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She would have thought that nothing could tear her eyes from the tieflings and the flames they held poised above the books-- but then Jokum, the large man who had remained so stolid in the face of danger.... Jokum was gone. In his place loomed an imposter, a beastial monstrosity who bore only passing resemblance to their gentle guardian. And for a moment, Tesseract Squires froze in fear. A whimper caught in her throat-- who is he? WHAT IS HE?-- and she felt sure she would bolt like a rabbit or faint dead away. But the moment passed, and time resumed haltingly (later she would dismiss the notion that an unseen hand had gripped her jaw and turned her head forcibly away from the impossible sight). The girl's resolve steeled as she brandished her quarterstaff. "Extinguish your flames, you red-fleshed devil's bastards. Or certainly your hides will be used to bind new books to annoint these shelves!" A hateful laughter bubbled through her clenched teeth, as she envisioned the would-be arsonists as the very thing they attempted to destroy.
At first, the young witch doesn't seem to understand what is before her. Why are the books all piled on the ground? Don't they know they're more likely to get dirty or soggy this way?
The torches then catch her eye, and the pieces come together in a flash. The tiefling men speak pointless words that do not register in Tess's mind; she hears only the frightfully loud sound of the blood pulsing in her ears, and the whispers of the man in her dreams. Men can tear each other apart- there is no real loss, so long as knowledge is preserved... Her hateful gaze springs forth instantly, and with more ease than it has ever come before. When she manages to speak, her words are viciously forced through clenched teeth. "We shall see you burn instead! That would be waste far less than this atrocity."
I recently switched to a new computer and Chrome remembered to keep my campaign page as one of the tabs that opens on launch. However, I didn't realize that I wasn't getting any "" additions to the posts because.... I hadn't actually logged in to Paizo on this computer. Sorry! Updating and posting shortly. @Ce'Eshna- I'm so sorry to hear about that! :( Virtual flowers and hugs to you!
Tess leers at the demon, her eyes drawn in a vicious glare. "You are outnumbered! Only a fool would fight on by himself."
Tess stumbles on her dress as she scurries through the door. She assesses the outsider with a glance....
...but her brain is foggy from their restful evening. Get it together! She takes a deep breath to calm herself and inspects the room, taking in the fine silks and fancy trappings. What would such a horrid creature want in here?
Carefully, she removes the tiny flask of liquid from her hip. .
Because at least we're not underground! The worst is behind us..... Riiiiiight??
Ack, these initiative rolls. I feel like Karthak was walking around, *super on edge,* while everyone else is chilling out, ANDTHENKARTHAKPOUNCES!
Spells Prepared:
Set 4: Town and Out 0: Daze; Detect Magic; Guidance; Read Magic 1: Beguiling Gift; Memory Lapse; Obscuring Mist The sun's warmth the following morning glowed almost as brightly as her freshly-scrubbed face. Tess was positively beaming all throughout the morning's preparations- that man had visited her dreams again, congratulating her on her first successful brewing and gifting her with knowledge of a new spell. The glass of pale golden fluid glimmered at her hip as they began their day's travels; she walked alongside Aravashnial again, and her own darkwood staff matched the plain one she'd lent him, stride for stride.
"What's going on?" The normally-alert girl snapped out of her reverie (she'd been exulting in her dreams again) as the dwarf suddenly breaks formation.
Whoever wants to spy on a fifteen-year-old-girl alone in her room:
The materials she had gathered were thrown-together, hardly worth the coins she'd bartered, but they would certainly do well for her. Tess pushed flyaway hairs from her sweaty brow with one hand as she bent over the tiny iron pot, stirring the languidly bubbling mixture with the other. Like the others, she had been directed to a curtained-off quarter of one of the inn's rooms. For the past few hours she had been quietly setting up the makeshift kit in the cramped quarters, measuring ingredients and chanting mysterious words while Sorua watched from the girl's bedroll. It was her first attempt to brew a magical elixir, and the price of materials was steep. She wouldn't have scraped the last few things together without the help of Pastor Pollux, she noted, glaring at the quarterstaff of darkwood that leaned against one wall as if to mock her. Better make sure his generosity is rewarded, she thinks fleetingly. As if to punctuate the thought, the lazily simmering solution suddenly begins to roil with bubbles, the formerly-placid surface violently sloshing in the miniature cauldron. Her hands move quickly in the hot, cramped space, her mind now free of all other thoughts. The tiny fox, who had been half-asleep in her worn blankets, was now upright and alert, his keen dark eyes gleaming.
Tess squeezes a stopper into the small vial, then holds the container of liquid up to the light. One last bubble drifts to the surface of the pale golden liquid and bursts, and the girl's exhausted eyes light up as she smiles brightly. Nethys was correct. Success is intoxicating.
