Caleb blinked a few times. "Eirik! Tillia! How'd you go?".
Caleb blinked a few times. "Eirik! Tillia! How'd you go?".
"Not as well as I had hoped," Eirik answered, giving Caleb a slightly suspicious look. "I didn't find anything to cure the addiction itself, but somethign to deal with the symptoms - apparently the temple had been called to fight an epidemy of measles down at Redroofs and had just used up its stores of the scrolls I had really wanted."
"Eh - it's not so bad. I got something to deal with the symptoms as well!" Caleb giggled hard enough at his joke that he fell slightly against Noravia.
"Eh - it's not so bad. I got something to deal with the symptoms as well!" Caleb giggled hard enough at his joke that he fell slightly against Noravia.
"Yes... and you seem to be enjoying it, don't you," Eirik said, his suspicion apparently confirmed. Yet, who was he to judge? Caleb was an adult, and whatever he did with his mind and body was up to him, as long as he didn't hurt others or break laws. The thought made Eirik wince - what had he been doing, the past weeks, except breaking laws. Merely knowing justice and lawfulness didn't always necessarily walk hand in hand didn't make it easier to accept, once his attention was drawn to the fact.
"You did remember to check for people trailing you back here, didn't you, after you had enjoyed your... medicine?" he asked. Freedom to decide one's own fate or not, their security was already porous enough that the thought of blowing any more holed to it gave him the shivers.
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Noravia tries to look serious and attempts to focus on Eirik and Tillia. But as soon as Caleb falls against her giggling, she loses her own composure and titters along with him. "The treatment Caleb procured is definitely enjoyable."
"You did remember to check for people trailing you back here, didn't you, after you had enjoyed your... medicine?"
Noravia nodded in an exaggerated manner. "We sure did. Going to a coffeehouse in the morning is highly suspicious behavior so we took lots of countermeasures."
Having returned with Hetamon, Tillia was relieved to see that Noravia and Caleb had returned safely. She spoke and said, "Hetamon has agreed to do what he can to help you. He can't cure both of you of your craving today but he at least hopes to cure one of you and then return to morrow to help the other." She looked at Hetamon and asked, "Do you need anything before you begin your attempt?"
Turn 205 is up.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
Noravia gave Hetamon a weak smile. "Thank Milani."
Her thirst was overwhelming and she dug out her waterskin. Between swigs she said, "I don't know how people normally deal with addictions. I couldn't seem to stop myself, nor did I want to."
Turning to Caleb, Noravia said, "Thanks for keeping me safe while we had a good time." The inquisitor yawned even though she had just gotten up not too long ago. "I need a nap." Looking sideways at Caleb who seemed like he was about to keel over, Noravia continues, "I think Caleb and I need friend naptime to regain our health. If one of you are around, maybe check on us after a little while. We'll be down in the Wasp's Nest." Noravia was worried that Caleb may try to sneak out later which is why she was hoping that if she was in the same room, even if napping, she'd be able to stop him. Hopefully they all could take turns keeping an eye on him until the next morning when Hetamon could cure him as well.
tag Caleb and everyone else
"Pleasure." murmurs a half-asleep Caleb, now drifting enough to allow himself to be led down to the wasp's nest. "It feels so good, Noravia, to have the pain go away just for a little while. Wish I'd taken the chance years ago."
"Hey!" announced Caleb, suddenly perking up As long as I've got a hit, I could totally head out with you now! No need to wait!"
Tillia was very relieved that Hetamon was able to succeed in helping both of her friends today, even if it Caleb's was only temporary. She caught up to Hetamon before he could leave and threw here arms around him in a hug and planted a quick kiss on his cheek, "Thank you Hetamon, I'm glad you were able to help." Releasing him she said, "I'll see you tomorrow when you return to finish up with Caleb." She looked up at him through her eyelashes, curious to see what he would do next.
After the man left them she looked back to Noravia and Caleb, "So, how does it feel you two? And do I even want to know what you were doing last night?"
"So, how does it feel you two? And do I even want to know what you were doing last night?"
The inquisitor tries to explain. "It's better feeling back to normal but there were parts of last night that also felt pretty good. We didn't really do much last night. We had supper, took Caleb's treatment, and I got a tour of Caleb's place. He has a surprisingly comfortable bed."
