The bellhop stops in his tracks as you say that. He tenses up and turns around to eye you warily. "Really?"He looks surprised as if he didn't expect this to happen, but switches his cart around anyways to head towards you. "Okay." He continues to watch you, he especially doesn't like the way that last part sounded, but he decides to take the chance anyways. By the door, his eyes fall slightly solemnly at the cart to try to locate the hastily put together gift basket that's at the bottom. "Um, sorry it's a bit messy."
He looks up at you then at the scimitar then back at you, "May I come in?"
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<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
Pointedly ignoring his glance at the scimitar by the door, Macario says, "Of course, give me just one second to put my mask away. Half the fun is in the surprise, you know." Macario moves into the room and, keeping it out of view of the bellhop, carefully places the mask and the note into a drawer by the bed, and then calls through the cracked door, "All good now!"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Perception: 13
Pak'cha groggily awakens from his first good night of sleep in a long time. Rising with a snappy, somewhat mechanical motion, he rises from the sole bed he finds comfortable; the wooden floor of the inn he'd been sleeping in. The bug-man takes a few looks around the room he's in, cracking the joints in his arms. It's just another boring, uneventful day. Or, so he thinks. Taking a blanket off of the bed beside him, he ties it around his waist and silently walks to the balcony to softly peek out of it. Gah, too sunny... way too sunny...
Therdiane will now dismiss the mug of coffee and the chair, and pack away his flute, before trying to find where he can get some food. If he comes across anyone besides the bellhop from before he will politely ask for directions, and if he come across her he will tell her that she can put whatever it is she was getting on the bedside table in his room, and then ask for directions.
Your suite is on the opposite side of where the Macario and Therdiane are. You are next to Pak-cha's room.
You step out of your room to see that you've bumped right in front of the same tabaxi bellhop that was serving Therdiane earlier. She looks a bit flustered as she's almost dropped the meal tray she was carrying. She sets down the tray on the cart and looks down at herself. "Ah Gods, if I'd had a coin for ev'rytime that's a happened. Sorry 'bout that." She wipes off her uniform since some soursop juice got on it, but it looks like even with her efforts it wouldn't be coming off. She grumbles, "Ugh looks like they're gonna take that out my paycheck."
It takes her a minute to remember you were there. "Hey a wait. You're up early too. Aw mans, I got to tell Inra you're here now too... Actually, know what? I'll just bring you down. Follow me." She waves at you to come follow her across the vine bridge and takes the cart with her. "I'll have you all just meet for breakfast then. She'll probably like that. Yeah. That'll be much easier, yeah."
@Pak'cha
Your room is next to Argos's one. The room looks the same as Argos's, but yours has a different mask, one looks like a half cut open soursop. The white-pulpy-inside-looking half has the usual seeds placed like a semicircle around rind like the real fruit, expect for around the spot where the eye-hole is. Above the eye-hole looks like a outward tilting sad eyebrow and underneath the eye, a seed-tear. The other half is spiky and green with two of the spikes rising out like antenna to the right. This side of the 'face' looks angry and tough. Where the mouth hole is, there is a small note that says, 'Don't fit right in.'
Like everyone, the mask wasn't there last night. Which might being leaving your bodyguard sense unnerved.
The sun sure is bright today. You woke up a bit later than the others and now it is nearly dawn. When you step out you see Argos bumping into a tabaxi bellhop over to your left. On the ride side of your balcony, you see a small toucan among the birds who just are eating seeds that have been left on the vine bridge. However, this one is just staring with its head cocked at an angle, clearly eyeing you. After a minute of watching, its mouth slightly curl up in a smile not suited for beaks before it flies off. If you looked over the balcony, you can see it just went one room below you, still keeping its eyes on you as it continuously hops down from room to room heading towards the lobby.
@Macario
"Of course," He responds, slightly mockingly. Upon hearing the word 'mask' he appears disinterested, his eyes mostly wandering around the room's exterior before he is let in. You catch him mutter "Finally" as he huffs under his breath. He slowly pushes the cart in, taking a moment to take it all in as he saunters into the room. It's like he's never seen this view before. Never leaving his eyes off you, he bends down and gets out the gift basket. "You- you don't mind if I, uh, just fix things up a bit, don't you?" Without even waiting for your answer, he leaves the basket there on bed and walks over to the western window. He fiddles with the curtains, then quickly closes them.
The door on slams shut from the other side of the room as he casts Thaumaturgy, and in an instant the dagger is in his hand. From his stance, you can tell he is a rogue of some sorts. The bellhop looks at you with a wild expression and gestures 'gimme' with his free hand. "Look. I obviously don't know you. And this isn't personal to anything about you." He steps closer, dagger slightly shaking in his hand. "But I know you have it." He waits. There is a hesitation in his voice and his face scrunches as he tries to explain to you. "The thing! You know. The thing. Give it." He takes another step towards the door to block it, empty hand wiping the red hair nearly blocking his eyes. "They said it'll be here. Ugh!" He grits his teeth, getting more agitated by the second. Yet you still don't know what he's talking about.
