Lunch continues; Kal and Surin talk
Subject Kal and Surin
"Surin." Kal says, "I figured at this point everyone hated me as the enemy. Are you here to accuse me? If so, leave me be."
From: Karl
Subject Surin
(OOC- good. Salix wouldn't have forgotten Surin and this explains why he didn't specifically invite Surin to the tavern. He wasn't in the room at the time. ;-)
From: Jake
Subject Kal and Surin
"Nah, ain't particularly interested in doing any accusing. Came to talk. Can I come in?"
From: Jason
Subject Lunch
Ragnar replies "The Wildlands are aptly named. Many of the same lifeforms that are found here are prevalent there as well, but the Wildlands also have some inhabitants I've not seen since leaving. Humankind shares the wilderness with other forms of sentient life, as well as animals both cunning and ferocious. The plants have their own forms of defense, of course, and the area is well-known among those of the arcane arts for its exports of natural poisons. I have even seen a thing which I would have sworn was a plant attack and devour a small animal.
"As for the dragons, I have heard the same tales while here in Gorn, and though I suspect the stories are products of an active imagination, there may well be a grain of truth to them. Certainly the locals believe that the mountains are home to dragons of various types. Many even claim to have seen them, but it is difficult to know how credible these tales are. I myself saw a creature that may have been a dragon, but it was late at night and from a great distance. It may well have been something else that gives rise to all these rumors.
"Whether or not our enemies discover our purpose, it is likely we will have to fight our way to the portal against some of the bolder inhabitants of the area."
From: Kevin
Subject Lunch
Harp will add little to this conversation. He is still brooding about that damn little elf and his snotty attitude. He may add a few comments here or there, but will let Salix do most of the talking. He will not be rude to any of the guest, just not very outgoing - he is still working things through his little mind.
From: Karl
Subject Lunch
Salix continues with this line of conversation for as long as Ragnar is willing and doesn't seem too bored by it. He especially wants to know about any flora or fauna that Ragnar has not seen since leaving the Wildlands. Salix is fascinated by the story of what sounds like a plant-creature. He has heard of them and heard rumors that there might even be some in parts of the Great North Woods that he has not been to, though he has never encountered one face to face (so to speak). He finds the conversation refreshing, and a welcome distraction after spending so much energy contemplating Kal. He will do his best to include Harp, nudging him and motioning to Ragnar when the Dwarf speaks of anything particularly remarkable or interesting. Even if Harp isn't able to add to the conversation, there's no reason to let him brood.
From: Karl
Subject Mailing list problems
Mark, by the way, I didn't get Jason's email at work. I only saw it because Kevin responded. (Just another case to add to the ongoing list issues.)
From: Kevin
Subject Lunch
OOC: But he broods so well!! If he can't revel in his discontent, who else can?
Now if this were a murder mystery PBEM game, Kal would wind up dead the next morning, Harp would have blacked out, and then the hunt would be on as to who did it.
It was the rogue, with the candlestick, in the conservatory.
From: Jason
Subject Lunch
ooc: Well, Ragnar is willing to do question and answer for a good while, but Jason would have trouble coming up with more answers that are interesting but vague enough to not interfere with our DM's world :) After they finish, Ragnar is planning to go see Kal but that will probably have to wait for Surin's conversation because we've been eating lunch for quite some time.
From: Josh
Subject Kal and Harp
"Kal would wind up dead the next morning, Harp would have blacked out, and then the hunt would be on as to who did it."
More like Kal would be stuck pleading self defense after he had to kill a drunken half-orc that broke into his room. :-D
From: Mark
Subject Kal and Harp
Or they would wake up in bed together. That would make Salix jealous. :)
From: Josh
Subject Kal and Surin
Kal is surprised that this halfling came to talk. It had seemed before that the entire group was allied against him. "He's with them," Kal quickly realizes, "here to probe my defenses, to see where I'm weak. I can't trust him either, it'll get me killed."
If anyone was watching they would see Kal's demeanor change, his face transforming into a mask of arrogance. His sword-dance remains unchanged, the only constant Kal seems to keep. If anything, he begins working at his drills even harder, quietly punishing himself for every tiny mistake.
"Come in, try not to mind the sword."
From: Karl
Subject Mailing list problems
Interesting. I didn't get Josh's email again, but I got your reply to it.
From: Karl
Subject Grammer Nazi
OOC - Mark, I did get this one. Don't know why I haven't gotten the others.
Also, just to play grammar nazi, you don't use quotation marks for thoughts. I've seen a lot of people doing this and thought I'd point it out. :-)
From: Karl
Subject Lunch
Salix will just continue the conversation in the tavern for as long as someone in the group is willing to hang out. He will also ask Ragnar if there is anything he should pick up for the journey other than what he already has packed. (Tell me if there is anything and I'll add it to my character sheet). Once everyone is finished and ready to leave, Salix will check out the town, buying anything Ragnar suggested, then hang out until near dusk when he will head back to the Chapter House. If the weather is nice, Salix will probably find a nice spot in the garden and will probably even sleep there if there is a spot he can get comfortable in and isn't likely to be walked on. In the morning he will attend the wedding. As a present to Angelwing and Rochelle, he will pray for Plant Growth (Enrichment) and cast it where it will be most beneficial to the couple (either on their own crops or gardens or on the Chapter House garden if they will be living there.
