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"It sounds as though I've found the right room," she says as she taps her way inside, "Allow me to introduce myself: my name is Fibula Bone, Oracle of Pharasma, and agent of Taldor. Please don't be fooled by my disability, while the goddess has chosen to take away my sight she has thought to heighten my other senses as well as to guide me in my daily life . . ."
Fibula bangs her shin against a wooden stool. The Oracle winces.
"She also likes to keep me humble," she says as she bends down to rub her shin. A shapely naked leg pokes out from the oracle's robes as she rubs the pain away, spidery white script is tattooed across her leg as well as her forearms, the writing is nearly impossible to read against the lady's pale skin, but those with keen eyes and those familiar with religious writing may be able to make out the excerpts from "Bones in a Spiral", Pharasma's holy book.
"Perhaps one of the gentlemen would be so kind to escort me to a chair?"
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Lady Fibula please allow me to show you to a chair and to introduce myself.
I am Viscount Ottavio Emilior of Cassomir although more recently of Absalom, at your service at least for this simple task of guiding you to a chair. Of course you should call me Ottavio. Titles can be quite a burden sometimes.
You know, I am aquainted with all of the gods from my studies, but I have not had a lot of exposure to Pharasma. In fact I beleive I just felt a shiver down my spine. Is it cold in here? Talk of Pharasma somehow seems to make me feel my own mortality.
Pardon me Lady Fibula, but I must return to my current business here with Cordelia Perseis. I am in the midst of important personal matters, but if I can be of any further service, then please don't hesitate to ask.
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By the gods I hate pyromaniac wizards.
Sleight of Hand DC 24
Any requests?
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Lady Gabrielle takes a moment to applaud Cordelia's show. "That was lovely," she says. "I see you take your profession very seriously, which is commendable. I wonder, though..." she sips her tea for a brief moment while she considers something.
He moves to the chair indicated by the lady and sits down.
"It's a shame that I haven't seen Gerard in a while. Some of the Pathfinders I have worked with have been quite insufferable, and working with Gerard was a welcome respite. What has happened to him?"
She sets the teacup down as Lord Higgenstrom arrives at the table. "My brother has been hidden away on his own private island for the past year, ever since he acquired it. I'm not sure whether he's decided to leave the Society, or what he has in mind. He did mention perhaps taking up the path of a holy warrior for Shelyn, and I know he has at least considered pursuing marriage."
(OOC: Like all PFS PCs, our careers end too fast. I might re-make Gerard for newer Tier 1-5 content, though.)
The lady lifts her cup and saucer, enjoying the aroma as she continues, making sure to include the entire group in the conversation. "There is one lady I am certain he would be interested in courting, however. I wonder whether my brother, the gentleman and inspiring leader that he is, would make a good match for Lady Morilla."
"Regardless, based on your lovely description, Cordelia, I think it would very good for both parties to have him introduced to Julia Alcestis. How soon we can make the arrangements?"
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"You are too kind Ser Ottavio," Fibula says to the empty space directly to the left of the Viscount, "And I agree titles are so cumbersome, and it seems so many of our organization are saddled with them. However I've discovered that taking up an alias attracts less attention. For example should you take up an ordinary sounding name like "Red Herring" or "Dirk Dagger" most wouldn't even question your lineage and it's possible to blend into ordinary society completely unobserved."
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"Regardless, based on your lovely description, Cordelia, I think it would very good for both parties to have him introduced to Julia Alcestis. How soon we can make the arrangements?"
*Cordelia blushes slightly*
"My lady, I...those were matches for Visco--I will ask," Cordelia replies, a bit flustered but willing to flout protocol to help Gabrielle, "Though I will add that were your brother to meet with me personally, I could select a wider set of matches chosen for him, Julia Alcestis included--those aren't the only women on my list, just the ones that I believed to be the bast matches for Viscount Emilior."
