GM's note: I totally fucked up the High priest's personality in this scene. He shouldn't have lied at all. Oh well.

Taka: ah...I think I was ready. I can't think of any supplies that might help this thing go over any smoother, so I don't think there's anything to do before that

Dionysus: A few notes:

Taka: yo

Dionysus: You have that moonstone that does farseeing. You can direct it to places, not people, but you can see within buildings & such.

Taka: I know. I hadn't forgotten it.

Dionysus: Good, good

Dionysus: You have the leaf as well, right?

Taka: yeah

Dionysus: Okay, good.

Dionysus: Did I describe the Temple yet?

Taka: no, don't think so

Dionysus: It looks like a pagoda

Dionysus: But it is covered in mirrors, with strategically placed lanterns.

Taka: of course

Dionysus: The lanterns make beautiful light displays, reflected by the mirrors.

Taka: cool

Dionysus: So, what was the plan again? I know the leszi was gonna do a distracttion, but I forget what else.

Taka: I actually hadn't gotten that far. The general idea was to go find the temple, watch it for a while to get some idea of guard movement and such. past that, I hadn't gotten too far.

Dionysus: Noted.

Dionysus: Didn't youhave a time limit of some sort?

Dionysus: To get to the Flower Market?

Taka: Yeah. need to have Saravine at the Flower Market by ten.

Dionysus: What time did I say it was?

Taka: around five-ish

Dionysus: Gotchya. You have an hour of sunlight left.

Dionysus: The front doors are sitting wide open.

Dionysus: People come & go as they please to the cathedral, but the back areas are guarded by templars.

Dionysus: These templars are very ceremonial, but they do look pretty tough anyway

Taka: on the map that I got from the guy at the Rosewood, is Saravine's room marked in any way?

Dionysus: They just stand there.

Dionysus: Yes

Taka: oh good.

Dionysus: She is in the cells, along with the other novitiates.

Taka: kay

Dionysus: Monkish cells, not jail cells, mind.

Taka: Right, so I gathered.

Dionysus: You do see students & acolytes going through a door you happen to know leads in that direction. They show some sort of pass or card or something to the templar at that door.

Taka: How carefully does he seem to examine the pass?

Dionysus: They all wear simple white robs.

Dionysus: Not too carefully at all.

Dionysus: He seems to know most of them, though.

Taka: hm. what other entrances are there?

Dionysus: A back entrance to the student compound is marked on the map.

Dionysus: If you go around & look at it, you will note it is unguarded. If you try it, you will note it is locked.

Taka: figures

Dionysus: It is also in the gardens of the Temple

Dionysus: So you would have to sneak across them & over a 20 foot wall to get out from here.

Dionysus: During the day, the gardens are open to the public, though.

Taka: kay...at the student entrance, with the templar, do I ever witness a student the templar's not familiar with?

Dionysus: No.

Dionysus: Now, mind, the distraction may or may not take care of that.

Taka: aye.

Taka: ok. that's the outside...using the moonstone, can I get some idea of how well guarded the interior is?

Dionysus: The student quarters appear to be relatively unguarded--no templars. They do have priests, nuns, & monks all over them, though. At least one nun lives on each student floor. A priest oversees the whole of the student wing. The monks livein a different area, but they seem to be passing through the student area to get elsewhere. The high ranking priests have houses outside the Temple.

Taka: right.

Dionysus: Stumped? Waiting on me for something?

Taka: ok, looking at the map, does there look to be a decent route to get in and get Saravine out? just thinking.

Dionysus: They're all pretty long routes. She is roomed next to a nun, apparently, & she is in the room least accessible from the outside. If you use the back door, you have to sneak past a dozen nuns' rooms & four storeys of student housing. If you go out the front door, you have 2 storeys, 4 nuns, & the templar.

Dionysus: Then again, there's the roof... but that could be extremely risky, as you will be brightly illuminated to anyone looking up.

Taka nods. ok.

Taka: I think that about covers it.

Dionysus: Got a plan?

Dionysus: I sure as hell don't

Taka: well, everything seems crazy...and not knowing what the reaction's gonna be to the distraction, I dunno which is craziest. so not really, but my thinkin's that it might be better to sneak in the back and go out the front with Saravine.

Taka: the plan is subject to change at the slightest screwup.

Dionysus: The gardens close to the public at sunset. What is the plan to get to the back door? Hide in the gardens now? Sneak over the wall?

Taka: I'll take a page out of a book I once read and hide now. hopefully saves time later.

