Val distractedly sits at a table surrounded by, well, not quite friends, but acquaintances. The kind of hangers on that being the scion of a wealthy noble family inevitably brought. He barely remembered many of their names. As he progressed in the school he seemed to care less and less for the petty politics and gossip among his "friends" as he did when he was younger. Nevertheless, he continued to play the simple interpersonal games and building a network of friends. His parents had impressed upon him the importance of making friends, especially with important people, that would serve as his allies and connections to further the family future. While he wasn't sure what his future held, he felt that it was a step in the right direction to actually be thinking of his future.
He supposed he would probably return to Baldur's Gate and take over his family's shipping business, which is why he distractedly continued to politick and play the meaningless verbal games and engage in the social engineering with a small part of his mind. But there was a part of him that remembered the stories the captains and shiphands of the boats would tell him of far off, exotic lands, with dangers and monsters galore. He was still distracted with these daydreams when the meal ended and his friends all left, heading to their classes or work studies, though he made the appropriately jovial goodbyes and see-you-later's.
Val had recently been officially accepted into the school of Illusion. As a congratulations, his parents had shown their pride in the way any noble family would, by sending him a nice, impersonal, expensive gift. In this case, a new set of robes complete with magical cloak. The deep blue garments were trimmed elaborately in gold and embroidered with his family's crest a flowering lily on a field of gold and blue. They matched well to his dirty blond hair and contrasted with his bright green eyes. Ever since he got them, Val had tended to distractedly play with one of the golden chain tassels on his belt, the way one might run prayer beads through their hands.
He was still seated at the table, daydreaming of nothing in particular, playing with the tassel, when another student entered. A number of students had entered and gone in this time, but for some reason, this student had drawn his attention. Unlike most of the students, he was wearing simple clothing, rather than an elaborate or expensive robe. But more unique was the eyepatch. He carried a long staff of some dark wood topped by a crystal and carved wooden latticework. Val thought he might have seen him around before, but he couldn't remember.
Val realized after a minute that he was staring. He cleared his throat, "Friend, please, won't you join me?" He said while gesturing to the seat opposite him.
Surprised, Kell looks up from his book. This is the first time in the three months he had been here any other student, let alone a noble, had addressed him as a friend. Despite his royal lineage, Kell was instructed to dress like a member of the common folk, as to not arouse suspicion, but he didn't care. Having rarely left the castle, he had worn a robe befitting of a prince exactly once. He cautiously wanders over, placing his book in his bag. "You have need of me Milord?" His eyes wander, and see the other nobles staring. Despite his appearance, Kell is not cowed. He stands his ground, staring back at them with a single blue eye.
Val waved off the other nobles as they left for their own classes. He stood and moved over to Kell's table, carrying a number of books wrapped in a leather strap. He set the bundle of books on the table, including his own spellbook. While it was clearly expensive, blue lambskin leather bound with gold buckles and binding, it was also clearly well-used. An observant eye would recognize that it was more than just the prop of a rich kid.
"Come now, the 'lord' is my father. I'm merely a student here, as--unless I miss my guess--are you. I'm Val," he said amiably, extending his hand, "a pleasure."
Kell accepts the outstretched hand with no small amount of suspicion. "I am Kell, and the pleasure is all mine." The remark seems oddly courtlike coming from an apparant commoner. After a moment of silence, Kell tries to make small talk. "What are you studying here?"
Val laughs, seeming oblivious to anything unusual, "Well, as little as I can!" A raven flies down and lands on his shoulder while Val chuckles. It cants its head to the side and says in a perfect mimicry of Professor Yvenshetharix, "Don't be ashamed of who you are, Master Hucrele. That's your parents' job." Val rolled his eyes at the raven and looked back at Kell. "Don't mind Hesperus here. He's just mad I've turned him into something without opposable thumbs. Ahh... but seriously, I was just recently accepted into the College of Illusion. And yourself? What are you studying here?"
Kell cringes realizing that it was a question that warranted a response. His hand reaches instinctively for his eyepatch. "Everything?.....I dont have a specific school of magic, but master Corrinth is tutoring me privately."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
"Everything?! That sounds exhausting." Val considers asking about the eyepatch, he's definitely curious, but he's too well-bred to be so crass. Instead, he sticks to the subject at hand. "Master Corrinth? I don't believe I've had any classes with him."
"Well," stated Val, realizing that Kell was not interested in more conversation, "I should go rest. I have detention very early in the morning. It was a pleasure to meet you. Perhaps we shall meet again. My best regards." He gathers his books, slings them over his back and head back towards his room, whistling a cheerful tune, which seemed to irritate the raven on his shoulder.
The rest of the day continues on as any normal day. You finish your classes, and have your free time a few hours before bed. Sleep takes you until you wake up and make your way through the silent halls to the gym area. As Val and Kell enter the gym area, they find Sarith and Yu waiting for them. The starry night is lit with a half moon, and a chill permeates the crisp mountain air.