"Let's see...I do have a nice young lady from House Morilla in here as well, though not the Lady Gloriana herself. In any case, I'm afraid that I cannot use my pre-arranged sending communication unless the person I am describing has already agreed to meet with the person receiving the sending. Then they sending me back with their choice of time and location or choose to pass on the date. When you have pre-established protocol, the 25 word limit is less of an issue. What I will do is send a letter to Julia Alcestis by carrier pigeon to ask if she would be interested in meeting with your brother. If affirmative, then you or I can go find him and ask if he is willing to meet her."
*As the mule settles in with the gnome, Cordelia crinkles her nose and quietly adds to Gabrielle.*
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The big Ulfen's attention is immediately pulled away from Lady Gabrielle and his discussion with the Matchmaker the moment Sarina starts her song.
With surprising grace for a man his size, Ursus stands from the table and turns to the performer clapping in tune with the song.
Soon he's joined in and his bass heartfelt bellows can be heard alongside the masterful dulcet melody.
Perform [Ulfen Song]: 18
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What I will do is send a letter to Julia Alcestis by carrier pigeon to ask if she would be interested in meeting with your brother. If affirmative, then you or I can go find him and ask if he is willing to meet her."
"Excellent. I will dispatch a message to my brother today, asking him to come to Absalom. It should not take him long to arrive. You have my gratitude for the services you provide, as my brother sorely needs it."
*As the mule settles in with the gnome, Cordelia crinkles her nose and quietly adds to Gabrielle.*
"I agree with you, completely. However, in this venue, I believe the proper response is to swiftly restore comfort and move on. Notice that I have yet to note that this place has become a Calistrian temple," she says, nudging her table's attention to the scantily-clad paladin, "and yet, we have not been disturbed."
"As for the scent... Lord Higgenstrom, perhaps you would like to do us the honor?" the lady asks of the magically-inclined gentleman. "After which, could you provide us your perspective on Lady Morilla? Do you think she is in a position to be courted?"
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"As for the scent... Lord Higgenstrom, perhaps you would like to do us the honor?" the lady asks of the magically-inclined gentleman. "After which, could you provide us your perspective on Lady Morilla? Do you think she is in a position to be courted?"
"It seems the gnome took care of it...I would have provided a prestidigitation myself, but I had best concentrate on my current spell in case it will be useful, for instance if anyone else wants a match and I need it again. I would hate to have to use my arcane bond so early in the day in case I am called by a Venture Captain for a mission again or some such. Honestly, last time they didn't need my help. Hmph, undead invaders who swore an ancient pact? They couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, and even then they were about as strong as a beggar recently out of his cups. I spent more time on that mission touching up my make-up than fighting."
*She turns to hear the beginnings of Sarina's flute performance.*
"Ah, but the music is quite pleasant at the least. Even the Ulfen is doing better at singing along than the actors and musicians in Oppara's last performance of Among The Living."
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"I detect a strong Ulfen influence in the room," Fibula says from her chair, "This pleases me greatly as it's been rumored that my family has Ulfen blood in it. It's likely the source of my blond locks. Mind you such rumors would be scandalous back in Taldor. The flute was lovely and the voice was nice as well. You should both be commended. Sadly on my business in the north didn't allow me to partake in any music or culture."
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Would you be so kind as to bring a strong ale for my fellow performer?
That's quite the baritone, sir. I thank you for lending your voice to the tune.
It has been some time since I have had the pleasure of hearing anyone sing that particular song. Growing up in the streets and taverns of Cassomir did have it's advantages, what with the comings and goings of people from countless shores. Plenty of songs to be had, and many a ... "misplaced" purse to tide one over.
Unfortunately, since finding myself in possession of title, my visits to local taverns have become fewer than I would like.
Perhaps another? The northern lands do have some wonderful songs, rich with history.
Perform (flute): 33
<ooc>Good lord, I wish my perform checks would end up this good in game ... I'm lucky if I hit a 20 on my perform checks at the game table.</ooc>
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The hulking Ulfen's eyes go wide as Sarina orders him a drink.
"You are a bold woman; I am usually the one calling for more ale", Ursus says with a grin.
"My people are born with song in our hearts but I admit I was inspired by your flute", the bare-chested Northman says with a nod at the instrument.
After his drink arrives Ursus takes a long draw, nearly draining the tankard empty, and then returns his attention to the musician. "Does my muse have a name?"
