"I've often wondered if it was the magic I've imparted in my object or merely a superstitious block within my mind that give rise to the belief such an object holds power. Let me know if you need help in such an endeavor, I'll do what I can to assist."
"Byron i normally only kill to save my skin, but if the coin is right ill do just about anything.. I too could possibly assist it any endeavors to identify the marble.." Looking to Cilian.. "Where exactly did you get this marble?"
Cilian's response is completely and utterly emotionless, almost like he was giving a report, or commenting on how the weather might look in a few weeks.
"Well I can answer a few of your questions. The marble contains the soul of my father. He is currently being tortured in that marble, so connecting to the emotions, and/or pain from him right now might hurt. I got the marble from my 'employer', and I don't really want him to ever escape that marble."
Cilian holds up his hand to forestall any questions.
"And before you ask, yes I despise him. He and my mother were scum. They sold their own child for a bag of money, twice."
"I second the Corpulent's question. Do you merely wish eternal torment for your father or is there some actual purpose to keeping that thing around?"
"Yes, and yes. Have you ever even heard of magic like this? I haven't, and while I'm not a mage, who knows what you all could learn from this. Maybe you could copy it's effects, and use it on our foes."
"Hmm, the trapping of souls sounds like necromancy to me. That isn't really an area I have studied extensively. If we go somewhere with a bigger library or arcane university, I would be happy to help pore through some books, though."
"Well let me examine it briefly..."
Seinal casts detect magic and studies the marble for a few minutes.
"If you know nothing about it Cilian, who did this to your father?"
"I was thinking the same thing, this employer of your? I think its time you told us, just who that is, 'pay one pay all' in merry band"
"Well, I don't want to seem vain, but it was either Calistria herself, or one of her major servants. At least I'm assuming major because of what she was able to do with the whole 'soul in marble' thing."
"Interesting"
Is all Kyomi says, then sits thinking.
"Very interesting indeed.. So are we leaving this place tomorrow or shall we seek information for another day? I personally would like to blow this dump.. Not enough coin to be made here.."
"I concur. This isn't a good location to do any research. Now, if there is something that we as a group need to do here, that's fine. But if there's no need to stay here, then I am quite content to be gone."
As a quorum collects around the table (I assume Kyoki is out doing her thing..) at the inn, discussing options, Balik tells them, "I have seen this town before - the streets, the people and their outfits. When I dreamed it, they had set a guillotine in the square - though instead of chpping necks, it was chopping blades. A black raven - I can't help but think it's me - snatched one of the blades before it was chopped. The blade was saved, but the raven was wounded by the blade she had saved."
"We still have the whole guillotine vision to figure out. Balik hasn't answered me yet about this being the correct town. Maybe they were just similar. But if there is something, there may be an execution tomorrow or even later, and someone we need to save, right?
Maybe the waiters will know the town execution schedule, someone care to ask?"
"Well i guess i miss the discussion on that.. I mean we got what 3-4 people having random visions around here.. Hard to keep up with them all.." He pulls out a short curved blade that some of you may have seen before and starts sharpening it with a whetstone.. When done he pulls out a different one and does the same.. "Btw what sort of blade is that vision talking about.. Kinda weird to guillotine a blade.."
"I would assume it means a person, probably one who would fight for something, a rebel or a militia. Anyway, I don't think the guillotine mean anything else other then execution. "Divide" would be something, but unlikely. We would need to know further details, about the blade, the city or mainly WHEN did you had that vision. Balik?"
"Well, I don't want to seem vain, but it was either Calistria herself, or one of her major servants. At least I'm assuming major because of what she was able to do with the whole 'soul in marble' thing."
"Could you tell me every thing about the meeting, the when, where of it please Cilian, what was said and done, that kind of thing, it may be very helpful"
"Could mean cutting the head of an organization off...?"
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"I had this dream the night before we arrived in town. As I walked thorugh the town, many of the squares seemed familiar from the vision, but I didn't experience an 'ah ha' recognizing one in particular. The Galtish minority here seemed particularly familiar, and apparently the Galts are great fans of the guillotine as a means of execution."
"I think we should move on, towards the coast. The reports I have from the birds cause me to be very concerned about the direction of our guidance. If there is something wrong with the Avorals, we must be very careful about what course we pursue. We need more information, and this town, though quaint and amusing, does not appear to have the information we need - quantity or quality."
