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#31
06-08-2011, 03:03 AM
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He disappears into the washroom, where it takes him a good half an hour to emerge, now smartly dressed in the outfit Melony had preferred, along with the leather jacket (or one very much like it). His old clothes are in his arms, folded neatly. It appears he did some other grooming as well: he had what appeared to be a three-day beard before, but is cleanly shaven now. His clothes appear to fit him very well: he is almost astoundingly average, the kind of man who could easily be lost in a crowd and overlooked. His sword and dagger are prominent on his belt, and appear to be an important part of the ensemble, judging by how they are placed, the sword low on his hip and back on his waist rather than at his side, for fashion rather than utility; it frames his form well, but it isn't at a good angle for a quick draw. "Something about stew, then? Oop, there it is, cheers." He gratefully accepts the food from the demon: the girl had lived through the tea, so if the thing had wanted to poison or drug them, that danger appears to have passed, and he feels hungry, oddly hungry, as if he's never had food in his life... which in a way, he hasn't. He eats the stew, and is relieved find it tastes better than it looks. 
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#32
06-09-2011, 12:18 AM
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It was perhaps foolish to allow someone like Zuul into a building such as this one. After allowing himself to be a mannequin for a moment, he walked slowly into the storeroom. His eyes grew wide at the array of things he could grab. Function was obviously going to play a part, but this man had been a scavenger for most of his life, taking what he could and living off what little he had. It takes quite a person to live completely out of one bag for most of their life, but Zuul managed to do it well. The others had already started to tear into things, but for Zuul there was no rush.
__________________It was an odd sight to see as Zuul in Trent’s gruff form acted so particular and dainty as he went about picking items. It took him a while, but he managed to find robes with a bit of give to them. Given that he wasn’t in his form, he had no problem showing off Trent’s goods as he changed clothes right there in the storeroom. After adjusting how it hung and testing mobility, he grabbed a satchel and threw the strap over his shoulder before heading to shelves of goods. “Dagger, Breads, Wine, Water, Flask, Oh Ghoul Candles, nice.” He spoke as he went, grabbing items, checking them out and stowing them in the bag. Mostly they were all meaningless, mundane items. There was much more he needed that he wouldn’t find here. Taking a walk through the halls, Zuul had this nasty habit of just grabbing things he could see as useful for some reason: small candelabra, pen and ink, etc. There really was not logical thinking in it besides the fact that sooner or later one could think of a reason to have a small teapot for something. After pilfering several more items, the changeling finds his way to the library, where the warforged had been standing idle for some reason. Zuul ran his finger along the spines of the neatly shelved books, glancing at ever one and hoping for sort of feeling. When one caught his eye, he pulled it from the shelf and flipped through a few pages, before closing it again and placing it back onto the shelf. A good library was hard to find, and even more difficult to gather so he would respect the Lady and her books as long as he had free reign. Zuul continued though the library, looking at various books and tomes, touching small knick-knacks, and basically just exploring. When he finally made it to the end of the room, a small shelf held various items and a large golden box. Pulling the box from the shelf, he peered through its glass top and saw something he liked. Spinning on his heels and taking the box back to the table in the center of the room, he flipped open the lid and carefully started pulling out the wondrous items. Spellshards, each one with various spells on them. Most were either single spells or ones that really didn’t fit for Zuul. Each was taken out, focused upon, and then set on a cloth next to the box. After several shards, Zuul picked on up, focused, and then clinched it in his fist as a smile formed on his face. The illusionist had found exactly what he hoped for, a shard full of various spells suited just for him. He opened his hand and stared down at the tiny shard of crystal and pondered for a moment. In his experience, the thing with spellshards was what they were incredibly fragile or easy to misplace. For most wizards, they found a way to keep them safe, so Zuul did what he sis every time he needed something particular, he went digging in his satchel. Pushing the box and numerous shards further up the table, Zuul plopped his bag up and started to dig through it with both hands. Pulling out various items and setting them around the bag, it was becoming clear to Rune exactly how much stuff this man could both pilfer and wish to keep