Perpetual Gloom 012a

[8/1/2013 11:02:54 PM] Kate: You two and Tae Li stay where you are? Or go somewhere else? [8/1/2013 11:03:16 PM] Kate: You're on one side of a large courtyard, and there's a variety of lizardpeople hanging out in it, most of them sparring with each other. [8/1/2013 11:03:35 PM] Khiro: ((I think we take off. Are they all wearing similar livery?)) [8/1/2013 11:05:11 PM] Kate: They are, though I wouldn't say they matched. A lot of the armor is sort of cobbled together--and a fair amount of it is made of dragonhide, too. [8/1/2013 11:05:38 PM] Khiro: ((Can we match our clothes to theirs when they're not looking?)) [8/1/2013 11:07:10 PM] Kate: Sure. They seem rather fashion-challenged. [8/1/2013 11:07:29 PM] Khiro: ((Don't want to stand out due to our overkeen fashion sense.)) [8/1/2013 11:08:13 PM] Amara: ((I do this too!)) [8/1/2013 11:08:20 PM] Kate: So does Tae Li. [8/1/2013 11:09:33 PM] Kate: You're still at the entrance of the courtyard. [8/1/2013 11:09:44 PM] Kate: Unless you want to go somewhere or do something. [8/1/2013 11:10:03 PM | Removed 11:10:16 PM] Amara: This message has been removed. [8/1/2013 11:10:03 PM] Khiro: Khiro will sniff, maybe head toward the kitchens. [8/1/2013 11:10:09 PM] Khiro: Kitchens. [8/1/2013 11:10:25 PM] Khiro: Always busy in those, we should be able to get some information there. [8/1/2013 11:10:54 PM] Amara: Sounds like a plan. I'll let your nose lead the way! [8/1/2013 11:11:23 PM] Khiro: ((25 to follow my nose.)) [8/1/2013 11:11:41 PM] Kate: Easily done! [8/1/2013 11:12:19 PM] Kate: You end up in a *massive* kitchen in an underground basement. There's blood and guts everywhere--it seems that dragons and lizardkin mostly eat meat. [8/1/2013 11:13:53 PM] Kate: A couple of butchers are tearing apart a couple of deer as you step inside, and some cooks' assistants are turning spits in a gigantic fireplace large enough for the whole party to stand in without being crowded. [8/1/2013 11:14:33 PM] Khiro: Khiro looks for an assistant who isn't being hovered over. [8/1/2013 11:14:56 PM] Kate: Neither of the ones turning the spit are. They both look bored, and they're a little too far apart to talk to each other easily, too. [8/1/2013 11:15:02 PM] Kate: It's also pretty hot in here. [8/1/2013 11:15:31 PM] Khiro: Khiro ambles over to one of them. ((They speaking draconic?)) [8/1/2013 11:15:53 PM] Kate: Common. [8/1/2013 11:17:47 PM] Khiro: Hey, buddy. [8/1/2013 11:17:52 PM] Amara: Amara walks over to the other one. "Eh it's been a long day, friend." [8/1/2013 11:18:29 PM] Kate: Cook: Yeah? [8/1/2013 11:18:38 PM] Kate: Cook: I'm so bored I could scream. [8/1/2013 11:18:53 PM] Kate: Cook: Isn't there magic for this? [8/1/2013 11:19:53 PM] Amara: Probably. You should try it some time. [8/1/2013 11:20:12 PM] Kate: Cook: Man, I *wish.