Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Kyrademon’s Jade Regent PBP, Part II

Game Master Kyrademon

Mel doesn't understand the concept of schooling one's face to hide emotions so the disagreement of her both her own amends and music is obvious. As is the annoyance at another comment, but it passes with a simple comment, "Stoically, no. Don't do much of anything stoically."

Hrithik seems to melt and smile a bit more after this expression of annoyance on Melinda's part. This is coming up often enough that the Sense Motive is probably DC 15 by now. Spoiler for it below.

"You don't need to thank me for that. Wasn't for you, it was for her. The smell would have caused her more pain, wouldn't allow that. [...] The second. I've been ignoring the rule of protocol that asks that you give people what they need to be comfortable, not what you want. And for that I also apologize. And, how would you like me to refer to you?"

Hrithik nods deeply. "Thank you, Melinda. I would prefer what you have been using of late, but with Chelish respect rather than Varisian distance. Mr. Ranbhir, or Shahid Ranbhir if extra formal. His Infernal Majesty King Hrithik I should I ever found my own diabolical empire." Hrithik shrugs. "You know, the usual standard boilerplate."

Knowledge Nature 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Knowledge Local, since all the Varisians are making signs? 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Knowledge Geography? 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

• Shoanti, green, water, tiger, drums
• Varisian, black, tea, horse, flute
• Chelixan, purple, milk, dinosaur, guitar
• Taldan, orange, coffee, barracuda, harp
• Ulfen, pink, beer, wolves, fiddle

”Arright,” says Koya, ”Just hope my larger point weren’t lost in the thrill of discovery there. When you write it, spell it ‘M-s-period’. ‘M-I-Z’ is considered iggerant. Hasn’t been around long, but caught on pretty quick. Filled a need.”

”Let’s try moving on to the stuff yer not ready for, then. First thing I want to say is that if I say some things that are hard to hear, I’m plannin’ to eventually bring it back around to something I think will help you. But it may take a while to get there.”

”Now, here’s my guess. It’s a guess, so maybe I’m wrong and you’ll just laugh it off and say, Koya, you senile old bag, you done missed the point."

"But I think you’re terrified of not being needed.”

”Here’s the first hard truth. You ain’t. You ain’t needed here at all.”

”This group already got people what’s good in a hand-to-hand fight. It’s got people what’s good from range. It’s got sneaky types. It’s got three-four healers. It’s got people gonna cast spells someday more powerful than the best extract yer ever gonna be able to make, stuff that’ll make yer explosives look like little sparklers.”

”Yer devil-instilled discipline? Most of ‘em don’t want it, don’t need it, and do their job just fine or are actually even better without it. I’ll grant you got some book-learnin’, but with eighteen or so other people with various bits of expertise spread out among ‘em, poolin’ their knowledge together they’d get what they needed to know without yer help.”

”They’d have done just fine without you. You ain’t needed. But it gets worse. Here’s the second hard truth.”

”Yer fear of not being needed made you worse than that. Yer actually gettin’ in the way.”

”That fear made you arrogant. Made you obnoxious. Made you a liar. Made you a dirty little sneak and a spy. Made you unable to say ‘I don’t know’. Which made you wrong, wronger than wrong, at crucial points. Made you panic and run to what you know, which is what you were taught. And you were taught to be a royal bastard. Not even an effective royal bastard, which is what they wanted you to think. Just a bastard.”

She looks at you steadily.

”I promise I’m goin’ somewhere with this.”

in elven, Lio says, She looks hungry, she's a bit thin. Maybe she's not ready to be on her own?"

"Could be. She's only about a year old, I think. Umm. So...what's going on with Attatoq? Can we bring her into camp? I suppose I can always help her hunt if I need to. I don't want to cause any conflict." She looks affectionately at the wolf and ruffles the fur around her neck.

Myri gives her the jerky she had taken out earlier and says, "Rwy'n siwr y byddai'n well gennych rywbeth amrwd, ond bydd hyn yn cael ei wneud am y tro."
Elven: "I'm sure you would prefer something raw, but this will have to do for now."

