Renew the Pact: Time of our Lives, part 17
Log Info
- Title: Renew the Pact: Time of our Lives, part 17
- Emitter: Whirlpool
- Characters: Paenitia, Aryia, Seyardu, Lyme
- Place: Goldcoast of Veyshan, Tashraan, City Cafe
- Time: Friday, September 24, 2021, 9:34 PM
- Summary: Aryia, Paenitia and Seyardu corner Akoniril in a cafe and question her extensively. It is a case of the adventurers knowing more than the priestess, except for one crucial detail. She suggests they are there for the Star, and denies it is a Shard of Animus. There is some aloof back-and-forth, Akoniril has recognized Aryia as a former slave, but does not remark on it. There is some further banter before Paenitia spills the coffee beans and explains Akoniril is in a time loop, and has to help them. Seyardu discovers she can tell Akoniril when and where she has to be too.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Paenitia 3'0" 34 Lb Halfling Female A Lucht knight, dark skinned in bold feathery finery. Aryia 4'8" 110 Lb Shadow Elf Female A heavily scarred mul with a curious look about her. Seyardu 5'6" 150 Lb Sith-Makar Female A friendly silver sith-makar with a perpetual squint. Lyme 7'2" 435 Lb Orc Butch Black-skinned oruch of suitable stature. Fallon 5'6" 145 Lb Half-Elf Male A short hooded man. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= NPCs of Note =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Akorinil 4'5" 98 LB Shadow Elf Female Diplomatic Delegate, Priestess of Taara -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As the GM -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Whirlpool 5'0" Otyugh I am stinky! -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
Previously
The erstwhile time trippers continue their interrogation of Shaevin, who is forthcoming and helpful. With a little more back and forth, they reach the conclusion that the party is in a time loop, may have already failed once before, and that Akoniril likely knew she was in a loop, even if she wasn't looping. They obtain a list of auction items, and discover a lot more than the two items they were aware of had changed. Possibly, these are their future crimes. Their second day is occupied with tracking down Akoniril and making a clumsy approach.
Fallon inhales, as his mind tries to figure out something to actually talk about with some random 'deceit priestess'. He steps forward and approaches Akorinil. "Um, hello," he starts. "Enjoying your scone?" Was that a scone? He has no idea. Wait, is she even eating?
...so when Akorinil is approached, she stops to look at Fallon. She stares at him for a moment, perhaps uncomprehending as to what the approach is meant for.
"My... scene," she says after a moment. A look around. Slowly.
Thats' when she sees the rest of you.
"...adventurers," she says with a sigh that's almost bone-weary. "If you'll excuse me a moment," she adds to her companion, sending him quickly away from her table. "Come on, then. Have a seat. What's this about, then?"
- ... oh boy...
Lyme comes back with a tray of coffee and pastries. He's /helping/.
GAME: Seyardu rolls sense motive: (20)+7: 27 GAME: Paenitia rolls sense motive: (10)+11: 21 GAME: Aryia rolls sense motive: (8)+13: 21 GAME: Lyme rolls sense motive: (6)+3: 9
Now
Akoniril seems earnestly surprised to see the adventurers just right now!
"She seem genuinely surprise." Paenitia says to the others with her. "Well, she has spot us."
She marches forward, looking up at the red haired dark elf, "We have come to ruin your week."
"Perhaps it is a surprise to see us, yes." Seyardu nods along after squinting at the woman. She takes one of the pastries to chew on. It was indeed helpful, she had not yet eaten that day.
Seyardu stands up and follows the paladina to the table. "Peace on your nest, Lady Akorinil, Priestess of Taara." She greets. "What brings you to the city? It is a far way from Alexandria."
Aryia rolls her eyes to the back of her skull before sighing heavily and shoving her hands into her pockets. She strolls forward with the rest of the group. Pouty, but silent.
Lyme says, "Going for kaffe. Might be a while."
"Me too." Fallon shuffles away.
"...hmm," says Akorinil, studying each of you in turn. "I have a lot of business to conduct here and elsewhere -- those poor starving people in Charn, so long denied trade with Alexandria under the pervasive famines of their home region, deserve to eat, do they not?"
She blinks her eyes innocently at the three of you. "Or I could just be here preparing for the auction. I presume that's why you're here -- even if you're a lot earlier than the traditionally slapdash approaches I see from your employers."
"Ah, see, we are not here. You will not meet us for several days." Paenitia says cheerfully. If only her mask wasn't grinning as much as it sounds like she is beneath it.
