Exams.  It had turned out to be one of the worst experiences of any of the students, though they had only observed the upper classmen's anxiety as of yet.  The tests were taken four times during a full student career - once each year and a half.  The results of performing poorly in any of those could range from unfortunate to disastrous.  The common refrain from the professors was that the school needed to keep only the students with both the desire and the potential to learn at the college, then they would further distinguish students by ability in order to send them to the Templars, the mages corps of the army or to the rank and file of the individual units.  This first set of exams were designed to test their knowledge and to remove all those who could not meet the standard, usually to fill roles in the regular army.  Though there were only few each year who would not meet this bar the common fact was that there would be some who would be sent away to start the worst form of repayment.  For most, it was fear of the consequences rather than the chances of failure that stoked their panic.  Still, some of the bottom students already seemed to have resigned to their fate.  Elliot Strange, the boy who had previously been in Judoc's hall had become pale and brooding; the thick bags under his eyes seemed to be growing by the day.

As for Judoc, he was not overly concerned.  His good reputation he had earned in the town had not carried itself back to the college (indeed he was sure there were murmurings about him with both his fellow students and some of the staff, one of the brothers he did not know had greeted him one day as 'Judoc the Pacifist') but he performed well in all of his classes and those teachers who did know him seemed to respond reasonably well with the noted exception of Brother Loke, who still seemed to reserve for Judoc a special sort of torture each time he walked into the classroom.  The only thing that gave Judoc pause was the fact that the tests were not all standardized.  Though classroom magic was tested in both writing and application, it could be in a varying manner of ways and some of the upperclassmen had said that the tests could even be individual or unique depending on the student.  Most likely, Grobbik would be the only one with specialized exams... Judoc no longer saw the goblin in any of his regular classes.  Incredibly, Grobbik seemed to spend most of his time with brother Loke, a thought that had often made Judoc gag when he considered it.

The afternoon was drawing to a close and the evening blossomed, the sunset having thrown a red glow through the windows of the outer rooms of the castle.  Judoc had just finished his evening meal and set back towards the Hall of Soldiers.  As he walked, he passed through the main entrance hall and marveled at the high arched doors.  The oak and steel plated monstrosities were closed this evening to ward off the chill winds of autumn that had already started to seige the walls.  But a flicker of red catches Judoc's eye and he looks towards the corner of the room just in time to see the sillouette of Elliot pushing his way into a servant's cooridor.  Strangest of all, that small gasp of reflected light that had caught his attention in the first place had come from what Judoc was certain was the hilt of a sword strapped tho his back.  Judoc's mind whirrs with the possibilities but one thing is certain: something is amiss.

OOC:  A couple of background notes that your character would know.  Firstly, servants coordiors are not strictly out of bounds, though they are simply not used by most of the students and the professor staff.  Instead, they serve as an exclusive throughfare for the numerous service staff of the castle so that the interaction between the childrend of nobility and common maids are kept at a minimum.  Weapons on grounds however, are regulated.  At times they are allowed for ceremonial purposes, such as visiting dignitaries or Templar promotions, though since these events are so few and far between almost no one is seen with a sword other than Baron Graves, who always keeps it on his person.  You've never seen anyone punished specifically for having a sword in the coorridors, but you would imagine the punishment would be severe, even drastic if it were to be brandished or used.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:57, Tue 01 May 2018.

Exams are fast approaching, but Judoc is not overly concerned.  The biggest annoyance is that the students have to take exams at all.  Surely by now the teaching staff would recognize his brilliance and let him waive what was frankly a waste of time.  Judoc has devoured his class material, and he constantly wants to know more, more, more, but his professors know that he knows this stuff.  Even Loke must realize that Judoc has mastered everything that he has been taught.  Still, much like the arena was, the exams are another avenue to show off what Judoc has learned, and he is actually looking forward to demonstrating his brilliance.

The day is ending, and Judoc's thoughts are on dinner and more study before bed, so when he first sees the glint of light, he doesn't pay it much attention.  Then, his senses register that what he saw was the reflection of the sunset against metal, and the metal was a sword blade on the back of Elliot.

Judoc's curiosity kicks into overdrive as he wonders what Elliot is doing with a sword and where he is going.  His feet automatically move to follow Elliot and see where the other student is headed.  Judoc himself had not bothered to spend any time in weapons training, although he figured he would need to at some point, just to add to his versatility, but for Elliot, who was probably doomed to a position as probably an enlisted man in the Megalan army, or, if he was lucky, a commission as an officer, the youth was probably honing his combat skills in preparation for that day.  Could he be going to a secret lesson?  Or was Elliot headed to fight another duel, this time with steel instead of the fire that had immolated Mariana?

Judoc quickens his pace.  Whatever was about to happen is worth knowing, he is sure.

Dripping with superiority and a thirst to know Elliot's secrets, Judoc sets off in pursuit of the young man.  In truth, Elliot was a perfect example of the prejudice that this school evolved around.  He family was wealthy and landed and moderately well connected which inevitably led to his to his position at the school.  Beside that he was a total dunce and completely unprepared for the school work.  Many of the others in the Hall of Bishops and Hall of Nobles were the same, likely wealthy but not necessarily with the skill required to back up the expectations of their placement.  If it had nothing else going for it, Judoc thought, those who started in the Hall of Soldiers were much more likely to be highly skilled, even if the attrition rate as of yet of his own classmates may have belied that fact.  He pushed his way into the servant's corridor just in time to watch the hem of Elliot's pant leg whisk around a corner through a narrow doorway.  Grinning with the intrigue, Judoc follows his quarry through the portal, finding himself in a spiral staircase leading in both directions.  Listening for a moment to gather his best guess of which way the other has traveled, Judoc surmises the most likely chance is down due to the echoing footsteps in that direction.  Judoc hesitates for a moment, like the corridor itself, the cellars were almost exclusively a service personnel area.  It was where their dining areas and sleeping quarters were kept as well as the storage for food and supplies for the castle.  Though he had no knowledge to know that the area was explicitly prohibited, neither had he any reason for why a student wound need to head below grounds.  Having come thus far, Judoc rushes downwards, careful to make as little noise as possible on the stone steps.

The change from the surface to below is not sudden, but is unerringly noticeable upon stepping to the landing below.  The air below is crisp and cold, summoning up goose pimples onto Judoc's skin.  His shoulders and back shudder in an involuntary shiver as his breath rises in a wet fog, reaching upwards towards the warm air above before it evaporates into nothingness.  Though none of the natural light from the castle above penetrates, there are sconces set in the stairwell with small stones which cast an eerie pale green light which serves to illuminate the whole area with a perpetual duskish glow.  Uncertain as to where Strange has made his escape, Judoc peeks his head into the hallway.  Though he still does not see any of the servicemen (likely many are still in the kitchens or dining rooms) he spies a single figure down the corridor facing the outer walls and gesturing with his hands in the unmistakable manner of spellcraft.

Where could Elliot be going?  What was the student doing down here in the servants' corridors?  Privately, Judoc hopes Elliot is doing something that could potentially get him in trouble, not out of any desire to see Elliot fail yet again, but just as a break from the monotony of studying.

He is torn between a desire not to let Elliot get too far ahead and care not to be heard by the pursued.  When he gets to the staircase, he pauses for a moment, listening, weighing his options.  Footsteps seem to be coming from below, so Judoc heads down the staircase, taking care to make as little noise as possible while still moving as rapidly as he can allow himself to go.

When he reaches the bottom, he hugs along one wall.  He shivers slightly in the chill, damp air.  What is Elliot up to?  Why down here, of all places?

He pauses when he sees the figure at the end of the corridor.  Elliot?  What spell is he casting?  Earth to Air?  Judoc creeps closer, trying to see what Elliot is casting.  Perhaps he will be able to catch the incantation. He hopes it is not Walk through Earth.  It will be impossible to follow Elliot any further if that spell is used, since that spell is regrettably not part of Judoc's spell repertoire.

Judoc just edges closer and watches for a moment as Elliot(?) works through his spell.  He does not dare get too close yet, though he tries his best catch some small part of the incantation.  However, before he has the opportunity the shade pushes his way back through the wall and disappears.  Judoc quickens his pace and finds himself at another door where the man disappeared, this one with a key lock and a bolt drawn back on the opposite side, now standing ajar.  Peering in quietly, Judoc sees another set of stairs making it's way downwards.  The sconces which dot the corridors of the cellar are no longer present here, though a single one stands empty at the entrance to the doorway and Judoc can see the faintest trace of a pale green leaching away from the bottom of the staircase.  Itching to know more, Judoc pushes his way forward, enough light just barely making it's way onto the staircase for him to move slowly downward.

Judoc's mind races as he makes his footfalls as silent as possible.  He did not know what lay below the cellars, or even that there was a level of the castle further down.  The possibilities seemed endless with the magical nature of the grounds and the centuries-old structure but his mind does not have long to ponder the possibilities before he finds himself standing on the bottom step.

The room is open with no guide to the stairs but the wall.  From the faint pale glimmer of light ahead, Judoc can make out a long room with a low ceiling.  Two rows of shelves break the room in three down the long axis and the right hand aisle is where the light is strongest.  Still yet wanting to keep out of sight, Judoc makes his way down the middle aisle, keeping an obscured view through the shelves that are packed with bottles and bags of food stores and drink.  After only a few dozen yards Judoc slows and stops, kneeling down to observe.

Elliot, unmistakably, stands with his back to Judoc, facing the wall in front of him.  The sword still stretches across his back, sheathed in a leather case that wraps around his tunic.  His left hand holds the small ball of pale green light and his right hand is stretched forward, feeling the stone of the wall...  Strangest of all, the light around is not entirely coming from the stone.  Instead, there is a pencil thin outline that shines a bright blue traced through the gaps in the masonry that partition three feet across of the wall.

OOC:  Sorry if the description of the cellar leaves you somewhat confused as to the setup.  If I had any skill whatsoever with mapping software I might gen something up, but in any case, I'm not sure it would be worth the effort.  You are probably only two or three yards from Elliot though he has his back turned to you and there is a row of shelves in between the two of you.  Right now you are staring through what seem to be a rack of wine bottles that is half filled so your view is partially obstructed.  There are periodic gaps in the shelving about every four yards, so it is possible to make your way across to the other aisles without going all the way to the end.  You are most certainly entirely alone at this point and you doubt that if you were found that it could be blamed on absentminded wanderings nor confusion - though again you couldn't say for sure that where you are is actually off limits.  Let me know if there is any action that you would have taken on the way down.

Stealthily making his way down the corridor, Judoc pauses to remove one of the glowing stones and pocket it before continuing down the corridor.  He reaches the door Eliot had magically unlocked and smiles to himself.  Although Judoc's command of spell casting continues to grow, there is still much to learn.  He slips through the door, following the furtive figure.

He makes his way down the stairs, carefully so he doesn't trip and break his neck, but quick enough not to be left behind.  As he descends down the stairs in this unfamiliar part of the castle, he tries to guess where Eliot is going.  Some romantic tryst, perhaps?  Or a secret lesson, swordplay, perhaps?  Or is Eliot running away?  Has he had enough of the Templars' lessons and is deciding to strike out on his own?  And why is Judoc following Eliot, anyway?  How is any of this his business?  He grins in spite of himself, enjoying this cat-and-mouse spying game.  Eliot no doubt has secrets, and Judoc is eager to learn just what these might be.

If Judoc is found here by castle staff, what will he say?  It would be easy enough to fabricate some reason for being down here.  He had been wandering the castle grounds, noticed a hallway he had never been down, and had come across the staircase.  Natural curiosity, no doubt about it.  There had been no warning not to explore this part of the castle.  He had just been exploring, that's all.

He reaches the long room with the shelves, some storeroom, perhaps, and he creeps along, doing his best to make as little sound as possible.  He finally gets a good glimpse of the man he is pursuing.  Yes, it's unmistakeably Eliot.  What could that mysterious blue light be?  Curiouser and curiouser.   He tries to get a better view without revealing himself to Eliot and whoever the other student may be meeting down here.

OOC:  Judoc would have taken one of the glowing stones and put it in his pocket.

Judoc stays silent as Elliot continues to search his way across the wall, playing a mental game into each of Elliot's and his own psyche.  It is not long however, before something happens to interrupt his thought.  Some catch is released, and the faint blue lines in the walls fade into a deepening gap, the stones of the wall receding away before they slide neatly to the side.  Judoc finds himself looking at a secret doorway that opens into utter darkness...  Elliot picks his stone off the floor in a swift motion and moves on through the doorway into the darkness.  Waiting a moment, Judoc follows silently, until just before the opening his boot crinkles on the floor like the rustling of parchment.  Elliot is far enough away that he does not seem to notice, at least, the light keeps receding away, but Judoc can't help but wonder what he has stepped on...

OOC:  Without light, the area you are in would be in utter darkness.  Elliot's source is already fading away, making the penalty significant for you if you wish to follow even at a moderate distance.  Let me know 1. If you plan on following or if you want to look at what it is you've stepped on 2. How close you plan to follow 3. If you wanted to take your lighted stone out to do so.

Secret doors.  Old, disused storerooms.  What the devil is Elliot playing at?  And just how far is to far to take this pursuit?  For all Judoc knows, Elliot has joined a flesh-eating cult and is even now scurrying off to his latest barbecue.  But whatever it is, Judoc is more convinced now than ever that this is information worth knowing.

As Elliot's light recedes into the new secret tunnel, Judoc withdraws his own glowing stone.  His boots crunch on something underfoot.  Parchment, perhaps?  Or perhaps the dried husks of insects?  If he stops, he may lose Ellliot in these catacombs, but perhaps this is something important.  His curiosity gets the better of him, and he bends down, holding his light to get a better look at what he has stepped on.

OOC:  Stop to take a look at what is on the ground.  Judoc will keep some distance away from Elliot as he trails him, about as far back as he's been keeping if possible.

Secret doors, disused store rooms...  The whole chase had Judoc's curiosity aflame.  Knowing that he might have just moments to check to ensure Elliot did not get too far he bends down to check the page below he feet, bringing the stone out of his pocket to see by.  However, the page is simply a small sheet of parchment, perhaps six inches long, rolled just enough to be stuffed in a pocket.  The only markings on it are indented markings of Judoc's own boot from where he accidentally trod.  Looking up, Judoc can see a short way into the space beyond the castle.  Before him is a cavern, or perhaps more correctly put, a tunnel carved from the earth.  He sees another five feet beyond the castle wall the dim reflections of his stone shining back from a smooth earthen surface that curves upward.  It seems the tunnel goes both to the right and left beyond the walls, paralleling the storage room itself.

OOC:  Sorry, normally I like to take some liberties with the character's actions to speed along the process, but we are getting to the point where the specifics may have fairly significant outcomes to the story line.  Elliot now has a 30 second or so head start on you and you haven't any notion of where he's gone other than outside the door and towards the left.  Assuming you still intend to follow Elliot, roll at Stealth-2

Bending down, Judoc scoops up the piece of parchment and examines it with his glowing stone.  He doesn't know what he is expecting - a secret map?  A new spell?  A recipe for delicious homemade molasses cookies? - but is disappointed to find that the paper is blank.  Just a part of this storeroom's detritus, then.  He absentmindedly rolls it back up, sticks in his pocket, and steps into the dark tunnel, holding his magical light.

His stopping to examine the paper has given Elliot precious seconds on him.  He spends but half a moment taking in this new place, a cavern here under the school.  He wonders if other people use this place for secret meetings.  It would be perfect for some secret society, its members meeting, hooded, to discuss dark secrets or forbidden knowledge.  Elliot had gone to the left, so Judoc does the same, his pace quickening in a bid to regain some of the lost time.

Disappointed by the blankness of the page, Judoc stuffs it away on his person and sets his mind to more interesting matters, where the hell were they going anyway?  Certain that the pause has given his quarry precious seconds to extend his lead, Judoc whisks his way through the portal and into the tunnel.

Several things are immediately apparent:  Firstly, the passage to the right is nothing of the sort, instead the tunnel continues only another few yards, just long enough for the segment off wall that had parted from the castle to slide open on it's casters or slide, only a few inches beyond the far end of the exposed secret door the passageway ends unceremoniously in a mound of rubble that climbs to the ceiling.  Secondly, unlike the turning corridors of the castle, or the alleyways of the storage, this segment of tunnel is unerringly straight and barren of cover.  Ahead, Judoc can see the black silhouette of Elliot haloed by the pale glow echoing off the walls all around him.  It is so blasted dark!.  Thirdly, it seems Elliot had not been going nearly as fast as he expected... though it had seemed like minutes, Elliot had only moved a few dozen paces.  His stone still held in his left hand for light, Judoc edges his way forward.