"Pleasure." murmurs a half-asleep Caleb, now drifting enough to allow himself to be led down to the wasp's nest. "It feels so good, Noravia, to have the pain go away just for a little while. Wish I'd taken the chance years ago."
"Hey!" announced Caleb, suddenly perking up As long as I've got a hit, I could totally head out with you now! No need to wait!"
Noravia shushed Caleb. "No going out. We both need to recover what the addiction has taken and we can only do that through rest. We'll lie down just like last night, just without the drugs."
Noravia was extremely tired but she waited until Caleb dozed off. When she was sure he was asleep, she took her manacles and shackled him to the bed. Better he stay put than disappear to get another fix.
Tillia was very relieved that Hetamon was able to succeed in helping both of her friends today, even if it Caleb's was only temporary. She caught up to Hetamon before he could leave and threw here arms around him in a hug and planted a quick kiss on his cheek, "Thank you Hetamon, I'm glad you were able to help." Releasing him she said, "I'll see you tomorrow when you return to finish up with Caleb." She looked up at him through her eyelashes, curious to see what he would do next.
He smiled, "Everyone needs help. You can't take on the establishment without help, right?"
He looked at Caleb, "Give me a call if your urges return. I can make some more of the bitter tea."
He grabbed Tillia's hands in both of his, the skinny fingers were unnaturally longer than the wizard's. "Glad to be of help. Drop by the shop anytime. Maybe if you visit me more often, like when you don't need anything, I won't feel dread every time I see you."
He grabbed Tillia's hands in both of his, the skinny fingers were unnaturally longer than the wizard's. "Glad to be of help. Drop by the shop anytime. Maybe if you visit me more often, like when you don't need anything, I won't feel dread every time I see you."
Noravia shushed Caleb. "No going out. We both need to recover what the addiction has taken and we can only do that through rest. We'll lie down just like last night, just without the drugs."
Caleb smiled contentedly at Noravia, drifting back to his half-asleep state "That'd be nice. I don't like being alone. The nightmares are always worse when I'm alone." He patted the inquisitor on the arm "I'm glad you're here."
Caleb wound in on himself on the bed, huddled into a tiny ball, hidden under the blanket.
When the manacle 'clicked' shut around his arm, he woke up instantly.
His eyes were wide with terror, not simple fear or panic, but utter terror. His mouth opened and a high pitched keening emerged, wordless desperation, like that of an animal. Desperately he yanked his arm against the chain, heedless of the damage he might inflict on himself. It seemed he cared less about his hand than his freedom as he twisted and turned desperately, throwing himself away from the bed. The heavy frame banged and dragged against the wall as he heedlessly used his whole weight on it.
Those in the wasp's nest heard nothing for the first hour or so, but then a series of repetitive bangs and bumps.
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Seeing Caleb's reaction to the manacle made Noravia feel like she'd betrayed him somehow. Going into damage control she says as soothingly as possible, "I'm still here Caleb. You're not in any danger. Vandomir made it sound like something he'd want to try and I thought you might as well." She gave him a sheepish look, "I guess I should have asked first. My bad."
Tillia blushed at Hetamon's words and said, "You're right of course, I should come by for a purely social call. I did try once but you were out and we've been fairly busy ever since." She actually turned a bit shy then as the mage asked, "Why don't I walk you out?" With that she waited while the tiefling finished up any further business he might have at the coffee house and then walked out the door with him.
Tillia had walked Hetamon out and stood there a moment before she said, "Thanks again, and I will try to stop by more often when I don't need something. I don't want you to feel dread when I show up, in fact I'd very much like to get to know you better," she paused and looked down with some hesitation. It was as if she was unsure if she had gone too far but decided to finish anyway and said in a slight rush, "that is, um, if you'd be willing to let me?"
Caleb froze at the words, like a rabbit in front of a lion. "Get it off!" he asked, dread - and a halfling accent - in his voice. "Get it off!" He repeated, more urgently. The hand in question began to shake as the willpower Caleb used to restrain himself started to wear off.
Is this a good time for the group to take a couple of in-game days off and let the Ravens get their turn? Let me know what you want to do.
