Al-Ashari squinted at the runes: "Let me see... Unlikely it can be anything familiar, but who knows..."
Arcana 26
19
As you study the runes you start to realize that they are more than just magical writing, but something far more. They hold secrets in their depths, and those depths are far deeper than you could ever have realized. Just in your examination you realize...
Elysium only has 3 cardinal directions
This fact is difficult, and mind-warping in trying to figure out how it could even make sense, or be naturally possible.
Al-Ashari's eyes were getting wide as she studied the runes, she whispered what she could find but then she blinked and looked around with shock. "Where am I?"Winged tiefling in front of her made her to step back: "And who are you?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Merric quirked an eyebrow at Al-Ashari but answered calmly enough, trying to calm the woman. "I be yer fren Merric, once a halfling and hopefully a halfling again. You be in the City o' Eyes, city o' perpetual rain an' weirdness. All be well, lass...all be well."
Al-Ashari's eyes became a touch less cold but before she spoke again Merric felt some presence in his mind and Al-Ashari's voice spoke "Don't fight it if you are truly friendly - I need to know. You are telling the truth about that place it seems. I see it now, though can not remember. We are here searching for something? For map. I see. I ... will follow you." With the mixed expression of anger and fear she indeed followed the group without any more questions or exclamations.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
„That... looks like it didn‘t go well,“ Kale observes. „Everyone, move a good distance away from that bit of floor.“ After seeing that everyone has done so, Kale sends his billy goat out trotting over the runes and waits to see what happens to it.
To Al-Ashari, he says conversationally „Do you remember me, my lady? You were wary of me at first, and I of you; but as we spent time together in this city, our trust, as well as our feelings for one another changed and grew. You and I... and Whitegaze over there too... have been together from the start. Though for you and I as minds sharing both opinions and magic, we had a special, more personal bond. My heart aches to think you can‘t remember that time, of our mutual respect... and perhaps something more,“ he says, a hint of sorrow in his voice. „We‘d come to trust each other implicitly. If only you could reach back into your memories, and recall the feelings you had for me as well. Ah, but even if it wasn‘t to be so, I‘ll still protect those feelings in my heart for the both of us... until that day I can recapture your sweet regard once again.“
Knowing Al-Ashari‘s mind reading capabilities, there is certainly enough truth laced into his words that it wouldn‘t be an outright lie to say as such, even if he is phrasing it in a manner that makes their relationship appear much more personal than it actually was.
Persuasion: 31
(This roll is to make her more friendly and trusting of Kale (and Whitegaze I guess, grumble), rather than suspicious. But you know... Kale‘s gonna Kale, LOL)
(She only lost her memories, you know :) Not her character )
A very convincing speech did not warrant even a look from Al-Ashari (no scowl either, though). But a thought he got: "I may not remember you, boy, but saw enough like you to overlook your glibness. Keep talking if you must, just don't push it."
"Well, it's a pity. This could have been the start of something beautiful," Kale sighs dramatically, strumming his bandore with a sad, contemplative tune.
"You are far... I'm never gonna be your star. I'll pick up the pieces and mend my heart, Maybe I'll be strong enough - I don't know where to start! But I'll never find peace of mind while I listen to my heart.
People, you can never change the way they feel... Better let them do just what they will, for they will, If you let them steal your heart from you.
People... will always make a lover feel a fool, But you knew I loved you. We could have shown them all! We should have seen love through."
(as an aside, if anyone wants to take a short rest, Kale can refresh the 21 temp hit points you'd get with another Inspiring Talk. Just asking because I know he got hit and used some bardic inspo, but I'm not recalling if anyone else did.)
Whitegaze chuckles at the back and forth, "Don't worry too much about them. The short story is simple, we don't know how we got here, we don't want to be here, and are trying to figure out how to get home. We're in a creepy library full of weirdness looking for a map that may not be here. And yes, I'm pretty sure you've turned down all of us, except possibly Lia there, at least once."
“I’m thinkin’ we should be lettin’ the lady be fer a while and let’s be seein’ what happens with the goat.” Merric says, giving Al-Ashari a smile. “I’m also thinkin’ somethin’ happened to her memories and that no one else should read the runes.”
Lia eyes Al-Ashari for a while, then steps very wide around the runes and nods as the group starts away from them. She doesn't even glance back over her hsoulder, uncaring of any sort of information those runes might contain, her mind is worth more to her than any amount of information. She only relaxes after the group has been a bit further away from the runes for a while.
As the group turns another corner you find...
A figure shrouded in a large trench coat and a trilby stands at the corner of a bookcase intersection. “Lost?” it says, hidden mandibles clicking.
"No," Merric says jauntily, sauntering to the front. "We are exactly where we're wantin' to be. And where's that yer wonderin'? Well, right here, lookin' fer a map o' the Disappearing Stairs. Might you be knowin' where such kin be found, please?"
"You seek a map to the infinite stairs..." The cloaked figure says, seeming to look you over. "I do know where such can be located. What will you give me in exchange for aiding you? Secrets... Magic items... Memories..." It says the last, memories, with more relish than the others.