When Sarina indicates the wish to play another Ursus grins and nods.
As the performance goes on, the Ulfen makes more and more eye contact with his partner.
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Sarina vanHoek. Abraduchess of Taldor, raised to rank by service to the Empire. It is a pleasure to meet one who can hold a tune as you do, good sir.
And thank you for your kind words, though I doubt I could hold my own to any flutist in the Opparan opera houses. This flute has seen me through many years of struggle. It has kept food on my plate and roof over my head when fortune smiled, and allowed me to spot ... those who had more than they needed ... when fortune turned her head.
As to being a bold woman, 'fortune favors the bold' or so I have heard. Having just returned from a mission which saw one of our numbers fall at the hands of a wizard with a love of fire, I must say that fortune has indeed favored me recently. Or I was simply fated to return from the journey in order to have our fallen compatriot raised.
Meek or cowardly will get one nothing save an early appointment in the Lady of Graves' Boneyard. While I know I will make that journey at some point, and the Lady has set forth the path which I follow, there is much I would prefer to accomplish before that moment.
But I do go on. Please sit and tell me of the lands from which you hail. I know them only from song and some truly colorful tales spun by those of your fellow countrymen and countrywomen whom I have encountered where our fated paths met.
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Ursus takes the offered hand and brings Sarina to the table that he abandoned earlier when Gabrielle had gained his attention. With a fierce glance and a gesture the few admirers that were waiting there for the Ulfen's return are dismissed and soon the pair have the table to themselves.
"The frozen North is a cold and deadly place where only the strong survive and the mightiest thrive", the hulking Ulfen begins and punctuating the last part by flexing the huge muscles on one arm. "...but it's still a place of breathtaking beauty, not unlike yourself."
Ursus pauses to let the words sink in.
"That said, unless the tale is being told by a proper Skald, to hear about the Land of the Linnhorm Kings from one Ulfen is the to have heard it from any of us."
"What about you? How does one come from Cassomir to being a Lady, a Pathfinder, and servant the grand Taldan empire?", the big brawler asks as he props one arm up.
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Again, thank you for your kind words, though I know I hold not a candle to the other women of the Empire gathered here when it comes to beauty.
As to how I came to be where I am today, it is a long tale, one with many twists and turns, as surely must be expected along any path one follows through life. My story is not one I share with those who I do not know well, though suffice to say, the skills in acquisition and subtlety I learned while fending for myself on the streets of Cassomir served me greatly when I made my way to Oppara. Indeed it was these very skills that brought me into the Society and from there to the title I now possess.
Though a title is, when one comes down to it, little more than the words of a song. It may liven things up, take on a dramatic flair, be the source of joy or sorrow or simply emphasize the being to which it was applied. It does little in the wrong hands and much in the right ones, just as a song in the hands of an unskilled performer or those of a master.
But while one can move up from the streets where one grew up, they indeed remain a part of one's being. I do find myself from time to time missing the bustle of Cassomir and playing music in it's taverns and inns for the coin the patrons would part with, willingly or not, knowingly or not. I'm sure I will return there one of these days, though I know not when.
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"hello, that's moon madness."the mule nods,"I'm Cennapod, and you are?"
At that moment the waiter returns with a wine bottle and glass.
"will you join me?,another glass please ."
"Certainly sir the beer will be with you shortly ."
"I'm Yzarctihstab Garblenarf, the great and mighty sorcerer!"
Yzarctihstab begins to babble rather quickly, not letting Cennapod get a word in edgewise.
"Well, ok, maybe not as great and might as I'd like... my last Pathfinder mission went south. Actually, it might have been west... figuring out which way was which was part of the mission, and compasses don't exactly work on that demi-plane. And when you're being chased by demons and samurai zombies, the only direction you really care about is 'away'. I got away, though! The rest of the party... didn't."
He finally stops to catch his breathe and looks sullen while thinking about his last statement.
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"As for the scent... Lord Higgenstrom, perhaps you would like to do us the honor?" the lady asks of the magically-inclined gentleman. "After which, could you provide us your perspective on Lady Morilla? Do you think she is in a position to be courted?"