on him. The assortment of items was random at best, but after a few minutes, the changeling laughed once as he pulled out a slender metal chain from the bag. Dangling off this chain was a small glass vile. Taking the vile in hand, Zuul tapped it on the table a few times and then examined it. Twisting the top of the vial off, Zuul took the shard and placed it into the vial. It just fit, which made the illusionist smile with glee. Twisting the top back on the vial, he pulled the chain up behind his head and fastened it behind his neck. Pulling his hands away, the vial dangled down and lay on his chest. It looked a little snug, but then again Zuul himself was much smaller than Trent’s massive form so it all equaled out in the end. Tucking it into his robes, he gathered his things and headed out into the hall to explore other places. Zuul made his way to the kitchen and heaped down a bowl of stew, wiping his mouth hastily and thanking the small demon for the food. It was better than nothing he thought and the trip into the kitchen had proven fruitful in his search of randomly useful items. His bag was quickly beginning to jingle a bit as he walked, but a hand laid on top stopped it from making so much noise. There were far more doors and cupboards to this place than the Lady and the others had stated. Most were just random assortments of lines, basic supplies and the like, but one caught his attention immediately. A pair of slender doors closed off what could have originally been thought of a pantry of some sort. Zuul was curious so after some fandangleling with the stubborn latch, he popped the doors open and almost died in awe of what he found. He could swear there was music playing from the room when he opened the doors to such a glorious sight. Bottles, beakers, powders, vials, flasks, just everything an alchemist would ever need…ever. Zuul caught himself giggling like a small girl at the sight, which was quite amusing to any outsiders given his current appearance. Zuul closed the doors again and put his back to him, a smile from ear to ear on his face. He walked out into the hall, cleared his throat quite loudly, and announced, “I will be busy for the next several hours. If you need me, I would suggest not bothering me as I don’t want to be surprised and end up blowing up this entire building. Thank you.” Zuul turned quickly and headed straight from the lab he had found. Shutting himself in, Zuul began to put up lights all around him as he looked over all that he had found. It was a masterpiece of a collection. There were substances for just about anything a person could think of, plus enough to make brand new things. Many of the vials and beakers were dusty, suggesting to the changeling that no one ever used these supplies, so he couldn’t help but assume that he was free to do as he wished. During his examination of the lab, he found a rather dusty old book under some supplies. It wasn’t a very large book, but the hard leather cover and latching strap made it even more inviting. Sliding the strap out, he opened it to find a number of formulas for some rather interesting chemicals. Several of them he had seen before, but one in particular, Ghoststrike Oil was one that intrigued him so. Placing the book down with the formula clearly displayed, Zuul got to work making concoctions that could destroy him and everyone within the building with just a single drop…
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#33
06-09-2011, 02:59 PM
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Ullgar sat at the kitchen table looking at the bland bowl of grayish hued stew. 'What is happening? I’m dead…I’m not dead…what is it?' He rubs his forehead, 'Is this some dream? Well…I can feel' He pulls the bowl of stew up to his nose and sniffs, the warm spicy fragrance filling his nostrils, 'I can smell.' His mouth waters as he consumes a heaping spoonful of the stew, only now realizing how hungry he is, 'I can taste.' He takes several more bites of the stew, focusing on the sustenance rather that his predicament. In his mind, Ullgar can see his dwarven mentor Jorath standing over a cooking pot at the kitchen hearth, chattering about some ritual or another.
__________________After a few moments, Trent enters the kitchen breaking Ullgar’s fixation on his meal and bringing him back to this reality. Ullgar clenches a massive fist and slams it on the table, nearly knocking over his bowl of stew, 'I’m here while evil roams unabated through my lands. Where is the good in that? I hope I have not chosen this out of foolish pride or fear.' He then raises a hand, open palm out, to those he startled in the kitchen, "Please forgive my outburst. The events of this morning have had an unsettling effect on me." 'Unsettling to say the least.' "Resurrection not by an act of my god has me questioning the propriety of all this." He covers his right fist with his left hand, holding them both across his chest. The muscles in his arms begin to tighten up as they bulge through his gray skin…then they relax. "But, what’s done is done." He turns to the imp, "Belfegor, what can you tell us about this quest we must undertake? What is this evil we are to face?"
