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Should you find yourself with more time, I hope that we can continue this adventure. I really like playing in your games - your posts are quite eloquent and fun to read. It's a shame, but again I hope that you'll be able to come back to this in the future.
I do hope that everyone's coming back after the long hiatus, though. It would certainly be reassuming to see a 'Still here, ready for action' post here.
Huzzah! Boo on losing Superstar, but Top 4 still gives you plenty of bragging rights. I'm chomping at the bit to get back into the mind of an adolescent ifrit again.
So, just wanted to say that I'm anxiously waiting for this game to continue. Which I hope to be soon, as RPG Superstar will reveal the final entries tomorrow! Good luck to our illustrious GM!
Congrats to Robert again for making it into the Top 4 this year! I'm looking forward to your final entry and seeing you becoming the RPG Superstar of 2014! Though I suppose this slightly saddens me as that means you'll be prioritizing that over this awesome campaign of yours, but I can't fault you for that.
The ifrit steps in between Ilesea and Vesix, feeling that this woman is rather mean. Though he does ponder what he would use magic for if he had no one he cared for to protect. Which seemed rather ludicrous, unrealistic to actually happen. He had plenty of people to protect, and there would only be more in the future. Though he did have one question that seemed important. "What is the Calling?" He asked. "No, rather, what are we Calling?"
If he could learn a single thing to do with magic, what would he do? Alanar only thought on it briefly before speaking back to the fey woman the simplest goal he could think of to learn. "Protect my friends and family. What else is more important than that?" He asks, smiling brightly.
Congrats on your advancement! I did like the disir that you designed.
Anlessa would be finding a bit of sweet smelling soot on her hand now from smacking Alanar on the back of the head. He looks back at her confused. "I paid her a compliment - it was not rude nor unkind. Was it?" He asks, looking at the others, Hokuto and Ilesea.
Alanar's smile dims slightly at the mention of dreams. "I have had one dream recently, more often than most. A dream of dancing amidst fire and ash..." He perks up a bit, looking at the halfling girl. "But your dream sounds quite wonderful - do you ride the scimitar horse?" He asks her, as they head to the next classroom. It's here that Alanar is quite taken in - not by the Nisanci's strange appearance, but by the very intricate bangles she wears. Hearing his native language spurs the ifrit to start speaking in it, as he steps closer to get a good look at her jewelry. "السيراميك، مع تطعيم الذهب. براعة نوعية جيدة." He says, before recalling himself and switching back to Taldane. "Ah, a thousand pardons - I was taken in by your jewelry..." He says, looking at her for a moment before something clicks in his head. "...your feet are hooves," He suddenly realizes out loud. "That is very unusual." Kelish: "Ceramic, with gold inlays. Good quality craftsmanship."
"So you will teach me how to make more profitable pieces and new ways to bless the world with the light of my flames?" Alanar asks, thinking it over in his head. Good skills to know. He looks at Anlessa, mildly confused by her joke - and more so by Taeo's odd phrasings in Taldane. He wondered if he was misunderstanding some things. Either that or if the trade language was a second tongue to him like to the ifrit. "Of which lessons are you more interested?" He asks the halfling girl, but poses the question open t the rest of the students. "The sorcery or the crafting?"
Alanar's father may have failed to teach the ifrit many things, but one of the few things he had was to see the potential of profit. If he were to become one of the students who crafted items to be sold, there would be opportunity for future returns - that which he could put back into his craftsmanship. He stored that information as useful, walking along with Ilesea as they followed the group - keeping his gait to her own pace even as they might lag behind the others. "You are excited to be learning now, yes?" He asks her quietly. "I am as well. Sihr has always been in my blood," He tells her while wiggling his fingers. "But it is only now that I may fully understand how to use it. It should not be more difficult than determining the different qualities of silk or silver, I think. One only has to have the desire to learn about it." He's quite impressed with the classroom, noting the teacher. It suddenly occurs to Alanar that they might be separated from Hokuto for these classes - surely she has other duties here as well. Though when the teacher compares the Irriseni girl to an ice-diamond he can't help himself but speak up. "That's not right," He adamantly said. "She's 14-carat yellow gold with sapphires. Blue hue, vivid saturation, light tone. I said as much on the way here," He argued.