Before you even say anything his eyes land on the scimitar again and he grips his own weapon tighter and points it to you. "Don't. Just please. You got to give it to me."
@Therdiane
The tabaxi bellhop is now off with Argos, completely forgetting that she had to bring food to you. You do, however, see someone coming out from the pulley-elevator system to your 'floor'. The main vine bridge that encircles the main tree is about 100 feet away from you. "This isn't my floor," He mumbles, looking at the number above the elevator. You call out to the young elf who just came out of the doors and ask for directions. "For breakfast? I don't know. Oh um. I was actually just looking for that myself."
He looks back at the elevator than sheepishly at you, "I came back up because I left my glasses... But I don't think I'll find it. I might have actually left it at the waterfall yesterday. Last night- was fun."He leans against the bark of the tree, still slightly hungover. He blinks and stops for second. He doesn't know why he's giving you a whole spiel. He shrugs. "You want to go look for it together?"
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<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
Macario stands with his back to the wall, the bed between him and the bellhop, who is also blocking his access to his weapon. “No matter,” he thinks, reaching deep for the arcane abilities he’d spent so many years cultivating. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says to the bellhop, “Perhaps you could elaborate?” The very words themselves are laced with energy that flows towards the young man, washing over him and begging his cooperation (charm person, DC 13 wisdom save; persuasion14 with or without a failed save).
Therdiane agrees to accompany the elf, and enters the elevator before going to a random level. He will also look for anything valuable on the elves person that might possibly be steal-able. 9 to investigation, and 9 to slight of hand,
Macario stands with his back to the wall, the bed between him and the bellhop, who is also blocking his access to his weapon. “No matter,” he thinks, reaching deep for the arcane abilities he’d spent so many years cultivating. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says to the bellhop, “Perhaps you could elaborate?” The very words themselves are laced with energy that flows towards the young man, washing over him and begging his cooperation (charm person, DC 13 wisdom save; persuasion14 with or without a failed save).
((Bellhop Wisdom Save: 17))
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<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
"What-" He starts before his face softens a bit. He stares at you and squints, beginning to put his dagger down before jerking his hand back up and still tries to point it to you. Rather than make a threat, he blinks around confused. "I-" He snaps his fingers and lowers his head down to rub the bridge of his nose, "I need the thing. You know." He grimaces. He seems to be having trouble remembering what it is he is looking for. He then glares at you a bit before diverting his gaze away. The bellhop sighs, moving his hand around in semicircles, "The key- the ring- the book- or whatever it is to get to the Underside! They said you would have had it!"
He kicks the frame of the bedstand, "Ow!" He reels back his left foot in pain, "Stupid. Stupid. Argh!!!" He inhales sharply, "You don't have it, do you?"
He grunts, repeatedly stabbing nothing in the air before sulking, "I'm never going to get away from here, am I?!"
@Therdiane
The elf and you walk into the elevator. It's made with a pulley system and a wheel with a handle that you have to wind up to get to your level. "I must've wound it up too much,"comments the elf when he gets back into the elevator with you, "It's much easier going down." He takes the handle and the elevator starts moving downward. He's not much up for conversation as you two head down as most of his concentration is on cranking the elevator.
You notice on his right hand, the one he is using to move the elevator down, he has a watch, which is pretty uncommon around these parts so you can tell he is more wealthy than average. In fact, you also spot that his glasses are actually on top of his head, but he hasn't yet to notice. His wallet is not visible, but you do see that he has some poker-looking chips in his back pocket. He is also not wearing a shirt from some reason. Being slightly impaired from his hangover, he doesn't realize if you're trying to take anything, but you don't manage to swipe anything anyways since he sees your gaze and drowsily says, "Oh yeah I was playing the lotteria last night yesterday. Didn't win much though," He yawns, "No use trying to cash them out though. The token-teller people are on strike. Wish I'd known that before staying here. But hey, at least they've got the waterfall."
Ding!
"I think we're here."
The elevator stops at a floor that's busy with people. This is around the base of the tree and the layout is much larger than any of those levels at the furthermost from the bottom of the trunk. There is a big sign that says 'Complimentary Breakfast This Way' with a helpful little arrow on it pointing to the right. There is also a little lounge there with a couple of seats and a fountain in the middle. The whole floor is carpeted with some obnoxious orange pattern. If you go towards the breakfast area you'll see a line of people snaking out the door, awaiting to see what's on the menu today as a large buffet with various foods and snacks awaits them.
On your left you would see a certain tabaxi bellhop leading a young wood elf man over to the executive office. A group of young kids swarm your area followed by an aggrieved couple chasing them. Sidestepping the nearly 11 children in your path, your elf guide waves to you and bids you adieu. "Well bye. See you. I'm not wasting a minute not going on that line."
@Argos
The tabaxi bellhop turns back and smiles your way, "Honestly it's a no problem. Happens to me like all the time." She looks straight forward ahead as she brings you and the cart over to the elevator and starts winding the way down via the crank.
