Merlin
player, 456 posts
If you knew he
would have to kill you
Mon 2 May 2016
at 01:50 | The Nameless LairMerlin does his best to help those less fortunate as well.
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Austringer
player, 59 posts
Mon 2 May 2016
at 02:48 | The Nameless LairFollowing in Beatrix's wake, Austringer carefully observes her preparations. Steering clear of the Lunars he noticed earlier, he also makes careful note of any leader-beastmen the rank and file types look likely to listen to ... who are also likely to be off by themselves later on, where they might be conveniently ambushed and doubled by an enterprising Lunar.
As he returns to the group, having seen the depravity all around him, he murmurs bitterly, with a surreptitious glance at Silent Thunder Leaves, "Truly, the wilderness is indeed pure."
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Segev Stormlord
GM, 773 posts
Mon 2 May 2016
at 20:41 | The Nameless LairWith help, whether from the Exalted traveling with Silent Thunder Leaves or from the more able-bodied under their direction, people make it down the caldera to firmer footing fairly safely, with nothing worse than some scraped knees and shins from a few close calls. The goat-footed beastmen, as well as the real goats, seem to have no trouble. Ned proves that goat herding has its perks, as he, too, proves to be one offering help to others rather than needing it.
Silent Thunder Leaves smiles with more genuine appreciation and less bitterness than Austringer has seen before on her face at his comment. "It is, isn't it? Refreshing and honest, with none of the lies and deceptions hiding its truths that lie in," she spits this last word, "civilization."
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:42, Mon 02 May 2016.
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Peddles
player, 18 posts
Wed 11 May 2016
at 21:55 | The Nameless LairPeddles helps the captives by slipping them water, medicines/herbs and snacks from her pack, while ostensibly checking for injuries and such. She asks if any of them have a favorite song, and when someone does, she begins to teach that song to the others and hums it quietly to herself.
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Segev Stormlord
GM, 774 posts
Thu 19 May 2016
at 03:32 | The Nameless LairWith the peddler's pack's improbable volume, it is perhaps to be expected that she would have a little bit of everything. The extra supplies make Azalea's job a lot easier, and if Peddles has climbing equipment, that can help stabilize some of the less-adept rappellers as they wind their way down the upper lip of the bowl in the ground.
It still takes a few hours to get everybody safely down, and the impatience of the largest and most sure-footed beastmen is palpable. Strangely, Silent Thunder Leaves is actually a calming influence, glaring at and quelling them when they try to express their ire too forcefully.
Once at the abandoned huts and cottages erected on the dusty floor of the caldera or dug into its bedrock that the smaller, non-local beastmen had eyed, the captive humans are herded like livestock into pens, and the big ones begin sorting and redirecting some of them. In contrast to some of the more beaten-down and resistance-less corrals, panic seems to be setting in with some of these now-more-energized prisoners, both at the prospects of where they're going and at the possibility of being separated from what friends and family they have here.
Silent Thunder Leaves heads straight on in for the spire, which is bigger and uglier from this close to its base. She seems to expect the party to follow, leaving the rising shouts and screams of the mortals to the beastmen to...handle. And they seem inclined to handle it roughly if it poses the least hindrance.
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Merlin
player, 457 posts
If you knew he
would have to kill you
Sat 21 May 2016
at 17:58 | The Nameless LairMerlin does follow, keeping an eye out for his friends and the goat herder. He uses his many skills to keep the young man at just the wrong spot to be spotted as they continue on in the company of Leaves.
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Segev Stormlord
GM, 775 posts
Tue 24 May 2016
at 17:44 | The Nameless LairLike many, Ned attempts to keep closer to the party than the beastmen. Unlike the other human prisoners, however, for some reason - namely Merlin's misdirections and other efforts - he isn't actually ever separated from them. Until it's just the party and Silent Thunder Leaves, and little Ned, who doesn't seem to quite grasp how he's gotten in this far but isn't going to speak up lest that be rectified.
The interior is rough-hewn out of what seems to be alternately solid stone and petrified mud. Beastmen - mostly of the larger variety with distinct goat or lupine traits - move about everywhere, but give Silent Thunder Leaves and those she escorts respectful berth. She is obviously known, here. Those who are particularly perceptive ((OOC: i.e. who can make a difficulty 3 Perception + Awareness check)) will notice another moonsilver-tattooed individual watching from a balcony several floors up.
The halls are narrow but tall, with walkways festooning them at various heights. Some have rails; most do not. The interior is lit primarily by torches, with ambient light from the many cave-maw exits at various heights. Silent Thunder Leaves leads the way up spiraling pathways which periodically open up to reveal their own cliff-side looking downwards. It seems this spire is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg, with much of the warren extending deep below the surface of the caldera.
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Beatrix LeSchaye
player, 429 posts
Solar
Zenith
Sat 28 May 2016
at 00:03 | The Nameless LairBeatrix begins to intervene as the company they came in with are gradually winnowed off. "Hold! On whose authority do you harass the company of those here to speak with Ma-Ha-Suchi?" Here she makes a sweeping gesture encompassing... a lot, actually. It seems to be deliberately vague, possibly including a large number of the smaller beast men as well as the humans. "To interfere with our business here is to court death at our hands! Do you doubt us? Do you think your master would treat with anyone who couldn't back up so simple a threat? Know your place!"
