[Game Thread] The Human Conflict

[cyranojoe]

"Hm..." Rinny's not sure. Something about Vicki's promises don't sound right. But... well, it also sounds kind of exciting to find out.

Anyway. Where else is he gonna go? Back to Kadie? Images of her in the stream flash through his mind; of her standing before him, angry eyes dazzling; of her giving soldiers orders. The smell and taste of the dinner she'd fed him, and he breathes deeply, taking it in one last time.

One for the road.

"Yeah. Let's do this. Where we gonna go, Vicki?"

It briefly occurs to Rinny that he doesn't really know this girl. Something about her she's hiding. Wasn't there something about magic, too? Meh. He'll figure it out later. Now... now, it's time to put one foot in front of the other. He's gone through worse. It's gotta get better!

[The Yellow Bin]

We're going to north, and I'll teach you how to do this magic stuff on the way, what do you say? You've proven yourself. Vicki smiles.

(Go ahead and level to third level, if you want to take a level in Sorcerer, Vicki will teach you. And just post Rinny's struggles, and etc...)

[cyranojoe]

"Okaaaayy..." Rinny can't help but think about Kadie, and wonder how she's doing. Maybe he shouldn't have run off like that. Maybe she still needs him.

OOC Where is Kadelia, anyway?

[The Yellow Bin]

OOC I have no idea where Josiwe is.

Vicki saw the hesitancy on Rinny's face. She wonders what it is. Do you not want to go? I mean... I'd really like for you to come along with me, but I don't want to force you or anything.

Vicki's face had a little bit of disappointment on her. Is it because of that human lady?

[cyranojoe]

Heck, who knows where Kadie is now, anyway? She could be taking her army all over the place, and she don't have time for some kid like him.

Rinny tells himself this, but the truth is, he doesn't believe it. He knows that Kadie and him shared something special, that he needs her, that he's really important to her and he can't just go leaving her right, not after everything they've shared.

But still... what if he brought her this jewel thing? Bet she could sure use it! And, and, they'd use it together, to make, like, the best life together they could make. That'd be awesome!

"No, I'm fine," he says. "Let's go. I got everything I need... or I'm gonna get it, right?" He grins at her.

OOC Sorry for the lengthy break! I'm sketching a level-up post now, hope to have it up in a day or so.

[cyranojoe]

As Vicki and Rinny begin their trip, the young halfling is surprised at how easily he forgets Kadelia... until she comes back to mind again, later that night, and then again the next day, and a few times after that, and so on. Still, it's not that bad. It's not like he's talking about her so much that Vicki stuffs cotton in her ears. She just uses a magic spell to silence him.

 

Over the next several days (?), Rinny assimilates the basics of magic at a tremendous speed. Vicki is simply astonished at how well he picks up the basics of magical devices and spellcraft, not to mention arcane fundamentals. [ Skills: UMD, Spellcraft, K: Arcana ]

Of course, in order to make any real headway, she has to teach him how to read magic... which requires that he be able to read in the first place! Vicki, perhaps, never imagined that someone his age might not have such a simple skill, but Rinny struggles to comprehend anything but the most rudimentary of written words. Finally, she abandons the ordinary approach. She instructs her student on a simple incantation that, once cast, enables Rinny to understand magic writing -- which is much more important, she reasons, than any ordinary writing. [ Magic Spells: Read Magic ]

With that out of the way, Vicki then shows her pupil a very useful spell for communicating with her (or another person, though she doesn't exactly emphasize that) when they absolutely need to be unheard by other people: Message. As she does, she utilizes her Mage Hand to gather some components; Rinny latches on to the idea of having an invisible "buddy", and he demands that she teach him that spell, too. She finally relents, teaching him not only Mage Hand but Unseen Servant as well.

She then reviews the other magicks that Rinny can learn. He finds the idea of Ghost Sound to be awfully fun -- and, in the back of his mind, recognizes a strategic use for it -- but it is Enlarge Person that he absolutely MUST HAVE! She tries to argue for more practical, defensive spells, but the boy will have none of it. It's Enlarge Person or bust for him! [ Magic Spells: Message, Mage Hand, Unseen Servant, Enlarge Person ]

What's truly amazing is how active Rinny is during the days that pass. Even though they are traveling and learning magic at almost every minute of the day, somehow he finds the energy to study every lock they pass, toying with his new lockpicks and discovering the unique elements of each. He also provides the two of them with food, as his hunting skills -- or at least, his ability to spot animals or abandoned food nearby -- also improves dramatically. [ Skills: Search, Disable Device, Open Lock ]

But Rinny's not done. Using the illusions that Vicki is able to provide, he practices incessantly with his newfound weaponry. He discovers rather quickly that he doesn't have to use his muscles to guide the rapier blade home -- with an agile move here, a lightning strike there, he finds he can slip under almost any imaginary enemy's guard. It even improves his dagger use; suddenly that rusty old kitchen knife isn't looking so harmless after all. [Feat: Weapon Finesse - Add DEX instead of STR to attacks with light weapons and rapiers.]

Amid all this dealing with magic, Rinny unconsciously divines a number of methods to recognize arcane-based attacks. With this, his reaction time shifts into overdrive when confronted with such spells. [ Rogue Feat: Evasion ]

Rinny practices every day and every hour during their travels. His is an astonishing level of commitment. His final achievement, as Vicki and he approach Port Sayatelel, is to summon his "familiar".

 

Familiar Summoning "'Family are'? Family are what?" Rinny is confused. He kicks at a rock in the muddy road. "I don't got no family." He seems to hesitate whether to be depressed at the idea, or nonchalant. "No, dummy! Not 'family ARE'! FAMILyaaar!" Vicki stresses the pirate-sounding end of the word, but it doesn't help Rinny. He's never heard the word before, so saying it louder isn't going to help any. Vicki huffs. "Ugh! Fine! It's like... it's like... a companion. An animal companion, that you can talk to and learn stuff from about what's going on around you. They can help you make your spells go where you want them to, and..." Rinny interrupts. "You mean like a bear?! I can have a bear as my friend! Whoo HOO!!!" "Shhh! Shut up! No! You can NOT have a bear!" Rinny pouts. "It's... it's gotta be something that won't EAT you, dummy. Think about it." Vicki has clearly gotten tired of trying to "sell" Rinny on every little facet of magic, but she's giving it one last try. "See, it's gotta be an animal you can help -- otherwise, why would she want to be your friend, instead of eat you? And NO --" she sees where he's going before he can let out that inhaled breath "NO, you cannot have a lion! They... rrr, lion's don't live around here. Got it!?" Rinny sighs. He thinks about it. "Okaaay." And he sits down to start the summoning ritual. But he hasn't stopped thinking about lions and paws and thorns. So it's only natural that when they get to the point where Rinny has to commit to his familiar that he declares: "I want a li--ah, uh, a-a-a BIG, uh, a BIG CAT!" Whumph. And there he is. A gorgeously golden, ferociously feline, and astoundingly fat... cat. Rinny looks surprised. "Odin. Huh. His name is Odin." He shakes his head. He doesn't know why he knew that; it didn't feel like it was his choice. That was just the cat's name. "Ooooh!" he says, energy returning. "ODIE!" Rinny wraps the tomcat up in a huge bear hug. The animal endures the assault begrudgingly. "Best friends forever!!!" [ Sorcerer Feat: Summon Familiar ]

[The Yellow Bin]

After a few days of travel, you arrive at Port Sayatelel to hear the conversation being had at the docks.

OOC Go ahead and post there.