(OOC - I can role-play out any of that if you need me to, but other than those things, Salix is ready to start the next adventure, so I'm just gonna wait for the next DM write-up unless someone else writes something needing a response from Salix. /OOC)
From: Kevin
Subject Vacation
Mark, I am going to be leaving for vacation tomorrow afternoon. I will be able to check e-mail's in the morning, but will be unavailable until Monday at the earliest. I will try to find a small internet cafe where we are going. If you do not hear from me on Monday, assume that I was unable to find one and treat Harp as you will.
Would you also check my stats on Sakeriver? I think I have made the correct updates, but I want an experience eye to review them. I am sure that I have missed something, just can't think of what it is.
From: Mark
Subject Wedding
I am going to be writing the wedding scene this weekend which, as you might expect, should be quite revealing.
You guys can have util then to do any RP you want, inparticular Jake and Josh. Also if Surin gets Kal out of his room and over to the party then maybe there might be something between Kal and the rest of the party, like maybe a brawl. :)
From: Derek
Subject Lunch
Allistair continues drinking ale as the conversation winds down. He'll keep buying drinks for anyone that's still at the table and willing to drink.
OOC: So who is still at the table in the tavern?
From: Jason
Subject Lunch
ooc:Who is still at the table, when? We're on slightly different time-lines here. Kal and Surin started talking shortly after the meeting, while our lunch didn't start until about an hour afterwards And Ranthir is probably way ahead of all of us (timewise) after all he's done. Ragnar will stay for awhile since it appears Salix is interested in what he has to say, but he won't spend more than a couple of hours because he wants to talk to Kal as well.
From: Porter
Subject Mund
Mund gets tired of all y'all taking so long to get to him.
He pulls out Millie and starts whittling a toothpick.
From: Karl
Subject Lunch
Salix will stay as long as Allistair. If he gets any advice of stuff to pack from Ragnar, he can pick it up tomorrow afternoon or later.
From: Karl
Subject Lunch
So it looks like Salix and Allistair are gonna be there for a good part of the afternoon. You can roleplay a conversation or whatever if you want.
Kevin didn't give any instructions for Harp so we can assume he's there too.
From: Jake
Subject Kal and Surin
"Don't mind if I do," Surin says with a nod, and slips into the room, closing the door behind himself. He perches on the back of the heavy wooden chair that stands next to the tall oaken dresser and watches as Kal practices his swordsmanship. After a little while he reaches into his pack and draws forth an apple, which he proceeds to eat absently as he watches the performance. He finishes, looks down at the apple core, and then glances around the room for a trash can. Seeing none he flicks it out the window, licks his fingers, and wipes them on the thighs of his pants.
"You're a fair hand with that blade of yours, Kal--goes just where you want it to, an no further. It true what you were saying back there? That it's the same with your tongue? I always just figured you was spouting off, you saying those things to Harp. You really thought all that out ahead of time? Planned it, like?"
From: Kevin
Subject Lunch
Harp will stay around for a while, probably a long while. He and Allistair mgiht get into a friendly drinking competition - nothing outward, just each noticing how much the other is drinking and trying to stay up (or ahead) of the other. I want to see who gets to carry the big lug home.
Mark, I expect Harp will stay until after dinner time, but will not stay out the whole night (say 9 pm or so - a good 8-9 hours of drinking. Enough to dull the wedding, but not make him miss it.
If Kal does show up, I would guess that there is a 50/50 chance a fight might start. Otherwise, Harp will just try to leave.
From: Josh
Subject Kal and Surin
Kal continues drilling without responding. He's steping through what appears to be an actual battle in his head, one step at a time, slowly. He ducks left, then steps to the left. He spins back, and feints forward. Surin realizes this would put most enemies on the defensive. Kal feints forward again. He stops himself. Resets back to the last position and repeats the last step. Satisfied, he moves on. A step to the left, a pause, a step to the right. A spin to the left, another feint. Another step the left, and a thrust. Kal's body completely commited to the attack.
He pauses. He looks at his left leg, and then repositions it. He repeats the entire dance, this time his left leg ending in a more guarded position.
"He's reliving the last battle!" Surin realizes. "He made this exact maneuver against that Githyanki! It's from right before he got his thigh cut open."
Kal continues to repeat the attack, each time varying slightly, each time trying to make it less predictable.
Without slowing his drilling, Kal finally replies: "Why are you asking me that question? You already know the truth you wish to believe. I couldn't convince you otherwise."
OOC: I'll be checking my email pretty frequently tonight, so if you're gonna be around we can get a couple of these exchanges done tonight.