But not for long.  The walls had been so smooth he didn't expect it, the light so poor he hadn't noticed it: the small knuckle sized bit of stone that was just off the center of the path.  He hadn't even kicked it hard, just hard enough to clatter a foot down before clattering to a stop, the echoes reverberating off the close quarters.  Perhaps it had not been enough, perhaps he would not hear, but Judoc knows already that he is not so lucky as he watches the light shift from an even sheen to unbalanced and the silhouette ahead gains a pale outline as the face comes into partial relief.  "Show yourself!"  The whisper is harsh and accusatory and seems to resound a thousand times in his eardrums as it bounces off the walls at every angle...

OOC:  Sorry, stealth roll was straight up with a modifier for poor lighting (all your physical actions will be at -2 down here even with your light source out).  You are not entirely sure that Elliot has seen you yet but you don't hold good odds for yourself, especially with the ball of light in your hand.  However, you doubt very much that he would be able to recognize you with the shadows cast on your face if he has.

As he enters this new area, one thing becomes apparent to Judoc -  someone has created this tunnel.  No natural formation would be so straight.  Some kind of escape route, he muses, or a bolthole in case the castle was assaulted.  He wonders where the tunnel leads.  Probably somewhere outside the castle walls, if it is an escape route.

He is surprised to see that Elliot has not travelled very far down the tunnel.  Following him will be relatively easy.  And then, he carelessly kicks a rock, and Elliot's head swivels back.  The voice is harsh.  How will Elliot react to being followed?  Will he erupt in fury as he did when he killed Mariana?  But there is nowhere to hide down here, and Judoc is holding a glowing stone.

"Elliot, it's me, Judoc," he calls softly.  "I saw you walking through the servants' corridor, and I was curious where you were going.  What are you doing down here?"

"Oh, thank the gods."  Elliot staggers backward into the wall of the tunnel, slouching and bending at the hips and knees slightly as the small of his back rests for a moment against the tapered walls.  His voice seems tired and afraid as if the unexpected visitor had nearly given him a heart attack.  "I had thought... but you can help me!" Elliot finishes strongly as he pushes himself back to near full height and takes a step forward in Judoc's direction his eyes shining with the pale reflection of the stone held in his hands.  "Judoc, you have to help me!  It's that damn imp!  The one from last year - it's still here and I have to kill it, will you help me?"

OOC:  It is now about 1750 in the afternoon.  You would be plunged into total darkness if not for the two stones.  Not sure if you have read back through the thread Dancing with the Devil link to a message in this game but your character would likely have heard something about the journey when the three returned back from their little expedition.  You can assume that they returned back immediately following the last post and passed along all the info or at least the big details.  Feel free to pillage from the thread or stay in the dark as you want.

Quietly, Judoc says, "Oh, so that's why you're down here."  That explains the sword, then.

Judoc remembers when the demon had been summoned.  What a shit storm that had been.  Andros had not been the right student to lead that ritual, although it was really Giles' fault for breaking the circle.  If Loke had tasked Judoc with leading the spell, none of the fallout would have happened. Elliot had blamed himself, Judoc remembered.  Why was he always running himself down?  Sure, he's not a very talented wizard, but there is power in him.  What else could explain that terrible fight with Mariana?

"You should have asked for my help last time you went hunting the thing," he says softly.  His pulse is quickening, the adrenaline starting to kick in.  This may be pretty entertaining.  "Never mind.  You have me now.  So did you ever find the demon?"  Demon hunting would be decent sport.  Judoc has never bothered to learn much about demon lore besides what he's picked up anecdotally.  Mess up a spell, and a demon could get summoned, and then you're in some serious trouble.  Well, Judoc had very nearly blasted the thing with his fireball before, and he was getting better all the time.

"Lead the way, Elliot.  Time to send this hellspawn back to the pit, eh?"  He grins to himself.  He had already defeated Death.  Now, it was time to conquer Evil.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:06, Tue 20 Dec 2016.

Thinking the jaunt a decidedly good sport, Judoc rapidly agrees to continue the search with Elliot.  "No."  The other answers to his question, "We never found him down here, but it's definitely still down here.  The... It's down here, and I've got to find it and kill it."  He leaves the phrase lamely there as he pushes forward into the darkness again, slightly bent over to keep his tall frame from scraping the short roof of the tunnel, this time with Judoc just a few steps behind him.

"Weird this tunnel down here right?"  Elliot says conversationally as he picks his way forward.  "Who would have ever known?  I mean, we found the cave exit last year that came out up near the bluffs, but still..."

The pale stone glittering in his left hand held aloft, Elliot pushes his way forward down the gently sloping tunnel.  It is perhaps only a few minutes of traveling thus before the scene changes abruptly.  The tunnel mouth opens into a gaping cave, the floor dropping down a few feet into the opening as it expands in every direction.  Reflections of the pale stone come back in glimmers from portions of the ceiling where stalactites just barely drip downwards from the ceiling that arcs upwards another ten feet.  The floor is rockier than the smooth tunnel surfaces but it seems mostly unmolested, though there is an easy path that arcs clockwise around the room.  To the other side, the stones and rough earth continue out to the edge of their vision though Judoc can see flickers of reflected light returning in the distance.

OOC:  Unfortunately, your light does not spread out very far, even with the two fairly close together, your range of unobscured vision is about 2 yards.  You can see beyond that at a penalty, though you can't make out details at a distance like you would be able to even on a moonless night.  You can tell that to the left is an easier path, straight ahead and to the right are rougher path, though it all seems to be in the same 'room' or 'cave'.  The ceiling goes up about 10 feet from the floor, that is the only real hard dimension that you can make out before your vision fades into blackness.  Make two rolls against Perception, one at -3 and one at default.  Also, let me know if you want to take any particular direction or if you just want to follow Elliot still.

"There's probably all kinds of hidden places around here," Judoc says quietly.  "How did you find this tunnel, anyway?"  He follows behind Eliot, the light from both young men's glowing stones giving a faint illumination to their surroundings.  The tunnel transitions to a cave, a natural-looking structure this time, and Judoc takes a moment to look around him.

This hidden place has its own natural sort of beauty with the stalactites and stalagmites growing in the silence.  He wonders if the other students ever come down here, or any of the teachers.  Surely the Templars know of this place.  He could see it being used for secret society meetings or initiations, or romantic trysts.

"So you tracked the demon down here?" he asks quietly.  What did demons do once they were summoned to this world?  A vacation from hell sounds like an extraordinary good deal.  If it were Judoc, he'd spend the time living it up, enjoying choice foods and the finest female companionship, not holed up down here under the earth, doing God knows what.  However, it made sense to hide from prying eyes.  Why hadn't the Templars banished the thing rather than letting it run free?

OOC:  Judoc is content to let Elliot lead for now.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 12:53, Wed 21 Dec 2016.

As Judoc muses along the way, Elliot seems much more devoted to the task at hand and when he is asked about how he found the tunnel he simply shrugs.  "Knew it was down here somewhere, got a spell from the mages guild to find it, made the doorway stand out like it was outlined in light.  Just had to find the switch to get it open."  He turns his head in each direction as if evaluating the choices ahead of him.  It is perhaps a few more moments of silence before Judoc asks again as to Elliot's knowledge of the caves.  "No, I didn't track him, but I knew he'd be down here, found the cave last year right?..  You hear that?  I think it came from this way."  Elliot points off towards the right, into the rockier parts of the cave.  "C'mon, that imp is probably the only thing down here."

Judoc steps down through the mouth of the cave and is immediately struck by the fetid tang of excrement, though it is not overwhelming.  He presses his sleeve to his lower nose for a moment, steeling himself to deal with the offensive stench but does not tarry long before he presses off to follow Elliot.  The path is rocky, and though at first Judoc strives to make his steps as silent as possible, he quickly finds that Elliot has no skill at walking quietly, and no matter how noisily he plods, he's still likely to be drown out by the noise coming from two steps ahead of him.

It is perhaps another few minutes of a crawling pace that the two walk in echelon, each holding their stones up in order to see the earth in front of them and to keep from falling flat on their faces with the ever tumultuous and slickening floor.  Whole and broken stones litter the floors, and here and there the drips of moisture from the ceiling splash on the floor before blending into the slick surface and disappearing.  It seems their course still leads gradually downwards, the miasma of the stench slackening slightly though it still assaults Judoc's senses.  This time, when Elliot hears a noise, Judoc does not need to be warned.  It seems to come from the ceiling, the whispered (or far off) voice speaking in high pitch like a child or a bird:

"Mało ludzi obserwować oczy, Ghelbech wyśmiewa i poganiaczy i pries, on kopnięć i claws prywatność pozostanie zbyt! i z trupa make gulasz"

Elliot halts in his tracks, the back of his head darting this way and that as he searches for the source.  Likewise, Judoc tenses as he searches for the culprit...

OOC:  Roll vs. IQ, if you succeed, you realize that Elliot is being purposefully evasive in the answers to your questions.  Not that it may help you much at this point, since he's entirely focused now on finding the imp.  The cavern seems to be edging downwards as you go.  You haven't exactly traveled that far, probably about 100 to 150 yards at best.  The floor below you is getting progressively more moist in the low areas although the ceiling above still only drips moisture from the few limestone spars above.  Roll two more perception checks, each at -3.  Label one 'surroundings' and the other 'initiative'.  If you wish to take any other action along the walk in the cave, please post it now (i.e. any other spells you wish to have active).  I'm assuming that you have your powerstone still around your neck but did not bring your staff.  If you did bring it, consider it unready in your right hand with the light stone in your left hand.

"What was the spell?" Judoc asks.  The more Elliot talks, the more questions Judoc finds himself having.  Elliot's story doesn't make a lot of sense.  How had he known the tunnel was here?  How did he know it connected to that cave he had found where the demon had been holed up?  How had he known there was an entrance into the tunnel?  Very strange.  "So this tunnel you found.  How did you know it ended in that abandoned cellar?"  The switch, huh?  So was that door sealed magically then?  Intriguing.

When Elliot hears something, Judoc just shrugs and follows.  Elliot had apparently been down here before, and Judoc is content to let the other student lead for now.  As they enter the cave, a horrid stench assaults his senses, and he nearly gags from the smell of filth.  "What the hell is that?  Did we just wander under the castle privy?"  The smell is horrible.  Bat guano, maybe?  It smelled like no cave Judoc had ever been in.

He grimaces as Elliot rambles along ahead of him.  Had no one ever taught him to not make quite so much noise when trying to sneak up on supernatural entities?

When he hears the voice, Judoc stops walking.  Sounds like the demon, he thinks.  "Get ready," he whispers to Elliot.

It was odd.   The whole situation.   Skulking under the castle in caves that seemed both of man and natural make, reeking of feces and seeking a demon who had not been seen in over a year - but Elliot seemed sure he was down here...  Apart from that, besides bringing a sword, and knowing the right area to search, Elliot seemed woefully unprepared for the task as he tromped along down the path, seemingly waiting for Judoc to solve his problems for him.  As Judoc hears the voice, and warns Elliot, the other pulls his sword from his scabbard but seems to wander with his eyes, searching for the beast... but Judoc on the other hand, can see full well the dangers closing in on them.

Just ahead, the glittering reflections of the light seem to close down, as if the tunnel is coming to its end.  However where the ceiling drops down, so does the floor.  The glittering reflections drop into blackness for perhaps a foot and a half to two feet above the floor only a few paces away.  And as he is recognizing the transition in the caves, Judoc also discerns a pair of glittering returns climbing out from the blackness, now edging upwards and pausing for a moment.  "Żegnaj ludzi."  the voice comes from the beast, the high pitched wail again as Judoc can just barely make out the significant features of the demon in the pale light.  But with a flash, the thing charges straight at the pair of mages, shrieking in rage!

OOC:  I realize this is slightly unfair as you would have more time to ask questions and change your mind in game but instead of peddling backwards, I'm going to keep moving the game forwards and answer your above comments in OOC:  Firstly "What was the spell?"  Elliot answers: "See Secrets."  He does not elaborate farther.  As to "So this tunnel you found.  How did you know it ended in that abandoned cellar?" Elliot merely grunts and beckons Judoc to quiet down, as if Elliot is listening for the beast.  For now, the conversation line is closed down, but if you want to bring it up again after the fight you are more than welcome.  Elliot is in general not a strong personality (when you knew him well at least) and you have little doubt that you get him to answer whatever you want if you put your foot down hard enough.

Combat:  The imp is 6 yards ahead to your 1 o'clock.  Elliot is looking straight ahead and may not have seen the demon yet.  It seems the demon has spent the last turn crawling up a steep incline that ends in the cave you are currently in but he does not get his footing before he starts bolting towards the two of you.  The drop in the cavern (to the lower level that the imp climbed from) begins at your left 11 O'clock at about eight yards, is closest at right 1 O'clock where the imp is (about 6 yards) and seems to edge back outwards to your right 3 O'clock at a much further distance.  There are no real obstructions to your maneuvering, although the footing is slippery and small stones are strewn all about the ground (-2 to footing and physical actions).  Give me 2 turns of combat.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:38, Sat 24 Dec 2016.

Elliot's answers had been far from satisfactory.  How had he known that the secret door was there?  Someone must have told him.  Someone had sent Elliot down here to finish off the demon.  but who?  The most likely person is Brother Loke, but the question remains why the Templars hadn't simply cleaned up this spell gone wrong in the first place.

Now the prey approaches.  "There he is, right ahead!" Judoc calls out, and begins drawing on the mana around him to coalesce into defensive armor.  The drop off to the side concerns him, but with his magics, he can simply fly down if needed.  The young mage gestures with his hands, concentrating on the spell.  He hopes Elliot knows how to use that sword.

OOC:  Concentrate.

Even as Judoc speaks out to his friend, the minor infernal runs at full speed his claws slashing out in front of him straight at Judoc.  Though Judoc need not move far to avoid the attack, the imps body does not slow, and careens right past him, nearly running full force into his hip.  The thing spins at a stop, crouching down as it stares at the two as Judoc spins to face him, his foot slipping slightly on the wet rock surface below.  Now behind him, Elliot flashes his sword from its sheath as he turns, seeming to find the imp at the last second.

As for Judoc, the mana conjures around him, solidifying into a solid layer with his skin.  Now the mage looks forward, looking for an opening to the infernal's defenses.

OOC:  I did one round of combat, since it only takes 1 second to cast armor.  I realize that most of the last combat were all two seconds to cast, but that was based on the spells you were casting with extended casting time.  The imps attack missed and he has now run past you and turned to face you.  I took the liberty of turning your character as well to still stay facing him.  Go ahead and give me 2 turns of combat.

Note that any step and or retreating actions will require a DX roll, and some skills may be at a modifier for the poor footing, so feel free to roll attacks/defenses, but please don't necessarily make any assumptions about success.

The thing in front of them glowing in the dim light of the pale spheres seems even more foreboding than their first sight a year ago...  It hunches downwards to just under three feet in height, it's eyes flickering with blue demon's fire as it stares at the pair of reunited friends.  Its body is lithe and long, though its body is coursed with sinuous muscles.  Atop it's head are squat and dull horns and from it's back sprout horrid spiked wings like an evil Cupid.  Its face is long and drawn down to a pointed chin with a horrid wide mouth drawn into a permanent smile that gapes with pointed teeth.  The thing leans forward, his front claws gripping the stone floor in front of him making himself even smaller than his short frame.

"Przeszkadzać Barbatos za skarb, ale zamiast tego pragniesz Ghelbech wyśle do grobu." The thing spits, though it seems to be talking more to itself than the other two.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 22:11, Wed 28 Dec 2016.

Elliot steps forward, thrusting his sword downwards at the beasts feet then redirecting at the last second directly into the bulk of his sinuous body.  Though it looks for a moment like he will hit, the thing jumps higher in the air than it seems it should be able, landing first on it's feet before it hunches over on all fours again growling...

Tricky little bugger.  Judoc sighs with pleasure as the Armor spell coalesces around him, hardening his skin.  What is the creature saying?  Judoc wishes he has the gift of languages so that he could speak to the demon.  Perhaps it is offering to befriend them.  Perhaps it simply wants to be left alone.   Whatever the case, the thing had attacked him first.  Besides, everyone knows that demons can't be trusted, right?

He frowns.  Judoc doesn't put much stock in conventional wisdom.  Still, he and Elliot did supposedly come down here to kill a demon, so he might as well get on with it.

Concentrating on the demon, he begins to summon a fireball.

