Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

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
Alberich
Noble Knight Protector
Posts: 1892
Joined: October 5th, 2008, 9:58 am

Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Alberich »

"Patience, my friend," said Tim. "The Church isn't going to move hastily here. They were here before the Eisenfaust, and before the people who were before the Eisenfaust, and before the people who were before the people who were before the Eisenfaust. If I push them to declare openly for Aleron early - the only consequence is that they'll be suspicious of me and send me away."

He hoped Eli wasn't too far gone to see the logic of that. He was sure Aleron would be satisifed with it, anyway. Oh, the Master's plan was all too obvious -- to corrupt Tim's soul with this heady magic, and so make of him a willing slave of infernal powers within the Church itself, just the sort of thing Blaise was. To be discarded and damned, and die hated amid savages, just like Blaise. Time was on Aleron's side in that plan. Even though Tim knew it was happening, the question was whether his faith could sustain him 'til the elves escalated enough.
User avatar
Jack Rothwell
Teller of Tales
Posts: 2405
Joined: June 17th, 2010, 7:35 am
Location: Liverpool, England

Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Jack Rothwell »

"A sensible approach." Eli murmured. "But I was thinking of something to make the transition easier. Aleron and I believe that it's time for Brother Tim to ascend in the esteem of his church, assume the mantle of a more important office..."

OOC Are there any details about the Church anyone could send me? Organisation, order of rank, numbers, usual method of advancement, etc? Pretty please?/OOC
Alberich
Noble Knight Protector
Posts: 1892
Joined: October 5th, 2008, 9:58 am

Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Alberich »

[OOC: Well, there's an article on the Wiki that tells a little about the Church in this game but doesn't go into heavy detail on the hierarchy. Let's create a thread over in the OOC discussion to talk about it. I'll do that now.]

[OOC2: Here it is.]
User avatar
Drusia
Veteran of the Errant War
Posts: 1293
Joined: September 7th, 2009, 9:53 pm

Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Drusia »

Tamina looked up into a pair of pretty eyes staring back at her.
"Hi." She said, with a good amount of her usual perkiness.


"And good evening to you too," I say, smiling. I'm glad to see her back to her old self. I wasn't sure last night what affect moving forward was going to have on her, but I am very pleased to see it is a good one. I like her smile.

-- Drusia

OOC: Sorry. In a previous post, you mentioned something about "the next morning" so I thought that's when this was.
Last edited by Drusia on February 5th, 2013, 1:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
Alberich
Noble Knight Protector
Posts: 1892
Joined: October 5th, 2008, 9:58 am

Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Alberich »

Before the morning came, Udo and Khoo had made their way back to camp. It was a little surprising to see no one on watch, but then, that camp was well hidden. The scattered female clothing and the gentle snores solved that mystery soon enough. Udo voted by sign language to leave them alone (though if he'd been alone, he might've voted to peep, or at least entertained argument from the Peepers' Party). Sunrise would be soon enough to tell about the upcoming rendezvous with the Eisenfaust, which he hoped would be followed with some rapid action. He took the next watch to wait for Angrist.

* * *

The eyepatched Angrist was wandering the streets of this town he'd seen only once before. He couldn't really ask after the Ralkin or the Eisenfaust either, both because it was socially awkward and because "asking" wasn't his strong suit. Wandering aimlessly after dark in this place was unwisely dangerous. Suppose, for example, you're a pair of muggers wandering around after dark looking for a victim. You might find one. And he might turn out to be a shaven-headed, eyepatched master of unarmed combat who leaves you semiconscious and in pain. And your fellow thieves might then rob you after he'd gone. Just sayin'.

There was a certain dreariness to the late-night viciousness of Port Lorrel, with most of the action in the taverns. But from one came the strains of an interesting music - a stringed instrument Angrist hadn't heard before. He wandered inside to investigate. And the moment he stepped in, there was applause and cheers from all around, and a shaking of bells. It was as if he'd been expected.

The four-man band played bells and banjos, tuned to an eerie key the silent stranger hadn't heard. The tune started slow and they hummed, and a black-haired, short, swarthy girl leaped out in front of Angrist, her sandals slapping on the wooden floor as she struck a pose. Her skirt and halter top were pied in simple colors - read, yellow, blue, and green - and her makeup was exaggerated, especially about the eyelashes. Her smile was bright - was that a flash of gold? - and her arms were animated as she shook her shoulders and danced backwards. With one hand she beckoned Angrist forward. With the other she snapped her fingers, and a man in the crowd tossed her an apple. The band hummed and played, she snapped the fingers of her other hand, and someone else tossed her another.