"Man, Inra would be so happy to meet you. I don't know why exactly. Said you guys were like special guests or something."She cocks her head and notices your expression and says, "Inra's the host of the event today. Her and her 'The Night of Trickery Has Just Begun' but then you go ahead and start it at dawn."
She clicks her tongue, "She's been doing it for years though, so I wouldn't judge. Does keep the place trick-free to be honest. If we had to do this ritual everyday to keep the worst wrath of Dinesa out, then yeah I would."
You two sit there in silence for a second when the door beeps and she releases her hands from the crank. "Guess we're up."The main lobby is much more noisy than the tree canopy rooms. You notice she is taking you a different way than where the 'Complimentary Breakfast This Way Sign' would imply. "Inra wants to see you in person. I'm supposed to get the rest of your crew up too. Aw gozits! I forgot." She looks at you with a hesitation for a second, "I should go back and uh wrangle up the others. You- you wait here or go inside. Okay." Then she runs off.
You see the same lobby that Therdiane see with its quaint lounge and wandering guests. The door you are closest to says 'Executive Dining Hall' while the one further off in the hallway marks the one for complimentary breakfast. A whiff of smoked fish and lemons, honey arepas, and tostones drifts your way.
((No worries on the timing! We all go in our own pace here with play-by-post! I was stuck doing finals earlier today and then more tomorrow. aghh.))
"A key, a ring, a book..." Macario thinks to himself, racking his brain for anything the priests might have mentioned about gaining access to the Underside as a living mortal (religion12).
"I'm afraid I don't," he says to the sulking bellhop, relaxing just a bit as he feels the spell take effect. "Whoever told you to look here was mistaken. I haven't been associated with the priesthood at the ruins for years now," he adds, a bit sheepishly. "If I may ask, who's this 'they' that you speak of?" (persuasion with advantage from charmed for a dirty 20).
Therdiane will get some food and another mug of coffee before finding a table in a corner, and sitting with his back to the wall. (FYI, he is carrying a satchel with like a flute, some other small instruments, his donations hat, and a colourful costume. Right now he is wearing kinda drab sleepwear, button up.) He'll kinda just keep an eye on the going ons.
You actually have no clue that you're even supposed to have a 'crew' there. Though once you say this, the tabaxi bellhop has already gone and zipped off into the elevator. Man, she was fast on her feet.
Anyways, you listen for a conversation behind the door.
"Go out there and ruffle those feathers, ay mi amigo," says a gruff tone.
Another more squeakier voice answers. "Oh no deary no. No not me. Not my cup of tea."
The other voice answers. "No. You're right. You're gonna kill it though, I promise. Okay?"
The squeaky-one doesn't say anything back.
After a few minutes of nothing, you open the door. They do say curiosity killed the cat, but when you crack open the doors to the executive office... alarmingly, there's no one there.
The room is all painted white, save for a long bamboo dinning table that extends from the front of the room to the back. Where each seat is there is carved divot into the table like a bowl. Along the wall lines an array of food, the serving trays hanging like flowerpots from the ceiling. Before you have time to check it, suddenly, like she stepped out from the corner of your vision, a cheetah-like tabaxi with elegant flowing robes and a top hat appears in front of you.
"Surpise, Argos. Welcome welcome. I'm Irna. Irna Gonzalez." She shakes your hand with as much force as a clasps, "Pleasure to meet you. It's Argos, right? I was right? Pleasure's all mine!"
@Macario
((YOOO A NAT 20. *burger king music* BK have it your way. you rule!))
A key, a ring, or a book? These thoughts ring in your brain, but are they familiar? You don't recall either. When you were younger, you do remember catching faint memories of the other priests mentioning something of how the voices by the entrance of the Underside grew more intense the days before when the flowers bloom. Digging deeper, you find a ceremonial hymn for the dead you may have recited back in Azzan went by:
By the ripples of the water circled deep,
Remember O, remember me.
Stir me away from the forgotten's keep. Sow covered are you, so may you may not weep.
A long whiles gone I have been away. 'Til the hour is then.
Forget me not, my petals said. Forgive what wrought, whispers the end.
This memory is associated with the distinct smell of the ground after a thunderstorm.
The bellhop stares into space when you confess, sighing deeply. He moves away from the door and sits on the bed to fiddle with his dagger, though his eyes never leave yours. "Yeah, I was afraid you'd say that." He looked back over the the scimitar on the wall. With a smirk directly at you, he casts Mage Hand and the mystic hand grabs the weapon from its place by the door and places it gently onto his lap.
"I don't know what you did." He continues. He doesn't even hold the scimitar and lets it lay there on his knees, but digs his gloved hands deep into the bed sheets. "-And I don't want to tell you that. But-"He sighs and lays his head on his palm as he propped up his arm with his elbow. "I actually don't know. It was the other guys. They asked me to. All they said was they needed it bad. Whatever that means. And they would pay me for it. Not even that good. But I thought maybe I can use it. Make things better somehow. But then I told them 'how would I do it?' 'How could I do it alone?' I asked them, but nooo. They they said you've got this one in the bag. It's easy. Steal from the freakin' Mr. mystic priest holier-than-thou type guy over here. Who can put thoughts in your head I don't know how!" He run his hands through his face. He turns to look you in the eyes. "Well. You've got me."
