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Adrian and the team make a less-than-heroic return to '''Terakai''' with a mob of uncontrollable children in tow and they all agree to ask '''Silence''' for help in dealing with their families, then a mentor from '''Ashe's''' past appears in town and the rest of the team must suddenly say goodbye to their friend… | Adrian and the team make a less-than-heroic return to '''Terakai''' with a mob of uncontrollable children in tow and they all agree to ask '''Silence''' for help in dealing with their families, then a mentor from '''Ashe's''' past appears in town and the rest of the team must suddenly say goodbye to their friend… | ||
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It was one day's journey back to '''Terakai''' after leaving the '''Pericles Hills'''. Adrian and '''Dave''' attempted to identify the raven figurine along the way, discerning that it was magical in some way but not how to activate it. All of the living as well as deceased children ('''Garland''' the 4-year-old [[Halfling]], '''Anton''' the 5-year-old [[Human]], '''Rupus''' the 7-year-old [[Human]], and '''Huru''' the 9-year-old [[Half-Orc]]) had reverted to their original forms as they reached the outskirts of town. It was the late evening and the team decided to come up with a plan for how to deal with the children before | It was one day's journey back to '''Terakai''' after leaving the '''Pericles Hills'''. Adrian and '''Dave''' attempted to identify the raven figurine along the way, discerning that it was magical in some way but not how to activate it. All of the living as well as deceased children ('''Garland''' the 4-year-old [[Halfling]], '''Anton''' the 5-year-old [[Human]], '''Rupus''' the 7-year-old [[Human]], and '''Huru''' the 9-year-old [[Half-Orc]]) had reverted to their original forms as they reached the outskirts of town. It was the late evening and the team decided to come up with a plan for how to deal with the children before reentering town, opting to take them to '''Silence''' as she seemed well-rehearsed in dealing with conflict amongst the townsfolk. '''Merys''' relayed this plan to the oldest child '''Kylie''', and she relayed it to the younger surviving children. | ||
As soon as they entered town, however, the children realized where they were and the team began to lose control of the situation. '''Kylie''' and '''Henry''', a [[Gnome]] boy, remained calm, but two of the other children immediately tried to run straight home. '''Dave''' attempted to stop the children by stunning them with a magical bright flash, but this merely blinded them as they continued running haphazardly towards the wrong houses. Harmony, the [[Tiefling]] girl, stumbled straight into the door of a random house and got her horns stuck. Adrian chased after '''Osric''', the [[Human]] boy, attempting to stop him from also slamming into the wrong house. But as soon as he picked him up, the boy screeched even louder and caused Adrian to compulsively drop him. As '''Osric''' is throwing an extremely audible fit, the lights come on from inside the house. Turning back to the other house that '''Harmony''' had slammed into, the team saw a very tall [[List of Races#New World Crossbreeds (After 0 BR)|Half-Elf]] woman who had emerged from the house, gotten '''Harmony''' unstuck from the door and began to soothe her. '''Ashe''' recognized this woman and began pleadingly looking towards her to assist with the other screaming child. The woman directed '''Harmony''' over to '''Ashe''', who hung off of her pant leg as the woman went to calm down '''Osric'''. An old man had emerged from the house that '''Osric''' was screaming in front of, but it only took the woman's reassurance that all was well for him to go back inside. | As soon as they entered town, however, the children realized where they were and the team began to lose control of the situation. '''Kylie''' and '''Henry''', a [[Gnome]] boy, remained calm, but two of the other children immediately tried to run straight home. '''Dave''' attempted to stop the children by stunning them with a magical bright flash, but this merely blinded them as they continued running haphazardly towards the wrong houses. Harmony, the [[Tiefling]] girl, stumbled straight into the door of a random house and got her horns stuck. Adrian chased after '''Osric''', the [[Human]] boy, attempting to stop him from also slamming into the wrong house. But as soon as he picked him up, the boy screeched even louder and caused Adrian to compulsively drop him. As '''Osric''' is throwing an extremely audible fit, the lights come on from inside the house. Turning back to the other house that '''Harmony''' had slammed into, the team saw a very tall [[List of Races#New World Crossbreeds (After 0 BR)|Half-Elf]] woman who had emerged from the house, gotten '''Harmony''' unstuck from the door and began to soothe her. '''Ashe''' recognized this woman and began pleadingly looking towards her to assist with the other screaming child. The woman directed '''Harmony''' over to '''Ashe''', who hung off of her pant leg as the woman went to calm down '''Osric'''. An old man had emerged from the house that '''Osric''' was screaming in front of, but it only took the woman's reassurance that all was well for him to go back inside. | ||
