[19:46] <Aldante_Fax> Okay, so let's kick this off. You all are relaxing at the Town Hall after having your wounds patched up. You have a few hours to kill during this recuperation while the Paladins finish their prayers. The day grows into noontime, and the sun is barely able to burn away enough of the fog. The chill still lingers, though, and due to lack of firewood, the Town Hall is serving mulled and spiced ale instead.
[19:47] * Saren is now known as Ceol
[19:48] * Sephorus (SkyeGainsb@du150136.wpt.ptd.net) has joined #aria
[19:48] * Newbie_X is now known as Mayard
[19:49] <Aldante_Fax> The images of the demons linger in your minds. Carson's arm aches faintly even after the healing. Koreyan is still in the medical ward with serious injuries that require extensive care. Janna has been missing since after the briefing. Tetra and Yval are off doing their...Thing.
[19:49] <Sephorus> (( We having a side session? ))
[19:49] <Aldante_Fax>
[Yep.]
[19:49] <ElementalKnight> (viva la gaiden, I s'pose)
[19:50] * Sephorus is now known as Tetra
[19:50] * ElementalKnight is now known as Carson
[19:50] <Mayard> "...I thought that we were only fighting the undead. Where did those demons come from?"
[19:50] <Aldante_Fax> Tetra wanders in. Yvalphone seemed to want some 'me' time.
[19:50] * Carson shakes his head. "Damned if I know. I'd just like to know how they could throw a guy around like that..."
[19:51] * Mayard glances at Tetra. Specifically, Tetra's bad arm.
[19:51] <Mayard> "It's possible. I just didn't think there were things that strong under the enemy's control."
[19:52] * Tetra simply listens for now, trying to think about everything that's gone on.
[19:52] <Aldante_Fax> The ale feels good during this cold noon. Your luncheon consists of cold ham, tough bread, and cheese. Nothing spectacular, but the lack of taste leaves ample time to discuss your current problems with the opposing forces.
[19:52] <Ceol> Apparently summoning demons isn't too hard a feat..
[19:52] <Carson> At least we know they do now. Better finding out here than, y'know, a bajillion miles from nowhere.
[19:53] <Mayard> "Good point."
[19:53] * Ceol pushes the food away. "Excuse me while i go out to find some REAL food"
[19:53] <Carson> But what worries me isn't really the fact that they tossed the guy around like a damn ragdoll... It's that those Paladins didn't fight back.
[19:54] <Tetra> "You noticed that, too?"
[19:54] * Carson blinks and turns. "Yeah. Sure, they're injured and prayign and stuff, but they had numbers, at least. Could've used 'em."
[19:54] <Mayard> "Considering their woulds, would they have been able to fight?"
[19:54] * Ceol leaves in search of said food
[19:55] <Tetra> "I wouldn't expect all of them to do something."
[19:55] * Carson stops, and thinks on that for a second.
[19:55] * Mayard takes a quick look at Ceol, and waits until he is out of earshot.
[19:55] <Tetra> "But, out of all of them, you'd think that one could have done something."
[19:55] <Tetra> "... although maybe I'm just being hopeful."
[19:56] <Mayard> "Who knows?"
[19:56] <Aldante_Fax> There isn't much in the way of real food. The fires are off for the time being and that's all they could draw from the pantry - the rest is for the wounded and the soldiers. Unless you want some gruel, that's about as good as it gets.
[19:56] * Carson nods. "If they're gonna take out all the skeletons and zombies and whatever in Quartz... Hm"
[19:57] <Carson> ...maybe... They're pretending to be too hurt ta fight?
[19:58] <Mayard> "But if we don't survive the attacks, they can't get to Quartz."
[19:58] <Ceol> (( I'll try to negotiate with the person who is in control of food rationing, and see what else i can get.. ))
[19:58] <Carson> Yeah. But they might've just, I dunno... wanted to pretend as lond as they could.
[19:59] <Carson> (*long)
[19:59] <Aldante_Fax> For a little bit of cash you manage to illicit yourself some of the better cuts of ham grilled up along with some toasted bread with honey on it.
[20:00] <Carson> Like when you're in a fight, and you pretend some hit's gotten you harder than it did. The other guy thinks you're all banged up, and he goes in for the final hit, and *BAM!* you show you aren't so badly banged up and kick his ass when 'e leasts expects it.
[20:01] <Carson> ...bah, hell, I dunno.
[20:01] * Ceol comes back in with a sour look on his face, holding a few "choice" cuts of ham.. and a few slices of bread.
[20:01] <Mayard> "Maybe. The paladins may have just been caught off guard.
