#76
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Though the unyielding stability of solid ground is no substitute for the reassuring embrace of the liquid element, the singer is still thoroughly relieved to be off the stairs. Her gaze skips past the guards, directly towards the prisoner, piercing through the shadows with accustomed ease. It is monstrous: unnaturally pale white skin, scars like stitches, and worst of all, blank pupilless eyes, like the empty white orbs of the dead and the undead, only more unsettling. Mara shudders, repulsed by the abomination but unable to look away. Have they come to question the dead? Was Harrowstone not enough? And then, it speaks. The soprano trembles. She can hear it in his voice, the powerful emotions barely constrained, like the uncomfortable rippling sensation of something crawling under one’s skin—the same sensation she felt when invoking her magic. In that moment there is a connection, an unlikely empathy, an understanding between the misunderstood. The Beast did not ask for this. It is as cursed as she. The eyes may deceive, but her soul can hear the call of Shelyn’s spirit. But not from the dwarf. Mara winces at Pike’s direct approach; she can only hope that the Beast appreciates bluntness as much as Karl did. After giving their client some time to respond, she quickly interjects herself into the conversation, hoping to maintain the Beast’s composure—for she can sense that it straddles a fine line between grief and rage. “That was a lovely poem you were reciting.” The songstress smiles, albeit weakly, still unnerved but gradually warming to the creature. “But poetry without music is like a painting without color. If I may?” Without waiting for a response to her rhetorical question, Mara closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, then gently begins to sing. It is a traditional Dice Perform check, for music to soothe the savage Beast:
However, with limited time for questioning, the singer satisfies herself with just the first two verses, enough to paint a tranquil scene. “Is that not better?” Dice Diplomacy:
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Last edited by ekidnu; May 12th, 2017 at 06:56 PM. |
#77
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Father of proud children. Expect the next 18+ years to be erratic and/or chaotic.
Last edited by Thorsten; May 13th, 2017 at 03:39 AM. |
#78
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In Repose Last edited by Sassafrass; May 19th, 2017 at 10:13 PM. |
#79
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Hrani looks at the busts as the group wanders past them, initially just chiming in on Carlo's monologue to prolong the conversation. The deeper they get though, the more impressive the people they walk by. Soon, his attention is captured fully. And he isn't the only one. "The Pharaoh of Osirion. And Irori. And there is Nex. And of course Aroden..." Orenmir goes on for a long time, running through some of the most famous, and in particular most powerful mages and arcanists the world has seen. The blade seems to hold something of a professional admiration for a lot of them.
Both magus and black blade would have liked to spend more time with these personas, but they have a job to do, and so he pulls Crowl's strings. Not much later, the group finds itself in a small classroom that has been locked up. Out of use, apparently. It must be nice to have so many rooms you can just give up using some of them. Of course, it also makes it impossible to know what is going on in the university. And more room means a lot of additional avenues of attack in case someone is up to no good. In the end, Hrani thinks he prefers his one-door bedroom with the closet to hide in. Soon, the professor leaves them, while he goes off to search for "the box". Hrani isn't quite sure what box in particular. If Crowl had explained then the elf hadn't been paying attention. More than likely though, the confused man had just never explicitly stated what was going on in his head. A single box could hardly be all that was left of that particular exhibit, could it? "Well, this isn't going nearly as poorly as it could be..." Hrani addresses his Varisian companions, the elf's explicit statement of the absence of something negative being about as ecstatic as the two others have seen him about anything since...pretty much ever. "I wonder what else they just stuffed in here...? And with that, the magus begins strolling around and Dice Perception:
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#80
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Trembling with both fear and pity, Mara listens intently to the Beast’s story. She can understand why the populace is so terrified. Even when the Beast weeps, too absorbed in grief to have any conscious intent to do harm, he is still unsettling and menacing, like dark, ominous clouds gathering before a great storm. And when his anger bursts like an unexpected thunderclap … The singer cannot fault the guards for being on edge, especially when the prisoner smashes his massive hand into the bars right before her. She actually jumps backwards in fright—not far, of course, but still an amazingly improbable feat given her lower anatomy, and testimony to the power of the Beast’s anger.
Everything about the prisoner seems to be a contradiction, and the emotions he elicits from Mara are likewise in conflict. He is a frightening monster—of that, there is no doubt. Even though the tentacle-like fingers induce a curious homesickness—despite her efforts to the contrary, the soprano cannot help sneaking another peek at his right hand—something is markedly wrong. There is a wide diversity of form in the seas not present on land—pulsing jellyfish, undulating rays, and delicate seahorses, with their quaint bobbing gait, to name but a few—and how she misses them all, with all of their exotic differences. But the Beast is an entirely different order of exotic, an unnatural juxtaposition of castoff parts, the most strange and wondrous of which appears to be a soul. “Thank you,” she whispers gently, drawing upon compassion to overcome fear, “I know the memories must be very difficult for you.” Waving off Veronique with an outstretched hand, she looks at the prisoner with a small, sad smile, as if apologizing for the necessity of the questions still to come. “We promise to help you, such as we can, but if you could please answer just a couple more questions? Do you remember where you were before you awoke in Lepidstadt?” Her mind turns over the Beast’s claim of never visiting a settlement after Hergstag—that would rule out Sanctuary, but not … “And … did you ever visit Morast?” She pauses, as if trying to think of more than just a name to describe the town to one who was uncertain about Herstag’s name, and looks to Pike and Runa for help.