Dionysus: Roll rogue (just user yer own dice)

Taka: *goes to get them*

Taka: you want one number or three?

Dionysus: 3

Taka: adding the result of each to my score?

Dionysus: oh, I mean, just gimme the middle die, but roll all three

Taka: thank you

Taka: 22

Dionysus: Good roll.

Taka: i thought so

Dionysus: You lie in hiding til sunset, when all the people leave. Templars check over the more obvious spots for stragglers, then groundskeepers come in to do a bit of clean up. Thirty minutes past, the gardens are empty.

Taka: so it's about...what, 6:30?

Dionysus: Yep.

Taka: nice.

Dionysus: Unless you don't wait til then

Taka: Oh, I wait.

Taka: at the moment, I've got the time. use it while you got it.

Taka: Carefully gonna work my way over to the door...which I'm assuming is still locked.

Dionysus: Another rogue roll.

Taka: 23

Dionysus: Someone almost sees you, but you notice them first.

Dionysus: You are able to duck down & wait til they leave.

Taka: note to self: be more cautious.

Dionysus: It was a monk, heading for the main hall.

Taka: so noted.

Dionysus: The door is indeed stil locked

Taka: kay...let's try and undo that lock, then.

Dionysus: Roll lock picking, if you have it. If not, what do you have?

Taka: I have it. 19

Dionysus: It's a decent lock, but you know how to handle decent locks. It opens like a Priestess of Love for a man named Jericho. The door is now ajar

Taka: hurrah. first thing I do is check to be sure no one's around, on either side of the door if it's feasible to use the moonstone right now.

Dionysus: It is

Dionysus: It works better at night

Taka: it would.

Taka: provided there are no witnesses, i'll slip through and shut the door behind me.

Dionysus: There're some students wandering the halls, a nun or two, a few monks, a priest. Outside? One templar patrols the far wall.

Dionysus: But none in the immediate vicinity

Taka: rock. so i'll be careful about it, just in case.

Dionysus: Where to now?

Taka: Check the map. based on that and what I saw in the moonstone, what's the clearest route to Saravine?

Taka: and is a laundry room on the way?

Dionysus: Unforunately, the Temple does laundry in the monk's quarters.

Taka: figures. ah well, just have to be extra careful, then.

Dionysus: Based on what you saw, you are going to have to do a stop-&-go sorta thing to get to her unseen.

Dionysus: There's no clear route at any given time, just gotta wait til each bit is clear, then go.

Taka: That much I figured. so let's get started, time moves fast when the adrenalin runs.

Dionysus: Gimme five rogue rolls.

Taka: 23, 25, 22, 24, and 21

Dionysus: ...19, 25, 22, 24, 22.

Taka: dammit, missed the last one.

Taka: and tied the three before. erf

Dionysus: The first time, you remain unseen. The next three times, you almost get caught, having to duck out of the way, etc, but they do a quick glance & continue on.

Dionysus: Then, shortly before Saravine's room...

Dionysus: "Er, are you lost, miss?"

Dionysus: It's a Bishop of Truth.

Taka turns, ears being forced into an inquisitive position.

Dionysus: He's wearing gaudy magenta robes. He is a fat human.

Taka: "I'm here visiting a friend, *insert proper honorific here*...I hope that's alright?" looking hopeful.

Dionysus: "Ahh, well, this section is restricted, ma'am. The students here are sequestered, only allowed out with proper supervision. However, if you go downstairs, I am sure you will find who you are looking for."

Taka: "Oh..." looking properly embarrassed. "Thank you, I must have got turned around. I'm sure I will." and I go...about what time is it now?

Dionysus: 645

Taka: oh good.

Dionysus: What now?

Taka: So I'll go a little ways, find a nice, quiet, out-of-the-way spot to make a u-turn...can I see back in that hallway if I use the moonstone?

Dionysus: Yes

Taka: Then I do and make sure it's clear before I try again.

Dionysus: The Bishop is looking about suspiciously, apparently checking for more intruders.

Dionysus: He then walks back toward Saravine's room.

Dionysus: He stops in front of it, looks around.

Dionysus: Then he starts praying...

Taka: oh no.

Dionysus: Do anything at this point?

Taka: There's not much I can do unless I want to get caught. Or attack a Bishop, which really doesn't strike me as condusive to a long and healthy life.

Dionysus: The door swings open of its own volition, & he steps in.

Dionysus: You follow with the moonstone to see what happens? Or follow physically?

Taka: great...moonstone. I'm still not too keen on confronting a bishop, plus I bet that door closes after he's in.

