Bri sees Skidd catching up to them and rolls her eyes but for once keeps her mouth shut (I know you are surprised) Bri turns to Creed. "I don't think that your sword will be needed but you are more than welcome to bring it along after all I can't see what it would hurt. As far as what this meeting is about I am not entirely sure. I was "working" earlier and an Elf saw me and mentioned that there might be a use for my "talent" and that I should come to the Dancing Dice tonight. And I being a curious creature decided that it couldn't hurt to go and see what it is all about. If this changes any of your minds about coming then please tell me know." Bri to Skidd " Did you find the little flea bag yet so that we can go?"
Skidd looks very offended. I won't hvae you insulting my cat like that. Go ahead, and make your little 'jokes', thief, but I'm not going to tolerate much more of this."
Skidd looks very offended. I won't hvae you insulting my cat like that. Go ahead, and make your little 'jokes', thief, but I'm not going to tolerate much more of this."
The smile previously adorning Creed's face evaporates. "And what will happen, Skiddifig," asks Creed, "when your tolerance runs out, eh? And, before you answer, remember that Bri is my traveling companion and friend. Whereas, I have met you just today."
Skidd sighs. "When my tolerance runs out, what is likely to happen is this: my temper wearing thin, I will make some remark that is cutting at something not to be laughed at, then you folk will be angered and burn me at the stake for not being polite to the beings who are obviously better than me. In other words, I will be the victim of the Company of the Spiteful Fools, who think of themselves as deities and will kill anyone who disagrees with such.". Skidd seems to be growing angry now.
Creed stops, "Hold a moment. Wait for me; I won't be long." Creed retrieves his weapons from his room and then rejoins the others.
As the door opens and Creed walks in, Scardd rises alarmed at first. Even in the dark room though, the Half-Orc can easily make out the big man as he grabs his weapon. "Iizz there trouble? Would zu need my help?" Scardd says as he sits up, yawns, and rubs a knuckle in his eye.
Skidd sighs. "When my tolerance runs out, what is likely to happen is this: my temper wearing thin, I will make some remark that is cutting at something not to be laughed at, then you folk will be angered and burn me at the stake for not being polite to the beings who are obviously better than me. In other words, I will be the victim of the Company of the Spiteful Fools, who think of themselves as deities and will kill anyone who disagrees with such.". Skidd seems to be growing angry now.
"...even though...", he says, looking very angry now and showing no trace of his usual humor, "...they say they worship some quack deity of killing."
Bri listens to Skidd go off on his little rant and when he is done she speaks to him "There is no sense in getting all worked up, after spending a day with me I would have thought that you would come to realize that I have a frisky side and that I mean you no harm but rather like to get your goat and as I remember you dish it out as well so let it be and as for the burning you at the stake deal I wouldn't do that as I much prefer water torture!" Bri gives Skidd an actual smile "Well if that settles that lets wait for Creed to come back and then we can see what other fun we can get into"
Skidd grumbles about 'annoying upstarts' and sighs.
DM + Creed Spoiler
"Creed, you just beat up the biggest man in the inn. What's with letting the little guy get under your skin? You're bigger than than.
He's just a yapping dog. Just ignore him. I do.
So he had a go at Kord. Religion is one of those things that matters to you but not to him. I can respect your God and there will come a time when he does the same.
And know this if he keeps it up, he will get his comeuppance. I don't work with fools."
Bri waits for Creed and Tuon to come back and there is an awkward silence among them. "Skidd I am sure you don't want to hear anything that comes out of my mouth but I think that you should tell Creed that you didn't mean to disrespect him but that you were upset with me. Because lets face the facts here, he could kill you with one swing of his big hand. And I am pretty sure that you want to keep traveling with us and truth be told I would like you to keep traveling with us as I have fun with you."
Skidd sees that he's gone too far. He stammers. "I-I'm sorry. I understand that my beliefs (or, my lack of such)are not to be mocked. If someone mocked The Uncaring One...well, I'm not that devoted, so I might be able to hold my temper...but my point remains. I didn't mean to say what I said, and I pray I won't find myself on that stake sooner than I expected."
Skidd looks uncomfortable, he hates making apologies, but he knows that this one is due.
Skidd sees that he's gone too far. He stammers. "I-I'm sorry. I understand that my beliefs (or, my lack of such)are not to be mocked. If someone mocked The Uncaring One...well, I'm not that devoted, so I might be able to hold my temper...but my point remains. I didn't mean to say what I said, and I pray I won't find myself on that stake sooner than I expected."
Skidd looks uncomfortable, he hates making apologies, but he knows that this one is due.
Creed, after having time to cool off, listens to Skidd's apology. He cracks a smile once again.
"You'd be on that stake no sooner than me, eh? Haw!"
"As I've said before, I am no church priest, and I have few friends among those who are. I did not choose to follow Kord, nor to be a bastard, nor to wear these marks on my body. Those things chose me--Kord chief among them. I follow Kord because that's what I am, not because that's what I've been taught in some temple. I am Kord's temple," Creed says. "And with the strength and ferocity you've shown just now, so are you, yeah?!"