OOC:  Concentrate.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:05, Wed 11 Jan 2017.

The thing gives Judoc a reprieve for the moment and instead launches itself forward at Elliot, lashing out with his claws.  Elliot neatly escapes the blow by stepping back and putting his sword in the path of the blow, opening a small cut in the demon's arm.  Elliot counters by throwing his sword in a wide arc, just grazing the demon in the chest, opening a narrow stinging gash.

Now Judoc conjures the mana around him again, this time producing a egg sized ball of flames that flickers and writhes as it grows to a grapefruit.  The conjured fire illuminates the area better than the light of the stones and the humans can now see clearly the spires of stalactites and rough stonework on the floor of the cave.  However it is not for long.  Judoc hurls the ball of fire straight at the imp at point blank range!  The thing shrieks as it steps backwards, slipping on the wet rock as it stumbles backwards and falls to the floor, the fireball just barely missing his head as it slips to the stone below.  Just a moment later the conjured fire connects with the stone, evaporating the whole area in an instant to a bath of steam that expands outwards in a warming blast.

OOC:  2 rounds of combat.  Elliot missed on his first strike but managed to open up a small gouge on his second.  The imp stayed stagnant on the first turn, though countered on the second, which was parried by Elliot, opening another small gash on the things arm.  You conjured your fireball and threw so close that you couldn't miss, and though the thing nearly critically failed his DX roll, he still managed somehow to make his dodge.  The imp is currently supine 2 hexes away from both you and Elliot, who is on your right side.  You are still about 6 hexes from the cave opening, so there aren't any concerns about falling into it.  Give me 2 more turns of combat.

Enraged, the beast works with an uncanny speed launching itself again to all fours from its back muttering to itself in scathing tones.  Elliot does not waste the moment of advantage.  He launches himself forward, sword arm whipping in a violet arc towards the beast and though his foot slips slightly as he steps forward his aim holds true, straight at the minion of hell.  Screeching his displeasure, the imp attempts to launch itself sideways and avoid the blow, but it moves too slow and instead it takes the full blast of the sword into its left leg.

The beast howls with rage as the sword cleaves the appendage fully from its body!  Both infernal and its severed limb hit the cave floor with a meaty thunk as it howls with all its voice can muster.  "Agares!"

"Good work!"  Elliot has apparently been practicing with that sword.  Hm.  Has Judoc blundered by not spending more time in weapons training?  A staff is all well and good, but it's hardly an instrument of war.  Perhaps he should consider taking up some martial training to supplement his magical prowess.

The imp is fast, his infernal nature no doubt giving him preternatural quickness.  But now incapacitated, it should be easy work to finish it off.  Judoc concentrates again, summoning more mana for another fireball.  He wonders again what the creature is saying.  Begging for mercy?  Cursing their grandmothers?

OOC:  Concentrate.

Judoc weaves the mana around him again, bringing the light and heat from the surrounding air into a small ball of gleeful flames that grows to the size of his fist.  The imp below writhes on the ground, seemingly trying to get a hold on the ground to steady himself.  His wounds are how bubbling with a black ichor that that tears rather than pours from his various wounds.  His leg is now frothing with the stuff which sticks to the open wound like dripping molasses.

Again, Elliot lashes out with wild abandon!  The demon wriggles on the ground, though he has no chance to escape the blow.  The sword swings down, it's steel casting flickering reflections from the ball of flames in Judoc's hands.  The steel buries itself in the thing's neck erupting with a clang! as its edge hits the floor of the cave.  The demon shudders violently but  then falls still.

OOC:  Combat is over, the demon is dead or dying and nearly decapitated.  You still have your 2 point fireball in your hand and are down 9 fatigue.

Though the thing is still on the floor, Elliot seems dissatisfied with his handiwork.  He cautiously prods the thing with his sword before shifting it over slightly and hacking again at the thing's neck with a clean cut that severs the head entirely.  He breathes a sigh of relief as the head rolls awkwardly a few inches before coming to a rest, its haunted eyes resting open in an expression of hatred.

"Thanks for the help."  He says simply as he bends over the fallen thing, wiping the bulk of sticky residue off his sword and onto the cleaner parts of the dead thing's body.

"Don't mention it," Judoc says magnanimously.  Elliot was lucky that Judoc had followed him.  If Judoc hadn't been here, the demon would likely have torn poor Elliot apart and worn the other young man's entrails for a girdle.  "You fought well," he says, grudging admiration in his voice.  "You're getting quite good with that sword."

Still holding the fireball in his hand, he raises it as if the ball of flames were a lantern and peers closer at the demon.  "Fascinating," he says.  "You don't happen to have a jar on you, do you?  Demon's blood might prove a useful alchemical agent."

He looks around at the caves, using his fireball as a light.  "I wonder why the demon stayed in this dank place," he says.  "Seems like he would have chosen more comfortable quarters.  How did you know how to get here, anyway?  Why didn't you just go back through the tunnel you found last year?  And why did you wait so long to hunt this fiend down?"

OOC:  Judoc will hold the Fireball spell as a torch as long as it lasts.  He'll also keep his Armor spell on, but he will let it lapse after the minute is up.  Judoc will ask Elliot as many questions as he can about why he waited to come, how he knew the tunnel led to the basement, and what he was going to do now that the demon is dead.

"Thanks"  Elliot says simply at the complement as he bends down to look at the severed head, rolling it over with one hand by the ear gingerly as if testing to see if the demon still held an ability to injure even in death.  "No.  No jar."  Though the possibilities of potions and alchemical recipies dance in Judoc's head, Elliot seems completely uninterested by the suggestion, though he grabs the hardened ear and lifts the head up as he raises back up to his feet.

Still distracted, Elliot seems to be half listening to Judoc's line of question.  "No clue.  Who knows?  The thing may have liked the cold and dark."  It only takes another moment however and Elliot's countenance completely changes.  He seems half prepared to answer, and then as he looks back at Judoc, the deadly ball of flames still dancing gleefully in his hands the color drains from his face and his shoulders seem to droop.   "It was the Jesuits..."  He finally says in defeat.  He sits down on a larger stone, letting the demon skull drop with a muffled thunk back on the floor of the cave.  "I didn't even realize it was the same thing at first.  They told me the demon was hiding under the castle, and that there was a secret passage...  I bought a fair few scrolls from the mages guild trying to find it...  just realized today he was in the same spot all along...  I never thought I'd see this damn infernal again - but I didn't have any choice..."  Elliot drops off his head sinking slightly so that he is no longer looking Judoc but towards the floor of the cavern.

The blazing fireball still flickers in Judoc's hand, bringing the details of the cavern into slightly sharper relief.  He can see the cave opening off to his right where both the ceiling and the floor of the caves seem to drop.  He can see now that the floor only drops a few feet before continuing in a slowly receding slope...

Judoc  walks over to where the cave floor slopes downward, still holding the glowing fireball in his hand.  He peers down the slope, seeing what he can see.  Funny.  It's been a long time since he's had a smoke.  When he was studying the Fire college, he used to amuse himself with lighting his pipe with a Create Fire spell.  He hasn't had a smoke in a long time, he realizes.

He went to the Jesuits. Now the whispered conversation Judoc had overheard at the arena.  One mystery solved, then.  "Did you make a deal with them?" he asks, naturally curious.  The Templars and the Jesuits are rivals, and Judoc wonders if Elliot was now in debt to the Jesuits.  "What did they want in exchange for the information?"

Now that Judoc is down here, he wonders what other secrets this cave might hold.  What might they find if they explore further?  "Hey, let's see what else is down here," he says.  "Maybe the demon found something worth guarding or something.  Maybe there's treasure!"  His eyes gleam mischievously.  He doubts there is anything in the way of gold down here, but perhaps there are more secrets to uncover.

OOC:  Whether or not Elliot is game, Judoc would like to explore this cave further.  Maybe there's a secret chamber or room or torture dungeon down here to uncover.

"Did you make a deal with them?  What did they want in exchange for the information?"

"No."  Elliot's voice is slow and lethargic.  "They didn't seem too keen on helping me out.  Told me they wouldn't even consider it until I killed the imp.  Told me that they wouldn't consider people that tolerated evil."

As Judoc's attention seems to wane from the conversation, Elliot is still not tempted away from his roost on the stone.  He continues looking downwards towards the floor, mostly unmoving.  "Yeah, sure... go ahead."  He replies simply without moving an inch.

Judoc moves a few short steps towards the edge, crouching slightly and putting the fireball low to try and see as much as he can.  The ceiling of the caves beyond comes down just above his eye level though it does not obscure the view beyond.  A few thin rock formations drip from the ceiling, hanging a few inches down into the cavern at most.  Instead of the stone of the caverns the floor below is a wet, glistening sand or dirt.  There seem to be no outcroppings from the floor but it slopes first drastically and then gently downward away from the wall he is crouching atop.  The smooth surface seems to funnel the light farther on and another twenty paces or so Judoc can see an abrupt change in the cavern floor, though it is hard to determine exactly what it is, along with the dim prickle of a flickering light.

OOC:  You don't get the impression that Elliot is particularly interested in exploring the caves further, or going back either really.  You have edged your way over to the drop and are looking down from above.  The 'light' you are looking at is like seeing a torch from several hundred yards or more likely something small like a firefly at 20-30 yards.

Judoc peers over the edge, seeing what he can see.  That sand down there doesn't look too appealing.  Mucking about in caves, especially without a group, can be dangerous business, and Elliot doesn't seem to be in the mood for - well, anything, at this point.  The reflection - was that his fireball?  Could be.

"Consider what?"  Judoc shifts his attention from his study of the cave below back to Elliot.  What, had Elliot wanted to join the Jesuits or something?  He squints at the other young man.  Why was he there, just sitting still, not doing anything?

"Elliot, what's wrong?"  He smiles gently.  The fireball is warm in his hand, and the dancing flames give a soft light in the cave.  "What's all this about, anyway?"

OOC:  Elliot seems to be depressed.  Try to talk to him and figure out what's going on.  Judoc's still interested in where the cave might go, but he isn't going to explore solo.  If he can't get any more out of Elliot, he'll suggest returning to the castle.

Judoc takes a step back from the ledge, returning his attention to the other young man.

"Consider me..."  Elliot says slowly but then the words seem to fall out of his mouth all at once.  "I have to get out of here."  He finally looks up at Judoc, his eyes shimmering in the flickering light.  "I thought it was bad before, I'd gone to them, tried to get away from the Templars as soon as Mariana..."  He nearly chokes on his own words as he says the name.  "It was awful...  The provost and some of the knights took me in a room... they didn't question me.  They didn't give a shit about her.  They just told me they had uses for someone like me and that if I stayed in their line then I shouldn't expect trouble.  I didn't know what uses they would put me to but I had no intention of finding out.  I went to the Jesuits on the campus, they didn't trust me they told me I would have to prove myself and kill the imp to get anywhere with them... I was putting this off...  But then a few weeks ago the Baron Graves himself pulled me aside.  He wanted me to kill a man, someone I've never met.  I can't be their pawn and at this point they will not let me out, even to the regulars.  If I can't go to the Jesuits I'm going to run.  I have to get out of here."

Elliot reverts his gaze towards the ground again, his hands fumble and wring with nervousness.  He glances sideways towards the battered body of the imp and shudders as he returns to stare at his feet.

OOC:  Nice roll vs. diplomacy.  Feel free to continue this line of conversation if you want, otherwise, if you want him to do anything you are going to need to convince him.  Fast talk would be the ideal roll, diplomacy may work too.  Anything you put in your post as how you convince him may modify your roll.

Judoc listens quietly to Elliot's story.  He doesn't say anything, and his face remains impassive.  Once the young man finishes, he asks quietly, "Why'd you do it?  Kill Mariana, I mean.  A lot of us thought you two were close.  Really close."  Judoc would have liked a roll in the sheets with her himself.  She had been quite pretty, and though Judoc usually had little time for female companionship, the ladies often found him irresistible.  Well, other than that one problem of his.

Elliot's story isn't very different from what Judoc had been asked to do in the arena.  He finds himself wondering what to say, how much would be to much.  The Templars want killers, apparently.  Well, then he really must have pissed them off by sparing the Death player in the arena.

"Who'd they want you to kill?" he asks, and waits for the answer.  More knowledge that might be valuable.  Again, he thinks back to his ridiculous battle dressed as Catherine of the Wheel.  He frowns just thinking of having to roleplay as a woman.

"Listen, I might be able to - help."  He doesn't say anything at first, wondering how much he can trust Elliot.  Finally, he says, "There are people in this city that seem to be, ah, actively resisting the powers that be.  I don't know how far, or who they are, but they seem to be opposing the Templars.  If you're interested, I can try to connect you with them.  They may be more amenable than the Jesuits.  However, it's not without risk."

OOC:  Judoc's still not sure how far he can trust Elliot.  The other young man seems a bit unstable, but if Elliot is willing, Judoc will try to arrange a meeting with Elliot and the friend of Death by putting a message in the abandoned merchant's guild.

If Judoc had though Elliot unstable before, when he mentions the death of Mariana the man goes even more unbalanced.  His eyes bulge and the words spit out of his mouth before Judoc can even finish his sentence.  "I didn't kill her!"  He fumes.  "Or I didn't mean to."  He adds lamely.  "It was her idea in the first place!"  He adds, his gusto and anger returning slightly though it ebbs in a moment.  Judoc is about to respond to this wildly absurd accusation, but Elliot continues his voice even and emotionless.

"She wasn't a fan of this place.  Neither of us were... she always made it seem like it wasn't her choice though, like someone else was keeping her here.  End of last year something changed, she said someone caught her, like she was in trouble.  She hated her house I know but I didn't know what she was talking about and she wouldn't elaborate much.  She said she had to get out, that she didn't have much time, that the hammer could fall at any moment..."  His voice fades for a moment, though Judoc doesn't press his questions just yet, knowing that there has to be more to come.  Elliot's breaths come shallow and quick as if attempting to catch up with the truth.

"We rehearsed it.  All of it.  We had an argument at the school - she grew quite angry with me when I could not play my part well enough.  Still we waited, she withdrew from everything but we would still find each other at midnight in the forests.  She coached me on the spells, on the attitudes, on the feelings.  She never let the rehearsals play out beyond my fire spells.  She told me she had a way to finish it off, that she was more worried about me playing my part..."  His mind wanders to the actual night...  I felt the heat of her body as she was engulfed..."  The anger wells up behind his eyes again though this time it does not find its outlet.  "I didn't even cast the blaze on her, but all around.  I had practiced it a million times.  I don't believe it went wrong..."  This time it seems an interminable silence.  Judoc is not sure whether to break it and has he finally opens his mouth to talk again, Elliot begins a new.

"We had even practiced the meetings afterword.  She coached me on how to answer the questions, on how to stay in the character that we had built of me.  We had thought they would take it as an accident that I would be out and in the legions... not really a fate so bad...  But that didn't work out at all.  They thought it murder outright and never asked me a single question.  And the worst is that it only tethered me faster to this place and furthermore as an axe man..."

Judoc finally sees an opening and asks about the man the Provost wanted targeted.  Elliot merely shakes his head.

"I do not know who he is.  He said the man was known as 'Thresher'... he showed me what he looked like with an illusion.  I do not know anything else."  He hangs his head slightly, though the frazzled emotions seem to have simmered down into a still and iron resolve.

"I won't meet your man, I'm not interested in fighting them, I just have to break their hold.  If the Jesuits won't help me after this"  He motions towards the corpse on the ground.  "If they won't even hear my story then I will run.  Sometimes they take students, I at least have a chance and they won't be beholden to the provost."

"I believe you," Judoc says quietly.  Elliot had never possessed much ability with spells, and the conflagration that had engulfed Mariana had seemed far beyond what the young man was capable of performing.  But if Elliot had not killed Mariana, who had?

A troubling thought strikes him.  Had Mariana herself completed the ruse?  Had she been so desperate to escape that she had immolated herself?  The idea makes Judoc sick.  No, surely not.  If she had intended to kill herself, why drag Elliot into it?  Webs within webs.  Judoc finds his attention piqued.  What could be uncover about this place?  What secrets might be learn?  But at what cost?  A burning pyre like Mariana, or this broken shell of a man before him?  No, a similar fate will not befall Judoc.  Judoc the Merciful he might be now, but one day, he will be known as Judoc the Mighty, Judoc the Awe-Inspiring, Judoc the Triumphant!

But now, poor Elliot.  "I don't blame you for wanting to leave, Elliot," he says.  "Perhaps the Jesuits will be better.  Good luck, my friend, and if I can help you, let me know."  Not that Judoc will bend over backwards to help the other young man, but in truth, Judoc doesn't have many who he might call friend.  Once, perhaps, that was different, but now - he'd just been too busy.