[20:02] <Mayard> "But any way we slice this, we're still gonna have to escort them."
[20:02] <Carson> Yeah. That's gonna be a bitch.
[20:02] <Aldante_Fax> Snapshots of the Paladins come back to you. Many of them were about a step over being rendered invalids. The smells of fresh and drying blood, the sight of the bandages wrapped around each of them, making them seem partially mummified. You could confront them about faking their serious injuries, but in the sight of all of those people, it probably wouldn't be such a good idea.
[20:03] * Carson doesn't plan to tell too much to anyone. Telling lies in the ring - before, durin', an' after - is just smart.
[20:03] * Mayard takes some of the food that was originally given.
[20:04] <Carson> <_<
[20:04] <Carson> >_>
[20:04] * Carson stuffs a few pieces of bread in some convient pockets.
[20:04] <Tetra> "...hmmm... I wonder..." 6Tetra places his good hand at his chin and thinks for a few moments.
[20:06] * Ceol sits down and begins to eat his food slowly. "Exactly why did that man offer a tonic to one of the Demons?"
[20:07] * Teucer is now known as Janna
[20:07] * Carson shakes his head. "He's nuts. I've done stupid stuff like that before, but still..."
[20:07] <Mayard> "The really strange part was the guy with the mask. He was acting like he was poisoned, but I have no idea why."
[20:07] <Aldante_Fax> Everybody's favorite knife-wielding woman wanders in.
[20:08] * Janna walks in, smiling. "Hi guys. Did I miss anything?"
[20:08] * Mayard turns on his cuteness for a moment when Janna comes in. "Hi, Janna!"
[20:08] <Carson> The bread, for one.
[20:08] <Tetra> "Yeah. A lot."
[20:08] <Ceol> Who the hell are you?
[20:08] <Aldante_Fax> You see a Mithra. Male. Very strange.
[20:08] <Carson> Cool it, kitty, she's cool.
[20:09] * Janna looks Ceol over curiously. "You're not very friendly, are you?"
[20:10] * Ceol shrugs and takes another bite of his ham. "Depends on what you mean by friendly.. i haven't attacked anyone here"
[20:12] <Janna> "Still, a little politeness never killed anyone. But anyway, I'm Janna. Who the hell are you?" She says this last bit with good humor.
[20:13] <Ceol> Ceol.. that will do for now
[20:13] * Tetra continues thinking.
[20:13] <Mayard> "Janna, I have some bad news. We ended up getting ambushed at the cathedral. Koreyan's hurt bad."
[20:14] * Ceol stands up and circles Janna once.. tail swaying back and forth slowly.
[20:14] * Carson shakes his head. Oy vey.
[20:14] * Janna shifts uncomfortably and watches the strange Mithra walking around her... taking a nice long look at the goods?
[20:16] * Mayard lets the subject drop.
[20:16] <Janna> ((Whoops, somehow I missed that line... :P))
[20:17] * Carson kinda hopes the tension'll go away with the subject.
[20:17] * Janna suddenly perks up. "Bad? Like, how bad? Is he alright?"
[20:17] <Ceol> Goods.. something like that <crouches and taps his lip in thought>
[20:18] <Janna> ((And the goods bit was thought, not said, but whatever. :P))
[20:18] <Mayard> "He's still recovering. He may be able to go with us on the mission, but I'm not good enough to tell exactly when he'll be able to fight."
[20:18] <Janna> "I should go check on him..."
[20:18] <Ceol> (( Oh, i normally i see people do a . . o O thing for thought bubbles. my mistake ))
[20:18] <Mayard> "A couple of demons went after him. It's lucky he's still alive."
[20:19] <Janna> ((Heh, nah, I usually just put something in quotes if it's said. But no worries))
[20:20] <Janna> . o O (Damn, he made it out alive... an 'accident' would have been too convenient I guess...)
[20:20] * Janna looks concerned. "I hope he's alright."
[20:21] <Mayard> "He should be, eventually. I managed to get him a Phoenix down during the battle."
[20:21] * Carson shrugs. "He'll probably be fine, once they can get thee benches out of his spine."
[20:21] <Carson> (*the)
[20:22] * Ceol sits back down in his chair and picks at the food.
[20:22] <Aldante_Fax> A loud scream of pain from the medical ward answers that question.
[20:22] * Carson cringes. "Yeouch..."
[20:22] * Janna winces. "Sounds..... unpleasant..." she begins pacing.
[20:23] * Tetra winces as well.
[20:23] * Mayard shakes his head.
[20:23] * Mayard then notices everyone else winced, and winces a bit, too.
