You can't see the bottom of the hole, it clearly extends farther than the range of the light spell.
"Lots of motes on that blade! Wha- ?"
At this point the ground beneath Aananda literally opens up and she falls through into a hole of indeterminate depth.
You can't see the bottom of the hole, it clearly extends farther than the range of the light spell.
"Lots of motes on that blade! Wha- ?"
At this point the ground beneath Aananda literally opens up and she falls through into a hole of indeterminate depth.
Not knowing if Kannic has any means to counter a fall, Tam takes a final look at Ryo, then dives down the hole after Aananda.
You can't see the bottom of the hole, it clearly extends farther than the range of the light spell.
"Lots of motes on that blade! Wha- ?"
At this point the ground beneath Aananda literally opens up and she falls through into a hole of indeterminate depth.
Not knowing if Kannic has any means to counter a fall, Tam takes a final look at Ryo, then dives down the hole after Aananda.
It's a long fall down to the bottom, and when you do get there you can see Aananda laying on the ground, a huge amethyst dragon standing over her.
:She is unhurt. See for yourselves.:
It's a long fall down to the bottom, and when you do get there you can see Aananda laying on the ground, a huge amethyst dragon standing over her.
:She is unhurt. See for yourselves.:
"GAAAAHHHH!"
Tam's hands move almost too quickly to register, bringing his empty Caster to bear against the dragon with one, three shells poised between his fingers in the other. His mind is racing through options to get Aananda away from the creature....though at least thankful it's not a chromatic.
He tries to see if he can see any injuries from her fall, or if the dragon is telling the truth.
Unable to catch up to the falling Aananda, or see her to cast the spell on her, Kannic mutters a quick word in Terran. His fall ceases and he slowly floats down. The sight of the large drake puts him on alert.
Without a reply he moves over to check on the girl, keeping one eye on the dragon.
:Put your weapon down, boy. She is fond of you for some reason, and I would hate to have to damage you.:
"They ran away, can we leave now?"
"Yeah Little Brother, right after I send them a warning."
Ryo walks over and wrenches the dagger from the pillar, then walks over to the hole and drops it in. It hits the bottom harmlessly.
"Keaton, I know an Inn we can go to that has wonderful food, how about we go get something to eat?"
"Sure! I'm pretty hungry now!"
As they walk out of the house, Keaton's shadowy cat fades away as Ryo's cards fly back to him.
Ryleh jumps as she sees the dagger and quickly uses her control of earth to bury the thing as quickly as possible, shielding Aananda with her wings just in case.
Kannic jumps as the dagger lands near where he originally stopped, and the dragon reacts to it. Seeing that Aananda is unhurt and shielded, he stands and casually reloads his pistol.
"Does anyone have any idea as to what in the Forge just happened?"
Kannic jumps as the dagger lands near where he originally stopped, and the dragon reacts to it. Seeing that Aananda is unhurt and shielded, he stands and casually reloads his pistol.
"Does anyone have any idea as to what in the Forge just happened?"
:Not particularly. The hairless ape whose dagger that is, I do not know if it was holding the charge still for destructive magic or not. His mind is confused. But I will not take chances with my daughter's safety.:
:Not particularly. The hairless ape whose dagger that is, I do not know if it was holding the charge still for destructive magic or not. His mind is confused. But I will not take chances with my daughter's safety.:Kannic jumps as the dagger lands near where he originally stopped, and the dragon reacts to it. Seeing that Aananda is unhurt and shielded, he stands and casually reloads his pistol.
"Does anyone have any idea as to what in the Forge just happened?"
Tam sidesteps away from the hole as the dagger plunges to the bottom, not taking his eyes off the amethyst dragon, except to note Kannic's inspection of Aananda for injury. When she speaks in his mind again, however, he lowers his Caster, a very confused look on his face.
"Um......what?"
Ryleh chuckles dryly.
:There are too many of these two leggers that hunt my kind. To sell our body parts for money, or out of fear, or spite. I lost three clutches of younglings to such predators before I wised up. After all, what better place to hide my children than as the very predators I wished to protect them from?:
:She doesn't know, and I would prefer if you didn't tell her.:
Ryleh chuckles dryly.
