"Mold isn't really a problem in the sewers anyway. I'm sure there's lots of it down here." Illithia said with a pinched expression. Last time they were down here they didn't really have time to stop and smell.
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"Let's get the sewer done and over with." Illithia piped in. Her face was a little pained, perhaps a headache from the night before. "That is true Dracius, but Janiven was kind enough to provide us with an updated map of the sewers. Perhaps we can make use of that as well?"
Illithia returns from her business, her usual grace is distinctly not present, though she's not quite to the point of tripping over her own feet. Returning to her seat beside Bishop, Illithia tries to rejoin the conversation, butting in, distinctly out of character. "I agree. The goblins are the most direct threat to the people. As much as I hate the sewers, especially after the last time, we should deal with them."
Also, yes Illithia is a super lightweight. She's sheltered, and this is her first time actually drinking the booze. Should be a fun night.
"I'm fine, thanks. Just a little tired from the day." Without her armor on, and no weapon to be seen, Illithia is a much less intimidating figure, as she makes her tipsy way to the washroom.
Alright, I finally got a bit of time off, so I should be here more frequently. And hopefully no more 10 days in a row.
Illithia was holding a glass of wine at the Bruised Eel. Bishop had insisted she have a drink. She wasn't expecting it to be so bitter. She had been mulling over what Ferrucio has said, back at the Temple. She takes another gulp of wine, wincing at the taste, before clearing her throat. "I won't be sitting out. I'm not naive, as much as you might believe. However, it is my belief that every soul in the world can be turned back to the Light. Even Zon'Kuthon himself, twisted as he has become, could be redeemed." "However, as long as they harm those around them, they are not bringing beauty into the world. Time is not a luxury we have. Every moment we allow the Bastards and other evil creatures to continue to work, innocents suffer." Illithia pauses for a moment, taking a sip of wine before continuing. "My oaths preclude me from striking the first blow, this is true. When innocent lives are at stake though, and there is no other way to protect them, and when peaceful solutions have failed, I am compelled to strike out to protect them." The colour is beginning to rise in Illithia's face, even after only one glass of wine. "Twice this has happened, my blade has cut a life short in order to protect the innocent. Both Bishop and Arael might not be here. And while I will have the blood of those I've killed on my hands forevermore. If I had not done what I have, I would have the blood of my friends on my hands. So no, you do not need for me to worry that I will... pull my punches when our lives are at stake." "However, I will not condone the slaughter of those who wish to escape the life forced upon them. I will not refuse the surrender of any opponent, be he a bandit or a priest of the High Hells. Even the most corrupted soul can turn to beauty." Illithia stands, obivously a bit wobbly. "If you'll excuse me, I have to use the washroom."
BAH! I had a whole nice long reply typed out and the session timed out. Sadface. And I'm outta time now. BAH. I'll get one up in a couple hours.
"I had hoped the Bastards could be convinced that there was another way for them to live..." Illithia sounds despondent in light of the failure of diplomacy. "Maybe that one we spoke with will... go another path. Maybe he will take a few of his fellows too. It's the best we can hope for." Illithia's lips are pursed as she listens to Ferrucio give the details of his shadowing. "They blame the Hellknights and the Dottari for their position, yet they are led by one who's interest aligns with House Thrune. Sad irony." "Before we think about attacking the Bastards, we should look for other... less violent ways to improve the situation in Westcrown."
I'm just swamped, working 10 days in a row. Illithia will just tag along for now. Sorry guys.
"Bishop? What's wrong?" Illithia shouts, bringing her glaive around again with another powerful blow.
Illithia quickly strikes out with her glaive, aiming for the doll amidst the fight. By Shelyn's grace, she hoped they would end this quickly.
The tingles were running up and down her back, and her knuckles were white under the gauntlets, but Illithia stepped into the room, glaive held tightly to prevent shaking. It must be in here. But where?
To be fair, mercury is silver in colour. It was called quicksilver by alchemists and early chemists.
"Of course Dario. You should ask sooner." Illithia places a hand on the Professor's shoulder, the Rose's power flowing through her into him.
Illithia was trembling, but she visibly swallowed her fear. "We... we shouldn't let that poor spirit continue it's loneliness. We should put it to rest." She readied her glaive, as if to say how they should go about doing that.
Illithia gets more and more pale the longer the group lingers in the house. "That sound... there are times when a lonely or neglected child dies... their spirit refuses to leave the world, and instead remains. They call it an Attic Whisperer..." Illithia pauses to regain her composition. Dead children were so sad. So much beauty lost. "They are said to be able to steal your breath right from your mouth."
Illithia tags behind the rest of the group. Dario's comments had unsettled her. She had heard those kinds of things before, directed at her. Half-elves couldn't be trusted, they were flighty. Didn't belong anywhere. Even one of her colleagues, a man who had risked his life and livelyhood to try and make Westcrown a better place. Illithia really felt for the tieflings in this district. They had done nothing wrong but being born. It made her sick. This is what she was fighting against.
Illithia was no expert on the undead, perhaps Dracius knew a thing or two about mummies. They did seem to unsettle him. "We don't work for anyone. We're a group of people who want to make Westcrown a better place. Shelyn willing, a better place for everyone." Illithia emphasized the last word, as if to say 'yes, tieflings too'.
Pity filled Illithia, and her face softened. Her voice was gentle and reassuring. "You don't have to live like this you know. We can give you a bed and food. We are trying to make Westcrown... and maybe eventually Cheliax, a better place." Her voice grew a bit harder to drive her last point home. "Unless you'd prefer to waste your life on meaningless banditry, and die young."
