Seven(?) against the Convergence

As we play, occasionally we'll close a thread and open a new one to keep the size of threads (and relative complexity) down to a dull roar. Here's where we store the closed posts from the history of Errant Road.
Locked
User avatar
Graybeard
The Heretical Admin
Posts: 7180
Joined: August 20th, 2007, 8:26 am
Location: Nuevo Mexico y Colorado, Estados Unidos

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Graybeard »

"Is there anything I should be watching for?"

"Just watch," Father Amalric answered gruffly. For half an hour he said nothing else.

And then, out of the blue, he asked a curious question.

"Your commanding officer's friend, Therese. Did she ever say anything in your hearing regarding the death of her lover, a woman named Melusine?"
Image

Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
Alberich
Noble Knight Protector
Posts: 1892
Joined: October 5th, 2008, 9:58 am

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Alberich »

Tim thought back to all he'd heard from this red-headed heathen mage. In fact he admired her more than most of their infidel companions, and thought her work in Goriel a good stop-gap until the Church could someday impose real order there.

"Yes, Father, she did." Tim had promised, not sworn, not to talk about Therese's hidey-hole. But there was nothing in that promise about this question - and even if there had been, an order from a true priest would overrule it, especially a priest with such seniority.

"Long before she met us, she said that she and this friend Melusine had been investigating this 'Convergence,' a cult that was supposed to be attempting to revive some infernal 'Elven God of the Dead' called Exitalis. And she later found this friend dead, without a mark on her, as if her body had simply stopped working. Much as so many people did in connection with the late Inquisitor Blaise.

"And Blaise, as you know, ended his days in the company of the Outlaw Clan Gyermanov, apparently also a kind of death worshippers, but they called their god 'Sital.' This Therese did good service in battle against them. A powerful mage."

And Tim would surely answer other questions to the best of his ability, though he would avoid straying near the subject of his promise.
User avatar
Graybeard
The Heretical Admin
Posts: 7180
Joined: August 20th, 2007, 8:26 am
Location: Nuevo Mexico y Colorado, Estados Unidos

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Graybeard »

For just a moment, something strange came over Father Amalric.

His hatchet-hard face softened. He looked up from the controls of the airship, and stared out into space. His eyes were either unfocused, or focused ... somewhere else. He took a long, deep breath, and then another.

The moment passed, and his face hardened. "Very well," he said to Tim. "Carry on." He turned his attention back to the airship.
Image

Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
User avatar
Drusia
Veteran of the Errant War
Posts: 1293
Joined: September 7th, 2009, 9:53 pm

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Drusia »

"Desiree? Anfisa? Am I interrupting anything?"

**CENSORED**

I pause. "Um, yes, a bit," I shout through the door. "Although, if it's important, you should probably just come in."

-- Desiree

OOC: Yeah... I couldn't think of any way to post "Rose hears sex noises through the door" so... hence the Censored joke.
Alberich
Noble Knight Protector
Posts: 1892
Joined: October 5th, 2008, 9:58 am

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Alberich »

Anfisa gathered up the blankets around their naked bodies and giggled. With some kinds of lovers, you'd climb the heights of passion once, if that, and you'd resent an interruption. But womanlove with Desiree was a lofty range of mountains, as the earth moved endlessly through the sky, and there was no harm in a little rest. It would simply build anticipation.

At least one of her hands was staying out of sight below the blankets, and if the conversation got too boring, Desiree might get a little stroke, tickle, or pinch when she least expected it. Such naughtiness would of course have to be punished once Rose had left.

And if the nun let slip something new, that led their spy mission to greater success, so much the better! But she wouldn't show an interest, that was for sure.
User avatar
Graybeard
The Heretical Admin
Posts: 7180
Joined: August 20th, 2007, 8:26 am
Location: Nuevo Mexico y Colorado, Estados Unidos

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Graybeard »

"N-never mind," an embarrassed Sister Rose stammered, blushing furiously. "It can wait." At least she thought it could; she wanted to know more about this mysterious "businessman," but not so badly as to interrupt --

She didn't finish the thought, but slipped back into her own cabin, closing the door with a click.

[OOC: Rose will have nothing more to say for the moment, unless Argus does (which I hope he will). Amalric isn't going to initiate anything either, although he is there to be "interacted" with, such as he is. Meanwhile, it looks like Browncoat is MIA, so a little something up north:]

------------

Now comes the torture, Therese thought, but I won't talk. By the Five Great Mothers, though, I wish I knew a Suicide spell. Ironic, that...

