Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters (part 2)

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Browncoat
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters (part 2)

Post by Browncoat »

As Jargalan blasted the area with flame, most people would have jumped back to avoid being burned...Angrist was not most people. As the fire roared outward, the monk dove through, his pants igniting. Jargalan was surprised by a fist flying out of the conflagration and into his chin. Angrist stood over the toppled elf for a moment. The light behind him cast strange shadows. His face was pitiless. Abruptly, slamed his knuckle into Jargalan's temple...perhaps a bit harder than strictly necessary. As the embers faded, the monk dragged the elf's limp form back to rejoin the others.

[OOC: Unless anybody really wants him dead, we're gonna go with unconscious]
They kicked me out of the asylum. I miss the jello.
Alberich
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters (part 2)

Post by Alberich »

The flash of magic fire from the other side of the tower drew everyone's attention. Udo staggered to one side and raised a shield, preparing to defend against the new menace...but it turned out to be only Sensei, dragging along the limp form of that good-for-nothing staff-stealing elf sonofabitch. He grinned and pumped a fist. "Yeah!" If someone had polled the adventurer-mages present on the question of "Who Wants Jargalan Dead?" -- Udo would've checked the block marked "Meeeeeee!"

He didn't feel much of the urgency in the air. Yes, there was "law enforcement" coming, but "law enforcement" around here belonged to the Eisenfaust, and the Eisenfaust had helped their mission right along. Still, maybe it would help things along smoothly, on the paperwork side and all, if they arranged not to be here. And maybe those boots Jargalan was wearing would help him move a little faster...

* * *

Tim, having picked his way carefully across the bottom floor's floor, opened the front door of the tower, stepped out, and looked around. The coast was clear. Stepping back in, he made a "come on" gesture to Eli and explained quickly how things looked.

Once he was sure Eli was free and clear, Tim meant to make his way back to the Temple, there to make his report and see how he could get back where he belonged. That is to say, back to Rose's mission, if that could be found, or back to Veracia if it could not.
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters (part 2)

Post by Jack Rothwell »

Tamina shook her head at the sight of the elf, barely taking it in. She was more worried about Drusia's point of the possibility of other Ralkin materials surviving than the unconscious bastard before them.

"Why?" She said, indicating Jargalan's current state with a point of a claw. "He helped us. Might've died without him. A' can't deal with this now, Dru's right, don't know about Eli, don't know if he had anything else. Should check before we leave."

Without further word she turned and headed back towards the front door of the tower, coaxing her aching legs into a jog with a wince.
Alberich
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters (part 2)

Post by Alberich »

...which brought her face-to-face with Tim, a man she'd briefly shared a camp with back in Goriel, and thanked for his healing magics after a very hard battle.

Well, thought Tim. I don't suppose I was getting away without talking to these people. But he remembered this one as friendly, so he stilled his fear and kept his hands away from his weapons. "Is it all over with Aleron?" he asked.

* * *

Udo, meantime, was taking advantage of the one-day-only giveaway at Jargalan's Boots and Socks Emporium. Unfortunately, the Bank of Jargalan was not open for business. The elf had not brought any clinky money into town for this mission, and even his weapons were gone, except for a sneaky little boot knife that Udo now took.
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters (part 2)

Post by Jack Rothwell »

Tamina recognised Tim from their encounter with Rose's group despite her current level of fatigue. However, the last time she'd seen the Priest was standing alongside Eli as a barrier trap was sprung on Drusia, and her mind was hazy enough given current events for her intuition to fall firmly out the window. She bared her teeth in a hiss at the man, unaware of the help he'd really been providing.

"You tried to kill Dru!" She shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the surprised looking man. "Gonna scratch you up good!"

She staggered forward in an awkward run, unsheathing her claw-like fists still red with the Ralkin leader's blood.

OOC Tim does have time to talk some sense into Tamina, she's not moving very fast atm. Dru could also explain things if she investigates.OOC
Alberich
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters (part 2)

Post by Alberich »

Happily for himself, Tim was the least thaumically-exhausted of all the persons who had fought in the tower that night (unless you counted Angrist with his wonderful recharge). So he managed to get a barrier up. He also got his hands up. He didn't even think of going for his sword.

He might actually have stood a chance against the kobold in her weakened state, but the thought didn't enter his mind. He'd seen enough bloodshed tonight, had redeemed two souls in peril (his own included!), and just right now didn't want to hurt anyone at all. Besides, it took a different kind of man than Tim to want to harm the adorable kobold, even as she was beating on his shield.

"Just wait a-"

*bang*

"I'm not your-"

*bang*

"Please stopping hit-"

*bang*

"Look, Drusia and I are both still alive. That means I wasn't fighting her!" At least, that looked like her off in the distance there.

* * *
Meanwhile, over by Drusia, Angrist, and Khoo --

Udo liked the fit of his newly purloined boots, but saw that the elf was too slender for his jerkin ever to fit him. He'd just have to stay bare-bellied for now. He eyed Drusia and Angrist to see what their plans were for this helpless thieving arrogant elf bastard. If anyone asked his opinion, he'd recommend something called the Teabag of Doom - "where you cut off his junk and choke him to death on it!"
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters (part 2)

Post by Jack Rothwell »

Tamina paused in her near-drunken swinging at the magical protection as Tim's tones managed to puncture the rage which had galvanised her assault. The last sentence had been a reasonable point.