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#34
06-09-2011, 06:16 PM
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#35
06-09-2011, 09:52 PM
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Belfegor stroked his scraggly little white beard. "To tell you the truth, not much. I've heard m'Lady and Rizen discussing the Tower of Ixich, and I'm given to understand that she's attempted this before, but that's as much as I know. I only arrived here relatively recently, and most of my time has been finding ways to help m'Lady magically shield the ritual. Rizen has been here longer, prehaps he can help? Or you can ask m'Lady when she returns. Now, if you will all excuse me." Belfegor fluttered out of the room and down the corridor.
After checking up on Rune in the Library, he headed to the Lab, striking a match off the wall as he passed to light his pipe. Like the rest of the doors in the building, the Lab had a pair of almost invisible imp sized doors cut into them, one at head height, one on the floor, depending on what method of movement Belfegor was using at the time. Quietly entering the room, Belfegor head straight to a quiet corner where an un-labelled beaker of brown liquid was quietly bubbling away. Searching a nearby shelf, Belfegor found his mug and poured himself a helping of the exquisitely rich coffee. He loved the stuff, and guarded his store jealously. He'd brought it over when he moved to the Shadowfell, and when he moved to the Lady's building, he kept it hidden, and only boiled himself helpings in the lab, mostly because he was sure the Rizen didn't use it that much. He was about to settle down and enjoy the cup, when he realized that he wasn't alone. The Changling that Rune had man-handled back form the Summit was working at a complecated series of beakers and tubes. An alchemist hmmm?. Belfegor fluttered over, making plenty of noise to announce his presence. "Spare bottles are in the top right cabinet." He said helpfully, alighting on the table a little away from the Changling's set-up. He stood quietly for a time, sipping his heavenly brew, listening to the sounds of alchemy. "You know, if you're going to snoop around the Library, you could at least say hello to Rune. He's quiet, yes, and maybe a little shy, but he's nice and needs the chance to meet people and work his way out of his metaphorical shell. There's another burner in the cabinet by your knee." He added, sipping his coffee again.
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#36
06-09-2011, 11:07 PM
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Rizen felt the eyes of the room turn to him expectantly, he shifted uncomfortably in his robes at the attention and wiped his hand against his bald head, "I can not tell you of what will await us, but I can tell you of what came before." He placed his sword on one of the tables, it clattered with a dull thunk, to the others it looked more a slab of iron than a blade wielded as effortlessly as he been.
He sat at the table and placed his elbows on the wood, bringing his hands in front of his face. "Seven years ago, I made the trek with the revived to the tower. Paragons of power and strength, she plucked the strongest and most wise dead from the stream. That was her mistake." He paused, thinking for a minute, "The raven queen's forces were waiting for us at the tower." His face grimaced as he continued, "That damnable bird sent an army of her revenants, perfectly chosen to counter those the lady had selected." He leaned back and pointed at Ullgar, "She must had been expecting those champions; so powerful and well known were they that she had kept watch for their arrival. When they failed to show, she sent out her servants to retrieve them at any cost." "We battled for as long as their bodies could hold, each revived eventually falling to a revenant's undead hands. My body, broken and pierced as well, barely was able to drag the lady away from the battlefield, so intent on seeing her mission through..." He pauses again and looks around the room, "But I speak out of turn...she will tell you her plan. This time may be different..."
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#37
06-10-2011, 12:58 AM
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It wasn’t hard for Zuul to notice the imp enter the room as the smell of the pipe smoke flooded the small room almost instantly. Tobacco, in all of its forms and varieties, was quite pungent. Zuul had taken off most of his robes and reverted back to his natural form to work, long white hair tied back, and a pair of heavy goggles over his eyes. He didn’t speak a word as the creature wasn’t bothering him, and he was too busy to care anyway.