:There are too many of these two leggers that hunt my kind. To sell our body parts for money, or out of fear, or spite. I lost three clutches of younglings to such predators before I wised up. After all, what better place to hide my children than as the very predators I wished to protect them from?:
:She doesn't know, and I would prefer if you didn't tell her.:
Blink, Blink
"She's....oh boy."
Tam quickly returns the shells in his hand to his belt and holsters his Caster, closing his duster slightly.
:She is.....in a great deal of danger. There are only two of my children left alive. Her brother killed the others. He has given himself over to an evil I do not begin to understand. I am doing what I can, but it is impossible to continue to watch over her all the time. His power is growing and it takes more and more of my attention to keep him in check. Not to mention the outright difficulty of watching over an apparently human girl in the midst of a bunch of humans who are not necessarily friendly to dragons.:
:She is.....in a great deal of danger. There are only two of my children left alive. Her brother killed the others. He has given himself over to an evil I do not begin to understand. I am doing what I can, but it is impossible to continue to watch over her all the time. His power is growing and it takes more and more of my attention to keep him in check. Not to mention the outright difficulty of watching over an apparently human girl in the midst of a bunch of humans who are not necessarily friendly to dragons.:
Tam looks down at Aananda, then back up the shaft they came down.
"There seems to a lot of that sibling dissent going on around here," he says, straining briefly to listen for any more sounds of conflict from above. "Ryo's brother has become a vampire, and he's been trying to stop him."
Tam looks down at Aananda, then back up the shaft they came down."There seems to a lot of that sibling dissent going on around here," he says, straining briefly to listen for any more sounds of conflict from above.
:Her ignorance provides some protection, makes her harder for him to locate. In the meantime,: she lowered her head so that her eyes were on a level with Tam's, :I want you to make sure that nothing bad happens to her.:
"Ryo's brother has become a vampire, and he's been trying to stop him."
She sighed. :Aananda'reavekki always does find her way into the most troublesome situations.:
:Her ignorance provides some protection, makes her harder for him to locate. In the meantime,: she lowered her head so that her eyes were on a level with Tam's, :I want you to make sure that nothing bad happens to her.:
To his credit, he doesn't faint or look away from her, though he does tense up a bit.
"And how are we defining 'bad', specifically...ma'am?"
:Her ignorance provides some protection, makes her harder for him to locate. In the meantime,: she lowered her head so that her eyes were on a level with Tam's, :I want you to make sure that nothing bad happens to her.:To his credit, he doesn't faint or look away from her, though he does tense up a bit.
"And how are we defining 'bad', specifically...ma'am?"
:Let's just say that I would be very annoyed if she were subjected to serious injury and that I would take it very personally if she died.:
Kannic snorts, as he holsters his recently loaded gun, pressing the button on the handle of his greataxe and returning it to its mace form.
In Draconic, "So our little monk has ancient blood?"
In Common, "And the blood tie between Ryo and his brother works against Ryo as well."
"Can you sense if the black dagger is trapped, Lady Drake? I left a valuable dagger sticking in a pillar in that house you rescued your daughter from."
:To the best of my knowledge, it is. When we have finished speaking, I will send the three of you back up to the house. The vampire child and his brother have left.:
:Let's just say that I would be very annoyed if she were subjected to serious injury and that I would take it very personally if she died.:
"Um - well, I'm no cleric, but I'll do my level best to keep her from getting hurt or killed. What else do you consider 'bad', by your standards?" Tam says, switching to Draconic just to be safe.
Presuming that she's still digging around in his head - he's not being flippant in his answer, but he is trying to figure out how he's going to keep her from charging gung-ho into dangerous situations like they just did, if that counts against the 'serious injury' clause.
:To the best of my knowledge, it is. When we have finished speaking, I will send the three of you back up to the house. The vampire child and his brother have left.:
Kannic pulls a flask out from his belt pouch and downs the contents, healing himself of the cold damage.
"Then we'll have to try and track them and start this whole mess over again."
"Unless...there is lore to be gained by examining the blade?"
"I'm not looking forward to taking on the both of them again."
:Let's just say that I would be very annoyed if she were subjected to serious injury and that I would take it very personally if she died.:"Um - well, I'm no cleric, but I'll do my level best to keep her from getting hurt or killed. What else do you consider 'bad', by your standards?" Tam says, switching to Draconic just to be safe.