He takes off his bellhop hat to reveal two small horns on his head, and then tossed that hat into the fireplace like a Frisbee where it burned unceremoniously. You see that actually his teeth were much more pointed than a human's should be. The young tiefling shrugged up his shoulders. "I'll won't go down kicking and screaming you hear me." Once he hears his own words, he frowns. Who knew a spell could be so potent? "Name's Eduardo."He throws up his arms in frustration, "I'm caught in the current!"*
((*Basically "I'm in hell!"))
He mutters something under his breath and takes off his bellhop gloves, which show his black pointed claws, and just throws the pair onto to the chest from across the room, which knocks down the card from off the top of the chest. Then the chest- it moves.
@Therdiane
The inside of the buffet halls smells delicious and there is a variety of food there. You catch the elf you were with earlier is now on line and almost done getting his food. The atmosphere is filling and vibrant. As you sit against the wall, a child walks up to you. Looks to be about 4 to 5 years old. They are a snow leopard looking tabaxi. Their blue eyes glimmer when they catch sight of your flute. "Are you a musician?"
They produce a small pan flute of their own. "Can I hear you play?"
Macario could kick himself. He really should've paid more attention to all the parts of his training that weren't combat and medicine. Then again, right there was the reason he'd chosen not to enter the priesthood when he'd turned 17. All he could seem to remember was a low funeral dirge, which didn't seem the slightest bit related to why this tiefling was here.
Tiefling. It had been some time since he'd seen one up close. Maybe four months ago in one of the aid tents? This one was young. Too young to be caught up in such business as an armed robbery at a resort, and Macario almost feels bad for charming him. Almost. He is still short a weapon. He slowly fastens the ties on the front of his deep green tunic as the boy rambles through the charm, barely stifling a chuckle at being called "Mister-mystic-priest-holier-than-thou-type-guy," and finally takes another look at the tiefling in front of him as he shares his name. Caught in the current. He could certainly understand that.
"Look, Eduardo," Macario begins slowly as the boy removes his gloves, "I–." He pauses, noticing the movement as Eduardo's gloves land across the room. "I...think I might be needing that," he says, nodding to the blade across the tiefling's lap with his hands raised in a gesture of peace. "I have no interest in hurting you, but if that chest is what I think it is, then it certainly might. I think it would probably be best for us both to leave now." Without waiting for an answer, Macario slowly moves towards the bed, keeping his hands visible and as much distance from Eduardo as he can while climbing across to the door with as much space as possible between himself and the...chest...as he can manage.
[[ Not nat, but 19 + 1 still feels pretty good after spending one of my three spell slots before the sun is even fully up :) ]]
Eduardo's eyes open wide at the sight of the movement, double checking his suspicions with you with a glance, and that pause seemed to confirm it. "It's-" He realizes that the glove he threw, though off center, seemed to stick to the (ugh) skin of the chest. "The day of trickery."He gasps, "Anyone. Anything. Isn't safe from one of Dinesa's tricks." He looks to you a little bit hurt to see that you are actively trying to avoid him, but he understands the tension. Until he realizes that the arms up are more for his sake, he then softens. Though, his face scrunches up a bit in confusion to see that now you're trying to be nice to him. He wasn't used to that. He waves the thoughts away in his mind. The more important thing was getting the ways out of here.
"Wait." Sitting up a little, he uses Mage Hand to try and pick up the glove. 'Crraanch' Within seconds teeth sink into the false hand and a sloppy tongue tries to hold it down. Six beady little orange eyes spring up from the wooden monstrosity, it's eyes fixated on the strange spectral thing floating above it. It managed to grab the gloves and slurp it down, turning to look at you and Eduardo in resentment. The fake bellhop boy jumps up with a start, the scimitar clattering down to the floor as he does it. "Run. Now"
He scrambles towards the door, nearly falling over after knocking into his cart. He yells out yet another curse word, before slamming the door open with Thaumaturgy. "Out of all the places-" He shouts with his arms up in the air, heading towards the rope bridge and waving you to come follow. "I- I know a shortcut."
"Me, yeah I'm Argos. A pleasure to meet you too-" He says while trying to peep his head in the office from her, bewildered about the voices. "Where did the sources go?" He thought. "And what was about the killing..." (Also a thought)
"I really wish you hadn't done that," Macario says seeing what he now knows is definitely a mimic become more agitated going after the spectral hand. He quickly lunges for the scimitar as it falls, taking only a second to grab it before sprinting out the door behind Eduardo. Barefoot and shieldless, he follows the boy towards the rope bridge.
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@Macario
The bellhop stops in his tracks as you say that. He tenses up and turns around to eye you warily. "Really?" He looks surprised as if he didn't expect this to happen, but switches his cart around anyways to head towards you. "Okay." He continues to watch you, he especially doesn't like the way that last part sounded, but he decides to take the chance anyways. By the door, his eyes fall slightly solemnly at the cart to try to locate the hastily put together gift basket that's at the bottom. "Um, sorry it's a bit messy."