"That'd be nice. I don't like being alone. The nightmares are always worse when I'm alone." He patted the inquisitor on the arm "I'm glad you're here."
Eirik sighed at the mystic's drowsy words - clearly the man had monsters hiding under his bed, and the drug would be just the thing to bring midnight horrors out into the open. He hoped Hetamon would be able to break Caleb's dependency as easily as he had Noravia's - Eirik had seen a few examples of how a drug user might end up if he couldn't break his habit, by himself or with help.
And unlike those sorry wretches Eirik had seen in court, Caleb had powers of his own. In the drip of the need for the next dose, or his mind befuddled by poppy dreams, someone like him could become a true menace to society.
Caleb froze at the words, like a rabbit in front of a lion. "Get it off!" he asked, dread - and a halfling accent - in his voice. "Get it off!" He repeated, more urgently. The hand in question began to shake as the willpower Caleb used to restrain himself started to wear off.
Noravia straddled Caleb in order to reach the manacles to remove them. "Alright. It'll just take a second." The inquisitor freed Caleb's hand and took a quick look to make sure he hadn't hurt himself in his attempts to free himself. Looking down at him she said, "I'm really sorry, Caleb. Are you ok?" She paused slightly before asking hesitantly, "Are we ok?"
tag Caleb
Caleb rubbed at his wrist, though there was no real damage.
"I'm..." Caleb trailed off.
"You can't spring that on someone Noravia. Ever. Nobles like Vandomir and you might like playing around with bonds... but I was born a slave. This stuff is... It brings back memories. Bad memories."
Caleb shook a little, drew the blankets around himself and huddled down beneath Noravia. "I still have nightmares about what happened there. All the people who didn't make it out. The screaming... all the time, the screaming. I remember the inquisitors hunting down the halflings who helped me escape. The dogs..."
He took a deep shuddering breath.
"I'm angry. And I'm scared. That makes me more angry. But I can see you weren't really trying to take away my freedom, just trying to make love - in your own way. I'm not trying to judge you, but you need to learn some stuff, or you'll end up pleasing Zon Kuthon and Urgathoa rather than Callistria - let alone Shelyn or Milani. I have to accept that you just didn't know" This last phrase seemed directed at himself.
Caleb took a deep breath "Alright... I was taught this stuff when I was at the brothel. You need to know this. Now stay there and listen - questions at the end."
Caleb then launches into a fairly clinical and very detailed description of the etiquette of consensual bdsm.
OOC: I don't think Noravia was trying to 'make love' to you but rather to restrain you so you wouldn't leave in the middle of the night to get a 'fix'.
Nonetheless, I think the misunderstanding will be good for roleplaying. :)
Game on!
Noravia definitely learned more about Caleb that afternoon than she had the whole entire time she had known him. She definitely acquired way more information about the ways of Callistria than she ever thought she'd know. But the important thing was that Caleb was safe, he was preoccupied, and he wasn't thinking about leaving to satisfy any lingering cravings that he may be experiencing. All in all, the inquisitor thought that her misstep actually ended up being a good thing. If he believed that she had been trying to be intimate with him then so be it. There were certainly worse things in life than that.
Turn 206 is up.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
You have a rope and can jump the pit.
What will you do and how will the others get across?
The winches are secured to a guide bar in the ceiling by chain and they (the hooks) are secured to each other with a moldy rope. The guide bar is too rusty and won't let the hooks/winches slide anymore as was their original intention.
If you string a rope between the two hooks, people will have to cross by going hand over hand on the rope over the pit.
Eirik glanced once at the bones, determined they were not about th animate and attack them the moment he turned his attention away from them and proceeded to ignore them. Instead, he considered the obstacle presented by the pit and the sloped ledge around it. Considering the moss and rust on the iron fixtures hanging from the ceiling, there would be enough moisture to make the floor slippery. He was pretty sure he could navigate the passage, but the others might find the footing challenging.
"I can jump across with a rope, to help you cross or secure you against falling," the monk offered, measuring the pit with his gaze and realizing he could clear such a distance easily enough. "Which do you prefer? Running the slanted path, jumping over it or going hand over hand as you hang over the pit? Unless there's some kind of mechanism hidden here to level the path, like we found in the other pit chamber." Though it wouldn't surprise Eirik if the elements and years of neglect had jammed any such mechanism that might be present.