* What're you guys doing here? [8/1/2013 11:20:26 PM] Khiro: Lookin' for some food, buddy. [8/1/2013 11:20:31 PM] Khiro: We just got in from patrol. [8/1/2013 11:20:49 PM] Kate: The cook sighs. "Yeah, yeah. Geez, you'd think there weren't mealtimes or anything. Check the cupboards over there." [8/1/2013 11:21:01 PM] Kate: He points a clawed finger at the other side of the wall. [8/1/2013 11:22:13 PM] Khiro: Khiro nods and goes to the cupboards, nodding at Amara to keep schmoozing,figuring maybe the bored guy would like to keep taking to the girl. [8/1/2013 11:23:01 PM] Amara: Bored, eh? Oh come on I bet you've heard lots of good stories in here lately. On patrol, nothing. No rumors, no gossip, nothing. I bet you've heard something juicy lately? [8/1/2013 11:24:15 PM] Kate: Cook: Stories? Well, there *was* one about a priest and a ... um.... you probably don't wanna hear that one. [8/1/2013 11:24:31 PM] Amara: Priest and a what? Go on.... [8/1/2013 11:25:48 PM] Khiro: Khiro goes over the cupboard to see what's in there, listening to any other ideal chatter he can overhear. [8/1/2013 11:26:23 PM] Kate: Cook: Uh, no, no. It's not a nice story for a lady. I mean, it's not... well, you know. [8/1/2013 11:26:27 PM] Kate: Khiro finds meat! [8/1/2013 11:26:36 PM] Kate: Dried meat, mostly, but some fresh meat. Meat meat meat! [8/1/2013 11:27:41 PM] Amara: Ohh it's one of those stories. Yes I'll pass on that one. You know I was in here a while ago and heard chatter about a strange box from a wizard…I don't remember the rest. Maybe you heard it? [8/1/2013 11:28:05 PM] Kate: Cook: A box? I don't know anything about that. If it's from a wizard, it's probably magic, and if it's magic, it's probably with the rest of the hoard, right? [8/1/2013 11:28:27 PM] Khiro: Khiro grabs some dried meat that he hopes wasn't sentient at some point and tosses it in his lizardy jaws. [8/1/2013 11:28:53 PM] Amara: You know, I *always* get lost getting there. I just have a lousy memory. Do you think you could direct me? [8/1/2013 11:29:18 PM] Kate: Cook: To the hoard? Oh you'd have to have authorization for that. I mean... Father doesn't always like people going in there... [8/1/2013 11:30:07 PM] Kate: Cook: You're new, aren't you? You gotta be careful about stuff he doesn't like. [8/1/2013 11:30:35 PM] Amara: Gosh it's a dead give away that I'm new. Think you could take me on a tour? I keep getting lost. [8/1/2013 11:30:39 PM] Kate: Cook: He kinda... well, sometimes he just eats people whole, othertimes he takes their hearts. And then he just shoves some of 'em into the swamp if he *really* wants to make a point. [8/1/2013 11:30:50 PM] Kate: Cook: ... well, I would if I could leave this dumb spit. [8/1/2013 11:31:14 PM] Amara: I'm sure we could find *someone* to look after it. I mean, we'll only be gone a few minutes, right? [8/1/2013 11:31:21 PM] Amara: Amara bats her eyes and attempts to flirt…. [8/1/2013 11:32:13 PM] Kate: The guy, who by the way has silverywhite scales but otherwise looks elven, turns bright red. "Uh, um. Um. Um?" [8/1/2013 11:32:57 PM] Amara: So that's a yes, right? [8/1/2013 11:33:42 PM] Kate: Guy: Um. Um... [8/1/2013 11:33:47 PM] Kate: Diplomacy check! [8/1/2013 11:34:23 PM] Kate: Khiro can aid another. [8/1/2013 11:34:53 PM] Khiro: Khiro comes over, chewing on something. "I got you covered, buddy." [8/1/2013 11:35:07 PM] Kate: Guy: ... really? Are you sure? You'd do that? [8/1/2013 11:35:59 PM] Khiro: Khiro grins. "Sure.  