...Now I feel like Alanar's got a long road ahead of himself, considering that his card is misaligned with Ilesea. Unless he already established relationship points with her on the road and rescuing her, that means his initial Relationship Score with Ilesea is -1. Ouch. On the other hand, with Hokuto he'll have an initial score of +5. So it's not completely lost.
Alanar is definitely striking a relationship with Ilesea. Sad that the Tangled Briar has no synergy with the Empty Throne, but that's how it is. Unless I'm mistaken and that's not her card.
So, couple of questions I wanted to ask here, on account that Alanar is rather dead set on fulfilling his promises to make people pretty things. I figure that he can get a set of jewelry crafting tools, but I'm wondering if we can't use an alternate and rather better set of crafting rules - Making Craft Work, which I've found to be a vastly better system. My second question would probably be how much free time Alanar can look forward to in the future for pursuing his craftsmanship. With classes and the like, seems like he won't be able to devote as much time to crafting.
Alanar had been more than a little stunned at some of the luxuries afforded to him here - the soft beds and blankets, the running water baths. Especially the running water baths. It seemed wasteful to him that the water was used purely for washing when it could be drunk, but he had to remind himself that this was not the desert any more. Water and much more plentiful here. The uniforms were strange as well, the fashion something that he wasn't entirely accustomed to wearing. And blue was not a color he could ever remember having worn before in his life. Not to mention the fabric - it felt like cotton, not linen. He could say it was the richest outfit he'd ever worn. That, and it clashed terribly with his brass like skin. He followed the rest, keeping an eye on Ilesea as they went. It's only after they were given a belt and purse that his focus leaves her and marvels instead on the actually platinum coins in there. One could buy half a ton of wheat and feed a small village for a year with what he had in his hands. When considering that each of them had a similar amount, the combined total of 120 platinum pieces that was doled out as an allowance and that this was only the first... "How does this school fund itself?" Alanar blurted out, his merchant honed mind trying to figure out how deep the coffers went here.
Alanar's interest was piqued by the opportunity of an allowance to spend on research. Of course he already had things in mind, promises to keep. He'd need a decent sized chunk of pale jade, gold and silver ingots, zinc and copper, and of course the proper tools. He hoped what was allowed to him would cover all of those expenses. Perhaps he could attempt haggling - but it was his sister who'd been the negotiator, not him. "These rooms, how are they separated?" Alanar asks, glancing down at Ilesea. "One place for boys, the other for girls? Will it be shared space, rooming with the others? Are we the only students here right now? Will there be other teachers?" He asked, proceeding on a tangent while following Hokuto.
The ifrit helps Ilesea out of the carriage, Alanar amazed by the wondrous craftsmanship of the place. The eyes of the merchant's son peer around the courtyard as he helps the halfling down. The blacksmith is certainly an alluring place with its furnace - he would need specific tools, but one could do a little gold smithing there with the proper materials. Almost regrettably he thought of the weapons they missed in the catacombs. Well, there would possibly be opportunity to get raw materials later. Better than recycling the gilding from a staff at least. Right now he stared up at the statue in amazement, towering above them - he recognized the same symbol from the crypt, but of Aroden himself he was woefully uninformed. Recalling that there were others waiting to get out of the wagon, Alanar attempts to be helpful in getting them out, offering a hand to Anlessa, Alyona, and the rest of the boys. He grins widely from ear to ear, the scent of incense still lingering around him. "This is a nice place - better than Irrisen. Or Cheliax. Or Lastwall. Or Korvosa...Or Katapesh any more."
It is disheartening to see you go, but I hope that Shenhua will return in the future - don't forget to choose a holiday boon should that occur. And as for everyone else, Happy New Year!
