CH. 10: Hard Choices

[JadedDM]

Haahqae (Steel Tankard Inn, Common Room)
By the time Haahqae finishes his meal, the warning bell for curfew sounds and the draconians leave the inn for the night. Well, there's always tomorrow. He pays Cassandra a silver piece for his meal.

Arulia Seroth (323 Three Forks, Seroth residence)
"Well, I'm rooting for you," Cassilda tells her. "Hmm...he has armor and shield. Do you think he could be a knight? Ooh, do you think he has a steed, and a lance? Do you think if you gave him your handkerchief, he'd put it in his armor, next to his heart, and dedicate his next victory to you?"

Having grown up on many kender tales about the Knights of Solamnia and their chivalry, Cassilda has some very specific ideas of how knights are supposed to act.

Grubnick (High Hand Inn, Common Room)
Green Tears shrugs indifferently. "As you wish." She begins cleaning up the bar, in preparation for closing.

Felran, Ne-Chanz and Shima (Haven North Sewers)
The three scurry back through the door and up the ladder. Ne-Chanz's torch sputters and dies out just as they get there. Leaving their weapons down below, they find the blonde woman impatiently waiting for them. "I was just about to lock you in," she says. "You really cut things close, don't you?"

Upon being given a brief report, she says, "The deal was to kill all living things down there; well, anything bigger than a rat, that is. That includes whatever is beyond those locked doors. The job isn't over yet. But you know where the entrance is, and the weapons will still be there when you return. Take a couple of days to rest up, then come back here and finish the job. But for now, you better hustle home. The warning bell has already sounded, and the final bell will ring any minute now. If you're caught on the streets after that, you'll be arrested."

With that said, she hurries out before she, too, is late.

(OOC: My intention wasn't to be harsh. Just clear and accurate.)

[Chris1234]

"Thanks. Nice and clear," responds Shima to the departing form.
He the hustles back to the house.

{OOC: Wasn't accusing you of being harsh. I was thanking you for not being harsh when you could have been.}

[djhyland]

Arulia shakes her head, but she can't help but smile. "Maybe he would, maybe he wouldn't. But maybe he would rather have your handkerchief instead of mine!" She squeezes Cassilda's hand. "If he is a knight, why should he want me to be his lady when you're around?"

[JadedDM]

Arulia Seroth (323 Three Forks, Seroth residence)
"Who, meeee?" asks Cassilda, putting her hands on her reddening cheeks. "We haven't even met yet. Besides, I haven't had a bath in awhile and am covered in soot. He probably wouldn't be impressed with me."

Gobax, Felran and Ne-Chanz (High Hand Inn, Common Room)
"Getting late," Green Tears remarks. "Have to lock up now," she tells the goblin. She approaches the front door, when it suddenly slams open and Felran and Ne-Chanz burst in, panting. They had just barely made it. Shrugging, she closes and locks the door behind them. "You two haven't paid for your room yet. I need 8 silver or I'll have to throw you back out."

Neither of them have had anything to eat today, either and aside from the one mug of ale Ne-Chanz had at the Grinning Goat, nothing to drink, as well.

Shima Longfoot (300 Market Street, Gregeddin's House)
Shima hurries through town, slowed by having to stop at every checkpoint and show his ID. He makes it back to the house just as the final bell rings, cutting it very close. After taking a moment to catch his breath, though, he realizes something is amiss. The entire house is dark. No candlelight, no sound. Using his infravision, he searches and finds that Gregeddin is nowhere to be found.

But there's more. The place looks ransacked; like a bunch of people came in and tore it up searching for something. He also notices that the weapons and armor stored here are gone, including his own personal weapons. Something is very wrong.

Fortunately, while the pantry is a mess, nothing seems to have been taken. This is good, as Shima has not eaten or drank anything at all today.

[TristenC]

Grubnick waits until the two have transacted their business. If they approach the counter (say for a meal or something) he'll quietly ask them, Cutting it kind of close aren't you? What did you two get up to today anyway? If they instead head up to their rooms, Grubnick will as well and try to catch them in the hall to ask the same questions.

[BishGada]

Tulbas considers Magnus's words carefully and then, "Why do you think the war will end soon? Hyphothetically speaking, the church being paranoid doesn't mean the other gods didn't actually prepared themselves and at some point will retaliate."

[Chris1234]

Shima takes this in his stride - the whole city is an arse so why should this be any different.
But that's something for tomorrow.
For now, he secures the house and rustles up food and water before cleaning up and settling down to sleep.

[JadedDM]

Tulbas Erogund (Mageware Shop)
Magnus takes another bite of his soup, then dabs his mouth with a napkin. "The other gods had a hundred years to do something; it's too late now. They didn't care about this world, and are only trying to intervene now because they selfishly don't want the Dragon Queen to have it, either, despite having abandoned it for over three hundred years."