"Shall we return?  Or do you wish to brood here a while longer?  I do not think you will find fresh demons to kill.'

OOC:  Wait a moment for Elliot to see if he wants to return.  If he expresses a desire to stay here longer, or does not respond, go ahead and return to the castle.

"Yeah,"  Elliot says softly as Judoc bids him luck, still seeming to focus on the small bit of floor in front of him.  Though when Judoc offers to leave Elliot manages to pull himself together, grabbing the small head on the floor below him.  "Yeah, lets head back.  Suppose there is no sense in just sitting down here until we are after hours."  He grips his stone back in his left hand again and palms the demon skull with his right.

The trip back is uneventful and just as Judoc had predicted there are no further encounters with nether beasts or hellion.  The sodden stone slopes slowly upward and it does not seem to take long for the rancid smell of offal returns.  Judoc places a shirt sleeve to his face to block the most of the smell, though Elliot seems indifferent ahead, slowly making his way straight along an invisible path that seems to be leading them back up.  Indeed, when they do see the tunnel entrance, it is directly in front of them and Judoc feels quite lucky to have gotten back to just the right spot in what may as well have been an underground desert for the lack of variety in the view.  Back up the tunnel the two trod with not so much as a sound from ahead or behind.  They make their way through the trap door, pulling the thing shut behind them and then upstairs towards the stairwell door.

Taking their time to ensure they can hear nothing, Judoc peers out first and seeing an opening, the two replace their small stones into the wall sconces and make their way to the stairway upward.  Lucky again to avoid detection, the two manage to make their way up the stairs and out of the servants corridor and into the main hall.  Doing his best to conceal his morbid burden from the few students milling their way about the hall, Elliot glances towards Judoc and offers a sincere "Thanks" as the two find themselves about to take separate directions...

OOC:  Nothing came up on your encounter rolls so the way back to the castle was unimpeded.  Elliot seemed to know the way well enough to get you there, which frankly is lucky because it probably would have required a navigation roll at a severe penalty and you could have spent a few more hours down there trying to find where you started from.  You don't need to do anything here if you don't want to, I just wanted to give you a chance to take action before I completely fast forwarded to the next scene.

The trip back is uneventful, and as they walk, Judoc ponders what he has learned.  That there are people in the College who wish to make killers of them troubles him.  It's one thing to train for the art of war.  It's quite another to go about murdering people in cold blood.

He wryly considers how much trouble the summoned imp had caused and how easily he had dispatched it.  Well, Eliot had helped, he supposes.  The fellow has become quite good with a blade, better than Elliot's meager magical aptitude.

"Right, that's that" Judoc says, and nods to the bundle.  "If anyone asks, I'll deny everything."  Judoc pauses for a moment.  "Take care of yourself, Eliot, and don't be a stranger, ok?"

OOC:  I'm ready to move on.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:44, Thu 09 Feb 2017.

Elliot nods politely at Judoc in parting and the two go their separate ways... perhaps even more so that Judoc would have imagined...

---

December 2nd
2008 A.D.
Templar College of Battle Magic
Overflow Classrooms

A month had passed... word had been sparse at first, but by the time he had heard it even once it had spread like wildfire.  Elliot had joined the Jesuits on the college.   The oddity of the situation was palpable: the Jesuits normally took only the finest students into their enclave and even though many would admit that Elliot had improved slightly before the exams, he was still far from the best student.  Furthermore, since he had joined, Elliot had not so much left the enclave as to even retrieve the meager belongings he had been keeping in his room in the Hall of Bishops.  It seemed that his newest roomates talked most, whispering vicious secrets to the entire school one person at a time.  Though surprised, Judoc's own roomates talked little of the event...  Indrid seemed uncaring, Grobbik seemed to respect Elliot's privacy enough not to bother with bother with repeating or speculating.  As for Judoc, as of yet, he had kept his word and stayed silent of his afternoon retreat to the depths of the castle and the bowels of the sewer access below...

In the meantime, exams had been largely taken.  Each of Judoc's classes had large or small group exams.  He had taken both the written and practical portions and though Judoc would be hard pressed to say the experience was flawless, he nevertheless saw little competition with himself at the top of his class.  Continuing on to the spring semester seemed a foregone conclusion.  Still, Judoc had one last exam to take, one which had seemed most curious.  On his exam schedule it had simply been marked as

Templar Practicum.  indv.  2 Dec, 1000 hours.  Classroom 24.

Checking with others nonchalantly it seemed that no one he knew had a similar exam.  Furthermore, the twenties classrooms were on the third floor, just a stones throw from the base of the towers and the top of the parapets.  Each of them was small, he was sure, and he had heard for the most part they were used for advanced courses in specialized magic such as Meta magic and the basics of Enchanting.  Double checking the time, Judoc finds himself at his classroom with a few minutes to spare as he pushes open the doorway.  The door opens towards the innards of the castle and as such there are no windows.  Like the servants floors below it is lit with dimly glowing stones, though there are enough of them here that seeing the ground in front of you is not quite so much of a chore and so that there is not a single discernable shadow around the room.  There are six chairs and desks organized in rows of three which nearly fill the small space, leaving just enough room for the podium in front and a chalkboard that sprawls across the wall behind.  It does not seem for the moment that any professor is waiting for him here...

Exams had taken up all of Judoc's attention, leaving him scant time to follow Elliot's rather unusual ascension into the ranks of the Jesuits.  Of course, he knew the real reason, but he kept his lips sealed and devoted himself to preparing for the exams.  He knew all of this material anyway, and he knew his teachers knew.  Exams were more of a formality than anything else, not true tests of knowledge, but simply a matter of fulfilling regulation and a record of accomplishments.  Sure, perhaps he didn't know everything yet, but it was clear that Judoc was far and away superior to the rest of his classmates, both in knowledge and magical aptitude.

Not that the others didn't try, of course, some staying up all hours of the night attempting to cram as much information into their heads as they could.  Other students wore perpetual masks of worry, biting their nails, grinding their teeth.  Judoc secretly took pleasure in his fellows' anxiety.   Of course he studied, and he made sure to review formulae and reagents, but there was little need to punish himself psychologically, and his results for the most part buoyed him up.  He had temporarily forgotten one gesture for the Great Haste spell that had been a bit of embarrassment, and one could never quite keep straight all the different Great Wizards, but overall, his results were as good as he had expected.

With one final exam, this Templar Practicum, Judoc is already thinking about his course work next semester.  He isn't quite sure what to expect from this final test - more demonstrations of his abilities?  A final assessment of his knowledge?  Whatever he will be asked to do, Judoc is sure he will be able to rise to the challenge.

Now he is here in Classroom 24, and he looks inside.  Hm.  No professors.  Judoc would bet money on this being one final test from Brother Loke, one last attempt to trip Judoc up and send him packing from the College.  Clearing his throat, he enters the room and takes a seat, curious to see what manner of exam this might be.

Judoc makes his way towards the seats, his mind already racing to the likelihood that Brother Loke, Judoc's nemesis at the college, is the one who required this last test.  If that was true there were all sorts of impossible stunts and self deprecating acts that Judoc could imagine this exam would be comprised of.  It seemed that Loke liked nothing better than his own pain and embarrassment.

Judoc is not left waiting long pondering however, for only shortly after he makes his seat, the door swings open again and the professor who enters is not even close to who he suspected...

Instead it is the Provost, Baron Graves, who enters.  "Good."  The other says gruffly as he pushes closed the door.  "Silentiumurus."  Judoc can feel the mana reverberate through the room, though it somehow does not seem to have any affect to their conversation.  The provost walks to the front of the room, placing a hand on the chalkboard tentatively for a moment, as if he is trying to feel something in it or beyond.

This is the first time Judoc has seen the other close up and if he did not already have such a well formed opinion, Judoc must admit that the man would strike quite the impression.  He is well muscled and lean with an impeccable hand taken in the care of his personal appearance.  His beard and mustache, just speckled with the grey pepper of age, are groomed but not overly manipulated.  His breastplate and armor are polished to a mirror shine.  The cloak draped behind his shoulders is the deepest blue and belies not even the slightest hint of fatigue.  As the man turns about at the front of the room, his face is all chiseled steel and the muscles of his jaw and forehead ripple with annoyance.

"Judoc."  He starts, glaring directly at the youth and not waiting even a moment for a response.  "You would seem a dedicated student, no doubt with aims to join the Templars."  It seems less a question than a statement of fact but before Judoc even has the time to process the words let alone what sort of situation he seems to be in, Graves is moving on with the swiftness of a falcon.  "If you are to become one of us, the first lesson you must learn, indeed the most important lesson, is obedience.  Perhaps you remember your little jaunt to the sands of the arena in Azer?  I had gone through quite an ordeal to set that up, to convince the governor to arrange it, to organize the culprits who would be your foes.  I did that because those despicable apes were deserving of far worse than the plush prison cells they had been inhabiting, they deserved death..."  Graves clinches a fist in front of his face, the hatred in his eyes boiling over in furious and sickening glee.  "Did you know that the man you fought has gone free now?  Thresher he is called, a murder and a rogue above all others he was to burn and would have even without my intervention but somehow now he walks free and this I cannot accept...  Oh yes."  He pauses, staring at Judoc in the face.  "He walks free now with only your meager flames as punishment.  I did not seek it to come to this Judoc, but I have been left with no option.  I had told you to kill him once, on the those sands of the arena...  Well this is still that moment, these are still those sands, and I am telling you to kill him...  If you do not do this I will consider this exam a failure.  I will know if it has happened.  Do you understand?"  Graves locks his eyes upon Judoc, waiting for an acknowledgement...

It is with a mixture of relief and alarm that Judoc sees not Brother Loke, but Baron Graves, come in.  The student jumps to his feet, and the Baron casts a spell, no doubt to block prying ears from eavesdropping.  Judoc lifts an eyebrow in surprise, but he waits, quietly.  He cannot forget the last time he was before Graves during a test.  The arena.  Judoc, in that ridiculous mask, wig, and dress.  Death, burning from Judoc's fire.  The Baron had been displeased that day, Judoc knew it.

The man before him is formidable.  He reeks of power.  This is a man used to giving commands, of being obeyed.  What does he want with Judoc?  Why is he here?  Whatever the reason, it must be important.  The Baron is not one to waste his time.

As Graves speaks, Judoc nods his head.  Yes, he had come here to become a battle mage in the Megalan armies in a bid to prove his father wrong.  Men like Brother Loke had done nothing to make Judoc want the Knight's Cross for himself, but now, seeing what he is capable of, Judoc cannot help but wonder if he could indeed be a Templar.  He is suprised to discover this.  When had he changed?  He knew there was something rotten about them, if Elliot and the youth in town were to be believed, but there is something here, some power that tempts Judoc.

Obedience is a word that rankles Judoc.  He is not a dog to be brought to heel and do his master's bidding.  At the same time, he knows that to be a soldier, one must follow the chain of command, and this makes him respect the Cross and the Templars, no matter how morally questionable some of them may be.

The Baron's cold fury is rather frightening.  What made him hate those men so?  And how the hell can Judoc avoid the same fate?  No matter what else is true, he knows this much - he has no desire to have this Templar as an enemy.

"I undestand completely, my Lord," Judoc says, with a tone he hopes is a confident one.  "Thresher will die."

Judoc's mind is a whirl of activity.  No matter what he tells himself, he suspects that if the man Graves names Thresher had not surrendered, Judoc might very well have collapsed under the strain of pulling so much mana.  Judoc had toyed with the man, but in an arena like Azer, how could one man without arcane ability hope to fight another who had no magical training?  It was like splitting a puppy's skull with an axe.

And what is the story here?  Did Thresher deserve death?  Perhaps he did, if he really was a murderer and a thief and who knows what else.  But was he?  Judoc finds himself in two minds.  He has no desire to kill a man who does not deserve death, but here, in the presence of Graves, Judoc feels a keen sense of self-preservation.  Could he kill Thresher?  Would he? How far would Judoc go to gain status and position?  This was no longer about showing up his father.  Judoc wants to be in the inner circle here, and he suspects this test is the first step toward a much different future than the one he imagined for himself.  But at what cost?  What does it profit a man to gain the world but, perhaps, lose his soul in the process?

Graves seems slightly surprised and entirely mollified by Judoc's short and direct answer.  The hard lines on his mouth and forehead relax and perhaps there is evidence even of a slight smile.  "Good."  Graves says for the second time, his tone also entirely changed, forsaking all the steel for a trace of honey.  "Well then, you know your task.  Exam results are to be posted in a week.  If you seek anything to aid you, I will not be available, however, you may inquire at the wizard's guild in town.  Do not fail me Judoc..."  The tone regains just a moment of ice...  "But succeed and you will be rewarded."

Graves gives Judoc one last hint of a smile before he waves a hand and Judoc can feel the previous spell work cascade into nothingness.  Graves moves quickly to the door, pushes his way out, and is gone.

OOC:  Just so you know, I'm going to let you control the way, at least to set up how you are going to play the remainder of the thread but you have a multitude of options available to you.  You still have the 'Friend of Death' contact who you could try and deceive to set up a meeting or you could roll against streetwise and try and find Thresher on your own.  You could pick a specific business or guild that you think he may have contacts to and roleplay through the encounters to try and chase him down.  Alternatively, you could not attempt to kill Thresher at all, but come up with an elaborate ruse to try and trick Graves... all the choices are over to you.  If you have anything else you want to try out feel free to shoot me a private and we can either move that direction or discuss how to tweak it to give you the best success.

"Yes, my Lord.  I will not fail you."  Judoc bows his head and waits for the baron to leave before he exits the room himself, deep in thought.

What is he going to do?  Judoc has no doubt that he will kill if he must, but it's the must that rags at him.  What does he know about the Templars?  They're cold bastards for one thing, Loke and Graves, anyway.  Judoc hadn't bothered to check up on the story of the youth he had met after the arena battle.  He had hoped to have steered clear of local politics in his quest for a future commission in the legions.  Now, this.

Judoc's lip wrinkles.  He has no desire to play the Baron's assassin.  He wouldn't doubt that this Thresher had killed before, probably one of Graves's people.  No one is truly innocent, not the babe freshly born, not the old crone with snow-white hair and a century's worth of wrinkles.  Whatever this Thresher had done, or what he represented, he had incensed Graves to the point that Thresher had been marked for death.  The costume itself in the arena could have been meant as the final touch, the funeral shroud.

Interesting that Graves had first ordered Elliot, and now Judoc, to carry out the execution.  Elliot was only a boy.  Of course, Judoc is a special case, a young man with an incredibly bright future, but why stoop to using students?  Surely Graves has more dependable associates he can call upon.  Deniability, perhaps?  A rogue student, a bad egg who, in spite of his teachers' best tutelage, had gone wrong?  Possible, he concedes, but still, a student could be traced back to the Templars' battle college.  Or is this another salvo in whatever shadow war is being waged between Thresher's people and the Templars?  Either way, Graves would use Judoc as a pawn, and this idea does not sit well with the young mage.

He returns to his rooms, deep in thought.  Standing at the one window that looks out over the castle grounds, he considers his options.  He could go after Thresher directly, track him down, and finish the job he had started in the arena.  But openly killing someone - Judoc would be arrested and incarcerated.  No, no, that would not do.

He could goad Thresher into fighting him, or arrange a meeting and make it look like Thresher was robbing him and claim self-defense.  There is the ruined guild hall.  He could leave a note there, asking Thresher to meet him at a certain spot.  There are a thousand ways that could go wrong, though.

Hm.  A note.  He clasps his hands behind his back and paces.  If he fails - he would likely be dismissed from the college.  If he succeeds, his place is assured, but he is a murderer.  Is there a middle path?  Crossing over to his desk, he takes out a slip of paper, dips his pen into his inkwell, and begins to write.

Thought engrosses Judoc as he makes his way back to the commons... was there some solution to this problem that was short of murder that did not involve him being expelled from the college?  Thinking he had reached a middle ground, Judoc puts pen to paper, disguising his writing as much as he is able.

Thresher,

A student will try to kill you, beware.

-A Friend.