"Already on it." says Arthur as he waves his hands a little and replaces the smell with that of a freshly cut rose.
"As for Lady Morilla, she obviously is in a position to be courted. However, there's a reason no one's trying presently. I would hate to marry into House Morilla and deal with their family issues. The last thing I need is to be related by marriage to the head of the Guild of Wonders."Not complaining about her work, mind you. Much better than Baron Taco. I've felt a renewed sense of purpose ever since she took his place. But when it comes to marriage, the family is just as important as the woman. The blood of House Morilla appears to be fine, but the politics are not."
Arthur takes a sip from his drink, thinks for a moment, then says "Although, now that I think of it, I can't think of a single person who hated Gerard during the brief time I knew him. His personality might make him one of the only people who could get through the marriage with everyone liking him. I know I wouldn't be able to go to sleep at night knowing the family I was married to."
Arthur shudders and takes another sip from his drink.
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Arthur takes a sip from his drink, thinks for a moment, then says "Although, now that I think of it, I can't think of a single person who hated Gerard during the brief time I knew him. His personality might make him one of the only people who could get through the marriage with everyone liking him. I know I wouldn't be able to go to sleep at night knowing the family I was married to."
Arthur shudders and takes another sip from his drink.
Take-10 on Sense Motive yields a 28 - FAILURE!
"I thank you dearly for your faith in my brother's personality. I find myself wondering about Lady Morilla because he also felt a renewed sense of, to be put kindly, purpose. Though he has yet to admit it to anyone, my intuition could sense a hint of infatuation as we spoke about Lady Morilla's ascension."
"As for the family itself, I do wonder what sorts of issues the Guild of Wonders creates for House Morilla. I do not see Gerard thriving on the agendas of assassins, but I do not see him being eaten alive by them, either. He's an experienced Pathfinder; I'm sure he can manage."
She turns to Cordelia. "Cordelia, you had mentioned a lady of House Morilla on your list of potential matches. Do you have any insight on this topic? How would one go about courting a member of their family?"
Lady Gabrielle closes her fan, gesturing towards Lord Higgenstrom with it as she continues. "Speaking of, you shouldn't sell yourself short, Lord Higgenstrom. Would you really want to marry into a family which is entirely devoid of intrigue, entirely free of physical danger? After all the arcane powers you will have collected by then? In addition, as a member of the family, you would likely enjoy a sizeable Death Pact to act as a shield against any enemies you will have made."
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"I'm not worried about my fallen comrades. We went back for them after the mission."
"One of them, Damien, a very... intense... fellow from Cheliax, was actually still alive, just unconscious. I guess he has a hearty enough fortitude to stop himself bleeding naturally without a healer helping him. Either that or he really does have the close, personal connection to Asmodeus that he keeps bragging about."
"The half-orc and the gnome were already dead, though. We brought their bodies back to Absalom, and luckily, they had some friends who owed them favors, so we were able to get a Raise Dead cast on them."
"So it worked out ok. We even sorta finished the mission, which is odd, since I had to do the boring research parts and mapping the ruins by myself while the others were dead. But with the evil stuff all dead or run away, it wasn't really tough at that point."
"All I know is I need to train more at using curing wands, and remember to cast Shield and Expeditious Retreat on myself before a fight breaks out."
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Ursus regards Sarina curiously. It's not often that a woman bought him a drink and rarer still one that would pry at a matter he'd worked to avoid.
"I was brought from my homeland when I was still more boy than man with barely a hair on my chin. The emperor sends for my people from time to time to keep the numbers within his personal guard where he likes them. I came to these warm southern lands looking for honor and glory, and for a time I had them... or at least I thought I did."
"One day there was an accident and I left the Longaxes. Unable to bear the shame I went to a dark place, drowning myself in drink. I was saved by one of my people - one that happened to be a Pathfinder."
"He helped me come to terms with my loss and encouraged me to join the Pathfinders to find the glory that I had been looking for as a member of the Ulfen guard. A few days later I was contacted by Baron Jaquo. He helped me gain entrance into the Society."