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'''Silence''' opened the door to meet the three of them and they began struggling to explain what had happened, but '''Silence''' was adamant about not wanting to know anything. '''Merys''' continued to relay the story, however, presumably out of shock and nerves. '''Silence''' protested, annoyed that she would now be forced to lie in order to keep things under control. She ordered "you three, take the children upstairs and make them look comfortable." Just as Adrian made a move to lift one of the bodies, '''Silence''' snapped back "I wasn't talking to you," as the bodies seemed to float out of the cart all on their own and into the tavern. The visage of this shocked Adrian…it had been several years since he'd lost the ability to see invisible things, but something about being unable to see '''Silence's''' ghostly servants in this moment truly shook him and he let out an audible gasp. '''Silence''' retorted, "what's wrong with the dead helping the dead?" Adrian sheepishly clarified, "nothing…it's just that the floating surprised me." '''Silence''' invited the group back into the tavern, as their previous rooms were still available. '''Ashe''' chose to camp in the woods to get some distance from the situation and '''Dave''' decided to spend the rest of the night strolling around town in case any commotion happened. Adrian and '''Merys''' retired to their respective rooms for the night, however, and all they could hear outside were the occasional sounds in the hallway of some parents' grief which quickly became muffled by a closing door. | '''Silence''' opened the door to meet the three of them and they began struggling to explain what had happened, but '''Silence''' was adamant about not wanting to know anything. '''Merys''' continued to relay the story, however, presumably out of shock and nerves. '''Silence''' protested, annoyed that she would now be forced to lie in order to keep things under control. She ordered "you three, take the children upstairs and make them look comfortable." Just as Adrian made a move to lift one of the bodies, '''Silence''' snapped back "I wasn't talking to you," as the bodies seemed to float out of the cart all on their own and into the tavern. The visage of this shocked Adrian…it had been several years since he'd lost the ability to see invisible things, but something about being unable to see '''Silence's''' ghostly servants in this moment truly shook him and he let out an audible gasp. '''Silence''' retorted, "what's wrong with the dead helping the dead?" Adrian sheepishly clarified, "nothing…it's just that the floating surprised me." '''Silence''' invited the group back into the tavern, as their previous rooms were still available. '''Ashe''' chose to camp in the woods to get some distance from the situation and '''Dave''' decided to spend the rest of the night strolling around town in case any commotion happened. Adrian and '''Merys''' retired to their respective rooms for the night, however, and all they could hear outside were the occasional sounds in the hallway of some parents' grief which quickly became muffled by a closing door. | ||
When morning finally came, Adrian walked past '''Merys'''' door hoping that he was also up as he did not quite feel ready to brave downstairs alone. Luckily, '''Merys''' was walking out at that exact moment and they both went down together. '''Ashe''' and '''Dave''' also | When morning finally came, Adrian walked past '''Merys'''' door hoping that he was also up as he did not quite feel ready to brave downstairs alone. Luckily, '''Merys''' was walking out at that exact moment and they both went down together. '''Ashe''' and '''Dave''' also reentered the tavern in that moment through the front door. They all sat at a table except for '''Dave''', who started trying to clean all around the room as if nothing had happened. '''Silence''' descended the stairs with a yawn, seemingly back to her normal spirits, and called to the kitchen for four morning sunrise platters. She sat with the team, apologizing for her impatience the night before as four platters of food floated towards the table and were placed in front of each of them. | ||