He looks up at you then at the scimitar then back at you, "May I come in?"
<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
Player: Dragonlance
"Edge of every- oh.." He gets it, fell off the edge, edge of everything. He considers about the hotel part of the note.
"PS. This chest is a mimic?" He looked at it and slowly got out of his room. He asked himself "Why didn't they put a normal chest, actually?"
Pointedly ignoring his glance at the scimitar by the door, Macario says, "Of course, give me just one second to put my mask away. Half the fun is in the surprise, you know." Macario moves into the room and, keeping it out of view of the bellhop, carefully places the mask and the note into a drawer by the bed, and then calls through the cracked door, "All good now!"
Perception: 13
Pak'cha groggily awakens from his first good night of sleep in a long time. Rising with a snappy, somewhat mechanical motion, he rises from the sole bed he finds comfortable; the wooden floor of the inn he'd been sleeping in. The bug-man takes a few looks around the room he's in, cracking the joints in his arms. It's just another boring, uneventful day. Or, so he thinks. Taking a blanket off of the bed beside him, he ties it around his waist and silently walks to the balcony to softly peek out of it. Gah, too sunny... way too sunny...
“The brighter they shine, the darker the shadow grows.” - Makino Fumito
👑 King of Junior Year 👑
DND Amateur and boxing nerd.
Extended Signature.
LOL Pak'cha better start wearing pants if we all begin traveling together. XDXD
Therdiane will now dismiss the mug of coffee and the chair, and pack away his flute, before trying to find where he can get some food. If he comes across anyone besides the bellhop from before he will politely ask for directions, and if he come across her he will tell her that she can put whatever it is she was getting on the bedside table in his room, and then ask for directions.
@Argos
Your suite is on the opposite side of where the Macario and Therdiane are. You are next to Pak-cha's room.
You step out of your room to see that you've bumped right in front of the same tabaxi bellhop that was serving Therdiane earlier. She looks a bit flustered as she's almost dropped the meal tray she was carrying. She sets down the tray on the cart and looks down at herself. "Ah Gods, if I'd had a coin for ev'rytime that's a happened. Sorry 'bout that." She wipes off her uniform since some soursop juice got on it, but it looks like even with her efforts it wouldn't be coming off. She grumbles, "Ugh looks like they're gonna take that out my paycheck."
It takes her a minute to remember you were there. "Hey a wait. You're up early too. Aw mans, I got to tell Inra you're here now too... Actually, know what? I'll just bring you down. Follow me." She waves at you to come follow her across the vine bridge and takes the cart with her. "I'll have you all just meet for breakfast then. She'll probably like that. Yeah. That'll be much easier, yeah."
@Pak'cha
Your room is next to Argos's one. The room looks the same as Argos's, but yours has a different mask, one looks like a half cut open soursop. The white-pulpy-inside-looking half has the usual seeds placed like a semicircle around rind like the real fruit, expect for around the spot where the eye-hole is. Above the eye-hole looks like a outward tilting sad eyebrow and underneath the eye, a seed-tear. The other half is spiky and green with two of the spikes rising out like antenna to the right. This side of the 'face' looks angry and tough. Where the mouth hole is, there is a small note that says, 'Don't fit right in.'
Like everyone, the mask wasn't there last night. Which might being leaving your bodyguard sense unnerved.
The sun sure is bright today. You woke up a bit later than the others and now it is nearly dawn. When you step out you see Argos bumping into a tabaxi bellhop over to your left. On the ride side of your balcony, you see a small toucan among the birds who just are eating seeds that have been left on the vine bridge. However, this one is just staring with its head cocked at an angle, clearly eyeing you. After a minute of watching, its mouth slightly curl up in a smile not suited for beaks before it flies off. If you looked over the balcony, you can see it just went one room below you, still keeping its eyes on you as it continuously hops down from room to room heading towards the lobby.
@Macario
"Of course," He responds, slightly mockingly. Upon hearing the word 'mask' he appears disinterested, his eyes mostly wandering around the room's exterior before he is let in. You catch him mutter "Finally" as he huffs under his breath. He slowly pushes the cart in, taking a moment to take it all in as he saunters into the room. It's like he's never seen this view before. Never leaving his eyes off you, he bends down and gets out the gift basket. "You- you don't mind if I, uh, just fix things up a bit, don't you?" Without even waiting for your answer, he leaves the basket there on bed and walks over to the western window. He fiddles with the curtains, then quickly closes them.
The door on slams shut from the other side of the room as he casts Thaumaturgy, and in an instant the dagger is in his hand. From his stance, you can tell he is a rogue of some sorts. The bellhop looks at you with a wild expression and gestures 'gimme' with his free hand. "Look. I obviously don't know you. And this isn't personal to anything about you." He steps closer, dagger slightly shaking in his hand. "But I know you have it." He waits. There is a hesitation in his voice and his face scrunches as he tries to explain to you. "The thing! You know. The thing. Give it." He takes another step towards the door to block it, empty hand wiping the red hair nearly blocking his eyes. "They said it'll be here. Ugh!" He grits his teeth, getting more agitated by the second. Yet you still don't know what he's talking about.