He shakes his head. "It doesn't matter anyway. As I said, the war is nearly won. Now that the elflands have fallen, the southern armies will press on to the Plains of Dust. The northern armies have taken most of Solamnia. As soon as the winter snows melt, they'll take the city of Palanthas, after which the rest of the nation will fall easily. From there, taking Ergoth and Sanction will be child's play. And once all of Ansalon is ours...who can say? There are rumors of continents across the sea, after all."

Shima Longfoot (300 Market Street, Gregeddin's House)
Shima does the best he can in cleaning up the slime he's covered in. Sadly, he can't draw a bath (as one has not been installed yet), but he uses a basin to at least clean off his face and hands. Then he eats enough food for two meals, as he missed them both, before trying to get some sleep on his blanket.

[djhyland]

"I don't think I smell any better than you," Arulia says with a smile. "And the soot's the same no matter which fire it comes from. If William won't be impressed by you, he won't find me any better."

(OOC: I'm happy to have Arulia banter back and forth with Cassilda, but you're welcome to end the scene whenever you like, JadedDM.)

[BishGada]

"Ours?? Did you take part in the attacks of the elves?" Tulbas asks in contempt. "Why do you think the Queen of Darkness will stop there and not kill us all including you? How can you make sure you are not just a pawn being sacrificed on her Khass board?" The last question was asked with genuine interest.

[JadedDM]

Tulbas Erogund (Mageware Shop)
Magnus laughs derisively at Tulbas' questions. "Why would she kill everyone? Then she would be queen of nothing. A ruler needs subjects. Even elves can be spared, if they bend the knee...as you did." He looks at Tulbas pointedly. "After all, you could have died with your kin. Instead, you chose to live. So that alone shows you are a hypocrite for chastising me for doing the same. I'd rather live and serve the Queen than be free and dead. Besides, the Queen rewards those who are loyal to her."

Arulia Seroth (323 Three Forks, Seroth residence)
"Well...maybe he has a brother," Cassilda says. "Three brothers. Each as handsome and just as you say he is. Stranger things have happened, right?"

She scratches a bit at her bandage. "I guess now that father is in jail, there's nobody to seek out new suitors for us. Osred's the only one we've met so far."

[BishGada]

Tulbas swallows hard when Magnus blames him for bending the knee and choosing to live. In fact he stood before his uncle, ready to sacrifice his own life but Magnus used 'Magic missile' which always hits the target, no matter if someone stands in the middle. But some of it is true. After Raetmal was murdered, Tulbas didn't try to kill Magnus. Not that it could help Raetmal in any way, but maybe bolder people wouldn't have think of the logic and follow their instincts.
In answer to Magnus claims he says "Evil trusts no one. The queen will reward the loyal for a short while, until she won't trust them and then replace them by others. She will thrive on internal conflicts and encourage those who steps on others." Tulbas says, his eyes staring at a spot behind Magnus, his voice contemplative and quiet.
After a while he changes the subject and asks "Can I ask you something about magic Master? In fact I have two questions." Tulbas waits for Magnus approval and then "What is your philosophy regarding Cantrips? and would you rather have many spells ready for The Test or fewer were the advantage is the versatility of solutions you can use to face challenges and the disadvantage is that The Test should be harder?" he then looks at Magnus expectantly.

[chese780]

(OOC: I need spyguy for this one, but I'll do my -part-)

Felran hands Green Tears four silver and waits for the minotaur to do the same.

[JadedDM]

Tulbas Erogund (Mageware Shop)
"You can philosophize on the merits of 'Good' and 'Evil' all you like, but it's a waste of time. It doesn't matter. The Dragon Queen will rule this world, and nobody can stop her. You either join her or die. I choose life. Yes, she may try and kill me down the line. But she may not. On the other hand, if I rebuke her, I will certainly die." He shakes his head. "Don't let your head be clouded with 'morals' and other such nonsense. 'Good' and 'Evil' are just meaningless words that people made up to try and justify themselves. All that really matters is power. And she has all of the power."

At Tulbas' questions, he snorts. "Cantrips? Children's dweomers if you ask me. Once you've completed your Test and become a true Magus, they will be beneath you, I should hope, other than to frighten the mundanes, perhaps. As for spell quantity...part of the Test is to make sure you understand how to use the spells you know well. Thus, a wizard with many spells but whom barely knows how to use them is at a severe disadvantage to one with few spells that he knows very well. Simply cramming your spellbook with as many spells as you can find, without taking the time to fully understand them, is dangerous. More than a few mages have been killed by their own fireballs, because they didn't understand the radius of the spell."

Gobax, Felran and Ne-Chanz (High Hand Inn, Common Room)
Felran hands over 4 silver to Green Tears. He now has only 2 silver left over. This means he won't have enough for tomorrow night.

While he does so, Gobax approaches and quietly asks, "Cutting it kind of close aren't you? What did you two get up to today anyway?"

[BishGada]

"I see... Power sometimes is gained by friendship and respect. In any case, would you help me practice the new spells I've acquired? Master?" Tulbas asks.


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(OOC: JadedDM, how do they test you over your full arsenal if you can learn only few spells a day? Does the Test takes a week?)