Ursus stops his story for a moment.
"Did you ever meet Jaquo? Do any work for him? What do you know of his death?"
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Yes, I met the Baron. It was through succeeding at one of his more outrageous requests that I came to be where I am today. Indeed, it was because of that task that I attained my title several years ago.
He had requested I obtain the turban from the head of a certain Qadiran representative. The look upon his face when I dropped it upon his desk was priceless. I did not think a man's jaw could fall so far.
And yes, I am aware of his death and the circumstances surrounding it. Nasty business. I for one will miss the man, though his requests seemed less than practical in regards to Taldor regaining its lost glory. Without his ... whims ... I dare say I would not be where I am today.
But I do have hope that Lady Morilla will prove to be a more than capable replacement. Indeed I find her ascension to be a most fortuitous parallel to the inevitable rise of Princess Eutropia back home.
What are your feelings on the matter of the Princess and apparent heir to the Grand Prince?
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"You know the Baron taught me fencing," Fibula says wistfully, "I didn't need to see to understand that the man knew how to feint. You honestly couldn't tell what his goals were or who he was manipulating. Sometimes he was testing us sometimes collecting pieces to his schemes, and sometimes he was just throwing everyone off the scent. He loved that fop routine a bit too much though. It saddens me that people will remember him for his public persona. I imagine that Lady Morilla will be discovering his manipulations for years to come. She seems far more direct though, which I suspect is better for moral, you people with your sight: you like the big picture but I've always been content with vague outlines."
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Quite the contrary, my dear lady. The big picture obscures the truth with unneeded elements, distractions and misdirection. I prefer to see the dots within the picture and connect them. I find it tends to yield better results.
It is the small detail that yields the bigger result in my experience.
But you are quite correct about the Baron's ability with a blade. Hopefully you are correct about his foppishness being nothing more than a routine, but I fear it may have been more real than you suspect. For all his good work, I think the poor Baron did suffer somewhat from the malady that brought the Empire to heel so many years ago and has kept her from regaining what is rightfully hers in all those years since.
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"The dots I'm sure would be distracting," Fibula says to the space just to the right of Sarina, "That's the problem, while you're concentrating on the dots in one little corner you've missed the picture as a whole. This is difficult for me to explain because I'm no longer accustomed to sight analogies, in fact I can scarcely remember what it is like to see. But lets suppose that your ears were sharp enough to differentiate individual performers at the Opera. Now I suppose if you focused on the Prima Donna you would get as much as half the story and I suppose you could infer the rest, but suppose you focused on the lead horn, well I'm sure you'd gain a greater appreciation for the skill needed to preform in the great opera houses of the inner sea, but I dare say you'd miss the plot altogether.
"Baron Jaquo was quite devoted to his country and our cause, but I fear he was entangled in far too many plots. It was hard for him to move without disturbing the fine threads his enemies had spun. In the end it was family that was his undoing. Which I'm sure came as a shock, he must have been looking for enemies on all fronts, but I think he scarcely thought his own brother capable of such manipulations. That fiend played the Qadira faction leader like a harp. The Baron's best defense was his foppish disguise, but his own brother pulled back the veil, and with only the smallest glimpse of the Baron's machinations the Qadira faction leader danced right into the trap. Two faction leaders destroyed in one foul swoop. The only think I can't figure out is was the Qadira assassin an idiot or a fool? I mean supposing that she couldn't see through the ruse with her sister even a journeyman in her field should have seen the dots lining up too perfectly. But this gets back to what I was saying earlier about the big picture."
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"Aye, the Baron was 'distracted' at times but for a soft southern lord he was a good man. His downfall was his pride. He thought himself a master in the game he was playing but he was just another piece, like each of us. The game he was playing has too many moving parts; it's one he could never hope to win."
"My gut tells me that we're all just like the late Baron and I do not like being treated like a game piece", Ursus finishes by tossing back the remainder of tankard and motioning for a server to bring more.
Resuming his wide grin, the big Ulfen leans closely in and whispers in Sarina's ear.
"There is one game I'm told I am rather good at. It's played between the sheets and..."