[20:24] * Ceol yawns and begins picking his teeth with a claw
[20:24] * Tetra thinks for a while longer, and then reaches down to take a look at the ribbon tying his left arm to his belt.
[20:25] * Carson stretches and adjusts his gloves. SHould probably get some new ones soon...
[20:25] * Mayard checks his coat to make sure all his tonics and potions are nice and secure.
[20:26] <Ceol> Have any scouts been sent out?
[20:26] * Tetra lets out a semi-audible, "Hmmm..." and continues thinking to himself.
[20:26] <Carson> Maybe. They're probably dead.
[20:27] <Ceol> So we have no reliable information about the chosen route to Quartz...
[20:27] * Janna (doommarine@pcp02914107pcs.andrsn01.tn.comcast.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
[20:27] <Carson> Well, we're pretty sure it has lots of monsters on it. Probably zombies and whatnot.
[20:28] <Ceol> It would be nice to know if any more demons are nearby, and where the large clumps of undead are
[20:29] <Carson> We had a map somewhere, that showed where the badder ones were, I think. Who's got it?
[20:29] <Tetra> "... I think... it's not going to matter where we go. We'll run into something. Rather, it's going to run into us."
[20:30] * Demonic_Gerbil (kanofbus@68-64-229-35.ironoh.adelphia.net) has joined #aria
[20:30] <Ceol> Better to know exactly what we will run into now..
[20:30] <Ceol> ( - the now )
[20:31] <Carson> Probably, yeah. It'd be just our luck, hunh?
[20:31] * Tetra looks over at Carson.
[20:31] <Tetra> "You have no idea."
[20:31] * Ceol stands up, " I'm going to go scouting then.."
[20:32] <Mayard> "Good luck!"
[20:32] <Carson> They won't let you out any faster.
[20:33] <Ceol> We'll see
[20:33] * Carson shrugs, and wishes he had a nice way to keep track of time. He'll give it ten minutes, tops, for 'im to come back.
[20:33] * Ceol adjusts his sword, and heads out of the hall
[20:34] <Tetra> "While I'm thinking of what we'll run into... have any of you seen Yvalphone since we left the cathedral?"
[20:35] * Carson shrugs again. "Been thinking too hard to notice much at all."
[20:35] * Demonic_Gerbil is now known as Nachttier
[20:35] * Tetra mutters under his breath.
[20:35] <Tetra> "... better not be thinking of staying behind..."
[20:35] * Nachttier somehow lurks his way into City Hall and lurks right up to the rest of the party. You'd think he'd had enough of that, what with lurking near where Koreyan is healing up all day and all that.
[20:36] <Aldante_Fax>
[AFK 2 mins.]
[20:36] * Carson wishes that bastard would stop appearing out of the shadows and stuff. Kinda annoying after a while.
[20:37] * Tetra looks over at Carson.
[20:38] <Tetra> "If you don't mind my asking, what's that rune of yours?"
[20:38] <Aldante_Fax> Ceol, at the Island Gate: "You'll have to go up to the ramparts to have a look for yourself. They're right outside."
[20:38] <Tetra> (( If this was answered before, sorry. My memory fails me ))
[20:38] * Carson looks down at it. "It's a long story. I just don't know half of it."
[20:39] * Tetra nods.
[20:39] <Tetra> "I see."
[20:39] <Ceol> (( I'll go on the ramparts and take a look.. ))
[20:39] <Carson> When I was a kid, our village got attacked by some... I dunno, shadows, or monsters, or something. I got knocked out. Woke up with this on my shoulder a while later...
[20:40] <Carson> Strength Through Adversity.
[20:40] * Carson looks back over at Tetra. "You ever seen anything like it? Didn't sound like it, but it couldn't hurt to, you know, ask..."
[20:41] <Aldante_Fax> About a mile or so away from the wall you see a raging body of undead being marshalled into neat orderly lines. Massive war machines that a soldier identifies as trebuchets are being repaired by some people in dark black cloaks. It's going to look ugly when they're ready.
[20:41] * Mayard . o O ( I don't think I've ever seen that before. I'll have to keep it in mind, though. )
[20:41] <Tetra> (( Fax: Can I roll on any Lores to pick it up? ))
[20:42] * ZeroNumber (ZeroNumber@user-12lm765.cable.mindspring.com) has joined #aria
[20:42] <Aldante_Fax>
[Summoning lore at 1/2 penalty.]
[20:42] <Tetra> !roll 1d100
[20:42] <Highwind> Tetra - 1d100: 30 ( Total: 30 )
[20:42] <Carson> (Oooooh.)
