Darian shrugs. "Didn't get very far before I was waylayed by a conversation."
"And a very interesting conversation I am having with you too,"the thin man says. "But if I have stopped you from matters of import, than I do so appologise for my rudeness. Please, forgive my errors."
"Just sort of biding our time until Terra gets finished I think, Felix. And having a conversation of course," she says, nodding to the fellow she and Darian had been conversations with.
"Ah, Felix Mairail, are you also a member of this adventuring group?" the man asks, almost seeming to smile wider and his white teeth seeming to gleam. "Heh, heh, heh, that is most excellent, most excellent indeed. I am confident that you will all become great heroes of Cauldron, and Old Vhalandru will have statues made of you, just as he does for other heroic adventuers that have served Cauldron. Perhaps you may even remain in the city longer than those other heroes, who after selflessly helping the city departed for greener pastures."
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"Your General Kefka right? Man in charge of some, rather unconventional operations, if I am not mistaken. Yes, I am part of this group. They needed a tracker and I needed some gold in my pockets." He says glancing first at Darian then back to the General. "And heroes? While that certainly would be nice, I think we are all far from the power of some of the Cauldron's heroes of old."
*Draw, write, draw.*
Ohh, I didn't know that went like that! How come this stuff was so hard before?
"Even the great heroes had to start somewhere, Master Mairail," General Kefka answers. "I'm sure that in time you will join Cauldron's heroes. Heh, heh, heh."
"Ah, but I have spent some much time here, distracting you from your work. I should leave, and allow you to continue. I am sure that soon I will meet you again."
Your conversation is interupted by the young man who was sweeping before. He nerviously steps forward from a doorway and asks, "Might I get refreshments for you, noble visitors?"
"That guy came off rather strangely, don't you think? Why the interest in us, I wonder? Well, you two want to go see if Terra is finished with her writings? I'm getting a bit hungry."
"An odd duck, no doubt." Darian shrugged as they walked back to Terra's room. "She'll do this all day if we let her. Sometimes she needs to be reminded to eat."
Opening the door to her study, Darian says "Do you get to keep the room if you break for lunch? Do we have to pay again if we leave and come back?
Emyralda peers about the temple sanctuary, sighing in frustration when she realizes the futility of trying to narrow down a likely location from which an assassin could strike.
"What about High Priest Elnor? Was he killed in the same location as High Priest Assaad?" Emyralda asks Jenya.
Your conversation is interupted by the young man who was sweeping before. He nerviously steps forward from a doorway and asks, "Might I get refreshments for you, noble visitors?"
Emyralda glances toward Soth-Loren before replying to the young man. "Why yes, some water would be wonderful. Thank you, Brother -?"
Opening the door to her study, Darian says "Do you get to keep the room if you break for lunch? Do we have to pay again if we leave and come back?
"..."
"Oh, I'm sorry, did you say anything Darian?" Terra responds when she finally realizes that she has been spoken to.
...
"Umm, That is a good question. I thought there was a guy working in the library, maybe we could ask him?
"No, he was slain on the steps of the temple, returning from a late-night meeting with the Council of Nobles," Jenya answers.
"I am Brother Ruphus," the young man answers, bowing and moving off to return shortly with a tray of mugs and a pitcher of clear water. He offers the water to the guests first, pouring the water for you, before offering it to Jenya.
A quick inquiry discovers that the payment was for use of the library for the entire day, and that you would be given a token upon leaving that would allow for re-entery on that day.
"Let's get Terra a re-entry pass, and find some lunch. We might even be able to meet up with the others, and see what meanness they have gotten into..."
Getting a pass, Darian brought it back to Terra.
"IF you feel like joining us for lunch, we're headed to the inn. If not, I'll just bring you back something later."
"Oh umm, Ok. Sorry it's taken so long... A-actually I'm at a good stopping point. Lets go get something... to eat..." Terra says a bit reluctantly, which is kinda strange for Terra when talking with Darian. Terra takes the token and follows the group out when their ready.
"It's alright if you want to keep working. I just think it's good to take a break every once in a while. We're in a new city after all. Lots to see." Darian says with a smile.
While making their way back to the inn, Darian makes sure to take a different route back than he took to get to the library. His knack for wandering cities keeping them from getting too lost.
The group heads back to their inn. Darian is hard pressed to find a different route, as the circular bowl-shape of the city makes it very easy to navigate. But by taking Magma avenue back instead of climbing up to Obsidian avenue, you get a differnet view of the city. No longer are you surrounded by the manors of the rich and powerful, but lesser merchant's homes, good apartment buildings, and places of business. While you pass some large wharehouses (Garthrun's Imports), most of the businesses are small.