<I lived in the Kodar mountains,> Zaiobe says. <East of here, and a bit north. In a cave, I think. But I don't ... actually remember all that much of my childhood.>

Mel smiles, happy to learn something about the silent woman.

The change is subtle but to Hrithik, with his near obsessive view of body language and word emphasis, it is clear. I can't mimic your writing style, but for the next 40 minutes her body language, accent, and everything would be acceptable and perfect for Cheliax. From that it is clear that she considers Hrithik an equal, no more, no less.

"Mother never seemed to find it important to follow the rules that you are imprisoned by, but that is probably more due to her social station and parentage. However, some things can sing through the blood." she says as a simple explanation.

"Shahid Ranbhir, it is possible that I misunderstood, but while we searched Brinewall, I got the impression that you choose to listen to conversations, perhaps even after the point where it would be clear they were private. I feel as a traveling companion, I can request an truthful explanation for your rudeness."

Myriana Bayden wrote:

at some point in this mad Flex time vortex. (which is all good, btw) :)Mel says sometime in Linnorm Lands

Myri seeks out Alaric and Mel when they are away from others, but not too engaged in each other. "Umm. Hi..."

Myri can easily approach Alaric and Mel after sunset. Alaric is attempting to make friends with the cat... and possessing no real skill with animals, it is probably not going well.

He looks up at Myri's greeting, thankful for the interruption. "Hey, Myri. What's up?"

"Umm...well. Was wondering if you guys would like to have some sort of celebration once Mel, you know, finishes the 3rd trial. I mean, worst case it's congratulations and the two of you go sneaking off while everyone else is preoccupied, right?" Myri is turning red, but continues anyway. "Unless you want something right away, maybe can wait until we get to town? Then fix wagon same day. That'll mean Tollin's tied up, but everyone else can enjoy a day off...and even if you and Mel disappear, Ameiko can play, plus maybe some others from the town. What do you think? Uncle Sandru said I should ask, 'cause, you know, the 'mating' thing." By this time Myri is no longer looking directly in Alaric's face and is heavily concentrating on a stone, moving it around in the dirt.

When she notices, eventually, after her heart-wrenching sobs have subsided, that he smells of citrus, that he continues to hold her, that maybe things could be alright again, her arms relax just a little, not letting him go, but no longer using him as a lifeline. She stays in his arms, her breathing slower, her head cradled on his shoulder. "I got you wet." Her voice is a little surprised at this.

Hrithik nods and solemnly responds, still cradling her and holding her tight. "Indeed you did. A professional and thorough job of it. Strong work. Now you need either finish the job, or laboriously pat me down. It's a difficult burden to bear, I know. No rush in deciding."

Alaric, cautiously: "Of course, a celebration would be wonderful. Why is that something that would embarrass you, Myri?"

Myri is shocked into looking directly into Alaric's eyes, and they focus their turning into curiosity, "Um...celebrations don't embarrass me. It's the 'what is being celebrated'...namely, um...your and Mel's..mating"

Alaric gives Mel an impish look: "And besides, we've already had sex several times." He then braces himself for a smack.

Myri's mouth opens, closes...and she exits stage right into the cooler night(?) air.

Not a clue how Xander reacts.

I looked at the description of the wrecked Chapel, and the only thing I think fits your purpose and survived for 30 years is the foot locker the scrolls and phylactery were in. If you decide you took that and you want to have given that to her before things get heavy, just let me know.

Not before! Definitely as a thank you, after. Also need to get Sociogen and other plus Cha stuff going. If permitted, trying to set up a take-10 on it worth a +2 Relationship increase, but I think the roleplay requires giving it because of the harsh treatment, not independently of it.

”Now, here’s my guess. It’s a guess, so maybe I’m wrong and you’ll just laugh it off and say, Koya, you senile old bag, you done missed the point."

"But I think you’re terrified of not being needed. Here’s the first hard truth. You ain’t. You ain’t needed here at all.”