Seraph watches Kell and Val arrive. He cracks his knuckles and says, "Alright. I don't want to be here any more than you do so let's get this over with. We are first going to do some light stretches and warm up exercises. Then we are going to go for a long jog. After that we meditate and then we shadowbox. Now. Follow my lead." He begins doing light stretching exercises.
Kell reluctantly starts doing the exercises. He is a little confused, as usually the detentions are jobs like washing the griffon stables or cleaning the library (Kell usually finds a good book doing that chore).
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Val is decidedly... average at physical tasks. Slightly weaker and slightly more dextrous than most tend to average out. It's still too early for him to be truly awake--he would usually just be going to bed around this time--and he mostly goes through the motions robotically without complaint, but also without much enthusiasm. It's even too early for his familiar, who Val dismissed to a pocket dimension for the morning, mostly to avoid hearing Hesperus complain incessantly.
It does not take much time to do all the exercises Seraph had planned. It was clear that he had picked them so that it would be done in very short order. There is still much of detention remaining. Once the short shadow boxing session completes, Seraph says, "Now for the final task the school asked me to complete. We are heading to an ant nest to kill the queen and collect formic acid. I gathered a bunch of glass jars for us to store the formic acid in and the school gave me a glass containing Cloud Kill. We are going to head over to the ant nest and drop this into it. Then we will find and kill the queen. Everyone, stay behind me and Yu here." He leads them towards the ant nest.
You all follow Seraph out of the Academy. He follows the trail for a while until it reaches a small bridge that extends of a shallow, but wide stream. He then moves off the trail and walks along the river, following it into the alpine meadows below. Trees grow along the embankment that block out most of the night sky. Nocturnal animals call to each other in the darkness. Patches of fireflies dot the distance. The moon is full, and provides ample light to guide your path along the trickling stream. Moonlight dances across the water surface as it moves downward. All together, it is quite a beautiful night.
After almost forty five minutes hiking downhill at a slight angle, you reach the forested meadows that extend until it reaches the mountains on the other side of the small valley. Just a little ways from the stream, you can see a large mound of earth bathed in moonlight. Atop the mound, you can barely make out a large, glistening insect creature. It appears you have arrived.
Val distractedly sits at a table surrounded by, well, not quite friends, but acquaintances. The kind of hangers on that being the scion of a wealthy noble family inevitably brought. He barely remembered many of their names. As he progressed in the school he seemed to care less and less for the petty politics and gossip among his "friends" as he did when he was younger. Nevertheless, he continued to play the simple interpersonal games and building a network of friends. His parents had impressed upon him the importance of making friends, especially with important people, that would serve as his allies and connections to further the family future. While he wasn't sure what his future held, he felt that it was a step in the right direction to actually be thinking of his future.
He supposed he would probably return to Baldur's Gate and take over his family's shipping business, which is why he distractedly continued to politick and play the meaningless verbal games and engage in the social engineering with a small part of his mind. But there was a part of him that remembered the stories the captains and shiphands of the boats would tell him of far off, exotic lands, with dangers and monsters galore. He was still distracted with these daydreams when the meal ended and his friends all left, heading to their classes or work studies, though he made the appropriately jovial goodbyes and see-you-later's.
Val had recently been officially accepted into the school of Illusion. As a congratulations, his parents had shown their pride in the way any noble family would, by sending him a nice, impersonal, expensive gift. In this case, a new set of robes complete with magical cloak. The deep blue garments were trimmed elaborately in gold and embroidered with his family's crest a flowering lily on a field of gold and blue. They matched well to his dirty blond hair and contrasted with his bright green eyes. Ever since he got them, Val had tended to distractedly play with one of the golden chain tassels on his belt, the way one might run prayer beads through their hands.
He was still seated at the table, daydreaming of nothing in particular, playing with the tassel, when another student entered. A number of students had entered and gone in this time, but for some reason, this student had drawn his attention. Unlike most of the students, he was wearing simple clothing, rather than an elaborate or expensive robe. But more unique was the eyepatch. He carried a long staff of some dark wood topped by a crystal and carved wooden latticework. Val thought he might have seen him around before, but he couldn't remember.
Val realized after a minute that he was staring. He cleared his throat, "Friend, please, won't you join me?" He said while gesturing to the seat opposite him.
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
Surprised, Kell looks up from his book. This is the first time in the three months he had been here any other student, let alone a noble, had addressed him as a friend. Despite his royal lineage, Kell was instructed to dress like a member of the common folk, as to not arouse suspicion, but he didn't care. Having rarely left the castle, he had worn a robe befitting of a prince exactly once. He cautiously wanders over, placing his book in his bag. "You have need of me Milord?" His eyes wander, and see the other nobles staring. Despite his appearance, Kell is not cowed. He stands his ground, staring back at them with a single blue eye.