The disaster which had brought so many together in the heart of the Defender's Heart had turned some to charity and others to selfish swindling. Tess had naively handed over hundreds of shiny gold pieces to a man who promised to give her a highly-specialized version of her deity's favored weapon. The man had laughed, a bizarrely nasal sound, thrown a dark, staff-like stick at her, then swiftly left the tavern, bulging pockets jingling with each step into the darkness. The weary girl had just watched, her exhausted mind numb and her weary eyes on the verge of tears. She hefted the staff experimentally, and something about its lightness registered in her clouded mind. How could I have been taken for a fool so easily?... Loud, forceful conversation carried over the din of the rest of the traders: the preacher of Asmodeus was haggling with merchants over a wand while several crusaders were looking on warily, still seemingly unsure about his motivations. I should've been more forceful, too, the girl notes inwardly. She wipes her dirty cheek, catching the single tear that had escaped the rim of her eyes, and watches, submerging herself into the familiar (and blessedly emotionless) analytic mindset of a pupil.
The stuff I rolled for was stuff I was looking to purchase with my share of the loot. Also, I'd like to acquire 8 gp from what Pollux has leftover if you don't mind. :D
Alrighty then!
I've been leveling Tess recently because I'd never actually leveled her up. I might need to buy some stuff overnight, but I'll post it in here if I do. I was kinda waiting to see what the consensus on gp was, and it appears to be 757 gp for everyone after chipping in to purchase the wand.
Pollux, you've been keeping track. How much should everyone chip in?
Let's get a wand of some sort of curing. It's always handy.
YAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY! :D
Tess is as quiet as usual as Karthak's righteous indignation finally has an opportunity to boil over. In the pocket of her dress, her fingers turn the pendant of Baphomet over and over- no matter how long she holds it, the amulet remains cold to the touch- but Anevia's wife believes the dwarf without another word, so she lets the moment pass without bringing it to their attention. Her growling stomach startles her from the reverie she had sunk into. She pulls her hand from her pocket distractedly, and leans over to the blind wizard leaning on her staff. "Sir Aravashnial, we shall see you to your dwelling shortly, but would you care for some food or rest among these crusaders?" Her curiosity itches to be satisfied, but she reminds herself of a tenet of Nethys's studies: The nourishment of thy body shall be assuaged; only with a healthy body can a healthy mind seek truth.
Tess definitely wants to go to the Riftwarden's home :D
Tess cranes her head around the two women, trying to peer into the establishment, before Jokum's words startle her. Oh, introductions! Right... The girl dips into as graceful a curtsy as she can muster, thankful she'd gotten a less-torn, less-dirty gown from the underground traders. "Madam Irabeth, I am Tesseract Squires, and it is certainly a pleasure to meet you at last." A red snout noses out of a leather satchel to climb up her arm, and she grins despite her nervousness. "...And this is Sorua, who keeps me out of trouble." She enters the Defender's Heart after the introductions, and glances around to try to get a sense of the men and resources at the crusaders' disposal.
"W-we..." She swallows back her stutters quietly and tries again. "We should try to find Lord Hulrun's body, if we can. Don't let the witch take it for her display.... I'm sure she has no good in store for it." Her thoughts turn to Karl and Linnae, and she tries not to look too closely at the mangled bodies among the rubble. Her gaze consciously avoids the area she'd grown up in, taking in the rest of the town in frightened sips.
Tess adjusts her glasses with shaking hands. Her heart pounds in fear as she studies the woman singled out by the knights-- had I been here, would they be seeking to sheathe their blades in my body instead? "Couldn't find any volunteers, eh? We have two servants of your gods and a Riftwarden here, and I'm sure all of them will be happy to explain to you how wrong you are. But first..." He tightens his grip and tenses, ready to spring forward if need be. "You have until I count to three to drop your blades." She speaks up, trying to mask the quaver in her voice with clinical indifference. "This man is correct. There have been extensive studies in darker ages, and there is absolutely no credibility to the claims you make of virgin's blood possessing any extraordinary enhancement abilities."
I'll try to get caught back up quickly! Thank you!
Sorry to have been away. Without going into too much detail, I had to move in a hurry. There was a lot of self-loathing involved, and I missed a few weeks, then felt like too much of a terrible person to come back. I've been doing better, and I'd love to join in again if you'll have me.
Tess winces at Father Pollux's casual words. "Ah, yes, that... crazy witch! Heh... Would hate to run into her again." She chokes on some spit while speaking, and coughs awkwardly.
Tess follows, shy once more.
The girl quickly breaks eye contact from the preacher, feeling her dissimilar cheeks warming slightly. The fox alight on her shoulder senses her discomfort and pushes a wet nose against her face curiously, but she merely straightens her glasses and strokes the red, bushy tail that drapes over one arm. Having collected herself, Tess looks on intently as Pollux draws the sword, and nods in satisfaction as nothing else seems to happen. At Jokum's query, she shyly explains the origin of the sword, pointing out several symbols on the scabbard in Pollux's off-hand. "They've displayed it in the church for years, but I've never seen it up-close-- This is Radiance, the sword of the great paladin Yaniel!" Tess relates the story of Yaniel and her crusades, including her reconciliation with the church and her untimely demise. "It's been nearly two years, and Radiance has been dim ever since Yaniel's death. I don't know what powers it once had-- I mean, I know quite a bit, but this is complex magic..." Her mood had turned somber as she recalled the devastating loss to the crusade and her own failure to understand the sword. "I'll keep trying, but in the meantime, it's still a beautiful blade. I guess now we know who stole it from the Gray Garrison-- these men and women must be the so-called Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth... Or their grunts, anyway." She stands fairly quietly as the men and mongrels trade scathing remarks, never having been the quickest with wordplay, but dissolves into snorts of muffled laughter at the mongrelman's latest exclamation.
