Guardian Angel Haruki

The Rise from the Ashes

Let me know if I should edit my post based on a fail.

@LiLNasY

I'm afraid 9 is a fail, so Cadmus isn't able to keep up with her.

But if he succeeds on a Survival and Perception check, he can find her. ^_^

The Rise from the Ashes

Ooohhh...

For pursuing Meli, can I quickly get an Athletics, Survival, and Perception check from you?

It's to see if Cadmus is able to keep up with Meli and/or find her.

EDIT: Let's also throw in a Persuasion check please. ^_^

Wanderings in the Lost Realms

Kilona Starshield

Kilona followed Delgren down the tunnel. After fifteen minutes of crawling, they finally reached the end of the tunnel, where the boards blocked their way. Kilona looks carefully at the boards while Delgren pushes at them. She can see that he is going to need help getting the boards out of the way. She notices that he is pushing against the boards, when he should be pulling them instead. She speaks up to him, "Here, let me help,"

She stretches her arms over Delgren, and grabs a board with both hands. She instructs him, "Alright, pull!" She then pulls at the boards and proceeds to remove them one by one with Delgren's help.

The Rise from the Ashes

Oh man, I didn't notice I had posted in the OOC, sorry for that

@LiLNasY

No worries. It's all good.
Nothing a Quote can't fix. ^_^

Time Marches On: A Witchlight Adventure Starring Miss Light

"I have been summoned!"

The Rise from the Ashes

I felt bad as soon as I saw Meli's face change. The happiness drained out of it, replaced by hurt and confusion. I shouldn't have snapped at her like that.

"I'm sorry, Meli," I said, my voice softer now. "You didn't do anything wrong. I just... I had a bad dream. That's all."

I turned to Isolde as she handed me the letter. My eyes scanned the words quickly, then read them again more slowly. Triple the pay. Come to Ophidia. Last reminder.

That last line made my stomach twist. It wasn't just an offer anymore. It was a warning.

I set the letter down on the table and looked at the three faces around me. Elena, Garrick, Isolde. And Meli, still pouting slightly but watching me with those bright eyes.

"We should take it," I said.

The words came out before anyone could interrupt. I needed to say this all at once, needed them to understand.

"Listen to me, please. This is twenty-five thousand gold. That's enough to buy land somewhere else, somewhere far from Ophidian interests. Somewhere safe." My voice got stronger as I talked, more urgent. "I need to keep you safe. All of you. You've given everything for me. Your whole lives. And now they're threatening us. You saw those soldiers. You read this letter."

I looked at Elena, at the silver in her hair. At Garrick's hands that weren't as steady as they used to be. At Isolde's tired eyes.

"Adam spent twenty-four years keeping me alive. I won't let his work be for nothing by getting you all hurt or worse.

We can leave. Start over. They get their orchard, and we get to live in peace somewhere else."

My heart was beating fast. The words felt right and wrong at the same time. This was the smart choice. The safe choice. Adam had taught me to think strategically, to know when to fight and when to retreat.

But then my eyes landed on Meli.

The Moonpetal Gathering. Her home. Her family. The satyrs who had stood with us when the soldiers came, who had made this orchard more than just a hiding place. They lived so close to here, just into the grove.

If we sold and left, what would happen to them? The road already cut close to their sacred spaces. How long before Ophidia pushed further? How long before the Moonpetal had nowhere left to go?

"Fuck," I whispered.

The word slipped out before I could stop it. My hand, the draconic one, clenched into a fist on the table.

@LiLNasY

Upon hearing Cadmus's apology, Meli's expression softened into one of understanding, and she states softly, "Oh..." She then reassures him, her voice going back to its normal brightness, "It's okay. Nightmares suck, but maybe The Wild was trying to tell you something?"

Everyone is silent as Cadmus reads the letter and voices his decision. All eyes are on him in shock as he makes the argument to sell the Orchard.

When his eyes land on Meli after making his decision, her happiness has been replaced by a different expression: Unreadable, and yet it's clear what she's feeling the moment she speaks up.

"What. The Fuck?!"

Anger and betrayal can be heard in her voice. She stands up, slamming her hands on the table as she asks Cadmus, "And what happens after that, huh?! Do you even realize that your Orchard is the reason why our home and the sacred groves are still standing at all?! Despite those assholes going around it?! What do you expect us to do after they take the orchard and our home?! Just lay down and die?!"