Before you even say anything his eyes land on the scimitar again and he grips his own weapon tighter and points it to you. "Don't. Just please. You got to give it to me."
@Therdiane
The tabaxi bellhop is now off with Argos, completely forgetting that she had to bring food to you. You do, however, see someone coming out from the pulley-elevator system to your 'floor'. The main vine bridge that encircles the main tree is about 100 feet away from you. "This isn't my floor," He mumbles, looking at the number above the elevator. You call out to the young elf who just came out of the doors and ask for directions. "For breakfast? I don't know. Oh um. I was actually just looking for that myself."
He looks back at the elevator than sheepishly at you, "I came back up because I left my glasses... But I don't think I'll find it. I might have actually left it at the waterfall yesterday. Last night- was fun." He leans against the bark of the tree, still slightly hungover. He blinks and stops for second. He doesn't know why he's giving you a whole spiel. He shrugs. "You want to go look for it together?"
<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
Player: Dragonlance
Macario stands with his back to the wall, the bed between him and the bellhop, who is also blocking his access to his weapon. “No matter,” he thinks, reaching deep for the arcane abilities he’d spent so many years cultivating. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says to the bellhop, “Perhaps you could elaborate?” The very words themselves are laced with energy that flows towards the young man, washing over him and begging his cooperation (charm person, DC 13 wisdom save; persuasion 14 with or without a failed save).
Therdiane agrees to accompany the elf, and enters the elevator before going to a random level. He will also look for anything valuable on the elves person that might possibly be steal-able.
9 to investigation, and 9 to slight of hand,
"Ah, sorry about that!" Argos apologizes. Feeling bad for her spilling the soursop on her.
Argos then followed her after she waved her hand. Breakfast does seem good right about now.
(I also have school so sorry if I have extended inactivity!)
((Bellhop Wisdom Save: 17))
<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
Player: Dragonlance
@Macario
The bellhop is charmed by your spell.
"What-" He starts before his face softens a bit. He stares at you and squints, beginning to put his dagger down before jerking his hand back up and still tries to point it to you. Rather than make a threat, he blinks around confused. "I-" He snaps his fingers and lowers his head down to rub the bridge of his nose, "I need the thing. You know." He grimaces. He seems to be having trouble remembering what it is he is looking for. He then glares at you a bit before diverting his gaze away. The bellhop sighs, moving his hand around in semicircles, "The key- the ring- the book- or whatever it is to get to the Underside! They said you would have had it!"
He kicks the frame of the bedstand, "Ow!" He reels back his left foot in pain, "Stupid. Stupid. Argh!!!" He inhales sharply, "You don't have it, do you?"
He grunts, repeatedly stabbing nothing in the air before sulking, "I'm never going to get away from here, am I?!"
@Therdiane
The elf and you walk into the elevator. It's made with a pulley system and a wheel with a handle that you have to wind up to get to your level. "I must've wound it up too much," comments the elf when he gets back into the elevator with you, "It's much easier going down." He takes the handle and the elevator starts moving downward. He's not much up for conversation as you two head down as most of his concentration is on cranking the elevator.
You notice on his right hand, the one he is using to move the elevator down, he has a watch, which is pretty uncommon around these parts so you can tell he is more wealthy than average. In fact, you also spot that his glasses are actually on top of his head, but he hasn't yet to notice. His wallet is not visible, but you do see that he has some poker-looking chips in his back pocket. He is also not wearing a shirt from some reason. Being slightly impaired from his hangover, he doesn't realize if you're trying to take anything, but you don't manage to swipe anything anyways since he sees your gaze and drowsily says, "Oh yeah I was playing the lotteria last night yesterday. Didn't win much though," He yawns, "No use trying to cash them out though. The token-teller people are on strike. Wish I'd known that before staying here. But hey, at least they've got the waterfall."
Ding!
"I think we're here."
The elevator stops at a floor that's busy with people. This is around the base of the tree and the layout is much larger than any of those levels at the furthermost from the bottom of the trunk. There is a big sign that says 'Complimentary Breakfast This Way' with a helpful little arrow on it pointing to the right. There is also a little lounge there with a couple of seats and a fountain in the middle. The whole floor is carpeted with some obnoxious orange pattern. If you go towards the breakfast area you'll see a line of people snaking out the door, awaiting to see what's on the menu today as a large buffet with various foods and snacks awaits them.
On your left you would see a certain tabaxi bellhop leading a young wood elf man over to the executive office. A group of young kids swarm your area followed by an aggrieved couple chasing them. Sidestepping the nearly 11 children in your path, your elf guide waves to you and bids you adieu. "Well bye. See you. I'm not wasting a minute not going on that line."