((OOC: So I may've spent more than I needed to on this one... Bea got 18 successes, all told. c_c ))
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Segev Stormlord
GM, 776 posts
Tue 31 May 2016
at 17:57 | The Nameless LairThere does not seem to be a unified nor universal reaction to Beatrix's comments. The largest Beastmen seem more confused and hesitant, though they continue to bluster at the smaller ones. The smaller, more varied-in-species beastmen continue to go about their business, though some seem chastened while others seem a bit more confident. It is notable, however, that the humans seem more cooperative. Or perhaps it's that they're less afraid, and the beastmen corralling them a little more respectful. None are being shepherded towards the rather disturbing pits, at this time, and the most worn-out are even being taken into the huts rather than simple holding areas.
Inside, the party continues to spiral up the maze-like twists and turns of the spire. It at least does seem like Silent Thunder Leaves knows the way. This far in, only human servants of a particularly humbled demeanor and very tall, very uniformly goat or wolf beastmen and beastwomen seem to be about.
Silent Thunder Leaves turns off into one chamber, all of a sudden. Inside is one beastwoman with a goat's head and hoof-like ends to her fingers, pouring over reams of scrolls on a large, beautifully carved desk that would not look out of place in a Guild Prince's private office.
"Where is Lord Ma Ha Suchi?" demands the Lunar. After a few seconds pass without so much as the beastwoman looking up, it becomes questionable whether she might be deaf. Surely, otherwise, she'd have heard the brusquely-delivered question.
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Austringer
player, 60 posts
Wed 1 Jun 2016
at 02:46 | The Nameless LairAs the party ascends the spire, Austringer does his best to maintain a sense of where they are within the massive structure and to look for possible escape routes, either back down the tunnels, out through any apertures, or even through the rock walls, if it comes to that.
As interested as he is in Silent Thunder Leaves' question, he can't help being a bit distracted by the goat-factor's work. As unobtrusively as he can, given the desk's position, he tries to read whatever is on the scrolls the beastwoman is examining.
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Merlin
player, 458 posts
If you knew he
would have to kill you
Mon 6 Jun 2016
at 18:02 | The Nameless LairFor his part Merlin does his best to stay out of the limelight or any other light. He doubts that Ned will get separated now and leaves it to the others to herd him as necessary. He keeps his eyes and ears open and is most assuredly looking for means of escape or entrapment.
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Segev Stormlord
GM, 777 posts
Wed 8 Jun 2016
at 15:32 | The Nameless LairThe silence grows a little awkward as it extends, the beastwoman continuing to sort and use a charcoal stick to mark the parchments.
Those looking for exits find this room has two easy ones - the archway through which Silent Thunder Leaves entered, and the enormous window behind the beastwoman. This window seems also to be the main source of light. The room itself is carved from the petrified mud of the spire, which at this height has been weathered by wind into a sandstone-like texture. But the window has cunningly-fit glass which opens in multiple places to allow a refreshing breeze that plays a bit of a haunting chord from time to time.
The structure itself doesn't seem well-designed for imprisonment, at least not for anybody who can fly. Those who cannot...well, they'd be very exposed on their way down. Even without rappelling gear, it would probably take a few seconds to reach the bottom from up here, and it's only about 3/4 of the way up, by Merlin's best estimates.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:27, Sat 11 June 2016.
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Merlin
player, 459 posts
If you knew he
would have to kill you
Wed 8 Jun 2016
at 22:36 | The Nameless LairFinding his way over to where some of the documents are being marked Merlin takes a look at one that is made of paper verses parchment. If he has to he will maneuver it so that it can be read, but tries to do so without actually touching it.
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Segev Stormlord
GM, 778 posts
Thu 9 Jun 2016
at 14:29 | The Nameless LairThrough careful exploitation of the factor's attention being at least partially on not paying attention to Silent Thunder Leaves, Merlin manages to maneuver so that the paper is in plain view. He does have to touch it to maneuver it, though. It feels heavy, of excellent quality. And multiple inks in different colors were used on it. Like most inhabitants of Creation, he can recognize Old Realm characters.
The two seals by what, in most missives, would be a signature line, however, are elaborate ones, embossing the document to raise the thick paper on the lines. One in blue incorporates within it the symbol for "Venus," while the one in red incorporates the symbol for "Mars."
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:26, Sat 11 June 2016.
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Beatrix LeSchaye
player, 430 posts
Solar
Zenith
Fri 10 Jun 2016
at 16:55 | The Nameless LairBeatrix notices what Merlin is doing, and moves to be of help. She begins speaking quietly with the beastwoman pusher of papers, and starts providing her with helpful tips to make her job much less of a headache than it clearly is to her right now, absorbing her attention in doing so, and leaving Merlin free to do his thing.
