Midnight RPG - Chapter 14.09
Contents
Kevin[edit]
- [This scene takes place some time after Zal'Kazzir frees the imp, in the time FOLLOWING his introduction "speach" to the group. In the time when you're looking around Vrolk's Laboratory and into the evening when you rest, the little Imp (who has said he is now "bound" to Zal'Kazzir) comes up to you to chat... Think of it as "networking" or "small talk"... hehe...]
KYUAD's PRIVATE talk with Nazif, Zal'Kazzir's courtesan imp=[edit]
"Hello my human friend. T'would I be impolite were I to call you by your given name? Kyuad, is it that your fellow pathwalkers call you? May I speak to you in such a familiar tone?", the small green-gray skinned imp quaries as its eyelids slowly flicker as if the very light beyond its former cage, burns its bulbous eyes... Looking to you in hopes of acceptance...
"I can only hope that you would speak to me in kind. I am Nazif by name, those I call friend know me as the channeller-boon. I am most happy to make your aquaintence. Is it true that you have the glory of destroying an eye of the dark god... a mirror into his soul?? I would be in debt to you good sir, if you were to tell the tale of this most wounderous of deads.", Nazif, sits his bottom to the wooden floors that grow unnaturally out of the obsidian gemstone of the Spire. He sits without bending his body, focusing his eyes looking into your's directly. He seems ever-so inquisitive and even aids you when he notices you picking up anything or moving anything.
Bill / Kyuad[edit]
Kyuad pauses for a moment, thinking. "I can tell you a bit about the event, but only if you agree to tell me how you have this knowledge, being that you have been in this tower for some time. Was it something Vrolk mentioned?"
Assuming Nazif isn't unwilling to explain himself:
"A horse with a single splintering horn, seemingly tainted by the swamps, had attacked us. We assumed we killed it when it ran off, but then it became known that in the place of its remains a disk of solid obsidian had formed. Once we determined it to be a type of proto-mirror, we concocted a plan to destroy it as some persuers reached us. Durgaz was the one to deal the blow however - give him the accolades, I have no need for them."
Belal[edit]
Looking up to the mage, the little advisor scratches his head as if wondering why how he came by the knowledge of the mirror-breaking mattered... But then seems to shrug, supposing it doesn't matter...
"...surely many across the land have heard the reports of the magic confluence and burst that became of it when three dozen orc fell in the Dead Marsh. Surely men and halfling in the villages beyond have already sought out the story of the eruption in the swamps. It would be foolish to doubt the woodland realm has not already discovered the nature of the exodus of power. And one cannot but hope the eye of the Corpse-God did not fully descend on the lower regions for too long. But if you must know, it was your man - Durgaz that shared a touch of the tale with me. The orc would not seem it but he is very very proud of his doing and daring deed. It was alarming to hear him speak of his power to be able to survive the blast of his own accord, he did not once mention how your troupe aided him. He requested my role in spreading the songs and tales of the task. I am happy to oblige, but it is of best interest that I seek to know the entirety of the tale before I can offer my prose. For this, I ask how you and your troupe played a part in the story. ... nearly stumbling, the little curious seeker sits on his hands and looks to Kyuad for insight... But before hearing the tale in greater detail he perks up to ask of the mage's writings. Something the little imp seems keenly interested in...
...ma-lord Kyuad, it seems you tend to your writings a great deal. May I ask you what it is that you write in your books? I have never found the need for such tools of symbol making. My kind is blessed with the mind of a steel trap. My memory holds my lore and legends learned through dozens of ages, and I have never faultered. Is this book of yours something that you hold dear? I should enjoy having you share how it is your put down your writings. This is very very interesting to me. If you wouldn't mind I should like to watch over your shoulder as you write from time to time. I can offer my lorebook mind to you as well, for that is something I hold dear. Should the shadow ever be able to take my mind I would be lost. Is this one of your worst fears as well? The loss of such knowledge, burned in the fires of Shadow would be unkind, but losing the power to have privy to such thought would undo me. In destroying your lore, would this be the worst thing the Shadow in the North could take from you? For if you were to read the words to me I could forever recount them back to you or your ancestors long after you leave the mortal plane.... or forgive... or is it something greater than your written pages?
What do YOU know about Outsiders in general?[edit]
ROLL: Kyuad (Lorebook +11) ROLLED: 15+11 = 26
SO... with this roll - Kyuad gains obscure, known by few, hard to come by lore about Outsiders and the Courtesan Imp: see Kyuad's LOREBOOK for details.
XP HAS BEEN AWARDED AT THIS POINT[edit]
NOTE: you CAN continue this Bluebook, but please do so ONLY beneath this line or it will NOT be counted for xp. Also note the updated scene description of when/where following this point. Thank you.
Belal[edit]
[Assume these conversations are continuations of the private chat and the things discussed with the group. Belal continues chatting with you at various times during the day of your Ritual preperation for Shadaar...]
...the little ambassador, smiles a toothy grin of thanks - to the mystic-companion Kyuad. A wise and old look glazes his bulbous eyes, the imp strokes his head - long spindly fingers scraping his reptilian-like hide from the back of his neck up and over his scalp, finally reaching the space between his eyes as they blink slowly while the little courtesan's mind-gears tumble...
He looks and considers if the Erenlander called Kyuad Finustion will parlay with him a bit more...