Dionysus: It does.

Taka: yep

Dionysus: Inside, Saravine & the Bishop appear to be speaking, not very nicely to each other, but you don't get sound.

Taka: I'll move physically closer to the location...not too, but close enough to move fast when/if I need to...and keep an eye on the moonstone

Dionysus: She moves suddenly, grabbing what looks like nothing to you. He holds out his hands & you can tell he's invoking (praying) authoritatively.

Taka: Oh boy. not good. which way does that door open?

Dionysus: She moves gracefully, sort of twisting around him, & you realize she's holding a garrote wire in her hand.

Dionysus: Opens inward

Dionysus: He blocks her attempts, however.

Dionysus: And the moonstone goes black. What do you do?

Taka curses, not left with much choice, and moves for the door...which I doubt I can open physically.

Taka: loading my sling as I go...if nothign else, it's an impromptu club.

Dionysus: The door is solidly closed. How do you attempt to open it?

Taka: well, pushing had come to mind.

Dionysus: Heh. Roll strength.

Taka: ahaha. 16.

Dionysus: The door remains closed.

Taka: ahuh. there a lock?

Dionysus: Yes, but you can tell it is not currently in use. Something is blocking the door somehow.

Taka: can I poke something through the lock? or the crack in the door? or something similar?

Dionysus: Your daggers could fit through the crack, I think, though any movement could break them ifyer not careful

Taka: [either it's a physical block or something else...I'm betting something else, but can't hurt to be sure.] and is there noise coming from inside? they're the only daggers I got, I'll be careful while trying to figure if something's blocking the door on the other side.

Dionysus: There's the sounds of a scuffle within.

Dionysus: Your daggers basically don't meet any resistance on the other side. If there's something there, your daggers aren't hitting it

Taka: So long as there's noise, all is theoretically not lost. just as I thought. wonderful.

Dionysus: So... what now?

Dionysus: Sorry this is so difficult.

Taka: I seriously doubt I could force the door. battering it will only draw attention. dammit...I can but try pushing again, it's the only thing I know to do. eh, it's cool

Dionysus: Roll strength again

Taka: something tells me no. 18.

Dionysus: 22

Taka: yup. I can't roll higher'n 21.

Dionysus: The base for the door is 16 (the bishop's faith)

Taka: my base strength's 11 unless I can use Cause Damage, which is 13.

Taka: pity I can't combine faith and strength.

Taka: gotta keep trying, though

Dionysus: Your faith would be powerless against this. Especially in the sanctum of truth, as it is,.

Dionysus: Another push?

Taka: yup

Taka: unless there's a better way of getting the damn door open

Dionysus: None that I can think of

Taka: did a bit better this time. 20.

Dionysus: ...18

Dionysus: The door opens enough for you to slip in, then slams shut.

Dionysus: The bishop & Saravine are engaged in combat in the middle of the room, which is now a wreck.

Taka: Are they too close for me to get a clear shot at the bishop?

Taka: [to each other, that is]

Dionysus: She is grappling with him, so yes, too close.

Taka: then I look about for some way to help if nothing immediately presents itself.

Taka: is his back to me, or is hers? or are they moving too much to say?

Dionysus: The wail of an animal pierces your ears. It's shrill & loud. You hear the sounds of shattering glass--lots of it--and the rush of people outside.

Dionysus: It gets darker, oddly.

Dionysus: They are moving too much to say

Taka: ah. the distraction. I hope. Ok...Soon as I see something that even looks like an opening I'll try and help her subdue him.

Dionysus: Roll... prowess or awareness to note the opening.

Taka: 19, on an awareness roll.

Dionysus: You see one. Roll prowess -3 for special maneuver.

Dionysus: & what do you do exactly?

Dionysus: The bishop is slightly open for an attack

Taka: ...hell if I know. try to bludgeon him with the rock in my sling, I suppose.

Dionysus: All right.

Taka: huh. 17.

Dionysus: Tied.

Dionysus: You graze him. Roll stun wound -3

Taka: 22

Taka: stun

Dionysus: WOund?

Taka: is 21

Dionysus: Your makeshift club strikes his side, making a hard snapping sound. His ribs have punctured his lungs.

Dionysus: He is dazed, shocked by the attack.

Dionysus: (Stun, MW)

Taka: Ow.

Dionysus: Saravine finishes the job by garroting him

Taka looks at her wryly. "not an auspicious beginning...but let's not complain. Shall we go?"

Dionysus: "Bastard."

Dionysus: "Now or never."

