons for yellow and black to match her outfit. "It's me, May," she says through the door in Harmonie followed by three loud punch knocks.
"Coming!" May hears the sound of a chair being moved, followed by the captain's footsteps. The door then opens to reveal the large stature of Theodore Oldturn, who is now wearing different clothes; an embroidered white tunic—which actually reveals a significant muscle mass under the fat—and a pair of custom-tailored blue trousers. He also seems to have used his basin to wash himself and groom his hair and mustache.
When his eyes fall on May, he is momentarily stunned by her appearance. "...You are gorgeous. Please, come in."
She smiles at the compliment. "You aren't so bad either." She walks in clear of the door and looks around.
The young monk sees a clean, but simple room. There's a large bed on the opposite of the room, nestled between two large bookcases filled with rolls of parchment, fastened piles of papers and books written in all main languages in the Empire. A few lanterns are hanging from the ceiling, but their flames are weak enough to create a cozy ambiance. In the center of the room sits a large table surrounded by many chairs. Theodore has set up at the corner of the table a few candles, a bottle of wine, two glasses and a plate of bread and cheese.
"I thought you might like something to go with the wine," he says with a smile before moving the chair back so May can sit in it. "Of course, if you'd rather just drink, I have a few more bottles ready. I doubt just one is enough for you."
"Your hospitality is lovely but you really should grab those bottles. It will save time." She laughs as she walks over and sits in the offered chair. "Entertain often then?"
"I used to, but it has been a few years since I've invited a woman here." He walks to his bed and searches for something under it. "I could tell you were an incredible woman and thought I shouldn't pass up this opportunity."
He returns to the table with four more bottles of wine, a hospitable smile on his face.
"Will that be enough?" he asks.
She leans to the side, head on her hand smiling. "I'm not sure. We'll have to see." She picks up and holds out her glass.
Theodor expertly opens the first bottle and serves May first. "How about you keep that bottle?" he says while opening another for himself.
"No, that's not how you drink on a date. That's just how you fight or get drunk." She laughs again. "Cheers." She taps her glass against his and drinks a small mouthful.
Just as the captain promised, this is one of the best wines May has ever tasted. The soft taste of spiciness remains on her tongue for a long time, and it's not too bitter either. "How is it?"
May sits up and takes notice when she tastes the wine. She takes another sip and swishes it around in her mouth while smelling it in the cup. Afterwords she swallows and then takes another small mouth full. This she drinks down slowly, eyes closed, followed by a contented sigh. "Teddy, this is the best wine I've had in a long time. It's up there with the Pinkillees Brew from Emerald easily. Where did you get it from?"
"Oh, it was part of a cargo I transported for one of my oldest clients. He offered me a full crate of it to thank me for closing one of his deals. Please, keep a bottle for yourself once your mission is over."
She's genuinely touched by the gesture and says, "That's very kind of you, thank you. But are you sure there isn't someone else you'd rather drink it with?"
"I—hmm." He drinks from his glass and ponders the question for a short moment. "...No, there isn't. I don't have many friends, and my family and I rarely talk. But when I saw you with your wineskin... it seemed obvious to me that I should share it with you. Speaking of which, are you really allowed to drink while on the job?"
She swirls the wine in her cup before taking a sip. "I am, yes. It's a tough job, but someone has to drink the wine. Why not me?"
"Oh, you'll have to explain that one to me. How is it that a woman in your position is allowed to drink? Wouldn't that make it more dangerous for you?"
"Dangerous? What is it you think I do?"
"Well, I wasn't informed of the details of your mission, nor do I wish to know, but I was led to believe you were some sort of field agent. Wouldn't wine dull your senses?"
"Hmm, how do I explain?" She thinks for a few seconds. "Do you have anything you don't want anymore? Any size will do so long as you can hold it securely in your hands and it won't make too much of a mess."
Theodore raises his eyebrows, but quickly begins to search his quarters that fits this description. He settles for a small bowl that used to hold fruits. "How about this?" he asks. "It's made of glass however..."
"That would probably be too much of a mess. How about an old piece of lumber from your ship? If you don't mind going outside for a little bit I can show you."
"Oh, in that case..." He stands up from his chair, walks up to one of his bookcases and takes one such piece of lumber which he used to stabilize the furniture. "That should do the trick."
He seems very interested to watch May's demonstration.
"Oh, very good." She sets her glass down, scoots her chair back, and stands up. "Let's just drag these two chairs together like so." She drags two chairs together so that they are facing each other and then places the wood so that it is resting between them with a gap in the middle. "Now, if I told you I could punch the wood in half, what would you think of that?"
"...That you'd be the strongest, most beautiful woman I'd have ever met," he replies half-jokingly.
"Flatterer," she giggles. "But you are also a fibber Teddy. You could easily break the wood in half yourself. But what if I told you I could do one better? That I could turn it into sawdust in one punch?"
Theodore leans forward with anticipation. "You're kidding, right?"
"No, not about this."
"I'm eager to be impressed," he says, grinning.
"Good," she says demurely, "That means you are in the right mindset for a date. Now watch as I turn this"—she picks up the bottle and spends the next while downing the entire thing in one go—"into THIS!"
She kicks the wood up into the air, goes into a ready stance and then punches the wood as it perfectly lines up with her fist. There's a loud wump as she releases her magic through her fist, which causes the wood to explode into dust away from her and all over the cabin in that direction. Her heart beats faster as she releases the magic, a pleasurable experience to say the least. She smiles in victory at Teddy. She's practically glowing.
The captain is floored by this display of internalized magic, and he doesn't seem to mind the sawdust that wind up on his tunic. He stares at May for a few seconds until he finally manages to say, "My intuition was right; you are incredible."
The look he gives her is one not only of captivation, but also admiration. Those words, at that moment, ensure that Teddy will always have a special place in May's heart. "It took me a long time to figure out how to do it. I'm the only one who can."
"You... invented it?" He blinks a few times. "Even I know that it's remarkable. No wonder they let you drink as much as you want." He stands up, pours more wine for May and hands her the glass. "A toast; to you and your talents."
She blushes redder than the sun as it sets over Lorinth. She finds herself tongue-tied and embarrassed by her blushing, so she can only just manage to clink the glass and take a drink. She can always do that at least.
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| | | RorytheRomulan
Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17
| Subject: Re: 2nd Interlude: The Conspiracy Tue 13 Nov 2018, 1:15 am | |
| First game of poker: Sam does a victory pump. "Yes! I am the best! Who's crying now, Punchdrunk?" |
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