Kyomi tells them of her dream
"I to had a dream, in my dream, A figure walked along a high cliff top, while all around wind and rain lashed from a tempest in the heavens, as I looked the figure had its back to me and try as I might to call out the wind ripped my voice and words away, but then a entrepreneurial streak moment the eye of the storm, the lull when all is still. Then my words carried to the figure, it stopped and turned and when it did my own face looked back at me, then it started to talk but the wind came once more and the words ripped away by the howling gale, I ran to get close, to hear, to ask, but then a great horned beast came over head, I knew it was I that must fight it, for if not then all would be lost, I used all my skills but it had seen me and it's hurricane wake it sent me tumbling, but with my last act I struck it a blow with... With., I just can' remember, but I do know it end to the storm. Then when I gained my breath and sight to my shock the storm, the beast and figure, were all gone. All was now a still a sunny day with nothing to show there had been a storm at all, except my own footprints in the earth. I do not know what it means only that I had a seance of foreboding ."
She looks at the others for reactions, to see if they had anything like the same dream.
Grimaward shakes his head.
"No Kyomi, I have had no such images regarding cliffs and howling wind."
He bites his lip and turns to Balik.
"But I too have had a vision about Galt. I saw... a guillotine standing in the center of a large crowd of people. A stack of wicked guillotine blades lying in the lunette, as though they were a noble's neck. The guillotine drops, but a giant Raven snatches one of the blades from the stack before the blades shatter. I remember... Searing pain as they break."
With a sigh of relief, the oracle slumps back in his seat.
"You guys and your visions.. Id be afraid to go to sleep.. Tomorrow i can go ask around about any executions that might be taking place soon.."
Half knowledge is more dangerous then no knowledge. We really do need to just leave. Someone has already targeted us and soon news will arrive of the fire, we need to make a clean break.
We can buy new outfits here because we need to become completely different people by the time we reach the next city. We need forged documents to match.
Byron sighed, he felt like he had to play some parental roll, everyone wanted to go on these grand adventures of visions and gods but he constantly had to remind them of their oh-so-real obligations.
Also, it's become painfully clear that I may be out of my depth in the research department. Seeing as how we have so many with knowledge of the Arcane I figure our company could use a few more employees.
You will be paid on consignment for your breakthroughs, though the company will retain all intellectual property. There's also the fringe benefit of getting to make extremely dangerous items that you will be allowed to keep afterwords.
"O Byron you say the sweetest things, extremely dangerous items, you know just how to flatter a girl"
Kyomi chuckles to herself
Sixth looks at Kyomi while she gives voice to her dream, looking for important details on it.
"That sounds like a dream Kyomi. A regular dream, not a vision. Do you think it should mean something to us? I've had regular dreams in the past, and they all pointed to something important in my life, but that was a long time ago, and although they became somehow true there was nothing visionary in them. Nothing to grant me a message. Maybe just like yours. Maybe you're giving the devil that is gonna attack the Avoral too much a though, and that stick to your mind, giving you dreams.
Well, tell me if you need any help with the documents Byron, I know a thing or two about that. Also, I don't think we need to fear much from the Aldoran's authorities. We did that in Taldor, a whole different lot. Here they favor freedom and others, so If they have heard something about a fleeing group of bandits they would probably think that we were being chase by politic behavior..."
Saying that, he leaves the table to gather some info about the next days' schedule and about executions.
He turns back for a second.
"Oh, yes the guillotine! Maybe someone is playing a coup d'etat in Aldoran??"
"Company? Are we starting a company now?" Canim asks of the halfling wizard.
"I could use new clothes, these ones are becoming a bit threadbare. Although I am not sure an actual disguise beyond that will be much help, at least in my case..."
As our 'heroes' discussed trapped souls casual as one would a mouse in a trap, the tavern slowly begins to empty out and the bartender is increasingly nervous and uncomfortable.
"I believe that con man earlier was in the employ of some folks from somewhere else that are trying to mess with this town. Perhaps we should have investigated that angle more."
Seeing the unease in the crowd, Canim whispers, "And perhaps we should discuss it somewhere else..."
Sixth looks at Kyomi while she gives voice to her dream, looking for important details on it.
"That sounds like a dream Kyomi. A regular dream, not a vision."
Kyomi looks back at Sixth and fixes him with her gaze, some time looking at her, you may get the feeling its like being looked at by a predatory animal, but then its gone and a smile.
"Do you think so Sixth, its so hard to tell just a dream from prophetic vision, I think one only truly knows after the events, hindsight as they say is perfect"
Then when talk of the magic guillotine comes up.
"In passing how much would such an item go for on the open market do you think, trapped souls included? I ask because what if one soul was locked away in such a device that someone really wanted back.
Byron knew what was coming, but perhaps even a few seconds of preparation could make all the difference.
"We let the small fish go to bait the bigger fish. Capturing the flunky would have done us little good but this seems promising. A wizard does not do well when caught off guard so now is a chance to prepare."