@Argos
The tabaxi bellhop turns back and smiles your way, "Honestly it's a no problem. Happens to me like all the time." She looks straight forward ahead as she brings you and the cart over to the elevator and starts winding the way down via the crank.
"Man, Inra would be so happy to meet you. I don't know why exactly. Said you guys were like special guests or something." She cocks her head and notices your expression and says, "Inra's the host of the event today. Her and her 'The Night of Trickery Has Just Begun' but then you go ahead and start it at dawn."
She clicks her tongue, "She's been doing it for years though, so I wouldn't judge. Does keep the place trick-free to be honest. If we had to do this ritual everyday to keep the worst wrath of Dinesa out, then yeah I would."
You two sit there in silence for a second when the door beeps and she releases her hands from the crank. "Guess we're up." The main lobby is much more noisy than the tree canopy rooms. You notice she is taking you a different way than where the 'Complimentary Breakfast This Way Sign' would imply. "Inra wants to see you in person. I'm supposed to get the rest of your crew up too. Aw gozits! I forgot." She looks at you with a hesitation for a second, "I should go back and uh wrangle up the others. You- you wait here or go inside. Okay." Then she runs off.
You see the same lobby that Therdiane see with its quaint lounge and wandering guests. The door you are closest to says 'Executive Dining Hall' while the one further off in the hallway marks the one for complimentary breakfast. A whiff of smoked fish and lemons, honey arepas, and tostones drifts your way.
((No worries on the timing! We all go in our own pace here with play-by-post! I was stuck doing finals earlier today and then more tomorrow. aghh.))
<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
Player: Dragonlance
"My crew? Ah." (Is Argos supposed to know he has a crew?)
Argos thinks about going into the executive dining hall, since its closer to him anyway, and steps to the door to see/hear whatever going on in there.
"A key, a ring, a book..." Macario thinks to himself, racking his brain for anything the priests might have mentioned about gaining access to the Underside as a living mortal (religion 12).
"I'm afraid I don't," he says to the sulking bellhop, relaxing just a bit as he feels the spell take effect. "Whoever told you to look here was mistaken. I haven't been associated with the priesthood at the ruins for years now," he adds, a bit sheepishly. "If I may ask, who's this 'they' that you speak of?" (persuasion with advantage from charmed for a dirty 20).
Therdiane will get some food and another mug of coffee before finding a table in a corner, and sitting with his back to the wall. (FYI, he is carrying a satchel with like a flute, some other small instruments, his donations hat, and a colourful costume. Right now he is wearing kinda drab sleepwear, button up.) He'll kinda just keep an eye on the going ons.
@Argos
You actually have no clue that you're even supposed to have a 'crew' there. Though once you say this, the tabaxi bellhop has already gone and zipped off into the elevator. Man, she was fast on her feet.
Anyways, you listen for a conversation behind the door.
"Go out there and ruffle those feathers, ay mi amigo," says a gruff tone.
Another more squeakier voice answers. "Oh no deary no. No not me. Not my cup of tea."
The other voice answers. "No. You're right. You're gonna kill it though, I promise. Okay?"
The squeaky-one doesn't say anything back.
After a few minutes of nothing, you open the door. They do say curiosity killed the cat, but when you crack open the doors to the executive office... alarmingly, there's no one there.
The room is all painted white, save for a long bamboo dinning table that extends from the front of the room to the back. Where each seat is there is carved divot into the table like a bowl. Along the wall lines an array of food, the serving trays hanging like flowerpots from the ceiling. Before you have time to check it, suddenly, like she stepped out from the corner of your vision, a cheetah-like tabaxi with elegant flowing robes and a top hat appears in front of you.
"Surpise, Argos. Welcome welcome. I'm Irna. Irna Gonzalez." She shakes your hand with as much force as a clasps, "Pleasure to meet you. It's Argos, right? I was right? Pleasure's all mine!"
@Macario
((YOOO A NAT 20. *burger king music* BK have it your way. you rule!))
A key, a ring, or a book? These thoughts ring in your brain, but are they familiar? You don't recall either. When you were younger, you do remember catching faint memories of the other priests mentioning something of how the voices by the entrance of the Underside grew more intense the days before when the flowers bloom. Digging deeper, you find a ceremonial hymn for the dead you may have recited back in Azzan went by:
This memory is associated with the distinct smell of the ground after a thunderstorm.
The bellhop stares into space when you confess, sighing deeply. He moves away from the door and sits on the bed to fiddle with his dagger, though his eyes never leave yours. "Yeah, I was afraid you'd say that." He looked back over the the scimitar on the wall. With a smirk directly at you, he casts Mage Hand and the mystic hand grabs the weapon from its place by the door and places it gently onto his lap.
"I don't know what you did." He continues. He doesn't even hold the scimitar and lets it lay there on his knees, but digs his gloved hands deep into the bed sheets. "-And I don't want to tell you that. But-" He sighs and lays his head on his palm as he propped up his arm with his elbow. "I actually don't know. It was the other guys. They asked me to. All they said was they needed it bad. Whatever that means. And they would pay me for it. Not even that good. But I thought maybe I can use it. Make things better somehow. But then I told them 'how would I do it?' 'How could I do it alone?' I asked them, but nooo. They they said you've got this one in the bag. It's easy. Steal from the freakin' Mr. mystic priest holier-than-thou type guy over here. Who can put thoughts in your head I don't know how!" He run his hands through his face. He turns to look you in the eyes. "Well. You've got me."