Alanar looks out the window with Ilesea, marveling at the view. The amazing plateau with it's waterfalls and the massive palace situated on top of it. This was where they'd be living from now on, and he couldn't help but be amazed. There was just one question seeing it that puzzled him. "...How do we get up there?"
The first time that Alanar looks away from Ilesea clutched in his arms was to look at the new piece of jewelry given to them all. Personally he felt that they could have used something fancier to decorate them - a thin gilding of gold or silver perhaps. He helps to fasten it around the halfling girl's neck before putting his own on, carrying her into the carriage afterwards. "You are safe now, Ilesea - but please do not run off like that again! You had so many worried, and we fought sabat and there was a flaming juljula and then there was the khayal..." He hugs her gently. "I have lost too many already. I do not wish to lose any more."
Oh man, that's a really great power - I'm actually kind of wishing I went with my original plan to give Alanar more burning hands per day instead. This power is like a megalixer in Final Fantasy - it's super rare, you can only use it once, so you're going to hoard it forever and probably never get a chance to use it. On the blog: I love the Geth entry, but can you have geth without quarians? Would love to see your take on a race that can't live outside of their personal suits.
Well, let's get Harrowed for Alanar. Merry Christmas, all!
I think that's the Locksmith?
Alanar blinks as the environment suddenly changes, the ghostly girl having vanished with the destruction of the skull. That seems important, but he stops thinking about it once he sees the little halfling girl with Hokuto, looking well and whole. "Ilesea!" He cries out, the ifrit smiling brightly and grabbing onto her tiny hands. "You are all right! Sarenae has answered my prayers!" He laughs. She is all right, and so is everything in the world. Well, perhaps not everything, as it seems that they're all in a heap of trouble for wandering off like that. Alanar is profuse in his apologies and explanations to Hokuto. "Ilesea, she suddenly disappeared so we went looking for her and she was down this hole but we did not have any way to reach so we went through the crypt and there were spiders and skeletons and a ghost girl and there was a black castle up through the hole and a flaming skull but we beat it and so I guess we came back from where we were and do not blame the others because Ilesea was my responsibility and I failed to look after her but I am pleased that you have saved her and I am sorry we worried you and please do not be angry." The ifrit finishes his long winded explanation, keeping close to the halfling, afraid that if he isn't careful she'll disappear again.
Alanar was very worried. Everyone seemed to be having trouble with hitting the flaming skull with their borrowed weapons. He himself didn't have a weapon at all, aside from his innate flames, and this place prevented him from using them. He tried distracting it to no avail - surrounded on all sides, he wasn't capable of being helpful here.
Perhaps it had not been the wisest move to try and hug the girl, as the chill seeped into him, the ifrit letting out a shudder. The cry of pain behind him from the others made Alanar look back, seeing how much trouble they seemed to be having with one flying skull. "...I will be back. I must help them for now," He informs the ghostly girl, regardless of whether or not she can hear him. The Katapesh refugee vaults over onto the rubble behind the skull, getting between it and Aldon to hedge it in. His attempt to distract the thing so that the saber wielding boy can get a better shot in is disrupted as he struggles to keep his footing.
I'll admit, I didn't expect that Alanar would ever hug a ghost. But she's a girl in pain, and even though I'm kind of thinking he's about to take cold damage here, it's in his nature to comfort someone crying like that.
The girl was cold, and crying, and look immensely lost. Alanar could only think of one way to try and help her, attempting to put his arms around her and letting his natural warmth stave off the frost. The fact that she was ghostly and possibly incorporeal didn't cross his mind. "Shh. No need for tears. If you are cold, I will help to stave it away," He tells her gently. "Will you tell me your name? I am Alanar. We came looking for my friend, Ilesea."
Alanar was confused now. The skull had attempted to attack him there, but then Aldon had attacked it. He had seen the ghostly girl appear behind the skull, with the same mark on her brow as the menacing head. He may have not been the most perceptive person in the world, but he could tell that there was some kind of link between them. He thought about this briefly, before looking at Aldon again. "Do not harm her!" He shouted in Taldane, preparing to stop any of them from attacking the skull. This had to be a misunderstanding. And maybe this girl knew where Ilesea was - but they wouldn't know if she disappeared again. "Stop fighting!" He adopts a defensive position as he carefully steps around the skull, trying to be as non-threatening as possible, getting closer to the girl behind it. "Please stop crying...I'm sorry my friend hurt yours..."