[20:42] <Tetra> (( Damnit. That've made it if it wasn't for the half ))
[20:42] <Carson> (*nod*)
[20:43] <Aldante_Fax> <Tetra> It's on the tip of my tounge. I know I've read it somewhere before.
[20:43] * Carson shakesh is head. "I get that a lot. I've asked mages and stuff about it, but they usually don't know much - or won't tell me what they do."
[20:44] <Tetra> "I figured as much." 6Tetra continues thinking.
[20:44] <Tetra> "Although it's going to bother me until I remember what it means..."
[20:44] <Nachttier> "Hopefully it will not obsess you."
[20:45] * Tetra looks over at Nachttier.
[20:45] <Tetra> "Not at the moment, no."
[20:45] * Carson blinks.
[20:45] <Tetra> "I've got other things to worry about, for the time being."
[20:45] <Aldante_Fax> Ceol: The line of undead stretches along the horizon. There are several batallion's worth, easily more than enough to overpower the defenses inside Cocoon. Their war machines are weak, though, from the stress they have placed on them. Shoddy workmanship also means they break frequently and they are hard to repair. Without them the undead ahve no way to get across the walls.
[20:46] * Tetra continues thinking to himself.
[20:46] <Ceol> (( completely surrounded as well? ))
[20:46] <Ceol> (( er.. nevermind. scratch that ))
[20:47] <Ceol> (( <feels dumb> ))
[20:47] <Carson> (Aldante; you could just summarize your entire description in one sentance: Cocoon is FUBAR.)
[20:47] * Aldante_Fax sets mode: +o Highwind
[20:47] * Tetra looks over at Nachttier again.
[20:48] <Tetra> "I don't think you were here when I asked last time. You seen Yvalphone at all?"
[20:48] <Tetra> "She's been gone since we left the cathedral."
[20:48] <Nachttier> "Yvalphone? No. Aside from Koreyan, and seeing young Janna stealing someone's lunch money I have not encountered one of our party until arriving here."
[20:49] <Tetra> "... great. Thanks anyways."
[20:49] * Tetra loses himself in thought once more.
[20:50] <Ceol> (( hmm.. i'll try to find a map of the area, and start marking what i see in the distance as best i can ))
[20:51] <Carson> (*draws a little circle. Cocoon. Draws a big circle. Zombies. Writes in between: All That Enters Here Is Screwed.)
[20:51] <Nachttier> ((May as well make Tetra roll more dice. :p))
[20:51] <Nachttier> "Since you are performing the appraiser's task in regards to potentially magical objects," Nachttier lowers his all-too-standard hood from his face, "perhaps the sigils worked into this mask have some meaning. I have derived great protection from wearing it, yet its previous owner was a simple, if somewhat large, beast."
[20:51] <Carson> (There's always that, yeah.)
[20:52] * Mayard takes a look at a few pages in a rather large book he carries.
[20:52] <Aldante_Fax> Ceol: What you've marked is already said and done weeks ago. There are already tons of maps showing the situation you're sketching out now.
[20:52] <Ceol> (( i do it anyway, to have a copy of my own ))
[20:52] * Carson leans over. "Whatcha readin', kid?"
[20:52] * Nachttier reveals the simple tan mask covering half his face, with nifty sigils all over it.
[20:52] <Aldante_Fax> Hmm...
[20:52] * Mayard immediately closes the book in surprise. "Some formulas...
[20:53] <Nachttier> ((And suddenly a drunken passer-by shouts out "ZERGRUSH ZERGRUSH!!"))
[20:53] <Aldante_Fax> Tetra can make a roll at 1/2 Enchantment to find out.
[20:53] * Mayard stops mid-sentence to stare at the mask.
[20:53] <Tetra> !roll 1d100
[20:53] * Carson blinks. "Oh... Uh, okay."
[20:53] <Highwind> Tetra - 1d100: 68 ( Total: 68 )
[20:53] <Tetra> (( WAY over. ))
[20:53] <Carson> (Bad Highwind.)
[20:53] <Aldante_Fax> <Tetra> I don't have a damn clue what that mask is.
[20:53] <Tetra> (( Yeah. Totally ))
[20:53] <Tetra> (( Although I suppose I can try once I boost the skill ratings some ))
[20:54] <Tetra> (( Speaking of which... we need XP. :P ))
[20:54] <Carson> (Aye.)
[20:54] <Carson> (Heh. We're, oh, 500 away from Level 4.)
[20:54] * Mayard shakes his head for a moment. "Some formulas given to me a while back."