Presuming that she's still digging around in his head - he's not being flippant in his answer, but he is trying to figure out how he's going to keep her from charging gung-ho into dangerous situations like they just did, if that counts against the 'serious injury' clause.
:Under no circumstances is she to be allowed near her brother. If he realizes who she is, it is beyond your capabilities to defend her.:
She provides a mental picture of a young human male with a shaved head, body covered in strange tattoos. He has an evil grin on his face, and carries no weapons at all.
:Do not forget. As for stopping her from charging in where angels fear to tread, good luck. But make sure she stays safe.:
:To the best of my knowledge, it is. When we have finished speaking, I will send the three of you back up to the house. The vampire child and his brother have left.:Kannic pulls a flask out from his belt pouch and downs the contents, healing himself of the cold damage.
"Then we'll have to try and track them and start this whole mess over again."
"Unless...there is lore to be gained by examining the blade?"
"I'm not looking forward to taking on the both of them again."
:Then find a way to separate them.: she said, sounding a little exasperated that he hadn't already thought of that.
:To the best of my knowledge, it is. When we have finished speaking, I will send the three of you back up to the house. The vampire child and his brother have left.:Kannic pulls a flask out from his belt pouch and downs the contents, healing himself of the cold damage.
"Then we'll have to try and track them and start this whole mess over again."
"Unless...there is lore to be gained by examining the blade?"
"I'm not looking forward to taking on the both of them again."
"Wait - so Ryo wasn't telling us to get out because he had come back to his senses and was going to lay the hurt down on Keaton? Aw man...ow." he says, rubbing his chest and then regretting it.
"So Ryo wasn't telling us to get out because he had come back to his senses and was going to lay the hurt down on Keaton? Aw man...ow." he says, rubbing his chest and then regretting it.:To the best of my knowledge, it is. When we have finished speaking, I will send the three of you back up to the house. The vampire child and his brother have left.:Kannic pulls a flask out from his belt pouch and downs the contents, healing himself of the cold damage.
"Then we'll have to try and track them and start this whole mess over again."
"Unless...there is lore to be gained by examining the blade?"
"I'm not looking forward to taking on the both of them again."
Kannic snorts again.
"If it were only that easy to separate the two.."
"Nay, Tamrin. Ryo was tricked by the beast. For now, at least. The dagger...I'm not sure what to make with it. It might be a trap, or a message."
"You're looking pale. The vampire's touch has drained you. We need to get you to a cleric."
:Under no circumstances is she to be allowed near her brother. If he realizes who she is, it is beyond your capabilities to defend her.:
She provides a mental picture of a young human male with a shaved head, body covered in strange tattoos. He has an evil grin on his face, and carries no weapons at all.
:Do not forget. As for stopping her from charging in where angels fear to tread, good luck. But make sure she stays safe.:
"Okay - no contact. Got it. Is he in this area, then? And am I to assume that I can't tell Aananda about having these insights because I spoke to her mother?"
"And I heard a voice in my head right after the fight broke out. It said:
'You needn't worry sir, I know what is happening. I offered my home for this fight because I am interested in these two brothers. I wonder, who is stronger?'
"That wasn't you, was it?"
:To the best of my knowledge, he is not in this area at present. And no, you are not free to discuss any of this with my daughter.:
:No, the voice you heard was not me. This is disturbing. I will see what I can find out, but I am very busy trying to keep my son in check.:
:Here.: She hands Tamrin a pouch full of gemstones. :This should provide for any extra resources you will need.:
:As for the dagger, you are welcome to examine it if you wish, dwarf, but I will not chance any mishaps. I will open the earth for you to go down and examine it, and if it is safe then you may bring it up here before I send you three back to the surface.:
:As for the dagger, you are welcome to examine it if you wish, dwarf, but I will not chance any mishaps. I will open the earth for you to go down and examine it, and if it is safe then you may bring it up here before I send you three back to the surface.:
"Fine, then."
:To the best of my knowledge, he is not in this area at present. And no, you are not free to discuss any of this with my daughter.:
:No, the voice you heard was not me. This is disturbing. I will see what I can find out, but I am very busy trying to keep my son in check.:
:Here.: She hands Tamrin a pouch full of gemstones. :This should provide for any extra resources you will need.:
"Right - just checking. Thank you," Tam says as he takes the pouch and places it in his haversack.