__________________A few minutes passed before Zuul was somewhat surprised to find that Belfegor had an interest in his work. Luckily the alchemist had moved the goggles up to atop his head as he examined the intricate formulas. “Spare bottles are in the top right cabinet,” the imp said trying to help. “Not anymore,” Zuul replied as he grinned and motioned to the line of newly placed bottles on the shelf behind him. “I found your coffee as well, but I’m more of a tea person. Plus that brew of yours is far too dark for me to hazard a sip.” Zuul smiled and took a seat on the stool just behind him and spun towards the imp, leaning his head to each side to stretch his neck. He had been working for some time, and this new body didn’t seem to be used to it. "You know, if you're going to snoop around the Library, you could at least say hello to Rune. He's quiet, yes, and maybe a little shy, but he's nice and needs the chance to meet people and work his way out of his metaphorical shell. There's another burner in the cabinet by your knee." Belfefor added, sipping his coffee again. Zuul grinned an opened the cabinet to show the small imp that he not only had found it, but was utilizing it. A beaker full of what seemed to be just plain water bubbled gently away. Taking a mitt from the table, Zuul pulled the beaker from beneath and sat it down. Waiving his hand over the hot water, the color changed to a light brown, and the aroma of a fine tea fought with the smells of the coffee and pipe smoke to fill the room. Pouring it into a small cup, he raised it up and took a sip. The changeling made a pleasant face in reaction to his brew, “It looks, smells, and tastes like the perfect cup of my favorite tea, but it’s nothing more than heated water. If I left the cup there long enough, it would lose the false goodness and turn back to water. Sad really, but it’s the little lies that are going to keep those of us not of this damned place sane. For me it’ll be the tea and the things I notice that will remind me of home, but…” Zuul’s voice trailed off as he made a face showing his genuine depression over the situation he had found himself in. The chance at redemption and the chance of going back to his former life in search of vengeance made the time easier, but in death he had found peace it seemed. He didn’t have to think about his mother, or all that happened in homeland. Going back was going to be tough anyway as the only person that mattered to him watched him die. If the changeling somehow made it back, there would be lots of explaining to do. Zuul shook off the memories and the feelings and changed course to respond to Belfegor’s other topic of interest, the warforged. “You’ll have to excuse me if I don’t, but where I come from warforged are quite common. It’s generally accepted that there are two varieties: the completely sentient, intelligent ones that are just as real as me or you, and the others which are little more than glorified puppets meant to perform specific tasks without saying a word. I can’t help but put Rune in that second category as he has seemed to be little more than a pet project to whoever is in charge of him. At first I believed him to be the Lady’s, and you just as such, but with her gone and you and he still here, that seems even more unlikely. That leaves me to believe that you have accomplished something that very few lesser demons such as yourself have ever been able to do. You have freed yourselves from evil’s grasp, from the grasp of a master, and made yourself your own master. You are far too independent to be in someone’s servitude, and with the way that Rune looks to you and you speak of him, it makes it quite apparent that he is your pet.” Zuul took another sip of the ‘tea’ and cleared his throat. “Interesting as it is, Rune is barely holding himself together. With his multitude of various mismatched parts, I imagine you found him in little more than a heap of wood, metal, and tubes and put him back together, replacing what you could and jury-rigging what was needed for function. Interesting thing about that is that if you wanted the help, I would take a look and see what I could do. I worked with a few warforged before, selling my potions and oils to them. Warforged where I come from have learned to supplement real magic with alchemy in a way that makes even myself jealous. What do you think, little Belfegor?” Zuul finished up and stared at the imp as both sipped their respective beverages, waiting for the creature that was so interesting in itself to ponder the words of the stark white wizard.
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#38
06-10-2011, 09:15 AM
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His eyes returned to focus as he shook his head, "That is why I welcome the chance to return to Nerengard, to see justice done to that evil thug. But enough about my trials, what brings you to this bizarre situation?" Quote:
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#39
06-10-2011, 10:03 AM
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Melody ate her stew in silence, avoiding eye contact with the other two as they spoke of their tales of death. When she finished her small bowl, she took it to the sink, and looked over to Rizen, Please excuse me. She said quietly as she left the dining area.