[20:54] <Ceol> (( he gave us 800 exp and 200 gil ))
[20:54] * Tetra shakes his head. "Sorry... they don't seem at all familiar."
[20:54] <Tetra> (( He did? Where? ))
[20:54] <Ceol> (( said it earlier ))
[20:54] <Carson> (way earlier)
[20:55] <Tetra> (( As in, before I showed up earlier? ))
[20:55] <Tetra> (( Because I've been checking the MTB forums for our rewards ))
[20:55] <Nachttier> "I expected as much. No dedicated enchanter which I have encountered has recognized them. It rarely hurts to ask."
[20:56] <Carson> (Aldante doesn't usually pay attention to EPX/Gil unless we - meaning, I - yell at 'im.)
[20:56] <Aldante_Fax>
[On occasion it has hurt, though.]
[20:57] <Tetra> (( *wonders if the library he used to study at has become toasted* ))
[20:57] <Carson> (...Oh. Sorry, man. If I ever get too much on your back, you can just tell me to step off.)
[20:57] <Tetra> (( Rather, wherever he studied. Not sure if Cocoon even WOULD have a library. :P ))
[20:58] <Carson> (Probably used all the boks as kindling to burn corpses.)
[20:58] <Carson> (*books)
[20:58] <Aldante_Fax>
[Only ones that are around now are medical textbooks.]
[20:58] * Mayard shudders for a moment, then buries himself back in his book.
[20:58] * Mayard tries very hard to not look at Nachttier.
[20:59] * Carson idly scratches his arm. Hm...
[20:59] * Tetra stretches for a moment, then loosens the ribbon on his arm a little bit.
[21:00] * Ceol walks back in and takes a seat.
[21:00] <Aldante_Fax> !roll 1d100
[21:00] <Highwind> Aldante_Fax - 1d100: 7 ( Total: 7 )
[21:00] <Nachttier> ((I don't like that.))
[21:01] <Tetra> (( Either someone's borked, or someone's happy now ))
[21:01] <Tetra> (( Ten bucks says the first one ))
[21:01] <Mayard> (( Low GM rolls scare me. ))
[21:01] <Aldante_Fax> !roll 3d100
[21:01] <Highwind> Aldante_Fax - 3d100: 17, 38, 96 ( Total: 151 )
[21:01] <Carson> (Too bad we havent' any S-Points... Oh god.)
[21:01] <Nachttier> ((Take cover!!!))
[21:01] <Carson> (*wishes he had No Mercy.)
[21:02] <Aldante_Fax>
[Those were just "I'm shittin' you" rolls, actually.]
[21:02] <Carson> (Or a Limit Break, Cassidy style.)
[21:02] <Ceol> (( i can imagine.. 'you all take 151 damage, through armor' ))
[21:02] * Carson settles back in his chair, leaning so as to almost totter. He slowly drifts off to sleep, getting some shuteye before all hell breaks loose. He has a dream of rollign dice. 'the die is cast..?'
[21:02] * Carson is now known as ElementalKnight
[21:03] <ElementalKnight> (Bed for me. Toodles, all, this has pwned!)
[21:03] * ElementalKnight (Elemental_@dhcp31181243.columbus.rr.com) Quit (Quit: And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light, that shines on me. Shine until tomorrow, Let It Be.)
[21:03] <Tetra> (( Yay. ))
[21:03] <Tetra> (( I should head out, as well. ))
[21:03] <Tetra> (( Need to fulfill my wanderlust ))
[21:03] * Tetra is now known as Sephorus
[21:03] * Nachttier lurks his way over to behind Mayard.
[21:03] * Highwind was kicked by Aldante_Fax (Bitch ho!)
[21:03] * Highwind (Highwind@customer-206-107-186-71.rmci.net) has joined #aria
[21:04] * Sephorus (SkyeGainsb@du150136.wpt.ptd.net) Quit (Quit: Whee! Now we go up!)
[21:04] * Mayard is feeling very nervous, and looks about ready to leave.
[21:05] * Mayard closes his book, in fact, and puts it away.
[21:05] * Nachttier then lurks his way to a chair.
[21:05] <Mayard> "Excuse me... I need to make a coulple more preparations."
[21:06] * Mayard gets up and walks out of the room.
[21:06] * Mayard is now known as N_X
[Homework]
[21:06] <Ceol> suppose i'll go off and train abit..
[21:06] * Ceol springs out of his chair and leaves the hall.
[21:06] * Ceol is now known as Saren
[21:07] <Aldante_Fax> Nach.
[21:07] <Aldante_Fax> Heh heh. Funny syllable.
[21:07] <Aldante_Fax> So that wraps up this little interlude before destruction.