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Last edited by ekidnu; May 23rd, 2017 at 08:36 PM. |
#81
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Father of proud children. Expect the next 18+ years to be erratic and/or chaotic.
Last edited by Thorsten; May 26th, 2017 at 03:09 PM. |
#82
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In Repose |
#83
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Pike watches the back of the cadet as she disappears up the stairs "Sully, huh? Somehow it suits the poor guy." his smile doesn't reach his eyes "We'll have a hell of a time ahead of us convincing the people of Leipidstadt that he's innocent of these crimes even though he might damn well be the most innocent thing in this city." the giant had been almost child-like and Pike wonders how this simple soul came to possess this wretched body made up from bits and pieces Best not dwell on that. he thinks to himself as he heads up after their client, his footsteps becoming heavier with each step as they approach the chamber.
For some reason it felt as if they too were on trial and Pike is certain they won't be a welcome sight in Leipidstadt when the word spreads that they as good as volunteered in defending the Beast named Sully. |
#84
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Mara gives the dwarf a slightly pained smile, then looks at the paladin. “I must say, he does seem to like the diminutive you have bestowed upon him, even though I would prefer the more dignified ‘Sulliviani’.” The name rolls off her tongue with an easy, lyrical grace that is half-spoken, half-sung. “Still, I believe I understand your rationale—the diminutive would make him seem more approachable and less intimidating, though I like it as much as … say, calling him ‘Beastie Boy’.” Her nose wrinkles in distaste, but then her rounded shoulders inch up and down in a small, acquiescent shrug, albeit accompanied by a quietly firm demand. “But his official name will be Sulliviani, yes?”
After the guards shepherd the prisoner up the narrow stairwell and the exit is free, Mara slowly follows Pike out of the room, my thought is to see Kaple to find out if the trial is delayed and what the new schedule isback to Kaple’s office. “He does seem completely innocent. And your theory about some doppelganger committing the crimes in Morast and Sanctuary … you were absolutely right.” The songstress speaks to her companions in a small, private voice. “I do hope that Barrister Kaple and … Adivion were able to delay the trial. What is our next course of action?”
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#85
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Father of proud children. Expect the next 18+ years to be erratic and/or chaotic.
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#86
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In Repose |
#87
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At Adivion’s invitation, Mara slowly makes her way over to the table for the defense. She briefly glances at the might as well …
Dice Perception:
“Not as much as one might hope, unfortunately. We’ll need to check with Jamir, of course,” her gaze flits towards the dedicated halfling in the other room, “but I presume that what we’ve heard from the witnesses will simply match the written testimony. At least the evidence is weak: it’s all highly circumstantial, except for the incident at the university, but I fear that that will suffice, given the current environment.” The singer sighs as she looks up at the crowded public gallery. She does not bother delving into the details of what was said, for she feels quite certain that Adivion, with an intellect keen enough to be Lorrimor’s Heir, already knows—or that he would put on airs of knowing. He certainly gave the impression of having read through all the documents earlier. Nor does she mention the two-beast hypothesis: that was not her idea, and it would be inappropriate for her to introduce it. Best to leave such matters to the more experienced detective. “As for the defendant, he professes his innocence,” the soprano seems relieved, as if worried that the Beast Sully wouldn’t say anything at all in his own defense, “… and frankly, I believe him. The vandalism at the university is troublesome, but the gnome himself hinted at some sort of enchantment. Is that possible?” Mara gazes more keenly at Adrissant. “You have extensive knowledge of arcane magicks—could one control a … a creature like our defendant? To make him do as one commands, without his knowledge or memory thereafter?”
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#88
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Pike keeps his mouth shut and nods as Mara speaks, his thoughts on what tricks the Varisians used to keep the professor out of the trials and if he should worry about him, about them! Having to deal with one troublesome trial is enough without having to try and get his friends out of jail.
Pushing these thoughts out of his mind he takes in his surroundings; the grim judges ahead, the crowd gathered around them, most if not all having made up their mind about the verdict that will be called upon the Beast. Will they demand the same for them? Sucking in his breath he turns back to Adivion and sighs. |
#89
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Father of proud children. Expect the next 18+ years to be erratic and/or chaotic.
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#90
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In Repose |
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