Down a level (on Lava avenue) you spy an interesting building. Interesting because of the illusions that surround it (or you assume they are illusions). Oversized rings, wands, and glowing trinkets circle in the air above a colorfully painted building. Brightly shining glyphs and runes cover the walls and roof of this shop.
"Gee, I wonder what they sell..." Darain says with a smirk.
"Okay, I have traveled a bit in my day, but I have never seen anything like that! I don't have enough money to buy anything, but I'd love to come back and visit there one day. I bet there are a million trinkets in there!"
"Wow. I wonder if those are illusions? Would they have to pay someone to keep the illusion going? Maybe a permanency spell or something? Maybe it's a magic item that keeps running or recasting the illusions. I bet who ever runs that magic shop is a powerful wizard! I wonder if I'll be able to do something neat like that one day..."
"As far as I know, it was an early planning meeting for the next Flood Festival, as the last flood season had just ended,"Jenya replies. "And while he had concerns about the wands, I don't believe that it had come up in dicussions with the Council of Nobles."
"Thank you, Brother Ruphus," Emyralda smiles at the young man as she accepts the offered mug of water. "Please, join us!" she invites in a friendly, welcoming tone. "Tell us a bit about yourself. Have you been serving at the Temple long?" The young Varisian sips at her drink as she listens his answers.
When the group gets to the inn, Terra orders whatever the special is. Although it is not uncommon for Terra to be quiet at the table, she doesn't seem to be focusing on the conversations, her spell book, or anything at all, which is unusual for her.
Tara takes advantage of the meal and eats very well. "Where to next? "
"I have served in the temple for several years, since I left the orphanage," Ruphus replies, a bit nervous at being spoken too. "I have always wanted to serve the Church of Sarenrae since I was a child, and I am glad that I am now here."
"Well, Terra's apparently lost between her ears, so we might need to find her before we do anything. You alright short-stuff?"
"Ohh Ummm.... Well I-I messed up again... That spell you and Taravel wanted me to learn...I couldn't figure it out..." Terra confesses, crestfallen.
"Things happen, Terra. I'm sure that book will be there later, so you can take another crack at it whenever you get some time."
"Yeah, I know... But later isn't going to help us with our goblin problem now...And Darian even gave me his spoils to pay for the ink..."
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure there will be more where that came from. Then I'll buy you more wizard ink. It's all part of my master plan to get you to shower me with enchanted weapons once you figure all that out. Rule two of the sellsword guidebook is 'be nice to your wizard'."
"Well, do we want to head back out and look for more of those little baddies? How did you find them last time?"
"We used ourselves as bait. They found us."
"I have served in the temple for several years, since I left the orphanage," Ruphus replies, a bit nervous at being spoken too. "I have always wanted to serve the Church of Sarenrae since I was a child, and I am glad that I am now here."
"It's a wonderful thing to be able to fulfill one's dreams," Emyralda replies to Brother Ruphus with a friendly smile. "You are very fortunate indeed. You said that you've served here for several years - did you know High Priest Elnor very well? Do you know if there is anyone in the city that he clashed with?"
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure there will be more where that came from. Then I'll buy you more wizard ink. It's all part of my master plan to get you to shower me with enchanted weapons once you figure all that out. Rule two of the sellsword guidebook is 'be nice to your wizard'."
Terra chuckles a little bit. "...Ok, deal!" replies, her spirits uplifted a bit.
"I'm ready whenever you guys are. I'm all out of ink. I can now conjure binding webs, A flaming sphere, and summon animals. I can also conjure a golden dust that can blind and coat things, and I can turn someone invisible. It's pretty cool stuff."
"and that's why you should be nice to wizards." Darian says with a grin.
"I knew the High Priest Elnor for several years, ever since I was a child," Brother Ruphus answers, "But I have never known anyone who hated him in the city. He and the High Priest of Iomedae did clash at times over religious differences, but there wasn't any real hate to it."
"Hang out with us, Felix, and you might pick up a few things. I'm still how not how I picked up my little bit of magic. Maybe some of it will rub off on you..."
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"Hang out with us, Felix, and you might pick up a few things. I'm still how not how I picked up my little bit of magic. Maybe some of it will rub off on you..."
"That would be nice if I could. Have any of you heard the story of the great hunter? He is a legend here in the Cauldron. A ranger who learned divine magic, tamed a wolf, and killed three goblins with a single arrow! The man in the library earlier, these are the kinds of men he was referring to. If I could accomplish any one of those..." he looks like he trails off into thought
"Yeah, that would be pretty cool to beome a hero... Man in the library? Was there someone else in the library with us?"
"He was definitely a strange bird, wasn't he, Felix?"