"The slap and the dash approach. Yes, we have decide to handle it that way."
"I was led to believe that Charn has a lot of food, they are just very particular in its distribution." Seyardu notes, crossing her arms now. "What business would you have at this auction, anyways?"
Aryia bites her lip at the mention of food in Charn. She crosses her arms, clear abrasion scars on her wrists accidentally on display. It would not behoove her to say anything. Just instead listen and watch the priestess. Very. Very. Carefully.
"... You're .. .not here yet." Akorinil just sort of gives Paenitia a weird look, then she shakes her head at Seyardu. "Not exactly. It's a more dire situation than you'd believe. Oh, yes, they keep the army fed -- because without the army, Charn would collapse under its own weight. That's not the ending they want written for them, of course." She glances towards Aryia curiously. HMMM. It's not spoken, but it's ethere.
"We are not." Paenitia says adamantly. "Like the Reliquary not where it should have be."
She looks at her companions, "We will have things to tell you the next few days. We have not discuss how much yet."
See! Akoniril does not have the monopoly on vague references to obscure events.
"Perhaps the farmers could be fed instead, but I heard they are considered that much lower than anyone who can swing a sword. And that would also require trust, and make too much sense." Seyardu shrugs. "But yes, we all know how much you enjoy beating bushes. Perhaps it is for the best, for now."
Aryia's attention shifts up to Akoniril. The priestess could easily tell a Charn slave when she sees one. And one with no slave mark..? Or, one that was there, but had been destroyed over time? Intriguing...
The mute woman just squints her eyes and pushes her silver shades further up her nose.
Mmhm. That's the sound that comes from Akorinil. "Interesting. I see. You've not decided yet -- thugh you have evidentially decided *something*." She does give Paenitia an amused look, though. "At times, yes. That's why I'm helping, you see."
She is a helper. Akorinil helps.
Silent looks are exchanged between the three women, wondering how much to share with the fourth.
Paenitia carefully considers what to share. With her face hidden, only her eyes betray her, and they don't betray mush. She stares at Akoniril with dark pupils and lush lashes, finally speaking in a cheerful way, with a strong suggestion that she's teasing. "We need help to get some things, maybe the place to stay, and to keep someone out of sight."
"Yet you mention this auction. What do you think is important about that enough we coming to you about it?"
"I can only presume the same thing that Farland and Griva are interested in," remarks Akorinil.
"Why, the Star of course." Wait, what? There wasn't any star before!
"We did not mention Farland whatsoever." Seyardu notes, squinting at the priestess even more now. "What made you mention them? And this star you speak of, why is it important?"
Aryia just raises a brow and rubs to index fingers in the air next to her. "Star?" <Handspeech>
"Oh, please. You didn't *have* to," says Akorinil to Seyardu.
"Wait, the Star, this is new." Paenitia interrupts, "more of the details on that please."
"..."
Akorinil pauses for a momenmt. This is one of those rare momentes where you know she's realizing her hand has been overplayed and you didn't know something she did. Her assumptions were wrong.
Aryia stares. And stares. And stares. "Taara caught your tongue?" the mute woman quips. <Handspeech>
"You know, you were saying how adventurers are sent off for their tasks. Yet, I have been lead to believe you are an exceptionally busy person." Seyardu adds, looking to the priestess appraisingly. "So, why would you use your valuable time to be here for so long? Do you have some other business here, or plans surrounding this auction?"
"There a few questions, I wait for you to catch up." Paenitia offers graciously.
Akorinil gives Paenitia a very flat look. She says nothing for a long moment.
Aryia stares at Akorinil, unwavering from it. Though a hand moves finally. A sign? Another quip of gesture? No, she reaches into her bag, and pulls out a small, palm sized cube. A war golem's voice modulator, modified to be a toy. She leans over to the table, flips it over one way, then lightly taps one side against the table.
A voice that sounded like it was stuck in a well comes from it. "Hello...."
Flip. Tap. A sultry woman's voice, close. "Taara loves you~"
Flip. Tap. A joyous: "Very good!"
She pulls the box away and gestures to the group. "I think we're done here," a thumbs jabs over her shoulder, her fighting to keep the smirk off her lips. <Handspeech>
Of COURSE Taara loves her.
"Oh, are we? And I thouight we were just getting started. That was *adorable*," she adds to Aryia, hardly seeming offended in the slightest. Still, a glance towards Paenitia. "Yes, of course. The Star. At the auction. I had presumed you were for it. I suppose not and this is merely a ... enormous coincidence?" Her eyebrows are up. She seems highly doubtful of that given some of the things said so far.