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"This is quite likely," Fibula says nodding to something to the right of Ursus, "Only Pharasma knows and the lady isn't telling."
Fibulia throws back her robes revealing her near naked body underneath. Her body is absolutely covered in tattoos, text mostly, but there is the odd illustration, and all is in an unusual white ink that's nearly invisible against Fibula's pale white skin.
"My left arm speaks of prophecy," Fibula says holding up her arms up for all to see, "And the right speaks of her death, both are her domains and both are quite inescapable to the mortal man. And yet we seem to live our lives in fear of such certainty. I find it comforting. Every game has rules you see. When the rules are broken everyone looses. We may be pawns Ser Ursus but this is quite out of our control so why worry about it. Besides there are games within games. Best to enjoy what pleasures we can while we're playing before someone tips the board."
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Rules are made to be broken. After all, isn't that what has kept Taldor limp and steril? His clinging to the past and the rules? We need to embrace change. Take our enemies arrows, and impale them on them.
It took a lot of effort, and my mentor, to remove any marks I had on me. No one will again.
*Cordelia is called off by a servant. Eventually she returns.*
"In Shelyn's name, sometimes other Pathfinders can be so...insufferable. If you ever have the misfortune of approaching a ship called 'The Throaty Mermaid', do yourself a favor and do not board it. You will thank me later."
*She hears some of the talk about Baron Dalsine.*
"Baron Dalsine? The man himself was pleasant enough, but his little hobbies were egregious. I must say I hate it when Lady Morilla allows the Baron's old letters to be sent along on Pathfinder missions--I only agreed to start doing those side missions once she was firmly in charge and Dalsine was tragically no longer with us. He often sounds like he is writing love poetry to the art of poisoning in those letters, and his tone is extremely disturbing, as are the things he wanted accomplished. I nearly balked at both the requests Dalsine posthumously made of me on that last maddening mission."
(OOC: On the topic of House Morilla. Is there a source somewhere that I missed that details the assassin connections of the house? Cordelia's Nobility is good and her Local is astounding for her level, so she likely knows what you guys are talking about upthread when Gabrielle asked her about House Morilla, but I don't)
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*Tries to ignore everything going on. Orders another drink. Makes certain that both sawtooth sabers are easily drawn.*
Mumbles, "Son of two minstrels, and poor Sazzle couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. Apprenticed to a wizard, and couldn't even master a cantrip. Carrying 'Sazzle Verona' for a name. People wonder why I have anger issues. People showing off musical talent."
*Orders another drink.*
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(OOC: On the topic of House Morilla. Is there a source somewhere that I missed that details the assassin connections of the house? Cordelia's Nobility is good and her Local is astounding for her level, so she likely knows what you guys are talking about upthread when Gabrielle asked her about House Morilla, but I don't)
OOC: There are sprinklings of House Morilla's activities in the Guide to Absalom. I'm pretty sure Lord Higgenstrom and Lady Gabrielle covered most of what's in there to know.
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Sorry, Ursus, but while some may find a strapping man irresistible, I am not among that rank. Lithe of form and quick on his feet is more my preference.
I'm sure you will have little trouble finding one to challenge you in your favored sport.
As to the late Baron, his requests were quite often ... interesting. I am still uncertain how some of them did anything to further the Empire's goals. I am hoping Lady Morilla's requests do not end up following a similar vein as she settles into her position.
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OOC: There are sprinklings of House Morilla's activities in the Guide to Absalom. I'm pretty sure Lord Higgenstrom and Lady Gabrielle covered most of what's in there to know.
(OOC: Got it--that explains why I couldn't find it; I was checking the wrong sources, looking at Taldor rather than Absalom)
"As for House Morilla, I don't know any more of it than you do, but I must say that despite their reputation, I've never seen Lady Morilla ask for anything but reasonable requests to restore our former glory, whereas Baron Dalsine's posthumous missives are filled with...unfortunate paeans to his love affair with such things. And I quote 'Assassination is an art, not unlike painting. To create a true masterpiece it is essential for one to have access to the right pigments and the clearest oil.' This was before asking a fellow noblewoman to fish around in spider guts for more poison to feed his obsession. I am sorry to say that I had to deliver a message that I'm fairly sure put out an assassination on someone masterminded by Dalsine while also collecting yet more poison paraphenalia. I think next time that happens, I'm just going to have to refuse and tell Lady Morilla to stop sending me on Dalsine's old fool's errands."