That's one of the things that drew me most to Shelyn. Playing a pacifist (not quite in this case, but it's similar) has always interested me. I actually started a character in Skyrim where I intended to go through the whole game without a single kill (the character was abandoned when my Xbox broked and I bought Skyrim for PC instead, so much better). It's a difficult road though, as you mentioned. And Illithia will obviously "swing the sword" in defense of a friend (as evidenced with Bishop in the most recent scuffle), but to what extent she'll project those feelings onto the cause remains to be seen. Especially with Dracius, Ferrucio and the others tugging at her.
I seriously worry for party cohesion if Illithia finds out. It will be a very interesting roleplay opportunity though. As for the coup de grace, I don't see any reason why you would get more than 1 attack. Nothing in the text suggests more than 1 attack is possible. The intellect devourer's ability is special, and you'll note that it's really 1 attack with special damage (as sneak attack is only applied once), rather than 4 attacks. I think my reading is pretty sound, though I'm interested in hearing the inverse arguements if you think there's still a case.
Illithia also assists wherever she's needed, and though she feels as though they might be kidnapping this tiefling, perhaps it was necessary to redeem the whole organization.
"It was necessary." Illithia says shakily. It was worth to see Bishop awake again. Illithia offers a hand to him, allowing healing energies to flow into him.
"I... I couldn't stomach killing unarmed, sleeping men. Evil though they may be, they might still be redeemed. The tieflings of this city need to be shown compassion. If we treat them with brutality, we are no better than House Thrune."
Yikes... 18 damage.
Illithia calls down the power of Shelyn on the thug. Bishop's life was ebbing away, and she couldn't wait. She must protect her friend. . With all the force of Shelyn behind her, Illithia delivers a powerful blow to the thug who was threatening her companion.
Bishop was unconscious, maybe dead. She couldn't hesitate any longer. The lives of her friends were on the line. Forgive me, Shelyn. Her eyes glint for a brief second as she calls upon Shelyn's judgement to ensure the enemy in front of her was indeed evil, before lashing out with her glaive. There were more behind them... she needed this to be over quickly.
Immediately Illithia's glaive is at the ready, jumping in next to Dario, shoving away the Tiefling that was attacking him. Illithia will then train her polearm on the offender.
Hey guys, I'm back on the boards from a long hiatus as well, so I'll be catching up to all my boards (which will take a while), and posting ASAP.
Illithia will still be here whenever you are ready Flykiller.
Illithia is a little more talkative on the way back than she has been in the last few days. Even joking a little. It seems she's slowly getting over the death she had caused. She even mentions possibly having some wine when they return to the temple, which is a big shock as she hasn't touched a drop the rest know of since they came to be with the Children.
Seeing the Dario and Dracius rejoin her and Bishop some distance from the square, she looks around. "Where's Ferrucio?" she asks, a bit nervous.
Bishop's carefree attitude was starting to get to Illithia, so much so that she even smiled despite everything that had occured in the last week. "Well, enjoy the view while you can. I don't think we'll be returning here for a while." Illithia says, just a little flirtatiously, playing along with Bishop's game.
"Well that could've gone better." Illithia says. All they had done was tip their hand. A resigned sigh. At least they were alive. "I am eager to get back to the temple and change out of these." Illithia said, referring to her... clothing. If it could be called that.
"Bishop is right. We just wanted to talk. We want to help the Bastards, but we need your co-operation." Illithia knew what she said here could very well tip the balance of power for the whole city. The knowledge weighed heavily upon her.
"As if the dottari even care about you." Illithia chimes in. "I'm pretty sure we are both more wanted than you. We came to talk, and we'd prefer to keep it that way."
"Just watch your hands Bishop. Not that you'll feel much through my armor."
Illithia sighs quietly. "Well, at least I should act the part I suppose." With that, Illithia begins to hang off Bishop, in a manner very fitting of a floozy.
"Promise me that I won't have to pretend to be a whore ever again. It's... not right. I'm not my mother."
Illithia's armour is mostly covered by a cloak proviced by Ferrucio to hide her battle readiness. Hopefully no fighting would occur, but best to not be caught by surprise.
The conversation concerning healers seems quite appropriate as Dracius sits next to Illithia, tending to her. Most of her external wounds are rope burns from the panicked flight, and Illithia keep thinking that the amount of care Dracius is taking isn't strictly necessary, but she doesn't complain. She is relieved when both Dario and Ferrucio return unharmed. "I also would like to see the goblin threat driven from the city, but we should focus our preparations on tomorrow, shouldn't we?"
"I would be very grateful for that, Dracius. The chill of their touch still has not left me." Despite her serious tone, she can't help but smile the giddy smile of someone who has so very recently avoided death. "I will play for us as we rest tonight, to ease our spirits. But first, I must unburden myself of this armour. Rest Arael, the rest of the group is not far behind us."
Illithia nods at the plan. Matters of subterfuge were not her specialty, and she had kept quiet during the conversation. The chill had not left her body and she was dogging Bishop's steps on the way back to the cathedral.
Illithia panics along with Bishop and Dario, the chill that she had felt at the touch of the shadows spreads and multiplies at the sound of the howl. In her haste, she bowled Ferrucio out of the way, just after he'd been shoved off the rope by Dario. Once the other side of the wall, the panic begins to fade, and the pain in her hands from the frantic flight come to the fore of her mind as she looks down at the bloody mess.
Illithia need not feel any guilt for these creatures, though she felt as though they had stolen her very life force, and there was a distinct chill than ran through her body. "Thank the Rose for you, Dracius. Without you, our songs may have ended here."
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