The cabin seemed small and large at the same time - she could count the number of rooms in the hallway, but each room seemed larger than the whole place combined. Perhaps it is the magic that Belfegor spoke of, or perhaps Melody was simply unable to recollect her memories properly whenever she saw the hall. The young woman made her way back to the room where she had changed and opened the door quietly, entered quickly, and closed it, again with as little sound as she could. She reached for her bag and pulled out the floral dress she was previously wearing. She smelled it - but it no longer smelt like home. Simply a replica to her old dress back home. This caused a tear to build in her eye - there was nothing left of her to remind her of her mother, father, and Spencer. Would she forget about them just as easily? Her death already seemed like a blur to her. Melody made her way to the window, more tears streaming down her face. She felt alone. Too much is happening already. A goliath who was slain by an army of trolls. An old revived group that was taken by Revenants - undead creatures, one of which is going to be accompanying them. A shape changer who can easily become anybody. A quest to rid evil. She isn't a fighter. Hammers, swords, bows... daggers! It is all too much! And with these overwhleming thoughts, Melody plunged her face in her hands and sobbed. She cried and cried, tossing her dress away in a fit of anger. So many feelings rushed around inside her - she could no longer hold face anymore. She rest her head on the window will, sniffling away. The cry felt good. She didn't want the others to know, but the cry felt good. Melody... don't cry... Whispered a voice in Melody's mind. The human quickly sat upright and looked around the room scared - had somebody been there the whole time? What would they think of her? Analyzing the room, Melody could not find the source of the voice anywhere. This way Melody... It called out again. Melody looked at the window and that's when she saw it. Lights, three distinct lights. Each with a warm welcoming glow. They came closer and closer. When they reached the window, the young woman could make out symbols. A fiery sun with a yellow glow, bright stars with a purple hue, and a crescent moon bathed in blue. Momma? Melody called out. We're here with you my darling. Do not cry. You must stay strong - for Spencer. I can't do it alone Momma! Melody screamed out. We will always be here to protect you... The sun came in close and seemed to attach itself to Melody's chest. A warm feeling rushing through her veins - the warmth she felt when her mother held her. The stars were next, attaching themselves to her forehead, and she instantly felt protected, like the watchful eye of her father who was always around. The final symbol, the moon, attached itself to her right hand. She instantly felt power surge through her body. The feeling felt - divine. Like the mornings when her family went to Selune's temple to pray. Could it be Selune herself was also watching over Melody? Then Melody woke up at the window sill. Her heart burned with passion. She felt renewed hope. Had she dreamed the event with the celestial bodies? Were her parents and deity still with her? Melody believed so. Her cheeks were stained with tears that she quickly wiped away with her sleeve. She could be strong - and she could do this. It is not about her, it is about her little brother. She needs to do this so she can save and protect him. Melody smiled as she stuffed her dress back in her bag. Even though it no longer smelt like home, this clothing would remind her of home, whenever she would need it. Not knowing how long she had dozed off for - Melody made her way back to the kitchen, where Trent, Ullgar, and Rizen still sat. She helped herself to another bowl of stew - this time looking at the men when they spoke, instead of keeping her eyes on the food. Melody smiled.
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#40
06-10-2011, 06:24 PM
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Trent rises, setting his bowl in the large metal pan of soapy water for cleaning dishes, then heads towards Rizen. "Rizen, I have some... personal questions for you. Can I see you in the next room?" Last edited by Phil; 06-10-2011 at 06:25 PM.
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#42
06-10-2011, 10:52 PM
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"You're mostly right. I only found Rune in pieces, his head was in the best condition, but I had to remake his arms almost from scratch. I got most of the pieces, but one the was missing was a core. A Gem that held the spells that allowed sentience. Rune had a second one in his chest, it held the spells that allowed him to become a significant combatant. Little things, like pre-empting attack, dodging, etc. He's like the way it is because he's literally missing part of his brain, poor fellow" Belfegor sipped his coffee, "He's grateful to me, so he lives in my service. It's rather simple really, unlike the rest of this plane."
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#44
06-11-2011, 10:14 AM
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"Well my offer stands if you ever want to do improvements or work on updating his core." Zuul stood up, putting the beaker of 'tea' to the side and lowered the goggles down over his eyes. "If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work. Hopefully these formulas will prove to be useful once we head out into the Shadowfell to find whatever it is we are supposed to. Once the Lady returns to do this spiritual anchoring, come get me." Zuul smiled and leaned against the table, waiting for the small imp to get a move on before getting back to work.
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