Alexian hugs Nicephora back and says, "Good luck, love, take good care of yourself. We'll have to catch up once we return." Looking on at Garion, Samant, and Zeldin; Alexian gives them a warm smile. He then turns to Daryan and gives him a friendly nod while he clasps his hand. "Good to have you on, Daryan. I find it's always good to have a nice variety of people. Diversity and all that. Hopefully we won't have need of your healing skills...but I very much doubt that..."
Samant looks on at these people he's bonded with over these last monthes, with a smile.
Looking at Marcos I believe we are ready for what you have in store for us
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“Excellent,” Marcos says, looking between the two groups, “there’s just one more thing before we give you your assignments—”
“Can I tell them?” Master Shaine interrupts gleefully, at which the large man nods to him with a smile.
The elf moves around to the side of the table, to grasp at the edge of the white sheet covering it, and smiles to the group of initiates, particularly Daryan, “To help you in your confirmations, we have agreed that you should each be allowed to take a Wayfinder on loan until you are full Pathfinders.” With that, he pulls the sheet to reveal a table full of an assortment of the magical compasses that act as symbols of the Pathfinder Society, each with it’s own distinctive design, “Go ahead… you can take the one which appeals to you the most!”
Before anyone has chance to move forward to take a closer look at the table, Master Zey speaks up in a bored tone, “Of course, Sabine, you already have a Wayfinder, so you won’t be needing one. Personally I feel that you are mature enough to handle the idea of the others receiving something when you do not… these two however,” he nods towards the other deans, “insisted that you get something, so I have had a look around my old things and found this for you,” he fishes around for a moment on a pouch hanging at his side to retrieve a small stone which he tosses indifferently to the sorceress, before reminding her, “I expect to get that back should you fail.” The stone itself is of a dusty rose colour with ten elongated faces making up its prism shape, the surface is completely smooth except for a large crack running along two of the faces.
When the others approach the table, they can see around two dozen Wayfinders waiting for them, each unique in some way and bearing some evidence that they have been used before. While many of them are simple variations of the standard silver and gold, these are the ones which stand out the most:
A Wayfinder crafted of a crystalline material, an almost completely transparent light-blue tinged casing houses a latticework of silvery wires. The casing is simple, with hard edges cut cleanly into the crystal. Inside, the compass needle rotates over the most thickly tangled concentration of the wiring within the Wayfinder, several strands of which extend up to the lid where a slot for an ioun stone can be found.
Zeldin instantly likes this one, and takes it into his hand, and then looks apologetically to the group... If there are no others that would claim this, could I use it? he asks.
NIK leans forward with that look in her eyes, that lil princess just got offered a pony look! giggle
"they are all sooooo nice!"
NIK reaches out to the rosy flowery one, almost tempted to ... swipe it! ... almost but ... resisting!
A Wayfinder crafted from wood, its surface is almost entirely covered in carvings of leafy vines, except for a small circular area on the covering panel which is inlayed with a piece of bright amber. Inside, the compass pointer rotates on a polished sheet of lacquer with a small slot for an ioun stone on the inside of the lid.
Samant is instantly drawn to this one, and if no one else lays claim he takes it. If someone else wants it he will choose from another.
Garion sees Nik reach out to the flower-etched wayfinder, but then pull back her hand. He takes the wayfinder from the table and, with a slight bow, hands it to her. "This one seems made for you, Nik, try it and see." He then picks up the silver wayfinder with the map of the Inner Sea.
"ThanX soooo much Garion!"
NIK gives a lil dancer's bow 2 her Priest friend
To MARCOS: "How do they work? is there a special place we have to put them on us?"
NIK is totally under a spell watching this great gift ... loan ... well gift-loan!
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The bald ex-soldier grins at Nik's excitement at receiving the Wayfinder, "As far as I know, lass," he answers, "unless you've got an ioun stone in 'em, they'll work best when your holding them, so you can see where the needle is pointing. Of course, when you activate the illumination effect, that will keep up wherever you put the thing."
Alexian moves towards the back of the room, allowing others to choose first, allowing fate to decide his...
NIK listens, all amazed but trying to really undertand all of it (magic is sooo cool!):
"illumination? you mean I can make this light up? how does that work? and what are Ioun stones? what do THEY do?"
Sabine looks over at the table filled with Wayfinders and grins as she sees Nik's eyes go wide. The grin turns into a huge smile as Master Zey tosses a small crystal at her.
Dexterity Check:
She deftly plucks the smalls tone from the air and with a flick of her wrist sets it spinning lazily around her head. She seems lost in herself as she watches the rosy gem orbit her head, the huge smile never leaving her face. She is so happy she even forgets to thank Master Zey for his gift.