Taka: I try the door

Dionysus: It opens easily.

Taka: Is the hallway clear?

Dionysus: The hallways are empty.

Taka: "Keep close."

Dionysus: She nods. "What howled?"

Taka: "A friend who agreed to help us." and I start off for the exit.

Dionysus: She follows.

Dionysus: Roll athleticism. Let's see if you can get out before anyone comes back.

Taka: 21

Dionysus: Some people return to the dorms before you get out. Gimme a rogue roll.

Taka: 24

Dionysus: Heh

Dionysus: They don't notice you. They're just going back to their rooms.

Taka: oh good. once we're in a relatively safe place to pause a moment, I'll check on my intended exit with the moonstone. is it clear?

Dionysus: No one is in the chapel.

Dionysus: But people are out in front of it.

Dionysus: Looking at the shattered mirrors all over the outer walls of the Temple.

Taka: so facing the entrance, if not looking right at it.

Dionysus: Yes

Taka: damn. I'll check the other ways out, then. how they look?

Dionysus: The garden walls are unguarded, but a hard climb.

Dionysus: The other exits are equally covered by gawkers, though.

Taka: Then the garden it is. what's the time?

Dionysus: 715

Taka: good. I head gardenwards. "Feel up to a climb?"

Dionysus: "Not really, but I'll do what I have to do."

Taka: "Right."

Taka: has the door been re-locked since I came in?

Dionysus: Not at all.

Taka: Excellent! Jsut to be nice, I'll lock it again when we go out.

Dionysus: The wall is quite tall, but it does look climbable (just not easily). The real hard part will be getting over without being caught--it will leave you exposed for a few minutes.

Dionysus: Heh. It locks

Taka: Can I tell where the closest person is by checking the temple's perimeter?

Dionysus: Yes.

Taka: How close are they, and where?

Dionysus: The nearest person on the perimeter is near the very back wall. A fair pace away.

Taka: We can but try. "OK, let's go. Fast as you can."

Dionysus: Roll ath & rogue

Taka: Athletics 19, Rogue 24...I sneak better than I climb, apparently.

Dionysus: You make it over the wall unseen.

Dionysus: As does Saravine.

Dionysus: You are now in the streets.

Dionysus: You have a few hours to get to the Flower Market, but that will not be easy.

Taka: What'm I up against?

Dionysus: 4 hours by foot to the Flower Market. It's 720ish.

Dionysus: Train can get you there in ten minutes.

Dionysus: Taxi in an hour

Taka: How much are they?

Dionysus: Trains are cheaper, but unpleasant. Taxis are more expensive, but comfortable.

Taka: which one do we stand the better chance of affording?

Dionysus: Train.

Taka: of course. I'm assuming that, as unpleasant as they are, it's easier to blend into a crowd on a train.

Taka: where are the nearest stations from here?

Dionysus: It is. It's a twenty minute walk to the train station, by the way.

Taka: ok.

Taka: "As much as I hate to suggest it, let's catch a train."

Dionysus: She makes a face. "I've been on several since I got here. It never gets easier."

Dionysus: You go, then?

Taka: "I've only been on two...but it's our best chance of getting you out of here. let's go." and we're off.

Dionysus: Right

Dionysus: The station is crowded

Dionysus: People're going every which way.

Dionysus: But you can make it to a train.

Dionysus: Roll awareness.

Taka: straight, or hearing/smell?

Dionysus: Straight. This is visual, really. Your smelling is overwhelmed, & yer hearing is doubly so.

Taka: ok. 21

Dionysus: Neither you nor Saravine notice anything of import on the train ride to the slums.

Dionysus: When you get off, the first thing that you notice is the smell

Dionysus: It stinks of waste here.

Dionysus: The station here is rundown & dirty

Taka wrinkles her nose and flattens her ears.

Dionysus: And everyone in this area is poor as dirt.

Taka: I'll look round, then head for the Flower Market.

Dionysus: Saravine doesn't seem to notice.

Dionysus: It's a twisty, turning sorta route you have to take through a very bad area of town

Dionysus: : Roll awareness.

Taka: 20

Dionysus: Damn

Taka: add two for hearing/smell

Dionysus: You notice them.

Taka: heh.

Dionysus: They are dirty, unwashed, & malevolent.

Dionysus: They are young, but tough.

Dionysus: They're street kids of the teenage variety, carrying make shift weapons.

Dionysus: "Don't struggle & you'll live."

Taka flicks an ear at this. "What do you want?"