He takes off his bellhop hat to reveal two small horns on his head, and then tossed that hat into the fireplace like a Frisbee where it burned unceremoniously. You see that actually his teeth were much more pointed than a human's should be. The young tiefling shrugged up his shoulders. "I'll won't go down kicking and screaming you hear me." Once he hears his own words, he frowns. Who knew a spell could be so potent? "Name's Eduardo." He throws up his arms in frustration, "I'm caught in the current!"*
((*Basically "I'm in hell!"))
He mutters something under his breath and takes off his bellhop gloves, which show his black pointed claws, and just throws the pair onto to the chest from across the room, which knocks down the card from off the top of the chest. Then the chest- it moves.
@Therdiane
The inside of the buffet halls smells delicious and there is a variety of food there. You catch the elf you were with earlier is now on line and almost done getting his food. The atmosphere is filling and vibrant. As you sit against the wall, a child walks up to you. Looks to be about 4 to 5 years old. They are a snow leopard looking tabaxi. Their blue eyes glimmer when they catch sight of your flute. "Are you a musician?"
They produce a small pan flute of their own. "Can I hear you play?"
<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
Player: Dragonlance
Macario could kick himself. He really should've paid more attention to all the parts of his training that weren't combat and medicine. Then again, right there was the reason he'd chosen not to enter the priesthood when he'd turned 17. All he could seem to remember was a low funeral dirge, which didn't seem the slightest bit related to why this tiefling was here.
Tiefling. It had been some time since he'd seen one up close. Maybe four months ago in one of the aid tents? This one was young. Too young to be caught up in such business as an armed robbery at a resort, and Macario almost feels bad for charming him. Almost. He is still short a weapon. He slowly fastens the ties on the front of his deep green tunic as the boy rambles through the charm, barely stifling a chuckle at being called "Mister-mystic-priest-holier-than-thou-type-guy," and finally takes another look at the tiefling in front of him as he shares his name. Caught in the current. He could certainly understand that.
"Look, Eduardo," Macario begins slowly as the boy removes his gloves, "I–." He pauses, noticing the movement as Eduardo's gloves land across the room. "I...think I might be needing that," he says, nodding to the blade across the tiefling's lap with his hands raised in a gesture of peace. "I have no interest in hurting you, but if that chest is what I think it is, then it certainly might. I think it would probably be best for us both to leave now." Without waiting for an answer, Macario slowly moves towards the bed, keeping his hands visible and as much distance from Eduardo as he can while climbing across to the door with as much space as possible between himself and the...chest...as he can manage.
[[ Not nat, but 19 + 1 still feels pretty good after spending one of my three spell slots before the sun is even fully up :) ]]
@Macario
Eduardo's eyes open wide at the sight of the movement, double checking his suspicions with you with a glance, and that pause seemed to confirm it. "It's-" He realizes that the glove he threw, though off center, seemed to stick to the (ugh) skin of the chest. "The day of trickery." He gasps, "Anyone. Anything. Isn't safe from one of Dinesa's tricks." He looks to you a little bit hurt to see that you are actively trying to avoid him, but he understands the tension. Until he realizes that the arms up are more for his sake, he then softens. Though, his face scrunches up a bit in confusion to see that now you're trying to be nice to him. He wasn't used to that. He waves the thoughts away in his mind. The more important thing was getting the ways out of here.
"Wait." Sitting up a little, he uses Mage Hand to try and pick up the glove. 'Crraanch' Within seconds teeth sink into the false hand and a sloppy tongue tries to hold it down. Six beady little orange eyes spring up from the wooden monstrosity, it's eyes fixated on the strange spectral thing floating above it. It managed to grab the gloves and slurp it down, turning to look at you and Eduardo in resentment. The fake bellhop boy jumps up with a start, the scimitar clattering down to the floor as he does it. "Run. Now"
He scrambles towards the door, nearly falling over after knocking into his cart. He yells out yet another curse word, before slamming the door open with Thaumaturgy. "Out of all the places-" He shouts with his arms up in the air, heading towards the rope bridge and waving you to come follow. "I- I know a shortcut."
<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
Player: Dragonlance
"Me, yeah I'm Argos. A pleasure to meet you too-" He says while trying to peep his head in the office from her, bewildered about the voices. "Where did the sources go?" He thought. "And what was about the killing..." (Also a thought)
(Maybe turkey lol)
"I really wish you hadn't done that," Macario says seeing what he now knows is definitely a mimic become more agitated going after the spectral hand. He quickly lunges for the scimitar as it falls, taking only a second to grab it before sprinting out the door behind Eduardo. Barefoot and shieldless, he follows the boy towards the rope bridge.