To her surprise, the three mages who were now looking at her and Mordan didn't seem to be breaking out the instruments of torture, whether mechanical or thaumatic. In fact, their prevailing emotion seemed to be puzzlement. The magical paralysis was starting to wear off, but they'd done their due diligence, and Therese and Mordan were encased in Binding spells that looked considerably more robust than what they'd faced in the underground. One of the men came over to where she and Mordan lay. "Now, you talk," he said in Tsuirakuan.

Before she could say anything, however, another of the men spoke. "No, no, no talk." He switched to the language the three had been speaking earlier, and magic began to gather in the room. In the muttering that followed, Therese thought she could hear the Tsuirakuan words for "mind probe" ... and her blood ran cold.
Image

Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
Alberich
Noble Knight Protector
Posts: 1892
Joined: October 5th, 2008, 9:58 am

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Alberich »

Anfisa gave a half-shrug, whipped off the blanket, and tiptoed over to the door. She poked her head out and peeped both ways. No one was in sight, so she slipped out, still nude, ran three times around in tight little circles, then ran back to her cabin with Desiree. Because she felt like it.

* * *

Back on the bridge, Amalric's demeanor did not encourage conversation. But Rose wanted more information. Tim tried a direct approach, following up on his prior answer. "Father," he said, "The wizard we saw with those death cultists was very powerful. It took three strong mages attacking at once, plus the rest of us, to take him down. Maybe these 'convergers' are on the same order. Have you seen or heard anything that might help us know how to defeat them?"

There - he wasn't prying into Amalric's private business per se, only making a reasonable request for information about the enemy. If he got snapped at, well, then, he got snapped at. Prying into why he cared about this "Melusine" - Tim wouldn't dream of doing that.
User avatar
Graybeard
The Heretical Admin
Posts: 7180
Joined: August 20th, 2007, 8:26 am
Location: Nuevo Mexico y Colorado, Estados Unidos

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Graybeard »

Strange, inscrutable things played over Father Amalric's face as he listened to Tim's question. Finally his face reset into its usual stern countenance.

"I know no more of this Convergence's capabilities than what you have told me," he said. "But there are no problems which cannot be solved by judicious use of thaumatic high explosives." He turned back to the controls.
Image

Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
User avatar
Jack Rothwell
Teller of Tales
Posts: 2405
Joined: June 17th, 2010, 7:35 am
Location: Liverpool, England

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Jack Rothwell »

OOC Hey all. Just checking in to let you know I'll be back to regular posting tomorrow. Barely had a minute to myself for the last 4 days :( . Just assume Tamina is off practicing magic with Argus or in bed depending on how much time has elapsed since she was last heard from.

On a sidenote, if Harker's looking for a room (is he on board? Haven't heard from him in ages), bunking with the kobold would make sense, given that everyone else in the group is either in a couple or religiously compelled to avoid it./OOC
User avatar
Graybeard
The Heretical Admin
Posts: 7180
Joined: August 20th, 2007, 8:26 am
Location: Nuevo Mexico y Colorado, Estados Unidos

Re: Seven(?) against the Convergence

Post by Graybeard »

[OOC: It'll be good to have you back, JR; we need some antics from Tamina to spice up the trip north. Yes, you can assume that she and Harker are sharing a cabin. (Speaking of antics! Where have you gone, perverted bipedal beaver and his boss?...) Meanwhile:]

Therese watched, unable to interfere, as the three mages converged on Mordan and magic filled the air.

She'd never experienced a Mind Probe, had never seen one in action. They were supposed to be ... unpleasant. Mordan's squirming within the confines of the Binding certainly suggested that that was true, even if the occasional grunted words he produced in a language she didn't know were pleas to go to the bathroom or such, rather than the curses in the language of the Southern Continent that she suspected them to be.

The effect on the mages, however, didn't seem to be much less unpleasant. The spell was obviously fairly taxing for them, judging from the effort that showed in their faces. That wasn't totally unexpected. What was less expected, and somehow reassuring to Therese, was their appearance as the probing proceeded. To all appearances the interrogators weren't learning what they wanted to learn. Exertion was replaced in their demeanors by frowns, then by irritation, then aggravation, then frustration ... and then by complete puzzlement.

He doesn't know anything about the Convergence, thought Therese. They can't extract knowledge he doesn't have. That was good, but it was also bad. They'd abandon their efforts with Mordan soon enough ... but they'd give her extra attention, particularly once a probing mind tendril did turn up something. Well, in any event, the interrogators were dropping their efforts with Mordan. Encouragingly, he didn't seem much the worse for wear, if the torrent of Douagan invective he was emitting was any indication.

"Let us try this one," one of the mages said as they moved to Therese, and as she thought, Oh, shit.
Image

Because old is wise, does good, and above all, kicks ass.
Locked