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It is at this point that the elven Loremaster overhears Nik's line of questioning, and moves over with the sparkle in his eye that often precedes one of his extremely insightful, though equally rambling, explanations, "Oh yes," he begins, "these Wayfinders, the staple design that is most commonly adopted by most crafters—one of whom, my old friend Archibold Melgrave from Oppara, tells me that the current practice is quite different from the original methods derived from the Azlanti designs, though the overall effect is really quite similar—but back to my point, these models all emit a light upon a simple command... the exact word that activates them varies, but in almost all cases the Wayfinder, once bonded to an individual—a most interesting process that few understand fully, it doesn't take long, but once it does occur the bond is maintained for as long as that Pathfinder lives, most astonishing—but once so bound, the Wayfinder invariably makes the command known to its bearer in some way... my own communicated it's activation word to me by pointing away from it's usual northerly direction towards a particular star, whose name activated the light. It took me quite some time to realise that the star was being indicated of course, but I persevered."
Marcos innterupts the lecture with a brief statement, "Mine had the command word scratched into the casing."
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The stone whizzes energetically around Sabine's head, and while it is usually the emotions of the bearer that influences the motion of the stone, the stone's motion seems to be energising Sabine's mind, urging her into action.
Before Kreighton can continue with his rambling answer to Nik's question, Marcos cuts in with a much briefer explanation, "That is what an ioun stone is," he points to the stone circling Sabine's head.
Thanks, that was an awesome pick for Sabine. :D
NIK tries to understand all she has been told, trying hard not to giggle at Marcos's last words:
"sooooo .... basically ... the more I'm with the wayfinder, the more it will be like part of me? And one day I'll just KNOW how to make it magically light up?"
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"Yes, yes," the elf says, pleased by Nik's understanding, but a slight disappointment visible in his eyes that his explanation of ioun stones had been cut short by Marcos' comments, "that is quite right. What's more, the bond will remain in place even if you are separated from the Wayfinder, albeit considerably weaker than when you have it on your person."
NIK looks at her new rosy wayfinder:
"Desna's fortunes, I guess u and me are gonna be new best friends then!" NIK turns to her teachers: "So now the groups are formed, when do get to know about what each group has to do?"
Daryan returns Alexian's firm handshake, saying, "Hopefully not, friend, but I'll be prepared regardless."
A triangular Wayfinder of white gold and mithril, with Aroden’s eye engraved boldly upon the covering panel, and the words to countless prophecies scrawled in tiny script around the edge. Inside, the compass pointer rotates smoothly through a bath of quicksilver, enclosed beneath a thick glass panel. A small slot for an ioun stone is housed in the mithril lid.
Daryan's eyes widen, seeing the wayfinders presented to the party. After studying the various models on the table, he reaches for the one with Aroden's symbol engraved on it. With a large amount of careful reverence for the intricate device, he ties it to a loop around his belt as he has seen the other Pathfinders do. He bows with a broad smile on his face towards Master Shaine, "Thank you. I hope that I will not have to return this loan."
He reaches into his belt pouch and pulls out his own Ioun stone. Dull gray, the sphere has no power other than to remind Daryan of home. He inserts it carefully into the wayfinder's slot, allowing it to roam inside the compass's internal matrix. Daryan reflects on the symbolism of the moment, his past now meeting his future.
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As Daryan slots the grey sphere into slot inside the lid of his new Wayfinder, the stone flashes briefly with a blue light before dying back down to the dull surface he is accustomed to. Just as the light fades, the needle begins to spin wildly for a few seconds before settling on the wall just to the left of the door.
Daryan blinks at the somewhat unexpected reaction from the wayfinder. He takes a few steps back and forth, sideways from where the needle points, to estimate the distance to what the needle is now oriented towards. He looks up at Master Shaine, "This would be one of the reactions that you mentioned in your lectures? When time is less pressing," he indicates at the other gathered people in the hall, "I think I have a few more questions for you."
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After taking a few moments to move around the room a little, Daryan realises that whatever the needle is pointing towards seems to be just the other side of the wall.
"Oh yes," the disheveled elf replies, looking curiously at the needle as it moves, "most fascinating, it seems to have found something."
Daryan closes the wayfinder for now. "I'll investigate once we have finished with this meeting," he says, knowing that this new development could easily derail Master Shaine from whatever is supposed to be happening, and this meeting seems important.
Shuriken goes for the only wayfinder that went close to matching with her kimono, the mirrored onyx one with the green symbols. she sticks it inside her left sleeve where matching won't matter. inside a pocket all it's own. she had decided to wear her black kimono today (with the requisite acessroies) as she didn't like the plain grey uniforms. she got tired of them. she had arranged special permission the week before.