"I do not know if there is more to be discussed at the moment." Seyardu responds, glancing to the cube, and to Aryia. A single brow raises. "Would you happen to know where we could acquire large quantities of sleeping medicine? Pardon me for asking, but that feels like the sort of thing you would be aware of."
"It is." Paenitia says with all seriousness, completely contrasting her mask's expression. "The much great coincidence. We here for the other things in the auction."
"The Star sound neat. So it the only piece of a dead god on the block, or there are the others?"
"You have seen the list, yes?"
Aryia just chuffs at the compliment of her handy voice box and shoves it back into her bag, it not getting the desired effect she wanted. She rests on her back foot, letting the others speak.
"The list has been published for weeks. The Star is not a Shard." Akorinil is looking confused at the moment, eyes narrowing and then widening and then narrowing again. "I ... am very slightly confused by you all. Something isn't right here. Sleep medicine? I suppose but..."
"Take a joke, for fuck's sake," Aryia interjects with a hand, glancing to Paenitia. <Handspeech>
GAME: Aryia rolls bluff: (16)+-2: 14
Paenitia glances at Aryia, nodding once at her then looking back at Akoniril, "Yes. There is much wrong, and we need your help because you give it to us."
"The star is not a shard, but is something that people want. Nevermind the medicine." Seyardu sighs. "We do likely need your help. What you can offer. You know this city better than us."
... there is a slow smile.
"Oh, you need my *help*," she remarks, as if savoring every word that's coming out of her mouth. "Do explain..."
She's going to love this.
Aryia grimaces as the smarmy smile crests the priestess's lips. She pinches the bridge of her nose, and finally takes a seat. Great.
"Yes." Paenitia says triumphantly, as if she has won some sort of negotiation. Although if the past-future is any indication, it's her agreement to lose, practically a foregone conclusion.
Best break the news gently. Her tones slip serious, her mask continues to have the grin of a mad man. "We tell you a most unfortunate thing, then you are stuck to help us, whether you wish or not. The thing is this."
"You are now in the time loop you cannot escape, until we win the success."
"We fail, there is the looping again. We have fail already once, so you must put in the more effort this time."
Seyardu squints at Paenitia, sighs, and nods. It seemed they would need to cooperate in some regard.
"Paenitia, she has the right of it. We need your help, please do not make such a big deal of it. Many would help due to it being something good to do."
"...what?" says Akorinil. Then her expression flattens out. "Is that right, and you decided to drag me into your sordid affair. I see." It's like she doesn't doubt it at all. "No, this all sounds too suitably ridiculous to be true." She pinches the bridge of her nose. A long suffering sigh escapes her.
Aryia casts a glance to Paenitia once more, confused as to why she could just spill the beans like that. But she rolls with it. Though, she grew more confident as Akorinil began to visibly suffer. Maybe there is a good god watching Aryia after all. Doubt it. But maybe. "Yes. Basically you've had to deal with us again, and again, and again, and again." <Handspeech>
"It is okay for you. The opportunity for many sneers is there." Paenitia says, patting at Akoniril's knee in a hopefully comforting gesture. Small, armoured gauntlets may not be.
"We keep you informed, so you know what to keep from us when you meet us." Paenitia glances at Aryia, Seyardu, her other silent companions who seem to have wandered off looking for coffee.
The Tashraan blend is excellent, but still, they should have returned by now.
"Some things are go missing, we have to get them before they do this time." The Red Knight looks up at the Red-Haired Priestess, "and that Star, it not on the auction list last time, nor the one we get now. It may be the first to be rescue."
"We need to know what is going on with the auction. And you seem to have an understanding on what is going on." Seyardu offers, tapping a hand against the table. "But we need you to not withhold information, and be willing to be of assistance."
A thought passes her mind, of what would happen if Shaevin and Akorinil were in the same room. Probably nothing, as they both attempted to be smug and superior over the other in increasingly annoying ways. "You were planning on showing up late to the auction for only the object you were interested in, were you not?"
"...well apparently I am *now*," remarks Akorinil, her forehead creasing like she has an impending migraine.
<OOC> Paenitia says, "sorry, I'm having a hard time coming up with poses right now."
<OOC> Aryia hug
<OOC> Seyardu pat
<OOC> Whirlpool hugs. What's wrong, Paen? :)
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Are you okay? :)"
<OOC> Paenitia says, "Oh yes, I'm fine, tired and a headache, but ok"