---

December 2nd
2008 A.D.
Abandoned Guild Building
Market Street

It has been only a few hours since the Baron's 'exam' but Judoc feels no need to put off the inevitable.  The cold winter wind bites, although the air is crisp and sky cloudless.  The sun is still perched not far from it's zenith, although in this late time of year it is likely there are only a few good hours until sunset.  In his pocket rests his note, his hands intentionally resting on the front of his hips so that he does not sweat on the paper.  Though he does not suspect Thresher himself of having magical prowess, that does not imply he has no access to others who do.  Simply being at the college has exposed Judoc to spells that would likely foil his plan through a variety of means though at this point, his plan is at least as good as simply quitting the school or attempting murder.  As he passes the ironsmith, Judoc eyes the building which seems simply abandoned, though he knows it still has it's uses.

OOC:  We can't quite assume this part goes off without a hitch, so I'm going to go ahead and role play it.  You are currently about a dozen paces or so from the 'guild house' which seems like an abandoned building.  Let me know how you plan on planting the note.  Also roll against Observation and stealth.  Modifiers will depend on your actions so expect the results in my next post.

Judoc knows he's playing a dangerous game.  The Templars are powerful, and have quite a range of talents, magical and otherwise, at their disposal.  With this in mind, he takes care to seem nonchalant as he slides the note in his pocket and takes up his staff.  As someone who has already proved less than tractable when going along with what the Templars have in mind, he surmises that he may be observed leaving the castle, and he doubts that Graves trusts him, especially after the stunt in the arena.

But his plan is a good one, he thinks.  Who would dream that Judoc would sabotage his own efforts to track down Thresher?  No doubt the baron views Judoc as eagerly grasping for this chance of making an even bigger name for himself and little dreams that Judoc is playing his own game.  Judoc the Duplicitous.  No, Judoc the Cunning.  He allows himself a small smile, almost snickering at the thought of so deftly outmaneuvering the Templars.

As he walks toward the ruined guildhall, he takes a circuitous route, mainly to avoid being unpredictable, but hopefully to shake off any more mundane pursuers.  If he is being spied upon by more arcane means, however, he knows that he has a much smaller chance of avoiding that method of surveillance, and if his note is discovered and tracked back to him, he could be for some interesting questions, but Judoc the Bold will no doubt think of something.

OOC:  Don't go straight to the guild house.  Wander for a bit, lingering here and there as if searching for something in a shop or bar.  If Judoc is satisfied he's not being followed, go to the ruined guild house and leave the note, and then head for a bar for a drink.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:17, Mon 20 Feb 2017.

Judoc had been careful, once he had hit the northern roads of Azer he had weaved his way through the streets of the city, never being on a single road for too long.  He had walked always as though he was taking the shortest path to his destination, starting for the port before he turned in the direction of the cathedral and then finally backtracking his way to the markets.  All the while Judoc was casting sidelong glances into the reflection of glass windows and the shadows cast by the winter sun.  He could say with confidence that there was no one who was following him.  So as he stood there facing the abandoned guild house, why was Judoc's blood up?  Why was he so nervous about delivering the simple scrap of paper?  The windows of the building are shaded and crusted with dust making it near impossible to make out anything inside.

Uncertain as to his delivering method, Judoc looks first for a box or slot to cast the note through, though he finds nothing.  As he makes his way forward to improvise, he sees a shadow pass across one of the shades on the second floor.  Endeavoring to get away as soon as he can, Judoc wedges the note in the gap of the door at about knee level before making his way back to the streets, disappearing down a side road and into a pub by the name of The Dragon's Nest.  Saddling up to the bar, Judoc hails the keep and orders an ale, always keeping half an eye on the doorway...

OOC:  Ok, we don't have to roleplay this too far.  Just let me know how long you want to stay in the bar to make sure you weren't followed.  Also, from here, give me a general idea when you want to start looking for Thresher, if there is anywhere specific or if you just want me to start rolling for you.  Probably I can handle most of this through just regular dice rolls and I'll pick things up from where something really good or really bad happens.  Let me know if you have any more guidance before I break out the dice.

This is a bad idea, Judoc thinks, sitting at The Dragon's Nest, nursing an ale and trying to decide what to do next.  Honestly, if it works as he intends, he'll still lose face, maybe even be drummed out of the college altogether.  Judoc wants to learn, to expand his repertoire of spells, and he can't do that by being expelled.  At the same time, the Templars want him to kill a man, and Judoc's not convinced that Thresher deserves death.  There's always more than one story, he muses, and this time, he's sure that the truth lies somewhere in the middle between Graves' icy hot rage and Thresher's friend who had assured Judoc that the men in the arena had did little wrong.  No, probably nothing worse than fomenting rebellion.  Likely there was some power play going on.  But how can Judoc make the best use of the forces at work without becoming an unwitting pawn in whatever is stirring?

Who had been there at the guild?  He's screwed if it had been one of the Templars' men, but he suspects it's likely one of Thresher's crew.  Had Judoc been seen?  Now that would be tricky.  Someone sees Judoc leaving the note, they think Judoc's one of the angels, Judoc gets the jump on Thresher, is about to kill him and then lets him go.  Yeah, that'll look real good to his superiors at the College.  The thought that Thresher might be able to overpower him, even kill him, does not even occur to Judoc.

No, what the young mage thinks now is, Now what?  It would be child's play to arrange a meeting with Thresher, but that would put Judoc exactly where he does not want to be - close to his target, close enough that he could kill him if he needed to.  And then what would his excuse be?  He could simply tell Graves to go fuck himself, but that would necessitate a much lower level of self-preservation than Judoc is capable of.

So.  Here he is, in a bar, drinking an ale, wondering what the hell he's going to do next.  He needs time for the message to get to Thresher, that's for certain.  It would be ridiculous to run into the man now.  No, he needs a day to get the message, maybe clear out of town for a while, and then Judoc will begin his hunt.

Judoc's mind squirms as he slowly absorbs his beer, sitting on the high, barstool of the Dragon's Nest.  Though he is alone at the bar, the barkeep pays him little mind, preferring to attend to the menial tasks of getting his establishment ready for the evening.  To Judoc it is just as well.  He is not fond of his situation.  Though he thinks little of his chances to realistically accomplish his goal unless Thresher leaves Azer of his own accord.  If the two meet, then if Judoc kills, he will be a murderer, if he does not, perhaps Graves will expel him for failing at his task.  But what if Thresher does leave?  Will that suffice to mollify Graves?  There are only two things that Judoc is sure of, he has no wish to be expelled just yet and that he has no wish to become a murderer.  Pouring the last dregs of his ale into his mouth, Judoc thanks the barkeep, places a silver penny on the bar, and departs.

---

December 6th
2008 A.D.
The Dragon's Nest
Azer Market

Sometimes it is funny the sense of Deja Vu that will strike a man though the circumstances may be completely different.  For Judoc, he cannot help but remember only a few days ago, sitting at the exact same bar with the same feeling of listlessness.   It had been four days since he had placed the note and formulated his plan.  Since then he had spent a night listening for references to his foe, then another two actively searching for him.  So far, Judoc had come up entirely short, though he was not sure whether that meant that Thresher had indeed left or that Judoc was searching in the wrong places.  Most of the people he had been asking had given him entirely blank stares, some of the seedier sorts looked just short of hostile at points.  Judoc had just started his mission again fresh for the night, deciding to try the Dragon's Nest though it had not been one of his normal stops.  As Judoc sits again at the bar, he notices the stark difference that only a few hours of the day can make.  His previous trip here had been just prior to dinner time and he had been the only person in the establishment right as it was opening.  Now, though the sun has been set for only few hours, the place is much more lively with nearly every seat at the bar taken and most of the tables spoken for as well.  There is a moderate hum of conversation that flows throughout the room making listening difficult to anything outside of a few feet.

For perhaps the twelfth time in three days Judoc nonchalantly asks the barkeep if he has heard of anyone named Thresher as he pays double for his copperhead ale.  Nodding in appreciation for the tip the barkeep gruffly offers, "If you're bloke is anything what he sounds like, Finny is you best bet, keeps off in that back corner over there."  The bartender jerks his chin towards the back of the bar.

Uncertain as whether or not he wants this lead to pay out, Judoc thanks the man and decides to at least follow through with the charade.  He makes his way towards the back of the bar, finding an older scruffy fellow in the area that the barkeep had mentioned.  "Finny?  I hear you might have heard of a man called Thresher?"

Finny seems perhaps fifty in age, though he is worn rugged with course skin and thinning and unkempt hair.  His clothes are mostly patchwork, though there are no holes to speak of and they seem barely warm enough for the cold of the winter night.  As he hears the question, Finny smiles a grin that is half empty for lack of teeth.  "Oh, I've heard of him neighbor,"  His voice is gruff and cracked though his response seems in a whimsical tone.  "An I think I've heard of you too son, what's it worth to you to hear what I know?"

OOC:  You have spent a total of $45 in tips over the past couple days.  You have $42 still on your person right now, the rest is back still back at the college.  You have 3 days left in the week to kill Thresher, or otherwise fool Graves.

The days pass quickly for Judoc.  It is an odd feeling, this manhunt for a man Judoc does not want to find.  If Thresher is still in the city, Judoc will find him, of this the young mage is certain, but what will he do when he does track the man down?  Strike down upon him with great vengeance and furious anger?  That's what Graves expects.  What Judoc has to figure out is how to get what he wants, and that's going to mean playing his own hand.

Here again at The Dragon's Nest.  Judoc's been asking around, splashing out a little coin, not too much, but enough to hopefully find what he's looking for.  Because of course he has to look for Thresher.  He has to do his best to sell the idea he's trying to run Thresher to the ground.  And when he finds him?  What then?  Will he finish what he started, immolate the poor bastard for Graves's amusement?  Or will he let Thresher go and face the consequences of disobeying the Templars?   Sure, Judoc will end up fine, but he won't have access to the Templars' library and teachers any more.  He'd hate to have to give that up just for some street rat that he doesn't know from Adam.  Judoc already spared the man one time.  Maybe that hadn't been such a good decision then.

Finally, a lead.  "Much obliged," he murmurs, and standing up, he walks over to the corner to the man named Finny.  What's he going to say?  Eh, he'll just roll with it.

So Finny's heard of him, has he?  Yes, Judoc's certainly coming up in the world.  Judoc the Merciful they call him now.  Not his first choice.  Makes him look a little soft, for one thing.  But hey, he'll take the boost to his rep.

"I see my reputation precedes me," he says, grinning.  "Yeah, I need to find Thresher.  I need to tell him something, but face to face.  I've only met him the one time."  If only Judoc had brought more money with him.  How much was this bribe going to be?  "How about I buy you a drink for starters?  And then we can go from there."

OOC:  Judoc's willing to give up to $42 here to get what he wants, but he doesn't want to appear too eager right away.  He'll offer $20 to hear what Finny has to say, and more depending on what information he has, including $50 to arrange a meeting.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 10:33, Sun 26 Feb 2017.

"Much Obliged."  Finny says as Judoc offers a drink, though his face sours somewhat at the tepid interest in his information.  "Take a seat."  The other offers, pushing one of the chairs outward towards Judoc as he hails the waitress with a single finger.  "I've heard tell that there's a man looking for Thresher."  Finny offers his hand, palm up at Judoc, insinuating the obvious.  "An I've heard that Thresher hasn't been taking too keen on the idea that he's suddenly so popular.  In fact, I might have heard of some little plans he has in store, but at this point, my memory's getting a little fuzzy."

The wench stops by the table, saying only "Ya?" as Finny redirects his attention.  "The usual dear, an my frien's payin."  Finny smiles at Judoc, waiting for him to take the next move.

OOC:  I haven't moved forward with the $20 bribe yet based on the context of your post, just your offer for a drink.  If you want to hear Finny's story please post your offer IC and at that point I'll mark it off your inventory.

"Plans, eh?"  Judoc settles into his seat and grins.  "That's probably a real good idea, from what I hear."  So far, so good.  Ol' Finny looks like he's opening up right away.  To the serving girl, he says, "Give me the same thing."  He reaches in his pocket and pulls out some coins, paying for the two drinks and a tip and leaving five silver pennies on the table.  He pushes them over to Finny.  "A down payment," he says.  "Arrange a meeting, and I'll be even more grateful."

He waits until the waitress has moved off to get their drinks, and he says more quietly, "Now, I don't know you, Finny, but maybe you heard about me and Thresher.  They wanted me to kill him in the arena.  It was all a set up."  He shrugs and gestures with his hands, palms upraised, fingers slightly curved upward, as if to say That's life.  "I've heard things, too.  I know for a fact that two different people have been told to kill Thresher.  Seems like he has some dangerous enemies."

He leans back in his chair.  After Finny tells him what he needs to know, it will be time to make his next plans.  Stage an attack on Thresher?  Make it seem like Thresher only got away by the skin of his teeth?  Or just kill him and be done with it?  "Good to hear he's making some plans.  What's he planning on doing?  Lying low?"

OOC:  So that's two drinks, $1 tip, and $20 for Finny up front.

Finny smiles at the silver on the table and he scoops the coins into a hand, stashing them away on his person.  "I done thin you want a meet in as much as you thin, son.  I done know nothing about the arena but what I do know is that he's heard there's someone out to kill him, an he hasn't taken kindly to hearing there's a man asking all over town about him."  Finny flat out laughs when Judoc asks if he is going to lay low, though his chest moves up and down only a wheezy whistle of noise escapes his lips.

"Ah done thin so.  Ah heard he's plan in to take matters a little more physical like.  An ah thin if you ask questions around much more you're like to fine yourself get in roughed up by a few a his friends.  In fact, ah think they set a trap tonight in case you came ask in around again.  Ah might even remember where if you have a mark on you."

OOC:  I'm like 51% certain that you had already bought a drink in the bar based on my previous math.  I may or may not have posted that and I'm not worried enough to look through the posts again.  So I didn't have you order what you had, but instead just keep drinking what you already had.  With the bribe and the drink, you have $19 left on your person.  In case it is confusing, Finny is asking for $200 to tell you where an ambush is set up to get you tonight.

"Oh, believe me, it's very important that I catch up with him."  Too bad Thresher hadn't skipped town.  Now Judoc might have to kill him.  You don't have to do anything, he tells himself.  Graves isn't God on his throne.  He doesn't decide who lives and who dies.  You do.

He smirks at the thought of some street thugs getting physical with him.  "I appreciate the tip, but I can take care of myself," he says.  "I guess I have been asking too many questions."  He reaches into his pocket and puts a few more silver pennies on the table.  "That's all I have on me tonight.  I'll be seeing you, Finny."

He stands up from the table and walks back to the bar, holding his ale.  OK, so Thresher and his mates plan on a confrontation with whoever's asking questions.  Good.  This all is working out exactly as Judoc has planned.  Get the word out, get Thresher riled up, force some kind of confrontation.  Judoc lays down the righteous smiting, roasts Thresher's cadre, but Thresher gets away in the confusion.  Judoc tells his superiors that he did his best and took down half a dozen thugs, but there were just too many of them.  Graves is furious, sends Judoc to remedial classes, probably threatens to kick him out, but in the end, Judoc doesn't have to kill anyone and can stay on.

Worst case, Graves tries to kill him, he reasons.  That would be tricky.  With the magic at the Templars' disposal, Judoc figures if Graves wants him dead, it would be better not to stick around and give him an opportunity to do it.  He'd have to plan for that contingency - probably just get the hell out of Azer if it comes down to that.  But that's worst case scenario.  Or the guards come along, see the brawl going on, and just arrest everybody.

Or - well, Judoc kills Thresher.  Graves is pleased, the common folk in Azer aren't, but at least they know not to cross Judoc the Deadly.  Yeah.  That's a better sobriquet for a battlemage, anyway.

OOC:  Leave $16 more on the table and walk back to the bar.  Wait here another hour or so, ordering one more drink, and then wander around a bit, seeing if Judoc can crash the ambush.

Finny smiles gleefully again when near the last of Judoc's money is placed on the table, scooping it up with both hands.  "Good luck then."  He offers smiling unabashedly through his missing teeth.

Judoc walks to the bar, finishing his drink and ordering anther before he eventually gives up on the Dragon's Next as a bad job.  He wanders outside, trying to make sense of all the clues he'd learned from Finny.  It only stands to reason that his efforts in the last two days to find Thresher had made their way back, so perhaps if he started to revisit some of the establishments he had seen over the past two days?  Judoc wonders exactly how far he will get with empty pockets seeing as he had left Finny and the barkeep the last of his coin... still wasting the rest of the night wasn't exactly his best option either.  There were a pair of bars he had visited each of the last two nights, mostly last night because each of them were on his route.  Judoc decided first to try the one that seemed a little more friendly, the Silver Thatch Pub which had boasted a pot of mutton stew first then lentil soup and bread on each of the nights he had been there.