A Wayfinder with a clean white seashell lid, the base and edges are inlayed with pearls and the inside houses a deep green base upon which spins the compass needle. A slot for an ioun stone is cushioned in the lid by what appears to be well preserved, and still slightly moist seaweed.
Alexian reaches out instinctively for the wayfinder, examining the fine details of the strange device. "Looks like we're friends", whispers Alexian to the wayfinder.
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A Wayfinder crafted in silver, golden filigree laying over the covering panel and trailing down the sides of the Wayfinder to encircle its smooth base. The compass pointer inside rotates upon a bed of intricately etched gold, depicting a simple map of the Inner Sea region. The ioun stone slot in the silver lid is surrounded by simple golden border.Alexian reaches out instinctively for the wayfinder, examining the fine details of the strange device. "Looks like we're friends", whispers Alexian to the wayfinder.
"i guess i can commission a more appealing wayfinder later, as you can see, today i decided to wear my kimono. i know it may be a violation, but i am tired of suppressing my identity beneath that grey uniform. i'd rather express my individuality than wear that grey uniform which everyone wears. i'd rather be unique than just another brick in the wall. a team is made up of multiple individuals, not a queen bee and her hive." Shuriken was wearing her kimono today, even if it was a violation. she seemed proud to make that speech. she bows afterwards as well.
Shuriken was not only an anal retentive neat freak, but she beleived heavily in individuality too. a concept she developed after failing to remember the millions of gods of minkai as she witnessed the beginning of the winter snow with her older sister. the pathfinders and some reliving of past moments in dreams has reminded her of this and encouraged her to beleive in individualiity. each snowflake she saw during the winter looked like no other. reliving these dreams taught her the reason behind the millions of redundant minkan gods or individuality in other words. she was most likely thinking within her own mind, Thank you Kodachi, thank you for the insight you have given me. her sister, through means of dreams has given her plenty of insight. she had also seen her insight easily clarified by daryan. as she has accepted Irori as her patron god as well.
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Aram Zey scowls at the girl when she makes her speech, "Enough!" he speaks harshly, his voice quiet but firm, "I was willing to ignore Farabellus's laxity of discipline in allowing you to present yourself here out of uniform, but you go to far you little brat!"
Stepping forward and looming over the child, his eyes narrow, "instead of showing the gratitude befitting this occasion, you do no more than find fault in the gift and spout some drivel about wanting to be a unique little butterfly... if you were not about to commence your confirmation I would have you assigned to scrubbing out the latrines for the next month!"
Frowning at the Keleshite wizard's words, Garion steps forward, removing his gray uniform to show that he also is wearing his festival clothes beneath. "I only wish I had been as brave as Shuriken to wear my own clothes openly rather than beneath this dull rag," looking Master Zey in the eyes.
Aram Zey scowls at the girl when she makes her speech, "Enough!" he speaks harshly, his voice quiet but firm, "I was willing to ignore Farabellus's laxity of discipline in allowing you to present yourself here out of uniform, but you go to far you little brat!"
Stepping forward and looming over the child, his eyes narrow, "instead of showing the gratitude befitting this occasion, you do no more than find fault in the gift and spout some drivel about wanting to be a unique little butterfly... if you were not about to commence your confirmation I would have you assigned to scrubbing out the latrines for the next month!"
"i am sorry if i offended you. i guess i do owe some gratitude, a gift is a gift after all. so i would like to thank everyone here. for the wayfinders to be loaned, and for permission to wear something other than the uniform i had to wear for almost a year. please don't lash me again. i am really sorry." Shuriken bows. kind of shaken from Aram's yelling.
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"What do you think you are doing?" The arcanist spurts in disbelief at Garion, "you are an initiate of the Pathfinder Society, and if you wish to continue on your path to becoming a full member of the Society, you will conduct yourself with the discipline required of you!"
"You may see those dull rags as a meaningless symbol, but they carry with them an important lesson. Being a Pathfinder can be a dangerous occupation, and on occasion you may be required to do something that you find unpleasant in order to survive, be that something as simple as wearing plain clothing, or as disgusting as crawling through the decaying corpses that block your only means of escape from a ghoul's larder."
Turning back to the girl, he softens his expression slightly, "That is better, and if there are no other displays to be made, perhaps we can get on to the main reason you are here?"