"I will give you your very own song," Kale offers. "I will compose one just for you, here and now, if you give us the information you need. Tell me who you are, and I will spin you a ballad in exchange for that information."
"No thank you." The figure says. "The memory of a song, from you, that I can have, would be acceptable." He eyes Kale for a long moment. "You will have to give me the memory, and it will no longer be a song you will be able to recall yourself..."
Kale frowns at this. "I feel as if you're casting aspirations on my compositional ability," he complains. "But very well. I suppose this trade has to be something important, doesn't it."
He closes his eyes, and rifles through his memories for a song to give to the strange figure. Obviously, something trite would result in trite information. It had to be something of value. But what things of value would he ever want to give away?
A faint song drifts through his memory. A lullaby. Of course, Kale thinks with a pained smirk. A mother's love. That thing which protected him from his father, so high and mighty and wrapped up in his self-importance as a haughty elf. And his mother, ever the doormat, would go crawling and cringing after him, begging for what scraps of attention his father would deign to give them. Everything she gained, she used to protect him as a child. But Kale knew from the moment he could understand what she was doing that she was selling her self-respect; her worthiness as her own person. She was begging, and playing right into his father's arrogance. And if she was the laughingstock of the elven community, then so was he, by association. What was all of that love worth, so wrapped in the layers of shame and hatred he'd felt as the 'pitiful' half-child?
He opens his eyes, still smirking. "You can have my mother's lullaby," he tells the creature. "Frankly, I'd rather be rid of it."
As Kale moves up to the creature, Merric reaches out with one of his now-tiefling hands, resting it on Kale's shoulder, stopping him. At least I'm able to reach it now.
"Thank you, me fren, fer yer sacrifice. But yer not the only one as wantin' to fergetsomethin," Merric says. Then he looks at the creature. "What can we be gettin' fer two memries?" he asks.
Whitegaze will remain distant from the figure, "I may not enjoy all of my memories, and even wish to forget them, but they formed me as much as any pleasant memory. I won't risk who I am to forget what made me."
Whitegaze will remain distant from the figure, "I may not enjoy all of my memories, and even wish to forget them, but they formed me as much as any pleasant memory. I won't risk who I am to forget what made me."
Merric turned back to gaze at the warrior. "I understand, me fren, but praps ye'd feel diffren if'n, when you was tryin' to kill a murderer, an errant gust o' wind took yer bolt across the eye o' a child, blindin' the wee thing."
Whitegaze will stay back by Merric, keeping an eye behind them in case any of their previous playmates return for more.
Perception: 7
19
As you study the runes you start to realize that they are more than just magical writing, but something far more. They hold secrets in their depths, and those depths are far deeper than you could ever have realized. Just in your examination you realize...
Elysium only has 3 cardinal directions
This fact is difficult, and mind-warping in trying to figure out how it could even make sense, or be naturally possible.
90
Al-Ashari's eyes were getting wide as she studied the runes, she whispered what she could find but then she blinked and looked around with shock. "Where am I?" Winged tiefling in front of her made her to step back: "And who are you?"
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Merric quirked an eyebrow at Al-Ashari but answered calmly enough, trying to calm the woman. "I be yer fren Merric, once a halfling and hopefully a halfling again. You be in the City o' Eyes, city o' perpetual rain an' weirdness. All be well, lass...all be well."
Persuasion 20
Tandor the White, Human Life Cleric
Al-Ashari's eyes became a touch less cold but before she spoke again Merric felt some presence in his mind and Al-Ashari's voice spoke "Don't fight it if you are truly friendly - I need to know. You are telling the truth about that place it seems. I see it now, though can not remember. We are here searching for something? For map. I see. I ... will follow you." With the mixed expression of anger and fear she indeed followed the group without any more questions or exclamations.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
„That... looks like it didn‘t go well,“ Kale observes. „Everyone, move a good distance away from that bit of floor.“ After seeing that everyone has done so, Kale sends his billy goat out trotting over the runes and waits to see what happens to it.
To Al-Ashari, he says conversationally „Do you remember me, my lady? You were wary of me at first, and I of you; but as we spent time together in this city, our trust, as well as our feelings for one another changed and grew. You and I... and Whitegaze over there too... have been together from the start. Though for you and I as minds sharing both opinions and magic, we had a special, more personal bond. My heart aches to think you can‘t remember that time, of our mutual respect... and perhaps something more,“ he says, a hint of sorrow in his voice. „We‘d come to trust each other implicitly. If only you could reach back into your memories, and recall the feelings you had for me as well. Ah, but even if it wasn‘t to be so, I‘ll still protect those feelings in my heart for the both of us... until that day I can recapture your sweet regard once again.“
Knowing Al-Ashari‘s mind reading capabilities, there is certainly enough truth laced into his words that it wouldn‘t be an outright lie to say as such, even if he is phrasing it in a manner that makes their relationship appear much more personal than it actually was.