”This group already got people what’s good in a hand-to-hand fight. It’s got people what’s good from range. It’s got sneaky types. It’s got three-four healers. It’s got people gonna cast spells someday more powerful than the best extract yer ever gonna be able to make, stuff that’ll make yer explosives look like little sparklers.”

”Yer devil-instilled discipline? Most of ‘em don’t want it, don’t need it, and do their job just fine or are actually even better without it. I’ll grant you got some book-learnin’, but with eighteen or so other people with various bits of expertise spread out among ‘em, poolin’ their knowledge together they’d get what they needed to know without yer help.”

”They’d have done just fine without you. You ain’t needed. But it gets worse. Here’s the second hard truth. Yer fear of not being needed made you worse than that. Yer actually gettin’ in the way.”

”That fear made you arrogant. Made you obnoxious. Made you a liar. Made you a dirty little sneak and a spy. Made you unable to say ‘I don’t know’. Which made you wrong, wronger than wrong, at crucial points. Made you panic and run to what you know, which is what you were taught. And you were taught to be a royal bastard. Not even an effective royal bastard, which is what they wanted you to think. Just a bastard. I promise I’m goin’ somewhere with this.”

Hrithik nods emphatically. He's clearly loathing this. He's clearly already thought it through. "The Lidless don't want flawless master spotters on point. Too few to go around. The Lidless want emphatic spotters, of whatever grade. Multiple reports, given independently and without hesitation, and the master spotter sifts them for the truth without correcting or clarifying to anyone, and then perhaps the true Master spotter makes the confirming observation."

"As one reporter of four, the confidence and conviction are assets, because a more skilled master sifts and guides the result. By myself ... I am currently as useless as one wagon wheel on half an axle, spinning endlessly in place."

Hrithik sighs slightly. "Your guess is close. Wanted. Not needed, but wanted, which makes the consequences of the Path a sick and deliberate joke. The Path creates enemies from borderline friends. On purpose. Cooperation is eventually untenable. Fierce and final competition for spoils drive everyone into a war of all against all. Desperately wishing to belong, the individuals set the stage for their eventual Damned and distrusting solitude.

Alaric takes the hit with a goodnatured "Yeowch!" Then, chuckling: "Come on, Melinda, everyone knows. Myri! Come on, just teasing."

Alaric embraces Mel and plants a kiss on one green cheek. "Sorry, my sweet. It's true, but we are young, attractive and in love. If they haven't figured it out yet, they will."

Myri stops as Alaric first speaks. Turns as he continues. "All true." she says with a hint of a grin, but still mostly not looking directly at them. She returns and sits "...so, um any special requests?"

A small burst of mirth. A tiny bit of joyous laughter even. Somehow he knows how to get through to her. Consent to kiss.. It is unclear if she is granting permission, or asking.

Hrithik begins to kiss her tenderly, then hungrily. "Consent," he pants, "To all," and concludes, "Implied."

Entering coma. Will get to Brinewall threads tomorrow.

I cannot reveal to you Attatoq's situation, it is private. But I can assure you he will do nothing inappropriate. Lio says, reassuringly in elven. She smiles, She is beautiful, let's hunt her something, and head back, all three of us?

Myri gives Lio a confused strange look, and responds in elven as well "Oookayy. Suure lets go hunt something." Then to Silmemir as she rises, "C'mon girl. Let's go find something to eat."

Survival: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 2 = 16 Favored Terrain included

Headlights have yet to be invented (give Tollin a week), but Alaric has managed to do a perfect impersonation of a deer caught in them.

Myri waits patiently, with perhaps just the hint of an evil grin.

Alaric speaks slowly, perhaps hoping that this will keep him from falling in the conversational equivalent of spiked pits that he's now surrounded by. "Um... I don't know... what... what are our options?"

"I don't know, but the way the two of you are reacting, I think I might be on to something here. .. ..No really, I was just looking at if you think of anything you'd like to have at the celebration that I can provide, let me know & I'll see if I can't ask around and scrounge it up. .. ...But since you mentioned it, just what were you thinking of. I'd be really interested in knowing."