"'suppose." She said. "But you hid, sprang the trap with Eli, maybe you hid from her again."

She took a step backwards, swaying gently on her feet. It was obvious the kobold was in no shape for a real fight.

"Where's Eli? Did Dru kill him?"

OOC I think Tim would do a lot better than just 'having a chance' against Tamina in her current state. She's tapped out, no energy for buffering magic, barely enough stamina left to throw a few punches or stagger into bed. Btw, how did Angrist get his energy back? I must've missed that detail./OOC
Alberich
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters (part 2)

Post by Alberich »

"Where's Eli? Did Dru kill him?"

The comfortable lie would be easy now. And that was going to be his official line with almost everyone, just as it would be Drusia's with the elves (or so she'd promised). But...just now he didn't feel like lying. Stalling, yes, lying, no.

"Use your magic senses," he said. "You know what that Ralkin magic feels like." This was an educated guess, but he himself knew the particular flavor of that devil sorcery, and as the kobold seemed to be a fighting mage from a people who'd fought the Ralkin, he figured she'd know it too.

"Short answer is, he's alive. And he's gone." Well, he hoped Eli had been listening, and had had the good sense to take a window exit on the other side of the tower. "But you can't detect him because he doesn't use Ralkin magic anymore. He's given it up and it's purged out of him. Same as it is out of me. Take a look." And with that, keeping his hands well away from his sides, he dropped his shield.

Now, if Eli was listening but hadn't had the good sense to leave, maybe now he'd take the hint. Tim would miss him and hope to see him again someday. But it was probably for the best that he get moving -- if, indeed, he wasn't moving already -- and tell no one where he was going. What Tim didn't know, he couldn't betray.
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Drusia
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters (part 2)

Post by Drusia »

Udo is looting Jargalan. Probably not wise while he still lives.

"Excuse me for a moment," I say, walking over to Jargalan.

Ignoring Udo, I draw my Durus. The blade hums and I neatly separate Jargalan's head from his body, rather to Udo's surprise. I step back, avoiding the spray of arterial blood.

There. One fewer half-elf murderer. I don't think Aleron mentioned Snamish to him, but now I don't have to wonder.

I walk back over towards Tamina and Tim.

"Short answer is, he's alive. And he's gone." Well, he hoped Eli had been listening, and had had the good sense to take a window exit on the other side of the tower. "But you can't detect him because he doesn't use Ralkin magic anymore. He's given it up and it's purged out of him. Same as it is out of me. Take a look."

I turn back to Tim. "Any chance I could talk with him?" I ask Tim. I'd like to see for myself his current condition. Besides... "I think he and I may need to discuss burned bridges... and what he plans to do now. And where he plans to go." Santuriel isn't safe for him - Lillith lives there now, and she is unlikely to believe his rehabilitation. As for Snamish... I don't think that's a good idea either. But there is somewhere else he might be happy.

-- Drusia
Alberich
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters (part 2)

Post by Alberich »

Udo would've preferred the "Teabag of Doom," the "Proctology Exam from Hell," "Death by Sandpaper Starting With Your Feet," or something similarly inventive -- but a quick, emotionless decapitation worked for him too. Clinical detachment, you might say.

His quick legal-political analysis suggested to him that the corrupt, Eisenfaust-dominated ruling order of Port Lorrel would not be at all happy to draw elvish attention, and would therefore prefer, in the following order:

(1) a set of scapegoats who'd been found next to the dead elf, to blame it on; or, failing that,

(2) to dispose of the body and answer any and all questions with "Elf? What elf? I ain't seen no elves, have you, Vinny?"

This analysis suggested the optimal plan of action.

"Let's get the girls and get outta here," he said to Khoo and Angrist. He headed over towards the tower door, that they might all take part in a course of Advanced Skedaddlery.

* * *

While Udo was making haste, Tim was doing a little of the opposite.

"Any chance I could talk with him? I think he and I may need to discuss burned bridges...and what he plans to do now. And where he plans to go."

"Very doubtful," said Tim. "If he's done what I think he's done -- he's already gone, out of this tower, and well on his way to parts unknown. Mind you, that right there should tell you he's no longer of the Ralkin. They're too arrogant to run. I didn't ask him where he'd go, because I didn't want to know.

"But when he and I were, ah, together, he could hear my memories, and I let him hear what you said you'd tell the elves. So he knows the importance of keeping himself, as you might say, very hard to notice. Something else Ralkin don't know how to do. He still hopes to find a way to accomplish what you know he wants to accomplish and I imagine he'll be questing around the world for that. But he knows that corrupting power is not the way, nor ever could be. He's seen the Ralkin magic for what it is, and he's seen my memory of what we saw in Goriel. So he won't be doing that kind of thing anymore.

"In short, I suspect you won't see him again, unless he goes to that place you know but I don't, to see that person we know.

"Now, if I'm wrong, and he actually wanted to stay around and talk, then he's right behind me, he's listening to everything we say, and when I step aside from this door, he'll step out and talk." And Tim stepped aside to see if that happened.
Last edited by Alberich on May 2nd, 2013, 7:04 am, edited 2 times in total.
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