Byron does a quick scan of the room and smiles. "Try to get as much information out of them as possible. Don't worry, I'll be watching and waiting for a signal." Then Byron was gone, the only sound was of wind pulling into the vacuum of space he left behind.
While he waited he gave a quick glance to the wands to see if any were labeled
Canim casts his Resistance cantrip
Kyomi gets up and says
"Just need to visit the ladys room, be back soon"
She heads to the privit and then changes into the form and dress of human local female craft worker. Clothing and tools in hand she walks out the back off then inn.
time to get my dress I think, let the boys have their fun
she heads off into the night, seen getting to the dress shop, on root she had changed into the form [where none could see] of a mandmaid, when she gets to the shop, she says she has come for the dresses and pays for the three, Then once more heads back to the Inn.
Huh, you guys have some pretty morbid dreams. Last night I had a "vision" of cutting the head off a huge Red Dragon. The dragon was guarding a princess high in a tall tower. Her hair was made of gold!
After rescuing her, I brought her home and was able to stop a civil war. IT WAS AWESOME!
I'd love a new outfit! Costume party time!
Finnigin turns to Balik, and blushes.
She looked like you.
He smiles bashfully.
The bartender continues to serve you although his manner has become somewhat terse and cold. He continues to look at you as though you are the cause for his lost of patrons but otherwise the tavern remains peaceful.
[ooc]@Kyomi I'm going to rule that this conversation was in the tavern and that you were relying on the noise of the tavern to cover most of your conversation. Plus I can't help but feel that these characters are occasionally forgetful of what polite conversation is among normal non-insane/evil folk.
Byron hated being wrong, especially when he had made such a big deal about it. Damn fidgety bartender
But perhaps he was not all he seemed ether. If they were to sleep the night in this town he had best find out.
He pulled the tiniest amount of ambient magic from the air, just enough to guide the vibrations of his voice to their proper destination.
Byron was prodding for information, sometimes the best way to get information out of people was to just let them try to fill in blanks.
once she has her Dresses Kyomi comes back to the inn
seeing it not on fire and the others still there, she gos in
[as standard human from] and heads to her room
and lets her sister our to try her dress on
"O I love it sister"
The Little doll spins.
The bartender stiffens and shakes his head slightly careful not to turn his head too far.
You know what this is... say it.
Cilian leans over to Canim.
"I need to speak to you somewhere a little more private."
Cilian gets up from his table, and if Canim follows Cilian takes Canim to Cilian's room.
"I have some questions. One, what is the native tongue of Bruma, and who would speak it. Two, can you detect magic on this ring, and if it is magical identify the magic?"
Cilian shows Canim a small ring that has settings for three stones, but only one is filled. It has a brilliant ruby in the setting.
Canim follows Cilian to his room.
"Sure, I can take a look at the ring, but I'll need some wine."
Once he has the wine, he will take an owl's feather from his component pouch and stir the wine a bit, before drinking the wine in one gulp. His amulet glows with dim light for a few moments; he stares intently at the ring, gesturing with his free hand and intoning eldritch words in a low voice...
Sixth stares at Kyomi without worrying too much about her predatory gaze. Oh, the Bullseye, huh?
Well, I can see that happening soon enough Finnigin, it's just likely to happen as earthfall all over again! He laughs.
He waits until the bartender drops the scared face he has just done, waiting to see if anything weird happen.
After studying Cilian's marble Seinal is quiet for sometime. While everyone else is discussing prophecy, which normally would draw his attention like moth to a flame, Seinal is withdrawn. He seems to make up his mind when Cilian gets up with Canim and he rises as well leaning towards the smaller of the two.
"Your father's gem... I need to discuss it with you. Preferably in private as well. Will you meet me in my room when you're done with the fat one?"
"Sure."
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Balik allows herself to take the night for herself and Finnigin as a couple. In the night, in the diffuse light of a dance hall, with the swirl and motion of a crowd of dancers, Balik channels the organic, earthy nature of her halfling self, blending with the nocto-tropism of the stamp on her soul. It is a rare opportunity for her, and an opportunity for Balik to build a memory to cherish.
Kyomi looks at her sister,
"Now you have a fine dress lets talk about, Galt, I know you know about it and the Blades they have been using for the last 30 odd years, you love story's of blood and death, so tell sister mine"
The doll claps its hands
"I I do sister and a grizzly tail its is of House Thrune, Cheliax and a bloody Revolution, o the blood thats been spilled by Razor Jenni."
The doll giggles then She starts to tell her sister all she knows.
"Not sure about the firs tone, but the 2nd is a wand of slow.. Very nice indeed" On hearing the notion that a fight might be coming Norbert excuses himself and heads out to his carriage.. As he leaves the inn he vanishes..
He'll coat an arrow with Blue Whinnis as well..