Yay for vacations~ Looking forward to it.
Balls, didn't catch that I posted under my regular alias there. Too late to change it now. Ignore the baby chimera, that's really an ifrit in disguise!
One to the left of him - another to the right. Too spread out to hit with his trump card just yet. But they moved slowly, and he knew what to do here. "Stay back!" He hisses to the others, moving forward up the corridor before turning around. He holds his hands out with the fingers spread wide, a gesture that anyone who has seen the ifrit's trick before knows that they should not get in front of. He readies to blast both of the skeletons with a gout of flame when they come after him - hopefully everyone will stay back until he's done so.
The ifrit looks back as he finally sees the others - he wonder what took them so long to run from whatever was attacking them. He lifts a finger and presses it up to his lips in a shushing manner to them. After that, Alanar continues to creep forward towards the sobbing, desperate to reach Ilesea.
Alanar glances back every so often, wondering why the others have not followed yet. He told them to run away from what was attacking them - they could not afford to waste time fighting things. He hoped that they would catch up soon. For now, the ifrit slowly makes his way forward down the dark hallway, searching for the voice he hears ahead of him. If it is Ilesea, he needs to get to her quickly so he can bring her out of here.
Boy, I hope people catch up with Alanar quickly now - he's moving at half speed to keep his stealth, so if people go after him as soon as possible, they'll reach him. Otherwise, he's going to stupidly forge ahead alone. It's really a dilemma when you know your character will do the dumb thing when you as the player know its a terrible idea.
Hooray for doctoring! Please learn cure light wounds immediately.
The ifrit pauses as he hears the soft sounds of sobbing, turning around and looking down the corridor. Abandoning going for the stave, he instead heads for the sounds. Tiptoeing quietly and going slow, because he doesn't want to attract any spiders. Merciful Sarenrae, keep your servants safe. Guide me to the salvation of Ilesea, so she may greet your dawn anew, He prays to himself on the way forward. It's only halfway down that he starts to realize that no one is following him.
More weapons - that seemed useful to Alanar, sneaking silently to avoid the attention of any more creatures. He can still hear the others fighting behind him up the stairs, so that is a good thing. He grabs onto the quarterstaff, a silent prayer for forgiveness in his mind as he takes it, turning around. ___________
In retrospect, perhaps we should have invested in using Stealth checks in the first place to avoid drawing the attention of these little beasties. But hindsight's 20/20. Alanar probably shouldn't have kept heading off like he did, but seeing as his only other option there was to sit on his thumbs and wait, the flighty ifrit offered his opinion and then acted upon it. Hopefully he doesn't get too far away.
The ifrit blinks and turns around when he hears the signs of battle going on behind him - he can't exactly see what it is that everyone is fighting, however, bodies blocking the way. No way to help the others, so he can do only one thing at this point. "Run!" He hisses to the others, before continuing to press forward. They had to save Ilesea, after all. So it was better for them to not be noticed. __________
I am of the opinion that running away is always an option, just so people know. No shame in our group fleeing a bunch of terrible spiders... Then again, pretty and shiny gold things. Not that matters to Alanar at the moment until Ilesea is safe, but think of the things he could make!
Boy, what Alanar wouldn't give to know deathwatch right now. Then again, I'm hoping that his burning hands SLA will be useful, like of they encounter a bunch of horrible spiders. Or skeletons. Or zombies. Have fun on vacation, Taeo! We'll try not to let you die in your absence!
"A few seconds at the most," Alanar speaks, glancing at the others, before relenting. If there are creatures down here, they'll need something to drive them back. He gives a torch to whomever wants one and lights it for them with the flint and steel, including himself. Afterwards he continues to step forward down the passage, letting his darkvision guide him in the black.