"...yes... it WAS your man - Durgaz that shared a touch of the tale with me. The orc would not seem it but he is very very proud of his doing and daring deed. It was alarming to hear him speak of his power to be able to survive the blast of his own accord, he did not once mention how your troupe aided him. He requested my role in spreading the songs and tales of the task. I am happy to oblige, but it is of best interest that I seek to know the entirety of the tale before I can offer my prose. For this, I ask how you and your troupe played a part in the story. ... nearly stumbling, the little curious seeker sits on his hands and looks to Kyuad for insight... But before hearing the tale in greater detail he perks up to ask of the mage's writings. Something the little imp seems keenly interested in...
...ma-lord Kyuad, it seems you tend to your writings a great deal. May I ask you what it is that you write in your books? What is it you hope to accomplish in studying the dead-man there... as the little questioner nods to Shadaar. I have never found the need for such tools of symbol making. My kind is blessed with the mind of a steel trap. My memory holds my lore and legends learned through dozens of ages, and I have never faultered. Belal smiles widely and taps on his noggin. Is this book of yours something that you hold dear? I should enjoy having you share how it is your put down your writings. This is very very interesting to me. If you wouldn't mind I should like to watch over your shoulder as you write from time to time. I can offer my lorebook mind to you as well, for that is something I hold dear. Should the shadow ever be able to take my mind I would be lost. Is this one of your worst fears as well? The loss of such knowledge, burned in the fires of Shadow would be unkind, but losing the power to have privy to such thought would undo me. In destroying your lore, would this be the worst thing the Shadow in the North could take from you? For if you were to read the words to me I could forever recount them back to you or your ancestors long after you leave the mortal plane.... or forgive... or is it something greater than your written pages?
"...ma-lord Kyuad, you speak of times before the Shadow fell... when men united with elf, dwarf and dragon to battle side-by-side in the great wars prior to the veil cast only a short time ago at the dawn of this... the 'last age'. I have walked with rulers, kings, queens, and those that should have been as much or more. I would be honored to share the lives of the respected dead and the ancestry of long gone lines of hope... as the imp points at Kyuad's lorebook that he has seen used much... ...What areas would you like to begin in our study sorceror? I have not spoken of kings in a century. That was not a subject for which the Vile cared to hear. He preferred hearing of flights of the future, as I could only guess... the little advocate paces back-hunched over with a fist stumping the ground as a makeshift cane now and again as his kingly cloak drags the wooden floor. He then slows and stops looking up to Kyuad...
"...some would say my kind serve to live... I differ, it has always been my pleasure to live to serve and Lord Finustion - while it is MASTER Ghulvenne to which I am bound, I can already see that he needs not some of the services I hold best. I have ability to ferry magic words and spell. I would gladly offer those kindnesses to you as needed for but a small price... A quite simple one. I ask that you play to parlay with me. Conversation of might and magic with little need of guile and subterfuge. I grow tired of plying the path of the deciever that my masters would make of me. Might you give this gift to me, and for that I would gladly be your advisor of such things?" The little imp looks up to you, literally and figuratively as it settles once again to watch (and help?) you work... Now and then looking to hand you an implement, a scalpe, a tool of surgery...
Bill / Kyuad[edit]
During Belal's questions about the mirror, Kyuad responds, "Well, since you wish for more details, I'll tell you. As the rest of us hemmed and hawed, undecisive about the matter, your master Zal'Kazzir rode in on a blazing red horse within a cloud of white moths. He declared that Durgaz would strike the mirror and surely die, a detail I'm glad he got wrong, and then the orcs would bow to the mighty and powerful Zal'Kazzir, declaring him to be their god and master. Eranon and I thought that since Zal'Kazzir could never need our help anyway, we decided it would be a good time to do some fishing. I wish I could say we caught something, but I'm afraid both he and I are too stupid to know where to find fish. As Zal'Kazzir single-handedly defeated the remaining enemies, the rest of us stood back and applauded, awe-struck at his... oh I'll call it 'mighty'... handywork."
Then Kyuad lifts his narrowed eyes and meets Belal's gaze with a look of contempt, "Since your tale is based in fiction, you might as well do it right, eh? Do not speak to me further on the matter unless you are willing to be truthful."
The creature continues on, asking about the lorebook Kyuad uses. "You may ask what I write in my books, but it is unlikely that I will share this with you because of whom you have given your fealty. I ask that you do not betray my trust in this matter. Your master cannot protect you if the rest of us begin to see you as a traitor to our group." Then with a heart-felt smile, "I think we would all hate for that to happen, old beast."
As he turns back to his studying Kyuad continues, "I make known what knowledge I have when the need arises, but I am the one who decides when this is. I am sure that your 'lorebook mind' as you call it, contains information that you yourself would only divulge when asked and not before."
As the offer for help with obtaining spells is given, Kyuad pauses to consider the deal. "If conversation is what you seek, then I will be willing to oblige. But secrets that I decide you are not to know are secrets I will not share. You may learn from me only what I decide should be learned, and nothing more. You and your master are too dangerous to us even without knowing everything about our group, and though I harbor no ill will toward you, I trust you less than I would an astirax.
"As I delve deeper into the tomes in this lab, I will have better knowledge of what spells I could best use. I will make you a list when I can, and let you earn some... parlay."