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Segev Stormlord
GM, 779 posts
Tue 14 Jun 2016
at 04:55 | The Nameless LairThough the beastwoman attempts to ignore Beatrix and even looks like she's about to snap at her when Beatrix's actions become impossibly intrusive, the point Lady LeSchaye makes right as she's about to artfully distracts her, and she comments on it, and before another two sentences have passed, she's deep into a combination of working out some bureaucratic issues and seeking commiseration over the miserable state of reports with which she has to work, the expectations she has to keep up with, and the idiocy of those who want the attention of the Great One but don't understand that there is a procedure to get on that short list of those he deigns to have time for and can't be bothered to even fill out a request, then send uppity wolf-heads in to make demands on HER time as if she weren't BUSY ENOUGH cleaning up their accounting MESS.
Which, of course, means she doesn't notice what Merlin is doing at all as he gets the fine piece of heavy paper into plain view. It is gorgeously written in exquisite calligraphy with lovely illuminations on the border in inks that must be worth small fortunes to be in such vivid colors.
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Merlin
player, 460 posts
If you knew he
would have to kill you
Mon 20 Jun 2016
at 17:19 | The Nameless LairMerlin sees if he can not filch the paper without the accounting noticing. This is done by using his cloak to cause a breeze to hit the piece of paper and make it fall on the floor where he can get at it without being noticed.
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Segev Stormlord
GM, 780 posts
Mon 20 Jun 2016
at 22:50 | The Nameless Lair((OOC: Today: Segev Stormlord, on behalf of Merlin, rolled 1 success using 2d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7. stunt dice.
So it had 2 successes! Ah! Ah! Ahhh! *thunder, lightning*))
Between Beatrix's distraction and Merlin's already-hidden status, he succeeds in blowing the paper off the table. This does prompt the beastwoman to reach out to hammer her hoof-like fingernails to catch some of the papers, and glare menacingly at the open window, however. She does not seem to notice that the paper has blown onto the face of the simple peddler with an enormous pack that has accompanied the party, however.
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Peddles
player, 19 posts
Sat 30 Jul 2016
at 15:19 | The Nameless LairIn reply to Segev Stormlord (msg # 29):
Paper? What paper? I have plenty of paper in my pack...
("Peddles" stealthily hides the paper in the pack. Not sure how many dice I have since that was on the old computer. If you don't have a copy, Segev, I can try to hunt it up.)
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Beatrix LeSchaye
player, 431 posts
Solar
Zenith
Sat 20 Aug 2016
at 01:26 | The Nameless LairBeatrix gives Peddles and Merlin a look and a nod towards the door. Even without words, the intention is clear; get out of sight for a second and see what the invite is.
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Segev Stormlord
GM, 788 posts
Mon 22 Aug 2016
at 00:52 | The Nameless LairThe Beastwoman still seems to be doing her level best to pretend that the interlopers aren't here.
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Austringer
player, 61 posts
Mon 29 Aug 2016
at 00:06 | The Nameless LairAustringer accompanies Peddles and Merlin outside to look over the letter.
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Segev Stormlord
GM, 790 posts
Tue 6 Sep 2016
at 04:23 | The Nameless LairAustringer is able to read it; it's an invitation that is official enough to assume that the invited will accept, but not quite so presumptuous to demand his presence. Which is not entirely surprising, given that it's addressed to Ma Ha Suchi. It is signed by two august-sounding titles...or names, identifying them as Chosen of two of the Maidens: Serenity and Battles.
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Segev Stormlord
GM, 792 posts
Sun 25 Sep 2016
at 03:27 | The Nameless LairAs Austringer and the others try to make sense of this...invitation...and what it portends, Beatrix works with the goat beastwoman. Or at least commiserates with her. Almost in spite of herself, the beleaguered paper-pusher seems to appreciate the merchant-princess's sympathy, if not her aid. However, one figure that has become rather forgotten in the room seems to have quite had enough.
Silent Thunder Leaves sweeps the entire collection of parchments off the desk with a broad gesture of her green cloak. "Enough! Ma-Ha-Suchi. You will take us to him. Now!"
The goat-woman's sideways-slitted eyes widen and she bleats energetically in protest...and perhaps a little fear. She sniffs pointedly, eyeing the papers...which likely will take hours, if not days, to just recover to the point of unworkable chaos they were in before. Beatrix - and anybody even half as skilled at reading body language as she - can almost hear a silent "See what I have to deal with?" in her posture and the somehow human expression on her goat's face.
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Segev Stormlord
GM, 795 posts
Sun 13 Nov 2016
at 17:18 | The Nameless LairWith a long-suffering bleat, the goat-woman begins slowly gathering her papers back up. It isn't until Silent Thunder Leaves lashes out that she shoves a wooden placard into her outstretched hand.
Silent Thunder Leaves almost smashes it before eyeing it, and snarling, "So he's in the cthonic garden until nightfall? Why was that so hard?" Spinning on her heel, the irritable Lunar marches directly inwards, taking halls leading into the heart of the spire, where only light from glowing fungi and torches reaches. It begins to smell musty, to those who follow her.
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