Alanar looks around worriedly, now second guessing his decision to leave Ilesea alone. Perhaps jumping down to her would have been the correct course. He could have survived the fall, certainly. He could have also broken his neck, and then there would be no helping the halfling girl. At the intersection, he dispaired a bit further, though at least he could see now - he's used to the black and white vision total darkness carries with it. He glances back at the others, thinking about the decision for a bit before coming to a decision he wasn't completely happy about. "We should stay together - which way should we go?" He asks Stands on the Spiral, finding having to wait distasteful to him - he wanted to just run through the hallways to rescue her as soon as possible. He takes a few steps forward on his own, peering down the tunnel to their left, the southern passage.
Torches. Not only good for a source of fire, but also to ward away anything that may attack them. Alanar knows flames, and points the materials out to the others. "We can use these - everyone can have a source of light now," He comments. "And we can use them to mark our passage if we come across any turns inside, yes?" He'll give the pry bar to whomever wants to take it, before moving over to the torch supplies, doing what he can to prepare as many as possible for the others. Within a minute, he has them all prepared, but stops short of lighting them right now. "These will only last for a short time after being lit. We should proceed by your lanterns first, yes? Quickly, please." He gestures to the stairs, carefully making his way down.
Alanar blinks a few times, surprised the door came away so easily. He holds onto the rusty metal pry bar for now, just in case they need it further in. "I will take the lead...but tell me quickly if I wander too far from everyone." He swallows dryly, but ignores any inkling of thirst as he steps inside, hoping to find stairs leading downwards, so they can arrive at Ilesea quickly. He offers a silent prayer to Sarenae, the merciful one. I have lost so much already. Let her survive so we may greet your dawn together.
Alanar is quite happy to be somewhat useful to this rescue endeavor, picking up the heavy pry bar and wedging it into the door jam. He grunts with effort as he attempts to pry the door open as quickly as possible, fear of what has happened to the halfling girl pushing him forward. "Assistance...would be nice..." He huffs, putting his back into the work.
"There is another way in?" Alanar asks, thinking for a moment as he undoes his attempt to make a rope, redressing quickly. "Without the fog, I can see much clearly. It is indoors, yes? I can lead the way, see beyond the darkflame," He offers, ready to go - but pauses, just looking down at Ilesea's still form, torn between leaving her and trying to find his way down to her. He's especially concerned about how she's not moving or responding at all to them. The desire to jump right into the hole and cushion his descent is getting stronger with each passing moment. He peers as far as his darkvision can allow, trying to determine if she's even breathing. Sadly, he can't make out any details. "I will go into the crypt - whatever is written does not matter. I would defile the tomb of a king to get her out," The ifrit states, hotblooded and heading blindly in the direction where the other pointed out the crypt. He'll head inside immediately, trying to see if his vision is better in here than outside.
I'm going to assume most outfits come with underpants, because I'm sure everyone would be more uncomfortable with a completely naked Alanar rather than a nearly naked Alanar. If you need rope, and don't have it, trying to make some is the next best step.
Alanar is terribly worried as they progress into the graveyard. He is far too worried to notice the unusual scripts, looking around as they follow Deriku. Once they find the hole, he's completely panicked as it's announced that Ilesea is down there. He gets down onto his hands and knees, crawling over to the rim and peering down, trying to make out the colorful garments the girl wore. "We must get to her," He states, looking at everything carefully. He's very upset, both by his powerlessness to help the girl, and her own plight. He thinks carefully, looking at the rope net, then his robe - and undoes his belt, pulling it off and twisting it, tying it off. The shirtless ifrit's brass colored torso is bared, along with his pants, before he takes those off as well, leaving him in only a set of smallclothes. "...I need more," He states, knowing this isn't enough, looking at the others hopefully. "Belts, or shirts, or cloaks - something to tie together. Then I can go down with the net, and put her in it, and then you can all lift her up." He shivers from his exposure, but it's hardly a discomfort to him when he's this worried.
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