With a shake of her hips, she began to juggle the apples. Another and another were tossed her way, yet she kept them in the air easily, her eyes watching them, then darting back to Angrist, the spectators waving him forward and encouraging him to dance with her. Then someone barked out "Ha!" - and all fell silent, save Angrist himself (who was already silent), a single banjo, and the girl, who made a singsong rhyme:

"Now dance with me and play my game -
And try my wits or beat the same!
Like to this challenge there are few:
I bet that I can show to you
A thing no man has ever seen
Nor ever will again, I ween
And if I show you, prince of men,
What none will ever see again
But up 'til now lay unseen yet --
Why, then, I will have won the bet
And as a forfeit, you'll disburse
The entire contents of your purse;
But if I fail, yours is the bliss,
Of one sweet ruby-mouthed kiss;
And then my friends, with open hand,
Will buy you all that you can stand --
Now take my challenge - come and play!
To back off is the coward's way."

The customers cheered and began to knock a rhythm on their tables, as the band struck up a quick dance in their odd mode, as she wiggled and juggled most lively. All looked to see what Angrist would do. If he joined her for the dance, then he was taking the challenge; and if he left, they would jeer.
User avatar
Jack Rothwell
Teller of Tales
Posts: 2405
Joined: June 17th, 2010, 7:35 am
Location: Liverpool, England

Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Jack Rothwell »

Ooc it's not morning yet, tamina was only dozing. Can we retcon? /Ooc
Alberich
Noble Knight Protector
Posts: 1892
Joined: October 5th, 2008, 9:58 am

Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Alberich »

[OOC: Fine by me; I had it so Udo and Khoo arrived while she was dozing but didn't specify that she slept 'til morning. If Drusia's "good morning" is really a "good midnight" then I think we're right there. I'm assuming that there's some kind of meet set up with the Eisenfaust - since Smitty has to bring the info back to his masters and get instructions - but am waiting for Graybeard on that one since Udo's next dialogue will be passing on the information. Angrist's encounter is of course happening at night, and I'm waiting to see whether you're adding anything to Eli's dialogue, also at night, before adding anything to that subthread.]
Browncoat
Errant Scholar
Posts: 132
Joined: April 23rd, 2012, 8:00 am

Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Browncoat »

Angrist was mildly intrigued by the riddle the girl posed him. And he wasn't carrying much money anyway. So he arced an eyebrow and shrugged to loosen his muscles. Though he'd never danced before, he was a quick study of body movement and was sure he could manage. He stepped forward to dance.

[OOC: just a quick post now, I'm short on time atm]
They kicked me out of the asylum. I miss the jello.
Alberich
Noble Knight Protector
Posts: 1892
Joined: October 5th, 2008, 9:58 am

Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Alberich »

The spectators cheered and the girl gave a dark-eyed smile as the eyepatched stranger moved forward and began to improvise some moves. The musicians kept up the pace and punctuated their humming with the occasional "ha!"

Quick as a cat, the girl flicked one of her apples at Angrist. He was dextrous enough to catch it, and a good thing too, because a second followed the first. As he tried to dance apples in hand, she threw the third, and he was forced to juggle them himself. His unnatural speed and dexterity saved him there, though without her practice he could not mimic her sinuous moves whle keeping apples in the air. Just doing that, watching them and watching her, was enough. He anticipated being thrown the fourth and didn't know if he could manage...

But she didn't. She held it up in her left hand, reached behind her back with her right, and with a swift, strong flourish drew a small knife from there. In a flash she'd sliced the apple open and stuck the knife in a tabletop, to the leering grins of the patrons. Snaking over in front of Angrist, she held up the two halves so he could see the creamy flesh of the apple's innards, on which no man had ever looked before. Then, while the band played and Angrist juggled, she brought a half up to her mouth and tore into it with zest, not only the flesh but the skin, so ensuring that no one would ever see it again. She did the same with the other half, with more energy than table manners, and daintily licked the juice off her lips and fingers while the music slowed to a stop.

A man near the bar called out "The drinks are on him!" and the girl extended an arm that way, inviting him to approach the bartender and empty out his purse as promised. How he took it would determine how they reacted.
Browncoat
Errant Scholar
Posts: 132
Joined: April 23rd, 2012, 8:00 am

Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Browncoat »

As Angrist set the apples down, he palmed one and surreptitiously used a bit of magic to make a move faster than the patrons could see. The girl felt a sharp pain in her gut, as if someone had jabbed her. When Angrist reached the bar, he pulled out a purse and dumped the contents on the bar. The girl recognized it as her own right before her stomach decided to eject its contents. Angrist, expecting this, held up the now empty purse to catch the pieces of apple she had just eaten. In the stunned silence, his visible eye slowly closed and opened. With the eye patch it was hard to tell, was it a blink or a wink?

[OOC: I've come across this riddle before and so I knew how to cheat it.]
They kicked me out of the asylum. I miss the jello.
Locked