Finding his way back to the Silver Thatch, Judoc pushes his way through the door, waving to the keep but moving to one of the smaller tables rather than the bar as had usually been his habit.  There is a serving girl making her way around the bar that Judoc looks after for a moment before remembering that he has spent all his coin at the Dragon, but as his gaze wanders, he finds himself looking at a balding, middle aged man across the bar, who is looking directly back at him from the shadows of a table against the wall...

OOC:  Roll vs. IQ.  You gave $16 of your coin left to Finny and the other $3 to buy one more drink of the barrel of watered down house brew at the Dragon.  Make a roll against straight HT, if you fail you are at -1 to DX and IQ for the next 30 min due to drinking so much alcohol with no food.

So far, the night has been pretty successful.  Judoc has learned that he has succeeded in agitating Thresher.  He can't help chuckling a little to himself.  Everything is going according to plan.  Thresher is playing right into his hands.  Soon, they'll have their confrontation.  Judoc will thrash Thresher to within an inch of the other man's life and at the last minute let Thresher get away.  Reinforcements will arrive for the half a dozen thugs Judoc's already incapacitated, with the watch, too.  Yeah, then Thresher will disappear, and every trail will grow cold.  He will have failed to kill Thresher, but not for lack of trying.  Sometimes, fate just intervenes on a rogue's behalf in spite of everything one does.

By now, Judoc is feeling a little tipsy, but he has a hearty constitution, and he can hold his liquor reasonably well.  After thinking for a moment, he sets off toward the Silver Thatch Pub.  Somewhere out there, Thresher thinks he's setting a trap for the man who's been asking after him.  The young mage grins wolfishly.  Yes, yes, Thresher, you're so smart.  You know so much, don't you?  Heh.

Once he arrives at the Silver Thatch, he sidles inside and makes his way over to a table.  He's just about to order a glass of wine when he realizes that he's spent all his coin for the evening.  He frowns.  Why the devil hadn't he brought more money with him?  He has plenty back in his room.  Now he feels silly.  What's he supposed to do now without any more money?  Blast it.  He might as well go back to the castle and get some more coin.

Sullenly, he is about to stand up and leave when he catches sight of the man looking at him across the way.  Judoc leans forward and looks back, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table.   Who's this now?  One of Thresher's lads?  Kind of old to be a lad, he thinks.  He is looking at Judoc, though.

Curiosity gets the best of him, and pushing up from the table, he begins to stroll towards where the other stands.

GM Edit to account for NPC action
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:05, Wed 01 Mar 2017.

Judoc's mind races as begins to stand.  He has seen this man, somewhere recently.  Yes, he was in one of the bars last night.  Judoc never talked to him but he was standing near enough.  As Judoc is looking at him, the man stands and rushes towards the front door!

OOC:  The man is walking quickly in the direction of the door.  He is slightly closer than you are at this point and he is still a good 10 or so yards away from you.  Tables and patrons are scattered throughout the bar, obstructing everyone's movement.  If you plan on moving anywhere at a speed greater than a walk, roll vs. DX to see how well you do with the obstacles.  Also state what speed you are going to go.

Who is this guy?  He apparently recognizes Judoc.  Is this a trap?  Do they think they can easily bait Judoc this way?  Ha!  The simpletons.  Judoc is so far ahead of them.  He wants to be caught!

Judoc pivots and darts after the man.

OOC:  Try to match the man's speed.

Judoc does not delay a moment, but matches the man pace for pace, making his way in a cutoff to intercept the bald man before he reaches the door.  As the man sees him moving, he breaks into a run and it takes Judoc only a moment to match the movement.

Though some patrons of the bar seem to be recognizing the situation, most still stand in place, or around their tables and running in the midst of the crowds is no easy feat.  The man nudges his way through several groups, slowing at each interruption.  Judoc however, seems to weave his way through the assembled crowds magically, glancing not even a single shoulder as he moves uninhibited.  Judoc can see himself making up the distance and as he closes he sees a single moment where the two will cross paths, just before the other makes it to the door...

OOC:  Basically, you have made up enough ground that you will get a fleeting moment if you want to influence the man's path rather than just following him.  Just based on the different courses, and the running speeds involved any attack or grapple will need to be a wild swing or slam to hit.  Let me know if you want to do any of those things, or any other action and roll vs. the appropriate skill if necessary.

When the man runs for the door, Judoc reacts instinctively, moving to close with him.  Obviously this fellow has been waiting for Judoc, but due to Judoc's uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time, he has been able to turn the tables on this rube.  The pursuer is now the pursued.

"Just a minute, friend!  A word, if you please!" he calls out, sticking a foot out to try to trip the man up.

Judoc's decides his course in a moment, reaching the man's path just moments early and putting his foot down hard just in front of the man's ankle.  The result is an overwhelming success.  The man is going just fast enough that he attempts to slip by but does not notice the obstacle to his path.  His leg jars against Judoc's painfully as he flies another two feet before he comes into contact with the ground.

"What's he stolen?"  One of the patrons barks, though Judoc already has his mind wrapping around a spell meant to stop the man in his tracks.  The bald man does not hesitate, but moves his body back up to his knees, crouching first before he attempts to run off once again.  Judoc lets his spell loose just in time, but the mana does not act as he commands, and the bald man is off and moving before Judoc has another chance.  Cursing the man's luck, Judoc takes off in hot pursuit.

The two are out of the door within moments, the bald man taking off down the street as fast as his legs will carry him, Judoc continues to stay in trail, just slightly behind, though he is slowly losing his quarry.

OOC:  Bummer, you almost had everything.  I handled the trip as an attempted 'evade' on his part and you waxed him in DX dice rolls.  However you just barely made your levitate roll and he managed to resist the casting.  You are down 2 FP from the effort and are now about 5 yards behind him, although since you left the door the gap is opening just slightly.  No one got in either of your way on the way out.  You obviously have several options here for spells, not to mention extra effort in running if you want, otherwise you can just continue running at full move to try and outlast him.  Let me know what your general plan is and I'll keep going along that line.

Judoc had envisioned the man dangling upside down, forced to spill his guts over what Thresher might be planning.  All had been going according to plan, but somehow, the bald man had shaken off Judoc's Levitation spell.  Funny how that had happened twice now.

Instead, Judoc now gives chase, his feet pounding the pavement in pursuit of the man who obviously recognizes him and who is undoubtedly a lookout for Thresher.  This just isn't his lucky day.  The other man seems to be faster than the mage, too, gradually putting on some distance.

For now, though, Judoc wants to see where this guy is going.  Hopefully, he'll lead him right back to Thresher.

OOC:  Continue running.

The bald man picks a direction quickly in the street, sprinting for all he is worth down the well cobbled road.  At first, Judoc keeps his pace moderate, letting the man outstrip him slightly but he quickly realizes that if he wants to have any chance of finding this man again he will have to go his maximum speed.  Judoc launches himself forward with his feet as fast as they will go and finds that going as fast as he is able he is at least keeping the gap even if not gaining on his quarry!

The streets ahead are empty enough at this late hour that he does not have to dodge any crowds but instead he makes a straight bee line in trail, following the smokey light of the oil lamps that illuminate the street.  After less than a minute of this pace, the man dashes off to the left down an alleyway and in just a few moments Judoc will follow behind him.

OOC:  Sorry I keep stopping you with minimal action but I just want to make sure I get your intent right before moving you on and potentially doing something you didn't exactly see yourself doing.  The Silver Thatch Pub is in the northwest portion of the merchant's district just bordering near the high ground of the city where the Governor's Manor and most of the nobility live (the snooty part of town).  The bald man is running generally southwest, towards the heart of the merchant's district.  Because the bald man was losing you at a fairly rapid pace I had you start sprinting about half way through the action, at which point you started gaining back on him slightly.  You lost 1 FP in the effort.  He has now ducked into an alley way and if you keep moving at a sprint you will be there in about 9 seconds.  The sun set about two hours ago and Judoc would know that most of the back alleys are not well lit at night, and you would be at a penalty for vision rolls.  If you want to keep moving at a sprinting pace, roll vs HT and you are down 1 more FP if you fail.  If you want to slow to a running pace, it will take you about 18 seconds or so to make it there, but you will not suffer any FP.  Let me know what your general intentions are, how far you want to follow this man and at what speed and we will keep moving.

So far, all has gone according to plan.  Judoc has deftly created rumors that someone is searching for Thresher.  Thresher has made plans to deal with his dangerous hunter, and the poor slob currently running for his life is some kind of point man for the whole escapade.  Even now, Judoc is gaining on the fleeing man.  I have you now, he thinks as he darts down the half-deserted streets.

Just ahead, the man ducks down an alleyway.  Trying to turn the tables, is he?  Set up an ambush?  Judoc slows down just enough so that he can react to whatever the man and his associates might have waiting for him around the corner.

OOC:  Keep running, but slow down to a running pace, enough so that he's not barreling around the corner at full speed. Once he gets to the corner, have a look down the alley before going further.

Comfortable with his progress, Judoc slows his footfalls to a jog wanting to have some idea what he is getting himself into before he turns the corner.  It did not escape him that the 'plans' that Finny had spoken of could very well be an ambush laid out somewhere very close to where he is now running...

Judoc lets his vision expand taking in the blackness of the night as he searches for as much information as he can while he reins in his breathing to listen to the night sounds.  Darkness has fallen some hour and a half ago, and the night sky scintillates with starlight that is only partly occluded by puffy grey clouds drifting their way lethargically across the sky.  The masonry and wood buildings of the city pass to each side, still well kept in this part of town so that there are no loose boards or broken mortar.  The light of the oil lamps to each side flicker and warm, pulsating their dull light in sloppy, circular patches across the street.

The noise of city also hums along, giving him more to think on than just the thudding of his pulse in his ears and the smack of his shoes on the road below.  Up ahead two men talk loudly as they walk.  To the left, Judoc passes a beggar sleeping against a building, oblivious to the late hour and the increased potential of the watchmen in this better part of town.

As he turns at the alley to follow the bald man, Judoc is confronted with an open alley that spans perhaps three shoulder widths and is only a few dozen yards long until it opens out into another main thoroughfare.  The buildings on each side are each three stories, though Judoc did not get a good enough look at the one he ran past to know exactly what it was.  Up ahead he can see a single access door for each of the buildings, a few windows higher up on the second and third floors of each, and the remnants of various refuse that litters each side of the alley.  However, he does not see his quarry ahead.

"Roknar!"  Someone calls out in the night, but it is difficult to determine from such a distance if it comes from ahead or not.

OOC:  You don't see the bald man at this point, but the alley is probably only 40 yards long or so and the bald man could have easily made it to the other side by now if he kept up his pace.

One thing is on Judoc's mind as he jogs down the street - Thresher's ambush.  How will he handle it?  Like he had in the arena, raining down fiery death in explosive fireballs?  Nah, Thresher will be expecting that.  No, he'll think of something.

Two men up ahead of him.  Part of Thresher's gang?  Could be.  The beggar to the left.  A lookout of some kind?  Maybe Thresher himself.  Judoc grins.  A bold move if it's so.  It may be the reason the beggar is risking getting picked up by the local watch, but Judoc bets Thresher is waiting somewhere, ready to spring his trap on Judoc.

Judoc enters the alleyway.  Had the man dashed on down to the end of the alleyway?  He picks up his pace to see what he can see on the other end of the alley, but perhaps the man ducked into one of the side doors, no doubt thinking to lose Judoc in one of these tenements.

Roknar.  What did that mean?  A password of some kind?  A warning?  Judoc smiles.  He must not underestimate these men, but it all seems so laughable how easy they were being manipulated.

OOC:  Jog down to the end of the alley and look both ways.  If Judoc doesn't see the bald man, go back into the alley.  Flip a coin to decide which door to go into.

Judoc continues his pace, running down the alleyway at an increased clip as he thinks to himself the most likely direction his prey had gone was to continue all the way down the alleyway.  As he slows to make the corner on the next side he quickly confirms his suspicion, craning his head in both directions before he recognizes a bald head, craned to the right as if he is looking down another alleyway.  The man has stopped for the moment, breathing heavily, though he makes Judoc out of the corner of his eye and quickly resumes his flight.  Judoc continues his run, measuring his strides to keep from falling back too quickly.

The path he now runs along is not quite as wide as it had seemed from the alleyway and proves to be more of an access to the backside of each row of buildings than an actual thoroughfare.  The chase continues for perhaps another minute before the bald man looks to his right, halts himself and then darts down an alleyway.  Now progressively catching up to the man, Judoc only takes a few more moments before he makes the turn himself and is overjoyed with the view.

At the end of the alley there is no access to another road.  The bald man is trying his hand at a doorway in the alley and having no luck pushing it in.  Judoc takes a step into the alleyway behind him, sealing off what is likely the man's last escape.  Frantic, the man turns back at Judoc holding out a hand, palm outward as if bidding Judoc to stop.  "Stay back!"  The man shouts.  "I'll not be intimidated by you!"

OOC:  You are at the end of the alleyway (the intersection with the street) and about 15 yards from the bald man.  He is at the end of the alleyway, which is about two yards wide.  It looks as if there is only one door at the end, which he doesn't seem to be able to open.  The only other way out seems to be to climb straight up two stories.  Roll vs. Perception -4 and shoot me a PM before you post if you succeed.

"Hey, hey, friend, I mean you no harm."  Judoc smiles, and his tone is placating.  "I just want to talk to Thresher is all."  If this guy is working for Thresher, then Judoc must have them scared out of their minds.  Good.  If they're fearful, they'll act irrationally, and Judoc can exploit that.  The mouse is caught in the trap.  But with Judoc's prey captured, now what?  How can he flush out Thresher for Judoc's staged attack, and how can he pull it off in such a way that Thresher lives and Graves is satisfied?  His two intended outcomes seem mutually exclusive, but surely there's a solution to meet both.

Footsteps behind him make him turn his head.  No doubt the beggar from earlier, looking for a handout.  Well, Judoc's given out all the money he's intending to give this evening.  Still at the mouth of the alley, he turns to face the newcomer.  "If you're looking for money, I haven't much," he says to whoever's coming up behind him.  "Though I can toss you a couple of farthings if that's all you want."

Ahead, the bald man continues to talk, even over Judoc.  "Stay back I say, don't you dare come any closer!"

Judoc turns his head midsentence, thinking that next to him will be a beggar, but it does not seem so.  For it is another middle aged man dressed in common clothes and a deer skin jacket.  He has a wide scar down his jawline and is walking not straight like a normal man but slightly hunched over as though he is skulking.  He has his left hand held low and outward, his palm held down.  The other hand holds a ball of cloth or rags and is held slightly up and reaches out ever so slightly to Judoc.  And as he sees Judoc turn his head he breaks into a run directly at him!

"Shit!"  The bald man curses from the end of the alley.

OOC:  The bald man is still 15 yards away and holding both empty hands outward in a defensive/unaggressive stance.  The new approaching man is about 6 yards away and is moving into a full run directly at you.  Realize that because you "turned your head" he is attacking from a side hex - so defenses will be at -2 if he has a greater combat initiative than you (and if he attacks you and you need to defend).  He does not have a visible weapon on him.

In a flash, Judoc comprehends the entirety of this laughable farce. One man was tasked with luring Judoc out, pulling him into this mousetrap.  The other man was to come behind and seal him off, then knock him out with whatever was on that rag.  Frustrating.  If these buffoons had been better at their job, he wouldn't need to rough them up.  Of course, they could just be planning to dump his body in the lake and be done with it.

"Trying to sneak up behind me?  How brave of you,"  Judoc says and turns to meet the man creeping up on him.  What is in that bundle of rags?  Chemicals, no doubt, meant to render him unconscious.  "Can we talk about this like reasonable men?"

OOC:  Turn to fully face the other man trying to sneak up behind Judoc.  Edge toward the street if possible for more room to maneuver.   All-out Defense.

Barreling towards Judoc, the new man grasps wildly for Judoc's face, which Judoc easily avoids with a simple step backwards into the street behind him.  The man whirls about, half expecting to be surprised with a swat from Judoc's staff although the strike never comes.  The man adjusts his movement, trying to circle around to the right.

"Just want to talk to Thresher eh?  We've heard about you!"  The man nearly spits, looking for an opening to reach out to Judoc again.

Ahead down the alleyway, the bald man is running toward him as well, and Judoc has little time to act if he wishes to continue only facing one man...

OOC:  If you wish to try and continue to talk your way out of this engagement, you may roll against diplomacy...  Your base modifier is going to be a -2, but you may be penalized or given a bonus based on how good your argument is.  I realize that this probably wouldn't fit into 2 seconds of conversation, but who said everything had to be accurate?  Give two rounds of combat action as well even if you do want to try diplomacy just in case your argument doesn't stick.  You have your back to the side of the street which is 2 yards away.  The new man is at your left 11 o'clock for 2 yards, the bald man is at your 12 o'clock for 10 yards and closing quickly.