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Apparently satisfied, Master Zey steps towards group consisting of Alexian, Daryan, Shuriken and Sabine. “I trust you have heard of Virlych,” he begins, addressing Sabine in particular, “there is a particular castle that once housed the Mordhiem family, who where ousted centuries ago during Tar-Baphon’s reign over Ustalav. We have sent several Pathfinders to explore the castle in the past, hoping to uncover the purpose the place was put to after the Mordhiems had left, but the entire castle is magically sealed. Our investigations into the Mordhiem family history revealed that the only reason they survived the assault on their castle, was a secret escape tunnel that remained undiscovered by the castle’s new occupants… obviously, we approached the heir to the Mordhiem line, one Baron Gustav Mordiem, to learn more of this hidden tunnel. Unfortunately, he is a paranoid fool who trusts no-one with his family secrets, no matter how useless to himself. But one bright ray of hope has just breached the dark clouds surrounding our efforts in this area, word has recently arrived from my associates in Ustalav that Baron Mordhiem is in ill health. I want you to travel to his estate in the county of Ulcazar, and make contact with his heirs… with luck they will prove more reasonable than their father. Find out as much as you can about their ancestral home, along with the location of that tunnel... I want to know whether it can be used to bypass the wards that seal the castle, but you needn't explore too deeply if the place seems overly dangerous.”
While Zey addresses one group, Kreighton and Marcos approach the remaining initiates, “Your confirmation is a matter of some delicacy,” Marcos begins, “not long before you began your training, we lost a member, the Lady Anita Landross, a wizard of no small talent. She had, almost a year ago, resigned from the Society, turning over her Wayfinder and retreating into the keep she had been leasing in the Foreign Quarter. After that, she was not seen again, and when her lease expired the keep reverted to the control of the Grand Council. The district council was then responsible for reclaiming the place, but any officials they did send in, did not return… for the public safety, the keep was designated as strictly off limits. What we want you to do, is gain entrance to the keep, find out what happened to Lady Anita, and find the details of her last expedition… rumour has it that she uncovered a highly important find before disappearing, you are to finish her work.”
Apparently satisfied, Master Zey steps towards group consisting of Alexian, Daryan, Shuriken and Sabine. “I trust you have heard of Virlych,” he begins, addressing Sabine in particular, “there is a particular castle that once housed the Mordhiem family, who where ousted centuries ago during Tar-Baphon’s reign over Ustalav. We have sent several Pathfinders to explore the castle in the past, hoping to uncover the purpose the place was put to after the Mordhiems had left, but the entire castle is magically sealed. Our investigations into the Mordhiem family history revealed that the only reason they survived the assault on their castle, was a secret escape tunnel that remained undiscovered by the castle’s new occupants… obviously, we approached the heir to the Mordhiem line, one Baron Gustav Mordiem, to learn more of this hidden tunnel. Unfortunately, he is a paranoid fool who trusts no-one with his family secrets, no matter how useless to himself. But one bright ray of hope has just breached the dark clouds surrounding our efforts in this area, word has recently arrived from my associates in Ustalav that Baron Mordhiem is in ill health. I want you to travel to his estate in the county of Ulcazar, and make contact with his heirs… with luck they will prove more reasonable than their father. Find out as much as you can about their ancestral home, along with the location of that tunnel... I want to know whether it can be used to bypass the wards that seal the castle, but you needn't explore too deeply if the place seems overly dangerous.”
While Zey addresses one group, Kreighton and Marcos approach the remaining initiates, “Your confirmation is a matter of some delicacy,” Marcos begins, “not long before you began your training, we lost a member, the Lady Anita Landross, a wizard of no small talent. She had, almost a year ago, resigned from the Society, turning over her Wayfinder and retreating into the keep she had been leasing in the Foreign Quarter. After that, she was not seen again, and...
Alexian nods thoughtfully as Master Zey speaks. Upon finishing he says, "We'll get it done, Master Zey." With that Alexian turns to Daryan, Sabine, and Shuriken. "Lets find out all we can about the heirs and Ulcazar before we head out. I have a feeling this could be more difficult then it sounds."
" when we do this mission, i would reccomend stocking up on supplies as well. i know i plan to do so. while you are gathering information, i will go shopping." shuriken heads off to pick up the rest of her possessions. and then heads off to shop at the nearest market or trading post to the grand lodge. preferably one that also has the least danger at the same time.
NIK is super happy to FINALLY get back to the real world!
Turning to Garion, Zeldin and Samant:
"Saving a lady in distress sounds more like something Alexian wuld do, but, by Desna, if this is our task, I'm up 4 it! I wanna try and hit the streets 2 see if I can't learn anything from people that live in the Foreign Quarter close to her! And unless she was a TOTAL loner freak she musta known or did business with SOMEONE! we gotta find out who so we learn more about her and what she was up to! Maybe she had a secret lover she told everything to when they were ... intimate ..." giggle
NIK gets slowly close to Marcos then whispers in his ears:
"Handsome Master Marcos, why did she leave the Pathfinders in the first place? I dont wanna like snoop about her private life but she musta gave SOME reason no?"
NIK tries her best to pour on the charm just in case Marcos needs ... convincing :-)
Lady Anita Landross... Samant begins to think about all of his training, and what he may have learned about her.