Monday, October 30, 2017

Parnast Interlude.

"That was the craziest day we've had! Ever!" Virgil exclaimed. Hanging his jacket on the nearby rack in the room he and Stedd had rented for their wait in Parnast.
He felt wrung out, feeling the wear and tear of his efforts finally hit now that he was safe and somewhat relaxed. He poured himself a cup of wine and offered Stedd one, who declined, before sitting on the single bed and kicking his boots off, letting his stretched legs relax.

Stedd was busily rummaging through his bag of holding, smiling as he produced various gems and coins. He looked surprisingly well for someone who'd just been at the business end of a dragon breath. Virgil silently praised his resilience.
"We've made out like bandits," Stedd claimed through his grin. "We've more coin here than I've ever seen."
"Plenty more to come too," Virgil added as he took a mouthful of wine, sighing contently after he swallowed. "Provided our undead dragon friend doesn't burn my books down, we've got even more coming out way if my hunch is right."
Stedd smiled at that and had to readjust his place on the bed as that new sword he had on his hip got in the way.
"You should bite the bolt and get Lirra to show you around that thing," he said, pointing to the ornate looking hilt of Stedd's new weapon.
"She knows her weapons and she's gotta lay off you now that you stood up to, and!-" He added emphasising the latter, "it was your doing that took the fight out of the dragon." A look of unshakable certainty on his face.
Stedd nodded to this last part, still seeming unconvinced about dealing with Lirra as his nods turned to shakes.
"I dunno man," he hesitantly spoke, as Virgil watched his preservation instincts battle to the surface. "She's all bluster and bravado, I've got no interest in getting shown up by her."
Virgil nodded, seeing pride coming to the forefront of this conversation. He waited the right length of time before continuing.
"Okay then," he added with a tone that would imply a new thought. "What if we train together, and we get Lirra to instruct us both?"
Stedd cocked his head slightly, eyes looking off to the side as he began to consider that possibility. Virgil pressed the idea, hoping to edge it in the right direction.
"I want to familiarise myself with other weapons. How they work, what to expect. We can use this time to learn to defend ourselves better! We can still get killed by swords even if we don't like using them." Virgil's momentum carried on.  "Let's use this time to learn how to stay alive better, and help protect our friends in the process!" Virgil raised his tone slightly, allowing an inflection of excitement to coat his words.

*in game, Virgil would be using his diplomat ability to persuade Stedd.*

"Alright, alright," Stedd conceded, "but we spar and Lirra can oversee us." Virgil nodded in agreement.
"I'm not fighting her!" He stated in a final tone.
"Of course, man!" Virgil agreed, reinforcing Stedd's decision. "This will be great!" He added  gulping down his wine before pouring two more glasses out.
Stedd frowned and turned the outstretched cup down. Virgil didn't want to press too hard on his friend. He clanged the two cups together, toasting his own success and drained them both before settling in for the night.

"Hey Virge," Stedd began as Virgil opened one eye too look over in his direction.
"What's going on between you and Cake?"

Monday, October 23, 2017

The Wild Card. Part 1 - Virgil's Perspective.

Virgil watched Landrigosa work her way down the line of his companions. Her decayed, decrepit form explaining the ins and outs of dragon survival.
Keeping a practised look of undivided attention upon his face, he watched the others as she quizzed them on the information she had just provided.

The revelation that Lirra was once trained by this thing before her transformation was quite disconcerting. He wondered if it would effect her judgement when the time came to kill this one. He contemplated taking matters into his own hands.
How easy would it be to blast a few holes in her parachute upon exiting this floating castle. He could easily do so without being discovered. But no, he placed that thought to the back of his mind, not dismissing it completely, but removing it from likely outcomes. 
Right now he hoped that Stedd's nerve would hold and that this plan of his to taunt a dragon would pay off.
Landrigosa finished her briefing and Virgil nodded along with the others. His plan already formed in his head. The trust he was about to place in this group was unprecedented. He donned his wide brimmed hat, and drew his illusory guise about his face. 
"Good hunting to you all." He said before walking away.
He saw the affirmative nods and felt the encouraging pats on his back.
Virgil's eyes locked with Stedd, and he made an effort to soften his gaze and nodded directly to him reassuringly. Stedd returned with a few sharp nods. His eyes wide as his courage and fear waged its own battle.
Virgil turned to move from the group, feeling Obcaeco's fingers bush past his arm. The veiled angled face carried a soft, small smile and it was this that he put in his mind to keep close that he may draw some courage for what he was about to do.

He walked to the end of the intersecting halls, Ice covered walls angled down opening into the large chamber where he saw the form before him, bigger than any beast he'd ever seen. Just one talon would be enough to end him.

He drew Thorn, and he felt the green energy begin to thrum gently within the device.

Thorn cried out, two beams of eldritch energy finding the mark.
"I, Neifion, have come for you, beast!" He projected with his best practised stage voice. The dragon sprang up, quicker than a thing that size should be able to, and bore towards him.
Virgil didn't allow himself a second to consider his decision. He followed the plan. His friends lives counted on his ability to do his part. Down the corridor he leaped, The white hulking form not too far behind him.