As they ate, '''Silence''' handed the team ten gold each—the promised payment for having saved four children—as well a sack of thirty extra gold to split amongst themselves as thanks for bringing the bodies back. "You did not need to, but the families were incredibly grateful," she explained. Adrian tried proposing that instead of paying him, that she might help identify the raven figurine they had found instead. '''Silence''' rebuffed, "I see no reason why I can't do both" and grabbed his hand, reassuring him that what happened wasn't his fault and insisting that he take the money. Adrian reluctantly agreed as he pulled the raven figurine from his bag for her to inspect. She identified it as a '''Figurine of Wondrous Power''', an uncommon magical item that could come to life for a brief time and deliver a message. She explained she would need to spend some time to figure out its power word, but that she would return it as soon as she was done. Adrian also ran back up to his room to fetch the shield with the runes on it, which '''Silence''' recognized as command glyphs that would have allowed '''B'rogo''' the [[Bugbear]] to control anyone who drank from '''Nephilla's''' fountain. | As they ate, '''Silence''' handed the team ten gold each—the promised payment for having saved four children—as well a sack of thirty extra gold to split amongst themselves as thanks for bringing the bodies back. "You did not need to, but the families were incredibly grateful," she explained. Adrian tried proposing that instead of paying him, that she might help identify the raven figurine they had found instead. '''Silence''' rebuffed, "I see no reason why I can't do both" and grabbed his hand, reassuring him that what happened wasn't his fault and insisting that he take the money. Adrian reluctantly agreed as he pulled the raven figurine from his bag for her to inspect. She identified it as a '''Figurine of Wondrous Power''', an uncommon magical item that could come to life for a brief time and deliver a message. She explained she would need to spend some time to figure out its power word, but that she would return it as soon as she was done. Adrian also ran back up to his room to fetch the shield with the runes on it, which '''Silence''' recognized as command glyphs that would have allowed '''B'rogo''' the [[Bugbear]] to control anyone who drank from '''Nephilla's''' fountain. | ||
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The team all gathered in Adrian's room, feeling that they could safely discuss what had just transpired. As a means of extra precaution, '''Dave''' casted a point of light in the room in an attempt to disperse any potential shadows. However, this had the unintended effect of casting even more shadows throughout the room with the addition of another light source. '''Dave''' did a thorough inspection of the room to be safe, and very nonchalantly mentioned a pair of floating eyes underneath the bed. This immediately sparked Adrian's interest—having dealt before with [[Smargarg|disembodied scrying eyes]]—and he ducked under his bed to investigate. As he peered into this set of purple-colored eyes, however, he felt a sensation of his soul being sucked from his body and he was forced to avert his gaze. Adrian arose from under the bed and confirmed to the rest of the team that there really was a pair of floating eyes under the bed. '''Dave''' crawled under the bed to try and talk to them and, surprisingly, the eyes replied "well this is unfortunate…you weren't supposed to notice me." It seemed safe to assume at this point that these eyes belonged to their shadowy stalker. Adrian also quickly rejoined them under the bed to ask if they were a friend or foe, to which they replied "that's not for me to say, my mistress simply sent me to discern your intentions." '''Dave''' and Adrian chose to just be upfront with this creature and say that they were trying to return some abducted children back to '''Terakai'''…hence the child's body in a sack at the corner of the room. The eyes seemed somewhat sated with their explanation for the time being, but the team was not convinced they were free of their shadowy stalker just yet and debated their next move amongst themselves. '''Maple''' was determined to follow up with the '''Yellow-Bellied Baron''' to confirm that their trial job for the '''Razorwind Mercenary''' had been adequately completed, so the team agreed to go there next before the sun completely set. | The team all gathered in Adrian's room, feeling that they could safely discuss what had just transpired. As a means of extra precaution, '''Dave''' casted a point of light in the room in an attempt to disperse any potential shadows. However, this had the unintended effect of casting even more shadows throughout the room with the addition of another light source. '''Dave''' did a thorough inspection of the room to be safe, and