The girl carefully turns the blade over in her hands as Sorua noses out of his pouch and onto her shoulder to investigate. She smiles at him, then murmurs and gestures at the sword, her own detect magic spell activating.
Tess approaches the stone table, intrigued by the dried stain. "Blood spilled on a stone.... do you suppose this was done as part of a sacrifice?"
Cool. So Karthak rises again (as soon as he updates his HP)!
I'm waiting for the DM's ruling on if current HP rises when max HP rises, so I know how many potions Karthak needs.
Also, if we're resting for 24 minutes I can get my level-up spells, but I'm fine without 'em for now if we want to press on. Also, when can I get my level 2 hex? It's not a spell, and it's not "per day" like rounds of bardic performance. The closest thing I can think of is like a spontaneous caster learning a new spell, which is an immediately-upon-level thing (unlike a spontaneous caster gaining new spells-per-day, which is upon resting). Basically, there's no actual rule for hexes that I know of, so it's up to you, Striker :D
There's precedent for Current HP going up when your Max HP goes up (Barbarian while raging) so if the DM's ok with it, Jokum, you don't have to have the second potion (yet. we'll let you take more damage ;D). Not that I have a problem with healing you, I just like to conserve resources. If that's upheld by DM, then Karthak might be back into positives and wake up. Concussions happen :p
Tess collects the empty vials from Jokum thoughtfully, glancing between Karthak and the ceiling. "Perhaps we could use rope and a simple mechanism to better use our force-- a pulley of some kind?" "Alternately, we have my scale of levitating clouds... But I'm unsure as to the extent of its abilities."
Tess blinks as light returns to the room, frustrated by the weaker magic of her cantrip. The bloody wound on Jokum leaps out at her eyes, and she scurries over with her head ducked, apologetic at her uselessness. "That was quite a brave show," she mumbles hesitantly to Jokum as she digs the vials out of her bag.
Striker's got a lot on his plate with the three games. Y'all give him space :p
If you're waiting on me, holler. I need to know if I had time to use a potion on myself (1 HP left, and Tess didn't like being on the ground :p)
That sucks C.E. :( I moved you, let me know if you'd like to be moved someplace else!
Tess continues toward the fray, her hands shaking in fear and... truth be told, excitement. Sorua yips fretfully from his sack.
Hey. Sorry to go dark, guys. Without going into too much detail, I've just been dealing with some crap. It's not going away anytime soon, but I would like to keep playing if you'll have me. <3
pink-scaled, pink-eyed lizard
Tess blinks at the efficiency of the slaughter, then frowns. "You were afraid of that?" she murmurs to the bag where Sorua is curled up. She feels him squirm in protestation of her disbelief, and she pokes at the tooth-filled head with the toe of her shoe. "Well, he was kinda bitey..."
Hey, no worries :)
Everything alright, Striker?
As Father Pollux strides forward, Tess attempts to swallow her fear. "Hush, little one, nothing's going to eat you...." Her murmurs are directed toward Sorua, but they seem to help slow her racing heart as well. She tucks away the kit in his special bag, and takes a deep breath, summoning her courage. You're not a child-- you've got to learn to act like you're not, at least!
"Wait! Don't open it! It's going to eat me!" The words burst from her mouth before she can contain herself. She blushes darkly at the unintended exclamation, but snatches up little Sorua in the blink of an eye. "Let's-- let's leave it. Whatever it is. Please? Can we... can we just leave this door shut?" Her voice is fragile, and she's close to tears-- still haunted by the overwhelming fear that had surged so powerfully from the tiny red fox she clutches tightly to her chest.
As the others prepare themselves, Tess moves far from the door with Sorua, keeping an eye on the party, but hoping to keep her frightened fox calm.
Tess hovers near the door uncertainly, then looks around and darts back near Pollux. She places a still-wary Sorua on the ground near her feet and wrings her hands nervously. "Oh, I hope it's someone friendly...
The girl freezes in her motions, glancing sharply at Sorua. The fox's hackles are raised, and he is silent, but his tail bristles in his wariness. Tess scoops up the bundle of red fur, making soft hushing noises to calm him. She turns to Jokum, eyes wide behind her spectacles. "Something wants to get in here, and Sorua doesn't like whatever it is..."
The girl's blood begins to cool as the fight ends abruptly. Sorua has ceased his whimpers, and now winds himself through Tess's legs as she awkwardly hooks the crossbow on her backpack. She giggles and picks him up, cradling him close. She notices Jokum start toward the door, and she tags along quietly. "Is there something the matter, Sir Breakbones?" The girl places Sorua near the door and begins to inspect on her own as well.
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