"Come here you!" Creed says, his humor returned, "Give brother Creed a hug, eh?! HAW!!" With that Creed gives Skidd a bear hug, careful not to impale the mage on his spiked gauntlets.
DM + Creed Spoiler
** spoiler omitted **
Earlier reply to Tuon:
Creed looks abashed. "You are right!" He says to the scarred warrior. "I am bigger than that."
Then with a laugh he adds, "But, I have to disagree--I am definitely bigger than Kern!"
"HAW!"
Skidd groans and wonders how long til he suffocates.
"Um... "he gasps. "Little air here? I guess this is what I get for angering someone who worships Kord." He continues in an exagerated tone of voice, "I repent, O great Creed, just let me breath!"
"Um... "he gasps. "Little air here?"
"HAW!!!" He releases Skidd with a smile and a pat on the back. "Now! Let's get on with our life of danger, yeah?! Lead the way Bri!"
"Well I see that we are all back to being lovey dovey so lets get out of here before somebody sees us and thinks the wrong things about the two of you!" Bri turns and walks out the door towards the Dancing Dice.
Regdar raises an eyebrow when Bri asks him about the Dancing Dice. "Well it is on the border of Demons Gate and Blackwall west of here. It is pretty easy to find, just start heading west and you will know when you hit it. Just watch yourself, the streets are not patrolled much after dark and the Watch never goes into Blackwall."
The street outside the Giants Skull is far different at night, the small merchant carts are gone along with most of the crowd. The light of the full moon cuts through gaps in the building lighting parts of the streets but add a more sinister feel by creating more deep shadows then lighting up the night. As you walk west the only people you see are the occasional drunk laying in the street and small load groups moving from one tavern to another. As the streets narrow and the buildings grow soon the moonlight is gone and down the street you notice a flicker of purple light.
"Well I see that we are all back to being lovey dovey so lets get out of here before somebody sees us and thinks the wrong things about the two of you!" Bri turns and walks out the door towards the Dancing Dice.
"Aww! I think someone needs a hug!" Creed approaches Bri, arms out wide. "HAW!!"
"Ztrange light ahead. Ztrange color."
Unconsciously freeing his sword in his scabbard, Tuon murmurs to Scarrd, "What strange colour?"
He then peers into the shadows carefully.
"Ztrange light ahead. Ztrange color."
Unconsciously freeing his sword in his scabbard, Tuon murmurs to Scarrd, "What strange colour?"
He then peers into the shadows carefully.
Creed follows suit, shouldering his greatsword like a baseball bat. "Perhaps we ought to keep moving, yeah?"
Tuon nods and starts forwards.
His breathing becomes a little shallower and his head is fixed on the purple light.
Bri notices the strange purple light and speeds up her walking pace a bit. "I don't know what you guys think but anything that glows purple can not be good so lets hope it is not in our way. Purple never was my favorite color. Is everybody doing ok?" Bri says as she moves closer to Creed and his sword and notices that Tuon seems to be fixated on the light and is breathing funny.
"Tuon?", Skidd looks concerned, "What's going on?"
"Just.....getting ready."
DM spoiler
If yes, then Tuon is about to focus after a minute of meditation.
Gaining Psionic Focus
Merely holding a reservoir of psionic power points in mind gives psionic characters a special energy. Psionic characters can put that energy to work without actually paying a power point cost—they can become psionically focused as a special use of the Concentration skill.
If you have 1 or more power points available, you can meditate to attempt to become psionically focused. The DC to become psionically focused is 20. Meditating is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. When you are psionically focused, you can expend your focus on any single Concentration check you make thereafter. When you expend your focus in this manner, your Concentration check is treated as if you rolled a 15. It’s like taking 10, except that the number you add to your Concentration modifier is 15. You can also expend your focus to gain the benefit of a psionic feat—many psionic feats are activated in this way.
Once you are psionically focused, you remain focused until you expend your focus, become unconscious, or go to sleep (or enter a meditative trance, in the case of elans), or until your power point reserve drops to 0.
His teeth gritted, Tuon's left hand is reflectively clenching and unclenching as if he still carried a large shield.
"Just.....getting ready."
Creed's eyebrows arch upward. "Ready? For what?" He lifts his greatsword into a more ready position.
“Let’zzzzz check it out,” Scardd says and moves forward. As he approaches, an unkown surge of energy flows through his body. He starts to feel a vibration in his head, as if the ground is shaking but only the ground directly under him. Confused and alarmed, the Half-Orc is about to scream, but then holds it as the energy is expelled through his pupils and projected toward the glowing light.
The purple light grows as you get nearer but the light source is around a corner. You can tell it is larger than a campfire.
Scardd
Listen check DC 15
Tuon stands still waiting for something to happen.
"I zenze zometheeeng up ahead. I do not underztand iitt."
"Yes, I hear something, too. What could it be?"
Bri stops dead still "Did any of you hear that? It sounds like something is being ate or something and I hear growling. Wait it stopped I don't hear anything other than a whining sound or is it a popping sound I am not sure. You mean to tell me none of you can hear that? I think that we should proceed with caution and be ready for anything." Bri says as she pulls out her sword.
"I hear it!" Skidd quietly protests. "But I agree with you, we must be careful. It might be a wolf or dog."
He draws his spear.