Persuasion: 31
(This roll is to make her more friendly and trusting of Kale (and Whitegaze I guess, grumble), rather than suspicious. But you know... Kale‘s gonna Kale, LOL)
(She only lost her memories, you know :) Not her character )
A very convincing speech did not warrant even a look from Al-Ashari (no scowl either, though). But a thought he got: "I may not remember you, boy, but saw enough like you to overlook your glibness. Keep talking if you must, just don't push it."
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
"Well, it's a pity. This could have been the start of something beautiful," Kale sighs dramatically, strumming his bandore with a sad, contemplative tune.
"You are far... I'm never gonna be your star.
I'll pick up the pieces and mend my heart,
Maybe I'll be strong enough - I don't know where to start!
But I'll never find peace of mind while I listen to my heart.
People, you can never change the way they feel...
Better let them do just what they will, for they will,
If you let them steal your heart from you.
People... will always make a lover feel a fool,
But you knew I loved you. We could have shown them all!
We should have seen love through."
(as an aside, if anyone wants to take a short rest, Kale can refresh the 21 temp hit points you'd get with another Inspiring Talk. Just asking because I know he got hit and used some bardic inspo, but I'm not recalling if anyone else did.)
Whitegaze chuckles at the back and forth, "Don't worry too much about them. The short story is simple, we don't know how we got here, we don't want to be here, and are trying to figure out how to get home. We're in a creepy library full of weirdness looking for a map that may not be here. And yes, I'm pretty sure you've turned down all of us, except possibly Lia there, at least once."
“I’m thinkin’ we should be lettin’ the lady be fer a while and let’s be seein’ what happens with the goat.” Merric says, giving Al-Ashari a smile. “I’m also thinkin’ somethin’ happened to her memories and that no one else should read the runes.”
Tandor the White, Human Life Cleric
Lia eyes Al-Ashari for a while, then steps very wide around the runes and nods as the group starts away from them. She doesn't even glance back over her hsoulder, uncaring of any sort of information those runes might contain, her mind is worth more to her than any amount of information. She only relaxes after the group has been a bit further away from the runes for a while.
As the group turns another corner you find...
A figure shrouded in a large trench coat and a trilby stands at the corner of a bookcase intersection. “Lost?” it says, hidden mandibles clicking.
"No," Merric says jauntily, sauntering to the front. "We are exactly where we're wantin' to be. And where's that yer wonderin'? Well, right here, lookin' fer a map o' the Disappearing Stairs. Might you be knowin' where such kin be found, please?"
Tandor the White, Human Life Cleric
"You seek a map to the infinite stairs..." The cloaked figure says, seeming to look you over. "I do know where such can be located. What will you give me in exchange for aiding you? Secrets... Magic items... Memories..." It says the last, memories, with more relish than the others.
"I will give you your very own song," Kale offers. "I will compose one just for you, here and now, if you give us the information you need. Tell me who you are, and I will spin you a ballad in exchange for that information."
"No thank you." The figure says. "The memory of a song, from you, that I can have, would be acceptable." He eyes Kale for a long moment. "You will have to give me the memory, and it will no longer be a song you will be able to recall yourself..."
Kale frowns at this. "I feel as if you're casting aspirations on my compositional ability," he complains. "But very well. I suppose this trade has to be something important, doesn't it."
He closes his eyes, and rifles through his memories for a song to give to the strange figure. Obviously, something trite would result in trite information. It had to be something of value. But what things of value would he ever want to give away?
A faint song drifts through his memory. A lullaby. Of course, Kale thinks with a pained smirk. A mother's love. That thing which protected him from his father, so high and mighty and wrapped up in his self-importance as a haughty elf. And his mother, ever the doormat, would go crawling and cringing after him, begging for what scraps of attention his father would deign to give them. Everything she gained, she used to protect him as a child. But Kale knew from the moment he could understand what she was doing that she was selling her self-respect; her worthiness as her own person. She was begging, and playing right into his father's arrogance. And if she was the laughingstock of the elven community, then so was he, by association. What was all of that love worth, so wrapped in the layers of shame and hatred he'd felt as the 'pitiful' half-child?
He opens his eyes, still smirking. "You can have my mother's lullaby," he tells the creature. "Frankly, I'd rather be rid of it."
Who needs a mother's love anyway? he thinks.
As Kale moves up to the creature, Merric reaches out with one of his now-tiefling hands, resting it on Kale's shoulder, stopping him. At least I'm able to reach it now.
"Thank you, me fren, fer yer sacrifice. But yer not the only one as wantin' to ferget somethin," Merric says. Then he looks at the creature. "What can we be gettin' fer two memries?" he asks.
Tandor the White, Human Life Cleric
Whitegaze will remain distant from the figure, "I may not enjoy all of my memories, and even wish to forget them, but they formed me as much as any pleasant memory. I won't risk who I am to forget what made me."
Al-Ashari, who, by her assessment, forgot too much already, nodded in agreement with Whitegaze and kept her silence, not offering anything.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Merric turned back to gaze at the warrior. "I understand, me fren, but praps ye'd feel diffren if'n, when you was tryin' to kill a murderer, an errant gust o' wind took yer bolt across the eye o' a child, blindin' the wee thing."
Tandor the White, Human Life Cleric