mythicdawnmaster Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Xallistine tethered Fatty outside the Green Tankard, and patted the horse. They had a real bond now, the Ulitharid and his steed. Xallistine shrugged off the fearful gazes and gasps of patrons as he entered the tavern, but he made no moves to attack, instead he gracefully made his approach to a large circular table in one of the darker corners of the Tavern. As he got out his journal, he suddenly reflected upon the name Miora... He had heard it somewhere before... It was Thayan in origin, which made him all the more weary. He sat, writing down possible roles for this 'Miora', scribbling out many once he had ruled them out. He had crossed off his list at least 60 roles and times, but one in particular remained. "Lady Rhaine, i believe i know whom Miora is; or was." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AurianaValoria1 Posted October 29, 2012 Author Share Posted October 29, 2012 Rhaine looked around the tavern. It was a warm, cozy place, and it seemed lively enough. After a few moments of taking the place in, she heard Xallistine call to her. Concerned, she walked over to where the Ulitharid was sitting, peering over his shoulder at the many notes he had suddenly scrawled. "What is it, friend?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mythicdawnmaster Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 (edited) Xallistine flipped through another book that rested on the table next to him, it was a record of Thayan Red Wizards from hundreds of years before Szass Tam. He found a page dating back to around 580 years ago, and the page contained only limited information on the Zulkir of enchantment of that time, Miora. He looked up at Rhaine and commented "I knew i had heard her name before... Miora, as you can see she was a great enchantress, and her body was never found in Thay... I believe the eye is referring to something she may have created." Edited October 29, 2012 by mythicdawnmaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naktis Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Nawen looked around the tavern. Despite the possible dangers that lurked in the shadows of every inn and tavern in Faerun she liked the atmosphere and always loved staying in one if she could afford the room or at least a decent dinner in one. The ranger noticed that Xallistine chose a table in one of the darker corners of the tavern. She ordered everyone a nice meal and some drinks before seating herself at the table. Nawen glanced at the journal before looking back at her Ulitharid friend. She always admired how he carried himself. How he didn't care the way strangers reacted to his presence. She was never able and probably never could walk around in public without her hood on. Too many stones were thrown at her for being a Drow. "So this eye isn't her actual eye?" Nawen asked referring to the Gulk'aush's eye that Rhaine had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ithildin Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 As Mahira approached the Green Tankard with Echo in tow, she recognized some of the travelers she had seen earlier; the sable-winged elvish woman seemed to smile and nod in her direction before disappearing inside the tavern. Mahira abruptly halted and grabbed Echo's shoulder, warily watching the Ulitharid as he followed his companions indoors. "Ouch! What's wrong with you? I’m starved!" exclaimed the halfling, immediately before catching sight of the nightmarish creature. She shouted, “What in Faerun is that?!” and wriggled out of the Calishite's grasp. She ran heedlessly to the tavern door, stiff-armed it out of her way, and darted inside. Mahira had no choice but to chase after her foolish friend. She barely had time to register the sight of horses tethered nearby, and felt a fleeting sense of satisfaction in the thought that someone heard her rant about the horse thief. Once inside the tavern, she watched, horrified, as Echo approached the far corner where the Ulitharid had arranged himself and his belongings. “Please forgive my intrusion,” said the halfling, with a brief glance at the creature’s books. She bowed respectfully. “I am called Echo, and … I must admit I’ve never seen anything like you before. What – er, who are you?” Her eyes traveled from his bizarre tentacles and flowing robes to the scarlet-haired woman standing beside him; she smiled, and bowed a second time. Her eyes widened when she realized the lovely lady had wings. Mahira caught up to Echo just as a slender feminine figure clad in green and brown crossed the room to sit with the Ulitharid. Mahira wondered why the newcomer wore a hood indoors; she could barely discern the glint of eyes through the shadow beneath the hood, and nodded in greeting, doing her best not to stare at anyone in particular. How in the name of Ilmater have these people befriended an Ulitharid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macman253 Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Kurashi smiled widely as they strolled into the tavern, he found a nice comfortable place on their wagon and laid down. He soon felt himself drift off to sleep and began snoring loudly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AurianaValoria1 Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 (edited) Rhaine grinned at Nawen's remark, "I am positive that this 'Eye' is indeed metaphorical, friend." The Doomguide pored over Xallistine's book, her eyes darting across the page to take in all of the information. Her face was grim, and she subconsciously played with her holy amulet as she thought. "Kelemvor was right," Rhaine murmured as she recalled his avatar's cryptic words back in Arabel. Szass Tam was indeed the least of their worries, as of now. Though Thay was involved, it was not the Zulkir of Necromancy that was their greatest threat at the moment... When is he not right? she thought, slightly amused. At that moment, the dark-skinned girl she had seen outside the tavern boldly strode up to Xallistine, inquiring as to what the Ulitharid's race actually was. As Rhaine fixed her eyes upon the girl, however, she was hit with the realization that this wasn't a mere girl at all. She was a halfling. Though she had impish features - easily mistaken for those of a child's face - her proportions were that of a fully mature woman. Rhaine smiled down at Echo, placing a hand on Xallistine's shoulder as she did so, "My friend is an Ulitharid, a more powerful subspecies of the common Illithid. Surfacers know them as Mind Flayers, and they are rarely welcomed in the light of day due to their...penchant, for humanoid brain matter. I can assure you, however, that Xallistine here means no harm, and I am sure he would be happy to discuss with you the details of his heritage." She then offered her own slight bow, "Now, if you will excuse me, I must procure some information from the innkeeper," she nodded to Nawen, "I will return shortly." With that, she made her way up to the bar and asked a waitress to summon the owner. Perhaps he would know something of this local banshee...and the specifics of Ravenna's whereabouts. Edited October 30, 2012 by AurianaValoria1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mythicdawnmaster Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 If Xallistine was capable of smiling, he would have done so, rather, he closed his pupil-less eyes, and bowed his head to the halfling in front of him "Indeed a pleasure to make your acquaintanceship, halfling, I am indeed Xallistine, in your tongue, an Ulitharid of differing nature to my kin. Lady Rhaine, my winged companion, speaks the truth; I wish upon you no harm. Please, be sat, i am more than happy to indulge in the sharing of knowledge." Xallistine projected his mental voice as he always had done so, in the same distance humanoid voices could travel. ----------------- "Come Sefris, we must leave. I sense that there will be investigation as to why our dark carriage chose this for as it's location." Ravenna remarked, getting into the dreadful vessel, followed by Sefris. It set off further into the dark of the great forest, heading forward to find the first piece of the blade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ithildin Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Echo watched as the lovely black-winged lady moved off toward the bar; she reached out as if to touch some of those soft feathers, but found her hand blocked by Mahira's. "Remember your manners," the older woman murmured. "Would you want someone handling your hair without permission?" Before Echo could respond, she suddenly received the Ulitharid's communication, and gazed at him in wonder until he completed his thought. "I'm delighted to meet you, Xallistine," she replied. "My standoffish friend here is Mahira." She sat down at the table and shot a defiant look at the Calishite, whose jaw had dropped open as soon as Xallistine began to "speak". Mahira closed her mouth, then opened it and stammered, "I - I'm, well ... I must say I'm very surprised to meet you, Xallistine, but p-pleased nonetheless." She cleared her throat and began again. "I've never seen a ... Mind Flayer in person; I've only heard tales about your kind, apparently inaccurate ones. Please excuse me, I - I'll be back in a moment." With a self-conscious bow, she went to order something for the halfling to eat. Echo studied Xallistine's decidedly unusual features. "If you don't mind my asking, sir, where do you hail from originally? How did you come to meet Lady Rhaine, and the rest of your companions here?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mythicdawnmaster Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Xallistine watched the body language of both new women, and studied there tones intently... They both seemed sincere in the fact they were simply curious, rather than trying to procure information on the groups travels for the many enemies they had made over there trip- That, and he had quite enough of betrayal from members of there close-knit party. Xallistine finally submitted a reply."Ah... the mystery of where i hail from is one i do not fully comprehend the answer of... There are many theories and speculation as to where my kind as a whole came from, some say another plane of existence entirely, another time, and others are more practical in thinking the obvious: The Underdark. It was the place of my... Birth, to use a term a creature of your biology would understand... My kind does not reproduce in the way you mammals do, we each may produce an offspring in our lifespan, in the form of a Tadpole, again, it is not truly a tadpole when compared to that of a Frog's, but it has similar properties in it's appearance. Now forgive me for sidetracking so rudely... Where was it i had reached? Ah yes, I hail from the underdark, specifically an isolated Illithid colony of sorcerers, I was born the first Ulitharid in the colony's history, so i had a life of... Luxury? yes, that is a word suitable for the situation i believe. To skip decades of uneventful happenings, i finally had my own home constructed on a rock formation near a gap leading to the surface world, to keep my interest in you surface dwellers real." The Ulitharid paused for a moment, rubbing his cranium gently as he thought on. "Such was how i met the Lady Rhaine and her stalwart companions, they were passing through the underdark in there search for the source of an undead plague that had befallen due to Necromancer's meddling, i witnessed Lady Rhaine and her companions defeat a formidable group of Beholders, so i made my approach. At first, i believe they were wary as to my presence, and i had to assure them i meant no harm, after a former companion named Norgold was injured, i offered them board in my home." Xallistine paused a moment, letting what he had said hopefully sink in. "From there, we made our assault on a desecrated temple, which harboured great evils; Among them the witch we are hunting now. She escaped through trickery and manipulation, making us think she was an ally... Once she had left we confronted a creature known as a Dracolich, of which i destroyed it's Phylactery. And from there, a passage leading to the surface was revealed... i could not resist the temptation of a journey with such fine specimens, and here i am today, still learning and enjoying every second of my company, and the surface of this great world." Xallistine concluded, his tone ever happy and friendly, as he spun his true tale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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