very nonchalantly mentioned a pair of floating eyes underneath the bed. This immediately sparked Adrian's interest—having dealt before with [[Smargarg|disembodied scrying eyes]]—and he ducked under his bed to investigate. As he peered into this set of purple-colored eyes, however, he felt a sensation of his soul being sucked from his body and he was forced to avert his gaze. Adrian arose from under the bed and confirmed to the rest of the team that there really was a pair of floating eyes under the bed. '''Dave''' crawled under the bed to try and talk to them and, surprisingly, the eyes replied "well this is unfortunate…you weren't supposed to notice me." It seemed safe to assume at this point that these eyes belonged to their shadowy stalker. Adrian also quickly rejoined them under the bed to ask if they were a friend or foe, to which they replied "that's not for me to say, my mistress simply sent me to discern your intentions." '''Dave''' and Adrian chose to just be upfront with this creature and say that they were trying to return some abducted children back to '''Terakai'''…hence the child's body in a sack at the corner of the room. The eyes seemed somewhat sated with their explanation for the time being, but the team was not convinced they were free of their shadowy stalker just yet and debated their next move amongst themselves. '''Maple''' was determined to follow up with the '''Yellow-Bellied Baron''' to confirm that their trial job for the '''Razorwind Mercenary''' had been adequately completed, so the team agreed to go there next before the sun completely set. | ||
As they entered the '''Yellow-Bellied Baron''' to inquire whether they had done a sufficient job killing all of the rats, the night manager '''Sqecia''' handed them an envelope that had been left at the tavern and addressed to the "exterminators." The team opened up the envelope to find a message written in slashing cursive which read "I hate you, and you annoy me. You tried to intrude on my home once, so now you're invited." The letter was not signed, but they discerned from context clues that it was most likely sent by whoever was in charge of the singular circus tent located in the fields outside of the city. The team resigned themselves to get a full night's rest before paying the tent another visit the next day. Adrian and '''Merys''' returned to their rooms at the '''Welcome Rest'''. Meanwhile, '''Maple''' returned to the guild hall with | As they entered the '''Yellow-Bellied Baron''' to inquire whether they had done a sufficient job killing all of the rats, the night manager '''Sqecia''' handed them an envelope that had been left at the tavern and addressed to the "exterminators." The team opened up the envelope to find a message written in slashing cursive which read "I hate you, and you annoy me. You tried to intrude on my home once, so now you're invited." The letter was not signed, but they discerned from context clues that it was most likely sent by whoever was in charge of the singular circus tent located in the fields outside of the city. The team resigned themselves to get a full night's rest before paying the tent another visit the next day. Adrian and '''Merys''' returned to their rooms at the '''Welcome Rest'''. Meanwhile, '''Maple''' returned to the guild hall with written confirmation of the completion of their trial job and opted to sleep there. '''Dave''', on the other hand, left to explore the market street under the cloak of night | ||
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Adrian takes a leap of faith into a mirror and the rest of the team jump in after him, then they are finally confronted by the pointy-toothed man responsible for all of the child abductions and they face off in his lair against a swarm of creepy dolls after refusing his bribe to stop meddling in his affairs… | Adrian takes a leap of faith into a mirror and the rest of the team jump in after him, then they are finally confronted by the pointy-toothed man responsible for all of the child abductions and they face off in his lair against a swarm of creepy dolls after refusing his bribe to stop meddling in his affairs… | ||
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During the team's slumber, '''Merys''' | During the team's slumber, '''Merys''' had a dream which strengthened his bond with his familiar and granted them improved communication. Upon waking up in the morning, '''Merys''' went downstairs to the tavern to find Adrian already having breakfast. It was not long until '''Dave''' also stumbled in and met back up with them, after having wandered into two other buildings that he had mistaken for the tavern. | ||