I was *really hungry*." [8/1/2013 11:36:28 PM] Kate: Guy: ... wow, that's awesome! Thanks! I'll come back before too long, I promise. Man, nobody does *anybody* favors around here. [8/1/2013 11:36:51 PM] Kate: He hops up. "Uh, don't turn it too fast or the meat falls off." [8/1/2013 11:37:02 PM] Amara: Well let's get going before he decides to change his mind! [8/1/2013 11:37:34 PM] Kate: Guy: Yeah! [8/1/2013 11:37:44 PM] Kate: And I'm going to split Amara off and leave Khiro here. [8/1/2013 11:38:03 PM] Khiro: Khiro nods. "No worries." [8/1/2013 11:38:22 PM] Khiro: Khiro turns the spit, looking at Tae Li. [8/1/2013 11:38:38 PM] Kate: Tae Li: I'll take this, you go. [8/1/2013 11:38:54 PM] Kate: Tae Li: ... not everyone here has souls. [8/1/2013 11:39:05 PM] Khiro: Who doesn't? [8/1/2013 11:39:45 PM] Kate: Tae Li: Several of the guards. ... it is strange. Perhaps they are half-demon. [8/1/2013 11:40:05 PM] Khiro: ... maybe. [8/1/2013 11:40:40 PM] Kate: Tae Li: I would not think a celestial would do well here. [8/1/2013 11:42:51 PM] Kate: Tae Li: ... we do not both have to stay here. You go. I can stay and turn the spit. [8/1/2013 11:43:34 PM] Khiro: All right. I'm going to follow them at a distance, get a lay of the land. [8/1/2013 11:44:39 PM] Kate: Tae Li nods. "I will listen. ... this is a bad place. ... I think it is worse than the Underdark." [8/1/2013 11:44:56 PM] Kate: Tae Li: Back there I heard screaming. [8/1/2013 11:45:11 PM] Khiro: Khiro nods. [8/1/2013 11:46:18 PM] Kate: Tae Li: ... go. Be careful. [8/1/2013 11:46:40 PM] Khiro: Khiro goes! [8/1/2013 11:48:18 PM] Kate: You're following Amara? [8/1/2013 11:48:38 PM] Khiro: ((Headed in the direction they wandered off in.)) [8/1/2013 11:48:51 PM] Kate: Right. You see her up ahead a ways with the silvery dragonguy. [8/1/2013 11:49:27 PM] Khiro: Khiro will change his form again to a blue half-dragon with different features. [8/1/2013 11:50:28 PM] Kate: Easily done. [8/1/2013 11:50:40 PM] Kate: At the end of the hallway, they open a door and step in. [8/1/2013 11:51:34 PM] Khiro: Khiro follows! [8/1/2013 11:52:17 PM] Kate: He hears a snatch of conversation. "... faking my own death..." It echoes a bit in the stairwell. Roll Move Silently/Hide/Sneaky-sneaky. [8/1/2013 11:53:33 PM] Khiro: ((16.)) [8/1/2013 11:53:49 PM] Kate: No one gives any evidence of hearing you. [8/1/2013 11:53:55 PM] Kate: The steps keep going down and down and down for a very long time. [8/1/2013 11:56:01 PM] Kate: "... just burning it, like it's fun..." [8/1/2013 11:56:19 PM] Khiro: Khiro continues creeping like a creepy creeper. [12:00:22 AM] Kate: Finally you reach the bottom of the stairwell, and you can see the other two ahead of you a bit in a curving passageway that continues to spiral down--just slower and in a much wider arc. [12:00:48 AM] Khiro: Khiro peeks around the corner. [12:01:17 AM] Kate: The sides of the passageway have glass windows, and behind the windows are treasures of all kinds, gold coins in heaps, jewelry, gems, magic items. [12:01:53 AM] Khiro: Khiro scans the hoard, looking for their quarry! [12:02:43 AM] Kate: Roll Notice! [12:04:00 AM] Kate: "... alarms and things..." [12:04:00 AM] Khiro: ((17.(( [12:05:35 AM] Kate: You spot a tiny lead-lined box, very plain amidst all the glittering treasures, and quite easy to miss. [12:06:40 AM] Khiro: Khiro makes a note of where it is. Behind glass, right? [12:06:54 AM] Kate: Behind glass. There's no doors there that you've seen. [12:08:32 AM] Khiro: Khiro looks for Amara and her boyfriend! [12:08:44 AM] Kate: They're just around the bend up ahead of you. [12:08:54 AM] Khiro: Khiro creeps up!