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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*Tries to ignore everything going on. Orders another drink. Makes certain that both sawtooth sabers are easily drawn.*
Mumbles, "Son of two minstrels, and poor Sazzle couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. Apprenticed to a wizard, and couldn't even master a cantrip. Carrying 'Sazzle Verona' for a name. People wonder why I have anger issues. People showing off musical talent."
*Orders another drink.*
So change your name, change yourself. Enjoy life and the change.
Anger is good though.
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Ursus grins back, Another one playing hard to get...
"Have it your way lass", the big Ulfen says as he shifts back. "Come find me when you change your mind. You've only seen the brink of the music we can make together."
Suddenly taking much more interest in Fibula's bodyart, the spurned Northman turns his attention to her.
"And what do these parts say?", he asks while brushing his rough hand across her midsection.
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*Tries to ignore everything going on. Orders another drink. Makes certain that both sawtooth sabers are easily drawn.*
Mumbles, "Son of two minstrels, and poor Sazzle couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. Apprenticed to a wizard, and couldn't even master a cantrip. Carrying 'Sazzle Verona' for a name. People wonder why I have anger issues. People showing off musical talent."
*Orders another drink.*
So change your name, change yourself. Enjoy life and the change.
Anger is good though.
"Thanksh. You sheem nishe. Don' wanna fight. Goin' to bed. -hic- Lemme know if a quesht comesh up. I'll be shober evenemm... enenn... eventshu... shooner or later."
*Secures weapons in sheaths. Leaves coins on table. Stumbles off.*(OOC - His name is one reason he is a barbarian, although I think "berserker" is more accurate here. His upbringing is too civilized for a true barbarian, but the combination of his name and his multiple failures left him with anger issues. But his anger, channeled appropriately, makes him useful in a fight.)
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". . . I think next time that happens, I'm just going to have to refuse and tell Lady Morilla to stop sending me on Dalsine's old fool's errands."
"I have no idea why Morilla would want poison but I did hear that there was a recently annexed assassin guild near Eleder that . . ."
"And what do these parts say?", he asks.
As Ursus extends his hand Fibula's cane suddenly wraps sharply against his wrist.
"The Lady of Graves also is a goddess of rebirth," Fibula says as her nearly blank white eyes stare blindly off into space, "And the selected text there details and chronicles Pharasma's domain over us from the womb to the tomb. You are bold Ursus, you haven't even asked me which aspect of my goddess I most revel in. For all you know I may be a harbinger of death."
Intimidate:
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Fibula smiles.
"Prophecy actually," Fibula says relaxing, "Please sit and join me. I favor prophecy but the Goddess has blessed me with quite a lot of death magic for some reason. I admired your voice ser. I do enjoy a man who is bold and fearless but one must never be presumptive, that is one must never assume to know outcomes before your actions, because that is the realm of prophecy and I think the lady would take exception to you stepping on her toes. Tell me more about yourself so I might form an image in my mind about you."
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"Not every presumption is prophecy", Ursus counters. "There's also instinct."
The big Northman hesitates at Fibula's request. For the first time that night, Ursus looks unsure of himself.
"I'm an Ulfen warrior!", he says with a laugh.
Realizing the blind woman may have no image in her mind of what a warrior from the frozen north looks like, he ponders where to begin.
"I'm tall, taller than most in this room by a head. If you were to stand alongside me, you would almost reach my collar. My features are not soft but are square and lean."
"My hair is grown long and the tip of my beard touches the top of my chest; both are golden-brown, like burnished bold, and tightly braided."
"I am broad-shouldered and strong; strong enough to out-wrestle most men and great beasts. Some have said I'm muscled like my namesake. I consider it a complement to be compared to such a noble beast."
"Have I told you enough? Does the picture in your minds-eye please you?"