"Meli--" Elena starts to speak, but Meli doesn't stop,

"No! No. You know what?! Fine! If you want to roll over and show your belly to those greedy, gluttonous bastards, that's your prerogative!"

She then looks at Cadmus teary-eyed, "I thought we were friends! I thought we wouldn't abandon each other in our time of need..."

She weeps as she hurries out of the house, out of the backdoor, and into the wilderness. Elena, Isolde, and Garrick are all silent. Isolde speaks up, "We appreciate your consideration of our efforts. But...are you sure?"

Elena sighs and speaks up, "I'm afraid Meli has a point. There are consequences to giving up the Orchard. Because some of the groves are on our personal property, we were protecting them this entire time,"

Garrick simply remains silent and watches Cadmus intently. It feels like a moment of truth for Cadmus and for his retainers.

Where Wishes Fall (D&D 5e)

Kalila noticed how the footsteps behind her didn't seem to change at all. Either she successfully hid her intentions, or they didn't care. Regardless, she was able to reach the door to the inn after what seemed like an eternity!

Entering the inn was a welcome experience despite her own inherent caution from music and her current situation. Under normal circumstances, she would have loved this place. But, with the fact that she had a pursuer still on her mind, she didn't stray from her goal to get help. Her eyes fall to the Half-Orc bartender. Her voice is a welcome reprieve along with this inn and tavern. She hadn't heard a bartender sound this welcoming in a long time.

She answers Gerta, with a smile of her own and trying to shove the fear aside (and probably failing), "Hello! It's nice to meet you, Gerta. I'm Kalila. Yes, both would be lovely, thank you!" Knowing that she's in a place called Thornwood certainly helps. Now she just needs to find a map to figure out how far from home she is.

It was now or never: She might as well try what safe words she knew here...

She glanced towards the door to see if she can find her pursuer. But of course, her rotten luck dictated that a drunkard and two women leaving would block her vision. The only thing she saw that was unusual was a hint of blue-gray smoke. Was that real, or is it just her nerves deceiving on her senses?

She then asks Gerta, "I don't suppose you have a Celestial's Cocktail?"

If there was no reaction to that particular safe word order, Kalila tries patiently, "No? Ok. How about...Guardian's Gin? Shield Spritzer? Jury's Sanctuary?"

She is half tempted to try, How about a cocktail just named Help?

While naming the safe words, she is trying to give Gerta a look that clearly expressed that she needed help.

Persuasion

Not so great this time. She got a 10

The Rise from the Ashes

They offered 8,333 GP for the Orchard last time.

So triple that would amount to 25,000 Gold for the Orchard.

For reference, a Keep is worth about 75,000 Gold.

The Rise from the Ashes

Not sure if it's worth anything, but I rolled a natural 20 in the insight check. >< roleplayerguild.com/rolls/29580

@LiLNasY

Oh wow! OK! Sure, I'll add a little more to reward the Natural 20. ^_^

Knowing how persistent their attempts to get the Orchard is, it's not far out of the realm of possibility that they would consider means of forcefully taking the Orchard for themselves.

The Rise from the Ashes

Meli looked shocked by how her happy announcement had been silent. After Cadmus clarified that he didn't want to be called the Lord of the House. She pouted a bit, and answered him, her attitude not quite diminished, but definitely affected, "Geez! Okay, fine. Who put thorns in your bed this morning?" She then moved to a seat generously provided for her with a plate of pancakes.

The pancakes were set for everyone. Cadmus would easily notice that each individual plate is topped with the specific person's favorite berries. Knowing Elena now, while this is a kind gesture meant to be a nice start to the day, it's a sure sign that today is going to be a difficult day.

Isolde was indeed knitting to repair a hole in a shirt when Cadmus asks his question. She looks up at him, and she answers him forlornly, "I'm afraid so, M'Lord," She then hands the letter in question to him for him to read. She tells him, "This came in at midnight,"

The letter's contents read as follows

We will triple the pay in the last letter for the Orchard.
Please bring the letters to Ophidia to officially make this agreement.
This is the last reminder.

Open if you succeed on an Insight DC 13 Check

The last line of this brief letter catches Cadmus's attention the most. It is definitely a threat. While the threat isn't clear on what will happen if he doesn't agree to their offers, it's definitely there.

The Crown may be planning to do something drastic...