"I hope you've heard of me.  I could have killed him in the arena.  That's what they wanted.  But I didn't."  Judoc does his best to keep both men in front of him.  If he needs to, he can just take to the air again, but they might flee, intimidated of Judoc the Vengeful.  This is the closest he's gotten to Thresher so far, and he doesn't want to waste this opportunity to draw the man out of hiding, stage his assassination attempt, and really sell it.  Graves probably doesn't give a grade for effort, though.  The Templar no doubt wants results.  Well, Judoc doesn't intend to be the man's executioner unless he has no other option.

And where is Thresher while all this is going down?  No doubt these two's job was to overwhelm Judoc, restrain him.  Would they have killed him?  Nah, he would have figured otu some way to get away.  Judoc bets Thresher is somewhere nearby.  If he can only get Tweedledee and Tweedledum here to show him the way, he'll be set.

OOC:  Take a step back toward the street.  Try Diplomacy.

Judoc tries his hand at staying the violence, attempting to talk the other men down, though his efforts do little to ease their fighting stance.

"Arena?"  The man with the leather jacket snorts, bewildered.  Stepping around again to the right trying to gain a corner on Judoc, forcing Judoc to turn and retreat yet again.  "You've been found out fighting man.  Some snitch already let on that you want to kill Thresher!"

The man reaches out with his left hand, trying to grab Judoc by the arm, though he manages to jerk his hand back just in time to avoid the snare.

"Watch out!"  The bald man adds, slowing as he gets close to Judoc's range with the staff.  "He's a mage."

OOC:  I gave you a retreating dodge which managed to stave off the grapple attempt by Leather Jacket.  You are now directly aligned with the street, with your back facing the way you ran from earlier.  Leather Jacket is at 1 yard range at your left 11 o'clock and bald man is at 2 yards at your right 1 o'clock.  Diplomacy did not seem to work, but nothing says you can't continue your arguments.

Sneering, Judoc says, "The Templars have been trying to recruit people to kill Thresher.  One kid went into hiding rather than do it.  Believe me, I don't want to kill the man."  He continues to back up.

What he says is true - Judoc would rather not kill Thresher if he can help it.  It would render everything that transpired in the arena moot.  He had magnanimously spared the other man's life, and to take it now seems absurd.  Still, if there is no other way, then Thresher might have to be sacrificed for Judoc's future.  There's always another way, he thinks.  Perhaps it is time for a different plan.

OOC:  Give ground back into the street as needed.  Talk, and then begin to cast.

Judoc has little tolerance for these cretins, spitting his words at them even as they close.  The bald man reaches out to grab and Judoc and deftly he swings his body away, giving more ground back into the street to keep the men from encircling him.  Leather jacket too, reaches out to grab him and Judoc neatly swats away the greedy hand with a swat of his staff.  The blow cracks against the man's knuckles hard, and though the man winces with pain he seems little the worse for wear.

Now Judoc releases the staff with his left hand bringing the surrounding mana close in to him and gesturing mildly with his fingers as he speaks the words of power.

"Don't you dare!"  The bald man shrieks, coming at Judoc with both hands as if to shove him hard in the chest.  Judoc again manages to stave off the attack with a twisting of his body, though this time he is not so lucky against his second foe.

The man with the leather jacket reaches out with both hands, knocking Judoc's staff aside with his left as he wraps one arm around the shoulder and the other one, the one bearing the heavy cloth, around Judocs face!

OOC:  Sorry for the lag, here's the summary of action.  On turn 1 you successfully did a retreating dodge against bald man, and had a successful parry against leather jacket (resulting in some damage to his hand).  On your turn you took your left hand off the staff (to cast flight) and failed your will roll to cast the spell.  On turn two (noticing you were casting) both combatants took an all out attack to try and disrupt you, you dodged one, but couldn't fend off the second.  You are currently grappled about the shoulders (his left hand) and face (his right hand) and he has maneuvered to behind you in the process.  Note that you may not cast any spells you know at less than a 15 skill without speaking.  If you wish to keep from breathing in, you may roll against HT to hold your breath (just once).  If you want, you can give me your general intentions and I will keep the fight moving until there is a significant change or we can keep working it out in two turn increments, up to you.

This is why battle mages travel with soldiers.  Here Judoc is, out in the middle of the city, looking for a man Graves wants dead because the Templar can't be arsed to do it himself, his staff out of his hands, and these idiots messing about with jackets.   He shouts in anger, but his cries are muffled in the garment's cloth.  He twists his body, trying to get free of the grapple.  He jabs backward with his elbows, trying to hurt his assailant enough for the man to let go.

OOC:  Try to break free!  Keep trying to break free, interspersed with random elbow swings, kicks, or knee jabs.  No need to play this out in 2-second increments.

Judoc thrashes about wildly to remove the dry rag from his face, trying to thrust his hips forward while rolling his body, smashing the man behind him with his elbows, or stomping down viciously with his heels, but the man with the leather jacket only slides his left arm about Judoc's neck, completing the hold and the vicelike grip.  The bald man in front of him seems to mostly avoid the conflict, only grabbing for Judoc's staff to remove the weapon from the equation.

It is several seconds of struggle before Judoc's lungs burn and his eyes are popping various dots of purples and green that flee to the edge of his vision whenever he attempts to focus on something else.  Desperate for air, his lungs burning and his diaphragm convulsing in ineffective spasms, Judoc makes one last valiant attempt to tear the man's grip from his face, inadvertently sucking for a breath of air with the effort.  As the pastel dots in his vision swell to the size of cantaloupes, he can only think that all he tastes on the kerchief is sweat...

The last thing Judoc remembers is his hands only inches from his face, grasping about his cheekbones with slow and easy movements as everything plummets into a gray void...

---

Taste is the sensation that first affects Judoc as he comes to consciousness.  Not the throbbing headache reverberating between his temples (although he would notice that soon enough) nor the dim light cast upon the back of his eyelids nor the wisp of smoke that dances about the room, but the budding pressure on the back of his throat and tongue, the salty tang dancing about the edges of his mouth, and the cold burning of his dry, cracked, lips.

A single breath in causes several more reactions...  As he attempts to reposition his tongue he dry coughs, though the shock of the air is muffled and stilled by the fistful of cloth made damp by his own saliva.  Judoc's jaw aches dully, having been forced open and leveraged that way for some unknown time, stoppered by the gag flooding Judoc's mouth.

The movement kicks Judoc's brain back into wakefulness, though it only throws the sharp pains arcing through his head into sharp relief.  Involuntarily, Judoc's whole body winces to find several more inconveniences.  He is sitting - on something.  His arms sinched behind him and fixed close to his body while his legs are also tied to some base.  His forarms are tied together savagely from midway all the way to the wrist, the thin ropes already digging into his skin uncomfortably.  Aside from that, he is blindfolded.

The short coughing fit garners attention, and Judoc can hear heavy footsteps approaching.

"Well, I suppose he had to eventually come around."  Judoc hears a familiar voice - though he can't place it...  "I'm going to remove your blindfold and gag, I wouldn't make any attempts to get up or cast spells, it won't go well for you.  Nod your head if you understand."

OOC:  The above settled out over about 12 turns of action.  You came devilishly close, but never managed to break the grapple and eventually succumbed to unconsciousness.  I disagreed somewhat the rules on the matter, and decided you were not required to get to -HP (through loss of FP) before falling unconscious and simply had you do so when you missed your first will roll to take an action.  You have just come back to consciousness and though you feel highly uncomfortable you have regained all lost fatigue and suffered no damage.  Your wrists are tied together and then tied to the back of your chair, it seems your legs are also fixed to the legs of your seat.  You are gagged and blindfolded and have a splitting headache which is putting you at -1 to DX and IQ while it remains.  Note that you will be under a penalty to cast any spells you do not know at 16 skill (-1 for temporary loss of IQ to make 15 effective skill) due to your restrained arms, though your fingers are somewhat free to move.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 22:47, Thu 30 Mar 2017.

What - what happened?  The thought comes sluggishly, as if from a great distance.  Judoc can't see anything.  His throat hurts.   Salt.  Cold.  He had been looking for Thresher, he thinks.  Had he found him?  What had happened next?  Judoc finds that he does not know.

Something in his mouth.  A cloth, a gag.  The men!  They did this to him!  He strains to move, but he cannot.  His arms, his legs.   He strains again, and pain is the only response.  A blindfold covers his face.

Someone's coming.  Heavy footsteps.  A man?  Someone familiar.  Threats.  He nods his head.  Better to see who has him first.  He'll need to be free.   What happens next will be interesting.

OOC:  Cooperate for now.

With a fluid motion the blindfold comes off first, although Judoc's vision is still cast in a painfully bright blur that causes him to squint his eyes and shudder slightly to the left away from the source.  The gag is also pulled which let's Judoc close his mouth to find the full, sticky extent of his dehydration.  His jaw aches dully and he moves the joint forward, letting the muscle stretch somewhat, though he would rather rub the sore spots with his fingers...

Slowly, his vision comes back to focus as his eyes adjust to the light...  He wonders how long he has been unconscious.

"Odd thing."  The man standing in front of Judoc starts even before Judoc can entirely place himself, or recognize the speaker.  "A few days ago we found a small slip of paper, wedged in the door of one of our safehouses, telling us there was a student out to kill a friend of mine..."

Even before the world completely materialized before him he places the voice with the match in his memory.  It was months ago, tucked into an alley, he had been cut off by a youth whom he had thought was there to attack him...

"All the more odd because I'm pretty there is only one place where a student was would want to kill Thresher and I can't think of many friends we have there...  In fact, I can only think of one maybe.  This starting to sound familiar to you Judoc?  Cause I was pretty damn sure it was you that left the note, at least until tonight."

The stranger stands in front of him, slightly stooped with his hands on his knees as he looks down upon Judoc.  A cloth shirt and leather vest hang off his lean body, his shaggy brown hair and unkempt stubble offset by shocking blue eyes.  Behind him, in the far corner of the room sits the bald man from earlier this evening, leaning forward on a chair like a noble peering down from his box onto the floor of the arena, his eyes focused and attentive.

"So why do I hear that it is you who is one who is seeking him out if you were so keen to help in the first place?"

OOC:  You are in an 9' by 9' room with very little in it.  If you imagine yourself in the bottom left corner facing up, the stranger is right in front of you in a semi crouched position.  The bald man is on the north wall sitting in his chair, about a foot or two away from the door which is on the east wall.  Hanging from the east wall next to the door is a gas lantern providing all the light.  There are no windows.  Please make a reaction roll, or a social skill (fast talk / diplomacy) roll of your choice.  While there are a few modifiers, they pretty much end up canceling each other out.  Also, I think I mentioned this last time, but if you desire to cast a spell, you may cast spells you know at 16 and above with only the -1 for lost IQ (headache).  Spells you know at 15 or less will be further penalized since you don't have the full use of your hands and fingers, so please don't post any results of spells if you choose to cast them.

More memories flood back to Judoc now.  He remembers the tavern, and the chase.  He remembers the jacket pulled over his head, not doused with chemicals to knock him out as he had thought, but with a similar effect.  And he remembers this man.  The alley.  It all comes together now.

Judoc looks stupidly at his interrogator for a moment as his brain catches up to speed.  He licks his dry lips.  "Ah, can I get - can I get something to drink?  Please."  He blinks his eyes, still not used to the light, and looks from the interlocuter to the bald man, the bait in the trap that has caught one young mage.

"Yes, well.  About all that."  Judoc's throat is parched, his lips dry.   "Yes, the note was from me.  I was, ah, warning you about me, yes.  And others they might send."  He licks his lips, tasting the salt.  "See, they want Thresher dead.  So I told them I'd do it."  He tests his bonds, still tight, his arms behind me.  "Looks like I didn't succeed."

All of this was going according to plan, he thinks.  Well, he hadn't planned on being captured, of course, but they hadn't killed him yet.  The note had done its work.  Thresher's crew had been put on alert, they had taken Judoc, and now, here, they are grilling him, trying to understand the conundrum Judoc has placed before them.  Why save Thresher's life and then hunt for him to kill him?  Why leave a warning and sabotage his own efforts?  Is Judoc nuts?  "I had to sell it.  I had to make it look like I was hunting him.  But I don't actually want him dead."  Not if there are other options, anyway.  And there's always another way.

OOC:  Roll vs. Diplomacy.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:10, Fri 31 Mar 2017.

As Judoc asks for water, the stranger looks over his shoulder at the bald man.  "Baccus, get it."  The bald man stands from his seat and leaves the room through the door, revealing the small corner of another room beside, and the north wall continuing in the same fashion until it disappears behind the doorpost.

Judoc begins his story in snippets and half sentences, it only takes the stranger a moment to wrinkle his face like he sucked on a lemon, and when Judoc finishes, he closes his eyes and shakes his head slightly as if batting away a pesky fly.

"Stop," He cuts Judoc off, though the young mage had really already finished for the moment.  "Just stop, they wanted him dead so you told them you would do it?"  His face and eyebrows raise slightly, creating wide creases in his forehead.  "What the fuck were you doing skulking around like that?  You are lucky it was Baccus who found you and not someone else, you could have easily been killed!  What the fuck is this all for if you don't actually want to kill him?"

The bald man, Baccus, walks back in the room with a water skin that he hands to the stranger who tips the drink back into Judoc's mouth for a lengthy pull.

OOC:  Lucky for you Diplomacy doesn't hurt you if you fail like fast talk or sex appeal.  Still, you are far from out of the woods.

Swallowing the water greedily, Judoc slakes his thirst.  In hindsight, it had been a pretty odd plan, and its genius probably seemed incomprehensible to an outside observer.

When he finishes swallowing, he says, "It was supposed to be my final test of the year.  Graves ordered me to kill Thresher.  Another student had been asked before, and he left to go to the Jesuits rather than go through with it."

"The way I saw it, I had a few different options.  I could have left school altogether and my training, or I could have agreed to do it and killed Thresher.   I wanted Graves to think that I had tried by failed."  What would that mean for his education?  The worst that could happen as he saw it was that he'd be dismissed from the College.  Was that worth sparing a life?  He doesn't know Thresher, not really.  He's heard the Templars' stories, and this friend of Thresher's, but he doesn't know the complete story.  Maybe Thresher is worthy of death.  Maybe he's killed and robbed and raped.  But if he is simply a thorn in the Templars' side, an adversary to Graves's ambitions of power, then why should Judoc kill him?

"What I hoped to happen was for me to come across Thresher, to attack him, but to have him escape.  I would have failed my test, but I would have given what looked like my best attempt.  Perhaps I could have stayed on with my training at that point."  This current outcome wasn't terrible, all things considered.  Judoc had searched for Thresher, had found people connected to him, but had been ambushed and captured.  He had tried and failed.  "But it's better that I took this assignment than someone less principled.  There are other students who are almost as talented as I am at the College, students with less qualms about following orders.  Graves wants Thresher dead for his own reasons.  After I fail, he will send others."

As it dawns upon the stranger what has actually transpired - the meeting with Graves, the order of murder, the implied threat of violence or displacement - he places a single hand on his face as he exhales heavily.  "We should have seen this coming.  They used students as murderers in the arena, why wouldn't they use them as murderers out in town?"

The stranger thinks for several moments, before he simply gives up.  "I have to tell the master."  He mentions over his shoulder to Baccus.  "I'm leaving you with him for now.  Don't let him leave until I get back."  And with that stranger whisks around and heads out the door, closing it behind him.

"Don't think I'm not watching you!"  Baccus threatens, leaning back in his chair as he folds his arms tersely across his upper belly.

OOC:  You are now alone in the room with Baccus.  If you wish, you may roll vs. Escape skill to try and slip your ropes (either on your hands, or on either foot)  You may also attempt to cast spells, although there will most likely be a penalty to anything you cast below skill 16, so please do not post results of the spell if you roll.  You can also attempt to talk to Baccus and use influence rolls as appropriate.  Alternative you can wait for the stranger to come back, or anything else you can think of.

Judoc watches Thresher's pal leave and resigns himself to the fact that he's going to be here for a while.  They'll no doubt come back and try to recruit him into their organization.  Why not?  A brilliant young mage such as himself would be an ideal asset to whatever group these guys represent.  Not that it would make sense for Judoc to join them, however.  Why should he?  He'll go back to the College, explain what happened, conveniently leave out the bit where he told Thresher's gang why he was hunting for Thresher, and continue in his studies, chastened, humbled, appropriately contrite for his failure here.