The portly monk soared easily over the pit, landed on his feet on the slick stone floor and skidded to halt with his back against the closed doors on the far side.
Action 1:
Noravia had never been so grateful for clarity and normalcy in her life. Not that she regretted anything she'd experienced in the last few days but it was good to be back to normal along with everyone else. Looking at Caleb she asks, "Feel better?"
tag Caleb
Before Hetamon left Noravia thanked him again. "Words can't thank you enough for restoring us. I couldn't have helped us in the state I was in and it's good to know that Milani is watching over us by sending allies like you."
tag?
As they made preparations to return to the Lucky Bones, Lorelu's coffin caught the inquisitor's eye. "We still need to lay Lorelu to rest. Maybe today after finishing our exploration we can take her out on the water and finish what we started."
tag everyone
Action 2:
Noravia eyed the fungus with suspicion. "The pit needs to be sterilized by fire to get rid of that fungus. Not necessarily now but before we use it. The bones will need to be removed too. Does anyone know what that thing was or why it would be here? We'll also need to replace the pulley system." Turning to Vandomir she asks, "Is that something that your experience with buildings can take care of? Again, not today but eventually."
tag Vandomir
"I can jump across with a rope, to help you cross or secure you against falling," the monk offered, measuring the pit with his gaze and realizing he could clear such a distance easily enough. "Which do you prefer? Running the slanted path, jumping over it or going hand over hand as you hang over the pit? Unless there's some kind of mechanism hidden here to level the path, like we found in the other pit chamber."
Noravia considered the options presented. "Is it possible to secure a rope across the pit and then attach a second rope to the first that will slide along the first rope which we can then attach to us? That way I could try skirting the pit on the narrow walkway but if I fall, I'm still attached to the rope. I guess this safeguard would also work for those who decided to climb across." The inquisitor peeked over the edge of the pit. "I just don't want to fall into that."
Noravia considered the options presented. "Is it possible to secure a rope across the pit and...
You can do as you wish with the ropes. Just let me know and I'll roll some dice.
Remember that Vandomir is out.
The secret passage from that pit does NOT exist in our Hell's Rebels so don't mind the map.
Questions?
Game on!
Action 1
Tillia gave a clap of excitement at Hetamon's reply and said, "From what I know of tiefling aging I'd guess you're closer to three or four times my age. I was raised by a tiefling from a young age so I understand the aging difference. If I was concerned about such a thing I wouldn't be so interested." She smiled coquettishly and finished by saying, "Besides, I like older men." With that she spun, making sure that her dress flared and walked back into the coffee house likely leaving Hetamon wondering what he was getting himself into.
With Heatmon's return the injuries that Noravia and Caleb had sustained, as well as the addictions, were no longer even a remote issue. Before the priest left to tend to his other duties for the day Tillia gave him another hug and this time manage to give him a quick kiss on the lips. Once she let him go she said, "Thank you for your help again Hetamon." She stepped back from him and spoke once again as she slipped through the door out of sight, "I'll see you soon." She then disappeared through the doorway before he could reply to her words.
"I think we should take care of her request before we return, we've waited longer than we meant to as it is." She looked slightly nervous, "I don't think it a good idea to make her wait any longer than necessary. Not only do we run the chance of the remains being discovered and bringing attention we don't want but we also risk arousing her ire. I'm fine if we take care of this on the way to finish our explorations." She looked to Caleb then, "Didn't you know a guy?"
Action 2
As they examined the pit and discussed their methods of getting past it Tillia nodded at Noravia's suggestion and said, "I like that one, I'm not very good at climbing and jumping as you all know, it would be best to avoid such things as much as possible."
I'd like to move this along later this evening so if you haven't done so, please chose a way to cross the pit or I will chose for you. :)
Questions?
Game on!
Noravia had never been so grateful for clarity and normalcy in her life. Not that she regretted anything she'd experienced in the last few days but it was good to be back to normal along with everyone else. Looking at Caleb she asks, "Feel better?"
