[Game Thread] The Partisan Torch

[KithKunabi]

Antony gave a slight hiss of a gasp as Arianna offered up a belt to pay for the horses.


That belt had taken him over a week to imbue, his efforts constantly drawn away by the regular demonic raids thrown at Laksha's temple... and his home. It had taken time, effort, and money. To him, its value was more then mere gold. And to see it offered up as a mere bargaining chip, well, it hurt his pride a bit. Had it been anyone other then Laksha he would have objected on the spot. Seeing as it was her, however, he knew he really couldn't say much.

As Dylon came up with some spare cash his tightened nerves released quite quickly, allowing him exhale with more air then his gasp had suggested. His eyebrows quickly relax., and he manages to bring together a smile quite quickly.

"Can't quite say yet. But, they seem more then willing to work together. That's a good start towards any teamwork." Antony's point is subtly critical of Laskha's people. It had taken Laksha's church quite some time to warm up to him, not only on the grounds that he was an arcanist, but also that he was an outsider. It was hard for them to accept that someone with view outside of their standard piety might actually have some value. Not just tactically, but morally. These people, however, aren't nearly as hung up on their norms. Perhaps because they have no norms to begin with.

"I think they'll turn out to be more 'eminent' then first glance hinted... after all, if you take 6 people from 6 different uniformed services and put them together, none of them would look to be in uniform."

Then his ear perks as Kaia speaks in a tongue known by most involved in the arcane studies. And he smirks a bit.
The smirk is wiped off his face as she begins to push the transfer of his hard work into cold hard coin.

"I'm certain Laksha is above such regrets... but I'd like to point out the rest of us might be in need of a stronger arm." He points out testily as he shoots a look at the monk. Those who are skilled at reading face will realize that he is, in fact, glaring. Though most of the anger is held coolly within his eyes, and slightly arched eyebrows.

[Aosaw]

Kaia caught Antony's glare - what was more, she suddenly understood a great deal more about his objection than his words would imply. "Did you...?" She glanced at the belt, hanging over the gate as casually as if it were a scarf, or a hat.

He made that, she realized. He made it for her, and she's giving it away.

Give only what you can, her lover's voice echoed in her thoughts. Let others bear their burdens how they will.

 

Kaia has a Sense Motive modifier of +15. I can roll a check, but I figured I would forego it in the interest of saving time.

[KithKunabi]

ooc I figured anyone with any ranks in sense motive, or a primary attribute of wisdom, would pick up that he's piqued over the attempts to give away his handiwork. Basically, everyone should just take 10 with a DC of 15.

[shaderhedemon]

Nos watches from on his mount outside the stables. 'I could just summon mounts for them, but I doubt they'd ride them, but lets give it a try,' Nos thinks to himself then moves closer to the stables.

"I'd hate to interrupt but this is a waste of time, they said they could get by without the horses and now your giving away belts and a lot of money for a single two horses and equipment for those said horses. Let them walk, if they slow us down I'll simply summon them a mount that comes with gear and you don't have to feed them, otherwise lets get going. Now let's get going, if this item is as important as you seem to think it is then both our money and time might be important," with that Nos turns his horse and begins to head towards the exit to the city.

'They already dislike me so I might as well use that to my advantage,' thinks Nos as he doesn't bother to look back to see if their following him.

[Elucidus]

"That's the first damned sensible thing I heard all day." Dylon says, confident in his ability to keep up with the horses.

[Sakure]

Laksha swept by and retrieved her belt when it was apparent they were going through circular debates. It only took one pass, she leaned over and grabbed the belt, set it on her lap, and straightened out again, her horse trotting along towards Antony. She had to admit, even she was impressed with the tenacity of the pair, vowing to travel for days with the fortitude to battle at the end. These magicians were obviously in better shape than she was.

"Well Antony, ready to scoot?"

[Aosaw]

Kaia looked about. But the stablemaster still has our money, she thought.

Then she looked at him. His horses were sick, his family was hungry. He looked like he didn't have much to be happy about. Most people didn't, these days. She offered the man a smile. "Keep it," she said.

She wasn't a pretty girl. Her head was bald, not shaved, and her skin was an unnatural white color that seemed almost opalescent in the light. Her eyes were like two silver droplets. Her face was well-proportioned, however; and in another world, another time perhaps, she might have been attractive.

Not here, though. And she knew it. "Sorry to be a bother," she told the man, and without another word she took off in a trot after the others.

She had no trouble keeping up; that was in her nature. Her feet carried her as swiftly as any horse. But she didn't walk with the high spirits of a priestess. Her demeanor was that of a girl, lost and alone, wandering through unfamiliar woods.

[Elucidus]

Really? That is intriguing. Dylon simply nods in agreement and quietly follows along as well, allowing the merchant to keep his funds as well. Maybe he will be able to help someone else here and the chain will grow.

[KithKunabi]

Antony nods as he reigns in his horse and moves along with the rest of the party, the lot having gained no horses, and negative gold. At least they hadn't lost the belt though.

[Aosaw]

It was some distance down the road that Kaia explained her actions. "In five minutes, we offered to buy the man's horses, told him that we couldn't afford them, offered to give him a priceless artifact, and finally decided that we didn't want any horses after all. Our payment, Dylon's and mine, was reparations for the emotional hurricane we just subjected him to."

She continued to walk, but her speech never slowed. "Certain members of this establishment should learn that patience is a virtue, and that rushing to the end of things is an efficient way to get people hurt, killed, or captured. Thank you, Lady Laksha, for teaching me what you could about saddling a horse; I am sorry that circumstances did not allow me to show you what I'd learned."

She turned to Dylon. "And I am sorry that by offering up my own savings I implicitly offered up yours as well; but I appreciate your not disputing my decision. That poor man had experienced enough turmoil for one day."

[Elucidus]

Dylon keeps up witht he conversation, but not as well with the travel. "I, um, didn't really need it. And I got the feeling he has had a hard season with his family." His eyes never leave the environment around him, always looking around (Taking 10 gives him a 26 Perception).

[DukeofDellot]

As the party left the confused, yet grateful stableman, he gave a half-witted farewell and stumbled over himself running to spread the news of his windfall to a soon to be equally excited wife. (To be perfectly clear, all you gave him was money, correct? I'll occasionally have bouts of dyslexia... or plain old forgetfulness. With the economy the way it is, it would be difficult to pay with anything but gold anyways.)

Giving to a worthy charity, and traveling a small distance toward the ultimate goal, made the distance seem daunting. The use of mounts and the Monks' training would cut three days off, nearly half the trip.

Are you starting today? You could get a good half-day's travel in probably far enough to get to the small farming town where you could stay for the night. If you started in the morning staying tonight behind the protection of the city walls, you could make it much further on the first day, but as stated "every day spent more lives are lost."

[Elucidus]

OOC Yes, only money, though a significant amount between the two of us...at least for a stable-merhcant. Personally I would say we started off this day. Anyone else can correct me if I am wrong however.

[shaderhedemon]

OOC Personally my character had no intention on waiting for the morning, he was on the way out of the city.

[Aosaw]

OOC Agreed. I don't think anyone was planning on sticking around for the evening fare.