:As for the dagger, you are welcome to examine it if you wish, dwarf, but I will not chance any mishaps. I will open the earth for you to go down and examine it, and if it is safe then you may bring it up here before I send you three back to the surface.:"Fine, then."
:As for the dagger, you are welcome to examine it if you wish, dwarf, but I will not chance any mishaps. I will open the earth for you to go down and examine it, and if it is safe then you may bring it up here before I send you three back to the surface.:"Fine, then."
After examining the blade and finding it unusable for throwing Kannic wraps in cloth and stuffs it in one of his belt pouches. The blade disappears within the pouch.
"No problems that I can tell. And no clues either. Ready to come back up."
After examining the blade and finding it unusable for throwing Kannic wraps in cloth and stuffs it in one of his belt pouches. The blade disappears within the pouch.
"No problems that I can tell. And no clues either. Ready to come back up."
:Very well.:
Ryleh teleports Kannic, Tam, and Aananda back up to the house where they had been fighting, closing the hole in the earth behind them.
:I am counting on you to watch over her.: she said with a clear tone of warning, as she did so.
Aananda's eyes flutter as she returns to consciousness.
"Wha- what happened?"
"Magic and mystery, dearie. Ryo and his brother left arm in arm. Not betrayal, but dangerous nonetheless. We shouldn't dally in this house too long."
Kanninc retrieves his MW silver dagger from the wall, and checks its point.
"Magic and mystery, dearie. Ryo and his brother left arm in arm. Not betrayal, but dangerous nonetheless. We shouldn't dally in this house too long."
Kanninc retrieves his MW silver dagger from the wall, and checks its point.
"Yeah - a medical facility of some kind would be a good place to be right now," Tam says, rubbing his chest again (and thankful for the distraction, if not necessarily the pain part).
"Magic and mystery, dearie. Ryo and his brother left arm in arm. Not betrayal, but dangerous nonetheless. We shouldn't dally in this house too long."
Kanninc retrieves his MW silver dagger from the wall, and checks its point.
"Yeah - a medical facility of some kind would be a good place to be right now," Tam says, rubbing his chest again (and thankful for the distraction, if not necessarily the pain part).
"Yes, we should hurry," she said, looking concerned as she saw the pained expression on his face. She jumped up, ready to go. "Are you gonna be okay?" she asked, worried.
"And how are we gonna rescue Ryo," she added as Kannic's words finally sunk in.
"Yes, we should hurry," she said, looking concerned as she saw the pained expression on his face. She jumped up, ready to go. "Are you gonna be okay?" she asked, worried.
Tam smiles reassuringly as he picks up the Caster shell he dropped on the floor earlier, lingering a moment longer than normal to shake off the slight dizziness from the motion as he returns it to his belt.
"A little patch up should take care of me - wow. This is almost like having an alcohol buzz. Whee..."
"And how are we gonna rescue Ryo," she added as Kannic's words finally sunk in.
"I'm hoping all we need to do is break the mental influence that Keaton is exerting over him. It doesn't look like full compulsion magic, which is probably why it's working so well on Ryo."
"Yes, we should hurry," she said, looking concerned as she saw the pained expression on his face. She jumped up, ready to go. "Are you gonna be okay?" she asked, worried.Tam smiles reassuringly as he picks up the Caster shell he dropped on the floor earlier, lingering a moment longer than normal to shake off the slight dizziness from the motion as he returns it to his belt.
"A little patch up should take care of me - wow. This is almost like having an alcohol buzz. Whee..."
"And how are we gonna rescue Ryo," she added as Kannic's words finally sunk in."I'm hoping all we need to do is break the mental influence that Keaton is exerting over him. It doesn't look like full compulsion magic, which is probably why it's working so well on Ryo."
"Here, you can lean on me if you need," she said, trying to be helpful. "I know that Ryo had mites all over his eyes. Maybe illusion of some sort?"
"Here, you can lean on me if you need," she said, trying to be helpful. "I know that Ryo had mites all over his eyes. Maybe illusion of some sort?"
"I'm taking you up on that if it gets worse," he says with a grin. "And you may be spot on with the illusion idea - it sure sounded like Keaton was trying to get at Ryo through shared childhood memories. Since they're brothers, that wouldn't be hard to do at all for him."