Or Graves could cut him loose.  Well, Judoc will cross that brook when he comes to it.

Now, however, there's the matter of these bonds.  He doesn't fancy staying trussed up like this until the man returns, so he says, "Listen, Baccus, I'm not going anywhere until he comes back.  If you untie me, I give you my word that I won't try to escape or attempt to use magic until you say I can.  I didn't want to hurt you in the alley, and I wouldn't dream of doing so now."

OOC:  Try Diplomacy again if it's allowed, or Fast Talk if Judoc's already used Diplomacy as much as he can on Baccus.

Baccus sneers at Judoc's words seeming to take especial offence at Judoc's claim that he didn't want to hurt Baccus in the alley.  "You was castin!  We saw you.  An they said you threw all sorts of fireballs at Thresher in the arena."  Baccus settles in, his arms still crossed as he makes himself, if possible, even more comfortable in his reclined pose.

Judoc is incensed, he doesn't know how the words are coming to him, only that he knows he is saying the right thing.

"Listen, Baccus.  I think they mentioned that I've been here for a little bit?  Well, my right hand has been numb since I woke up, and my left feels like it has a thousand needles stabbing it from all directions.  Now, I think they told you to take care of me?  How do you think they are going to treat you if they find out my hands have both have nerve damage from lack of blood flow?"  Judoc ends his diatribe with a short jerk of his chin as if to say it's your funeral.

Baccus seems shocked by the words and it takes him several seconds to try and form a counter argument in his head.  Of course, Judoc was lying, his hands were decidedly not going numb, but he had a feeling that Baccus wasn't the brightest man this organization had to offer.

"Fine, I'll loosen your ropes up, but that's it!"  Baccus seems uncertain of even this, so for the moment, Judoc does not press the subject.  He works his way around Judoc, sliding his chair forward just enough to get at the ropes binding Judoc's hands and slowly but surely he works the ropes to loosen the bonds...

OOC:  I had you roll a default against fast talk (this is basically what that skill is built for) and you smoke checked it, but I still thought it realistic that he wouldn't entirely untie you.  So this is my compromise.  I took some liberties with your character that I don't normally like doing, so let me know if you feel it is out of character and I will change it if needed.  I left it here because you didn't specifically say you were going to wait until the stranger got back.  Consider all escape rolls at +3 due to the loosened ropes, and spells known at 13+ are now at no penalty (other than the -1 for your headache).  If you plan on taking further action feel free to post it, otherwise please let me know you are waiting.

Smiling in what Judoc hopes is his most agreeable manner, Judoc tries to make himself more comfortable, as comfortable as a mage can who is still restrained.  "You have nothing to fear from me, Baccus," he says placatingly.  "Yes, it is true that I am an incredibly gifted mage, but on my honor, I won't try to escape."

Not that Judoc wouldn't try if he could, but he's curious to see what happens next.  Thresher's friend had mentioned a master.  Was this these guys' ringleader?  Who might he be?  Trying to escape now isn't going to earn him any more points with Graves, and it would certainly piss off these guys more.  Besides, Judoc wants to see who this master of theirs is.  Maybe he'll have some insight into why Graves is so hot on having an ordinary thug like Thresher killed.

OOC:  Fully cooperate for the present.

Judoc waits.  He waits longer than he had expected.  The times passes in slow, viscous drops as Judoc battles both his discomfort and boredom.  At moments he attempts to talk again to Baccus, though the bald man seems ardently avoiding any more contact as if he is second guessing his decision to loosen the man's ropes already.  Judoc's head nods in tiredness and the tugging ropes on his forearms are the only things that keep him from falling asleep in his chair.

He does not know how long it is he waits, but he is sure they are well into the night.

The thudding of footsteps brings Judoc to alertness once again.  Judoc can hear voices outside the doorway...  Though the muffled walls of the room obscure the details, it is not difficult to know that most of the words are spat in anger.   But the voices pass nearer, and he begins to pick up the first hints of conversation...

"...This is bullshit Caana!  How can they expect me..."

"It is out of my hands Thresher!"  Another voice cuts off the first.  Baccus's eyes flash open as he straightens himself in his chair, looking at the doorway to his left.  "Now Enough!"  Judoc jumps in his seat as the door is thrown open roughly, Baccus vaults backwards, nearly tipping himself over with surprise.

The stranger is back, whipping through the door with a crackling haste, his body is rigid and his eyes burning.  Only a few steps behind him, Thresher walks into the doorway though he stops with only half of his body exposed.  Like his friend, Judoc's arena foe is tense, his jaw clenched and jutting out violently as his eyes sweep from his friend directly towards Judoc where they stay, staring him down with an unblinking, steely expression.

"I told you to reach us if you needed a favor."  The stranger starts, cutting off any festering argument Thresher may have been planning.  "Well you need it.  Here are your options.  We hide Thresher, you look like you have done your job and everything goes back to normal.  But now you work for us - you do what you are told and you thank us for our generosity."  The words are clipped, though as he pauses he shifts his gaze to Thresher, rather than keeping yours.

"Or you leave now, never to return.  We will not hide Thresher, though you can say with honesty that you tried at your task and failed.  Make your choice now, we do not have time to waste...  We believe that we are already being watched."

OOC:  If you had to guess you would say that over an hour has passed since you initially woke up...  Adding that to whatever amount of time you were unconscious, you would say it is late, though you aren't sure exactly what time it is.

Time drags on.  What could they be discussing?  The solution seems obvious to Judoc.  Return, thank him profusely for not killing murdering Thresher as he had been told to do, apologize for the rough treatment, make arrangements for Thresher to disappear, and then let him go.  Obviously this was the best course of action, unless these folks are idiots.

Judoc thinks back to the brief discussion in the alley.  He's fairly sure these men are what's left of Murderers' Row, which was apparently an unlicensed guild that eventually was eliminated by the Templars, among others.  Judoc is hazy on the details, but from what he's seen so far of this organization, they don't seem terribly organized or much of a threat to Graves.  It's beyond him why he was tasked with finishing off Thresher.  The man hadn't been that impressive a fighter in the arena.  Judoc figures Thresher is just a low-level member in this gang, and his execution was meant to be more symbolic than anything else.

Baccus proves less than sparkling a conversation partner.  Judoc asks him how long it will be, can he go take a piss, how about some more water, but the man seems to have clammed up.  Well, his loss.

Finally, voices.  Angry ones.  Caana.  Thresher.  The two burst back into the room, and in spite of himself, Judoc tenses up.  This doesn't seem to be the prelude to expressions of gratitude.

The options are bullshit, of course.  Judoc to work for these clowns?  They can't even keep their own people safe, not without Judoc's intervention.  And show them gratitude?  Judoc tries to remain outwardly neutral, but inside he is seething.

But the other option is failure.  Thresher still goes free; Judoc goes back, chastened.  The Templars surely won't dismiss a student as gifted as Judoc, but the thought of going to so much trouble, of warning these ingrates, and then getting tossed out without so much as a by your leave rankles him.  They should be thanking him.

But he's their prisoner now.  He would have been better off just striking Thresher down in the streets rather than going through this rigamarole.

Too, Judoc doesn't fancy the idea of working for a band of criminals.  How the hell is this supposed to help him attain his goals?  They have nothing in common, nothing.

Grunting, he says, "I like the sound of option number 1 better.  But working for you?  What's that going to entail?  I'm a student, and when I finish up at the college, I'm going to join the Megalan army.  I'm having a hard time seeing how your goals and mine overlap at all, but it would be good not to have to return like a whipped cur with my tail between my legs."

For now the stranger, the man called Canaa if his senses are to be believed, ignores Judoc's questions but instead turns directly to Thresher.  The older and more wizened figure at the back of the room flexes his jaw in maddening repetition, a vein pulses in his forehead as his eyes glare hate-filled contempt directly at Judoc.

"It's done.  There is nothing we can do."  Canaa's voice is cold but even, injecting the first moment of calm since the men burst in the door to begin with.  "Take some time, lay low, you know there are ways we can use you to the west.  Six months, that's all you need."

Thresher seems ill consoled.

"Gudrod!  Get me his staff and the oil!"  Canaa pulls a hand sized blade from under his belt, slashing his friend gently across the arm, though blood spurts out and then collects in heavy driblets clinging to his bicep.  Thresher does not wince, but continues to stare in Judoc's direction, his face draining into emptiness.  Another man with short cropped blonde hair and a rotund belly brings in a staff and a glass vial, handing the staff to Canaa.

It takes but a moment for the young man to swipe the staff across the wound in a slick swipe, transferring a bloody swath onto the wood.

He tosses the staff against the wall and it clatters to a stand, leaning its red stain against the back corner of the room.

"Everyone,"  Canaa continues, still mostly ignoring Judoc.  "We're on an evac, you know your routes, don't worry about anyone else, we have other people on damage control.  Just take care of yourself."  Most of the heads in the room nod, the new face, Gudrod immediately turns about and heads back out the door.  Baccus follows him and after a moment of pause, Thresher does as well.

Canaa walks with brisk steps over to Judoc, finally talking directly to him.  "For now it entails nothing.  Go about your classes as if you accomplished your task."  He cuts the chords binding Judoc's hands, then slashes the back of the chair legs, loosening the bonds tying his legs as well.  "But at some point you will be contacted, and you will know it is us.  For now we are the thorn in Graves's side.  Our goals are to keep him from devouring this city... and to survive.  If you speak truly then at least you can understand our goals even if you don't share them."

He stands, making his way back towards the center of the room even as Judoc shakes the hands from his wrists, rubbing the red and chafed skin.  "Give us one minute, then make your way out.  There is no need to follow anyone and please don't try."

Canaa continues on and towards the door, his boots clacking against the hard floor with each step.  Echoing from beyond the recesses of this dark room, Judoc makes out the tinkling sounds of broken glass.

OOC:  Ok, you have been untied and have full use of your facilities.  Your headache has subsided enough that you no longer suffer a -1 to IQ and DX rolls.  Your staff is leaning against the northwest corner of the room, about 6 feet away from you (you are in the southwest corner).  The door is in the northeast corner, which is about 9 feet or so away.  You are in a sitting position still on the chair you were tied to.  Canaa is just now whipping through the doorway, the door of which remains open into the room.

That's two times Judoc has saved Thresher's life, and that fetcher hadn't even had the decency to thank him.  And these are the people he has to work with?  Unbelievable.  That look Thresher had thrown him?  Yeah, he clearly hates Judoc's guts.  Such ingratitude!  And six months?  Bloody hell.  Yes, Thresher shows up alive and well, and who hangs for it?  Judoc, that's who.  He is already regretting this unbelievably bad decision.

Right.  So the story is going to be Judoc bludgeoned Thresher to death with his staff.  Yeah, that's a likely one.  Judoc, possibly the greatest young talent in the College presently, bashing some poor schmuck to death with his staff.  No incineration, or turning Thresher's body inside out, or summoning a horde of centipedes to burrow out the man's eyeballs.  No.  Hit guy with stick.  Me real smart fella.  They're going to be calling him Judoc the Basher now.   Judoc the Common Cutpurse.  Judoc the Hit and Run.

He holds still while Canaa slices through his bonds, and then he stands, rubbing his wrists, moving his arms, gingerly moving his legs in an attempt to restore circulation to his limbs.

"That's it?  Blood on my staff?  What the hell am I supposed to tell Graves, that I bashed Thresher's brains in?"  But Canaa is already gone.  God and all the saints.  And he's supposed to be working with these amateurs?

He retrieves his staff and mentally counts to 60 in his head.  Yeah, ok.  He'll show the staff to Graves as proof - of what?  That he got some blood on it?  He figures there's probably a spell to tell whose blood is on the staff, but he shudders as he realizes there's also a spell that can recall an item's immediate history.  Oh, bloody hell.  He is so screwed.

At the end of 60 seconds, he collects his wits and hurries out of the building.

As Canaa is leaving the room, Judoc calls out after him, the building frustration and exhaustion of the night betrayed in his anger.  Though he does not expect the young man to answer back, he hears the clunking of feet on stairs and the call of the other man's voice as if shouting out back over his shoulder.

"Oh, I think you'll be able to come up with a better story than that!"

Though he yearns to shout and scream back at the man, his blood nearly boiling in his veins, Judoc manages to repress the urge, instead, walking over to his staff as he inspects it for any defects besides the blood.

29... 30...  The numbers work their way through his head as he mentally prepares himself to leave, downstairs he continues to hear the intermittent shattering noises, though he pays little attention.  That is, until he hears the sounds of a knife on flint.

What the?

Before he can even make his way to the door, Judoc already knows that there will soon be a raging fire in the building.  Time slows as the sounds beat individually against his ears, first the sucking sound as the flames spiderweb rapidly from the point of ignition, the crackle of the fires first breaths, then the slow whistle of air being squeezed from every pour of the building to feed the baby inferno.  The glow of the flames has already crept up on the wall just outside the doorway and though he cannot see any yet, Judoc can already smell the thick tang of smoke.

Running to the doorway, Judoc takes in the scene down below.

He stands on a short balcony that continues on to his right.  Aread, a hip high railing makes it's way along the balcony, leading to a short staircase down to the lower level.  On the first floor, Judoc can already see the signs of the fire building, though it is merely shin high in most places, it has already started to catch a rug below and has started seeping to the walls, in some places already starting it's climb.

Judoc coughs forcefully, the acrid small now stinging at his nostrils...

OOC:  Stick figure drawing below
 _____________________________________
|         W             W          D |
|                                    |
W                                    |
|                                    |
|                                    |
|                                    |
|RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR    |
|                        SSSSSSSSS   |
|_D_______D______________SSSSSSSSS___|
| J     |                            |
|       |                            |
|_______|____________________________|
D=Doorway
W=Window (first and second story)
S=Stair
R=Railing
J=Judoc

The glass shattering hadn't registered to Judoc before, but then, unmistakably, he hears the sounds of someone starting a fire.  So this is their plan, hoping an inferno will obscure whatever occurred here.  He races for the doorway, giving up the counting to 60.  Had they hoped to burn him up in the conflagration?  It seemed unlikely.

Wait, is this supposed to be his work?  His fire had roasted Thresher in the Arena.  Were they intending that he use his spells now in such a grandiose manner?

With no time to think, he heads for the stairs.  With luck, he can make it to a door or window and make his escape from the burning building.

OOC:  Run for the door, then the stairs.  Avoid the fire.  Head for the nearest exit.

Judoc whispers a few choice words, weaving the mana with his finger as he approaches the blaze.  Though he could easily extinguish the whole blaze, he decides instead to simply maneuver its forces, creating a narrow path for him to run through on his way to the door.  Judoc finds his way unobstructed and pushes his way out to the street.

Breathing the fresh air of the night again as he whips out the open doorway, Judoc does not pause but runs for the cover of the nearest building.  While he does not fear the blaze, he does not want to be the only mage, or indeed only person last seen evacuating a burning building.  As he reaches the cover of an open alleyway he turns to assess the situation.  Several things were apparent...  Firstly, the house was quickly being engulfed.  He could already see the flames licking upwards of the windows on the first floor and the reflections flickering off the second story windows as well.  It was hard to determine how much danger was present for the surrounding buildings.  The wooden structure only shared one wall, which was with a building that climbed several stories higher and was built of stone.  The other walls were adjacent to street corners or alleyways that were large enough to avoid spreading the flames so long as the fire did not jump the six feet across.  Judoc cannot see any one else around him now, not Thresher, Canaa, or any of their cronies but he knows the longer he sits here, the more he has to fear of many more people showing up.

He isn't sure the outcome but he has a foreboding feeling it would be foolish to be a recognizable fire mage found as the only person next to an engulfed or incinerated building...

The heat of the flames is intense, but what is fire to a mage who can shape it at will?  With a gesture and a few words of power, Judoc the Merciful creates a path for himself out of the conflagration and hurries outside.  Once free of the building, he keeps running, looking back to see if he can spot anyone else escaping, but he sees no one.

Deciding to trust his intuition, he walks quickly away in a random direction.  Had anyone seen him?  A building burned to the ground is the perfect cover for this masquerade, and his well-known skill in the Fire college makes him a prime suspect should he stick around.  Six months.  Not nearly enough time.  Judoc suspects Graves will not bother to tell him to kill Thresher a third time.

He reflects on the title he earned in the sands.  The Merciful.  Once again, Judoc has spared a life, and once again, he wonders if the price will be too high once the accounts come due.

OOC:  Leave in a random direction, and after five minutes, change course and head back to the College.