"Better?" Caleb paused. "I feel... the way I used to feel. I'm not sure that's better. It's been years - if ever - since I've felt so good. Not just the drugs either, though they certainly helped, but the openness I felt with you, Noravia."
He looked to the cleric "Thank you, Hetamon. You cured me, no doubt on that, but the memory of how simple, how comfortable the opium made life is going to be with me till I die.""I think we should take care of her request before we return, we've waited longer than we meant to as it is." She looked slightly nervous, "I don't think it a good idea to make her wait any longer than necessary. Not only do we run the chance of the remains being discovered and bringing attention we don't want but we also risk arousing her ire. I'm fine if we take care of this on the way to finish our explorations." She looked to Caleb then, "Didn't you know a guy?"
"I do. It'll cost us, and it'd be nice to have some 'muscle' along to suggest he'd better follow through. Threats are always better when they're only implied, in my experience. Maybe we could see him on the way?"
"I think I saw someone smoking that stuff once." Caleb said, disgust in his voice "Was a hash-head desperate for a fix, heard a rumour that stuff worked similarly. That did not end well. I vote we don't burn it, and if we come back and clean this up later we send someone in with a plague masks."
Caleb raced up to the edge of the pit and launched himself into the air.
"Better?" Caleb paused. "I feel... the way I used to feel. I'm not sure that's better. It's been years - if ever - since I've felt so good. Not just the drugs either, though they certainly helped, but the openness I felt with you, Noravia."
She smiled at him. "There's no reason why that needs to stop now that we're no longer drug addicted."
Action 2:
Noravia anchors the rope that Eirik took across with him to the original side and ties a second rope to the first as a safety line to slide along the original. She then ties the second rope to herself and starts to carefully make her way along the side walkway that keeps her furthest away from the fungus.
Caleb smiled back "I'd like that."
Turn 207 is up.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
"Hang on - look at those bodies! Something tells me there are traps ahead. Or monsters, I suppose. Or monsters AND traps."
"Well, at least this is obvious, as traps come," Eirik mused as he considerd the colored floor tiles. Unless this was merely a sick mind's effort to make an intruder paranoid? But no, he thought he could catch a glimpse of some kind of a mechanism below at least some of the tiles. Only the yellow ones, as far he could tell, but...
There's something under that yellow tile," he said aloud, drawing the others' attention to what he had noticed.
[dice=Perception]1d20 + 11
"Well, at least this is obvious, as traps come," Eirik mused as he considerd the colored floor tiles. Unless this was merely a sick mind's effort to make an intruder paranoid? But no, he thought he could catch a glimpse of some kind of a mechanism below at least some of the tiles. Only the yellow ones, as far he could tell, but...
There's something under that yellow tile," he said aloud, drawing the others' attention to what he had noticed.
Those are columns so I guess a dexterous monk may leap and 'hug' that thing. Not sure where you would go from there though.
The inquisitor was surprised to see such a colorful floor in this room. Surely this was done for a reason. Noravia surveyed the room quickly and took Eirik's observation into consideration. "All of the doors have red and green tiles in front of them. Maybe we have to stay on either the red path or the green path or else risk the same fate as them."
tag everyone
No particular colored tiles for the skeletons.
Questions?
Game on!
These are not pressure plates.
It's magic. :)
Seriously, it's a binding spell that triggers under certain conditions.
No way to really detect it so pick your poison and go with it.
Questions?
Game on!
Tillia looked in at the room in curiosity and tried to figure out what to do with it. She realized that just walking through was a bad idea and that maybe there was something else they needed to do to cross safely.
Tillia realized there was some form of space beneath the yellow tiles and nodded in agreement with Eiric, "You're right but the question is, what is it? Also what killed those two in the middle? Was it a trap of some kind or something else?" She thought a moment more and then said, "Maybe we should try tossing something onto each colored square from out here and see what happens?"
Noravia nodded, "I'm all for throwing stuff into the room and seeing what happens."
You toss stuff out onto different colored tiles and nothing happens.
How will you retrieve the stuff?
What's next?
I'd like to move things along in an hour or so...
With the tossed items triggering nothing Tillia took the next logical step. She chanted a few words and then took the time to examine an example of each color of tile in an effort to determine any special properties they might have.