Following breakfast, the team left for the '''Razorwind Mercenary''' guild hall to retrieve '''Maple'''. When they arrived, '''Merys''' opted to check the job | Following breakfast, the team left for the '''Razorwind Mercenary''' guild hall to retrieve '''Maple'''. When they arrived, '''Merys''' opted to check the job board—seeing as him and '''Maple''' were now members—to see if there were any jobs relating to missing children posted there. He found no jobs specifically mentioning missing children, but he did find two notices which stood out…the first warned of an increase of pickpockets in the market square, and the second advised against accepting any jobs pertaining to the orphanage. After relaying these findings and reuniting with '''Maple''', the team agreed that their next best move—in response the letter they had received the previous night—would be to revisit the tent in the fields outside the city. | ||
Upon their arrival at the tent, they were met with the same disguised [[Yuan-Ti]] still whittling | Upon their arrival at the tent, they were met with the same disguised [[Yuan-Ti]] still whittling his stick. He scowled and remarked "you've kept the master waiting," to which '''Merys''' tried to justify why they had waited until the next morning to return…such as it being late at night when they initially received the letter and not wanting to disturb him. Adrian, however, simply strode past the [[Yuan-Ti]] while avoiding eye contact and was allowed to pass without any confrontation. The rest of the team followed shortly behind into the tent. | ||
The interior of the tent appeared completely empty except for a large, round mirror which laid | The interior of the tent appeared completely empty except for a large, round mirror which laid flat in the center of the room. Adrian approached the mirror, prodding its reflective surface with his shortsword. He found that his shortsword penetrated the mirror as if it were liquid and created ripples upon its surface. He also noticed that the mirror did not create a perfect reflection…but rather, appeared to be a portal to some sort of demiplane. Adrian said a small prayer to himself before plunging into the mirror like a pool of water and disappearing beneath its surface. '''Maple''' quickly leapt in after him, whereas '''Merys''' and '''Dave''' briefly squabbled between themselves—questioning why Adrian had just done that—before jumping into the mirror themselves. | ||
Adrian briefly experienced the nauseating sensation of falling before landing on his feet inside a | Adrian briefly experienced the nauseating sensation of falling before landing on his feet inside a seemingly barren room. It seemed completely dark except for a spot of light which hung directly overhead. '''Maple''' soon appeared alongside Adrian and they began jokingly taking bets for how long it would take for the other two to catch up with them. Eventually, however, '''Merys''' and '''Dave''' also joined up with them beneath the spotlight. A voice began to echo throughout the room to which Adrian replied "you must be that pointy-toothed guy that '''Dave''' saw in the mirror." The voice confirmed this fact and even offered up his true name—'''Locanth'''— after more prodding from Adrian. '''Locanth''' offered the team one thousand gold each if they agreed to drop their investigation into the missing children. | ||
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=== Adrian === | === Adrian === | ||
Being new to '''Lyaphaire''', Adrian can come off as endearingly naive when encountering new things. He hides a chip on his shoulder due to feeling forsaken by his god, [[Sardior]], after sacrificing himself for the [[Dragon#Gem Dragons|Gem Dragon]] god's resurrection and being consequently discarded in an unfamiliar realm. He speaks about his past in vague terms and is often reluctant to talk about it since he is doubtful that anyone would believe him, yet alone be able to provide the sort of closure he desires. Optimism is a shaky habit to kick, however, so he hopes for a day when he is able to prove his worthiness to the [[Dragon#Gem Dragons|Gem Dragons]] | Being new to '''Lyaphaire''', Adrian can come off as endearingly naive when encountering new things. He hides a chip on his shoulder due to feeling forsaken by his god, [[Sardior]], after sacrificing himself for the [[Dragon#Gem Dragons|Gem Dragon]] god's resurrection and being consequently discarded in an unfamiliar realm. He speaks about his past in vague terms and is often reluctant to talk about it since he is doubtful that anyone would believe him, yet alone be able to provide the sort of closure he desires. Optimism is a shaky habit to kick, however, so he hopes for a day when he is able to prove his worthiness to the [[Dragon#Gem Dragons|Gem Dragons]] and reclaim his emerald essence…possibly even return home and learn if his efforts to revive [[Sardior]] had paid off. | ||
== Abilities == | == Abilities == |