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Val waved off the other nobles as they left for their own classes. He stood and moved over to Kell's table, carrying a number of books wrapped in a leather strap. He set the bundle of books on the table, including his own spellbook. While it was clearly expensive, blue lambskin leather bound with gold buckles and binding, it was also clearly well-used. An observant eye would recognize that it was more than just the prop of a rich kid.
"Come now, the 'lord' is my father. I'm merely a student here, as--unless I miss my guess--are you. I'm Val," he said amiably, extending his hand, "a pleasure."
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
Kell accepts the outstretched hand with no small amount of suspicion. "I am Kell, and the pleasure is all mine." The remark seems oddly courtlike coming from an apparant commoner. After a moment of silence, Kell tries to make small talk. "What are you studying here?"
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Val laughs, seeming oblivious to anything unusual, "Well, as little as I can!" A raven flies down and lands on his shoulder while Val chuckles. It cants its head to the side and says in a perfect mimicry of Professor Yvenshetharix, "Don't be ashamed of who you are, Master Hucrele. That's your parents' job." Val rolled his eyes at the raven and looked back at Kell. "Don't mind Hesperus here. He's just mad I've turned him into something without opposable thumbs. Ahh... but seriously, I was just recently accepted into the College of Illusion. And yourself? What are you studying here?"
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
Kell cringes realizing that it was a question that warranted a response. His hand reaches instinctively for his eyepatch. "Everything?.....I dont have a specific school of magic, but master Corrinth is tutoring me privately."
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
"Everything?! That sounds exhausting." Val considers asking about the eyepatch, he's definitely curious, but he's too well-bred to be so crass. Instead, he sticks to the subject at hand. "Master Corrinth? I don't believe I've had any classes with him."
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
Kell shrugs "Sometimes. Master Corrinth is an academic here. He studies.....well I'm not quite sure, but something."
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
((Do you guys want to continue your conversation, or can I move on?))
((I think you can probably move on))
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
((Moving on sounds good))
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
"Well," stated Val, realizing that Kell was not interested in more conversation, "I should go rest. I have detention very early in the morning. It was a pleasure to meet you. Perhaps we shall meet again. My best regards." He gathers his books, slings them over his back and head back towards his room, whistling a cheerful tune, which seemed to irritate the raven on his shoulder.
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
Kell, a bit distracted, forgets that he has the same detention. "Good night."
As the young man wanders off, Kell realizes that he should get some sleep as well. He walks off to his room.
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
The rest of the day continues on as any normal day. You finish your classes, and have your free time a few hours before bed. Sleep takes you until you wake up and make your way through the silent halls to the gym area. As Val and Kell enter the gym area, they find Sarith and Yu waiting for them. The starry night is lit with a half moon, and a chill permeates the crisp mountain air.
Seraph watches Kell and Val arrive. He cracks his knuckles and says, "Alright. I don't want to be here any more than you do so let's get this over with. We are first going to do some light stretches and warm up exercises. Then we are going to go for a long jog. After that we meditate and then we shadowbox. Now. Follow my lead." He begins doing light stretching exercises.
Kell reluctantly starts doing the exercises. He is a little confused, as usually the detentions are jobs like washing the griffon stables or cleaning the library (Kell usually finds a good book doing that chore).
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Val is decidedly... average at physical tasks. Slightly weaker and slightly more dextrous than most tend to average out. It's still too early for him to be truly awake--he would usually just be going to bed around this time--and he mostly goes through the motions robotically without complaint, but also without much enthusiasm. It's even too early for his familiar, who Val dismissed to a pocket dimension for the morning, mostly to avoid hearing Hesperus complain incessantly.
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
It does not take much time to do all the exercises Seraph had planned. It was clear that he had picked them so that it would be done in very short order. There is still much of detention remaining. Once the short shadow boxing session completes, Seraph says, "Now for the final task the school asked me to complete. We are heading to an ant nest to kill the queen and collect formic acid. I gathered a bunch of glass jars for us to store the formic acid in and the school gave me a glass containing Cloud Kill. We are going to head over to the ant nest and drop this into it. Then we will find and kill the queen. Everyone, stay behind me and Yu here." He leads them towards the ant nest.
You all follow Seraph out of the Academy. He follows the trail for a while until it reaches a small bridge that extends of a shallow, but wide stream. He then moves off the trail and walks along the river, following it into the alpine meadows below. Trees grow along the embankment that block out most of the night sky. Nocturnal animals call to each other in the darkness. Patches of fireflies dot the distance. The moon is full, and provides ample light to guide your path along the trickling stream. Moonlight dances across the water surface as it moves downward. All together, it is quite a beautiful night.
After almost forty five minutes hiking downhill at a slight angle, you reach the forested meadows that extend until it reaches the mountains on the other side of the small valley. Just a little ways from the stream, you can see a large mound of earth bathed in moonlight. Atop the mound, you can barely make out a large, glistening insect creature. It appears you have arrived.
Kell shudders. He has always hated bees. "What are we gonna do?" He raises his hands "You want us to blast it?"
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.