Dionysus: The leader grins evilly. "Don't scream, don't cry out. Hell, you might even enjoy this." He gestures for two of his friends to come forward. One makes to grab Saravine, who looks to you with a hard look in her eyes. The other makes to grab you.

Dionysus: There're seven of them, by the way.

Taka: Bugger that...damn, I hate being outnumbered. are we surrounded?

Dionysus: No.

Taka: What's the distribution?

Dionysus: Two right up next to the each of you. One very close in front (assuming you turned to face them). Four others behind him.

Dionysus: A clear alleyway to run down behind you (still assuming you turned to face him)

Dionysus: It's dark, & they know the area like the backs of their hands.

Taka: Are any of them between Saravine and me?

Dionysus: Yeah, the ones who came up to grab you

Taka: damn, there goes that idea. I'm guessing Saravine's unarmed, too.

Dionysus: She still has that garrote wire, but you can't tell where it is at the moment.

Taka: better'n nothing, I suppose. The one who's trying to grab me. Which bit is he going for?

Dionysus: Your left arm.

Dionysus: ?

Taka: Ok. Retreat is idiotic, as it's dark and they live ehre and we don't. Attack is also idiotic, as we're outnumbered three and a half to one...thin king

Dionysus: Roll smelling once, for me

Taka: holy shit.

Taka: 25

Dionysus: You can smell the leszi nearby.

Taka sniffs a moment and grins. "Saravine. Our friend is back."

Dionysus: A pause. "Oh? Our friend?"

Dionysus: (She has no idea what you are talking about)

Dionysus: The men start to pull you down into the alley, if you let them

Taka: I don't. I'll bite the one grabbing me.

Dionysus: Roll init.

Taka: 18

Dionysus: The thug leader goes first.

Dionysus: He tries to punch you in the stomach.

Dionysus: Roll parry or dodge

Taka: 20 parry

Dionysus: You parry, knocking his hand aside.

Dionysus: The thug grabbing at Saravine suddenly screams & falls to the ground, clutching his head. As far as you can tell, nothing did that to him,

Taka: heh

Dionysus: The one trying to grab you makes his attempt. Roll dodge or parry.

Taka: 21 parry

Dionysus: His arm is knocked away. Your turn.

Taka: Like I said. I'ma bite him.

Dionysus: Roll prowess

Taka: 19

Dionysus: He manages to block your bite with his club, barely evading it.

Dionysus: The leszi has taken the form of a bobcat & pounced on a thug near the back of the group, taking him down.

Dionysus: Saravine lashes out at the one attacking you, but misses again.

Dionysus: New init

Taka: 18 here

Dionysus: The leszi pounces another thug, taking him down.

Dionysus: Saravine attempts to kik the one grabbing for you.

Dionysus: Her kick lands on his side, byut he ignores it.

Dionysus: The thug leader pulls his knife & goes for you

Taka: oh fun.

Dionysus: Parry?

Taka: yep. at 21

Dionysus: You knock his knife aside. He snarls, "Bitch."

Dionysus: Your go

Taka: I'll grin at him, bark in reply, and go for him in revenge. with a dagger.

Taka: [if I can. if not, I'll bite him too]

Dionysus: Dagger is fine. Roll prowess

Taka: 19

Dionysus: You graze him. Roll cause damage+3-3

Taka: *blink* +3-3?

Dionysus: +3 dagger, -3 graze

Taka: Dagger's +2. Sling's +3. I'll take the extra point, but...

Dionysus: Dagger is +3, so says I. Sling is not strength based, for future referrence. Making it strength based makes no sense. Tim's a nutter

Taka: hehe. so noted.

Dionysus: Sling is base damage 13.

Taka: ok.

Taka: The dagger makes a 22

Dionysus: And once more for wound

Taka: 20

Dionysus: He is not cut, but the blow makes him stumble. (LNA)

Taka: least I hit him,

Dionysus: Another thug drops to the ground howling.

Dionysus: And one attempts to grab you

Taka: 19 parry

Dionysus: You parry easily.

Taka: yay!

Dionysus: New init.

Taka: 19

Dionysus: The leszi is having a fun romp through thug forest, taking down another.

Taka: three down, four to go

Dionysus: Err, four down.

Dionysus: Five, excuse me

Taka: ooh. even better

Dionysus: Anyway, Saravine goes for one.

Dionysus: Her kick knocks him aside, leaving him on his ass (LNA)

Taka: yaaay

Dionysus: A man appears from nowhere.

Taka: oh dear

Dionysus: He is thin, dressed in pale magenta robes.

Dionysus: He is the High Priest of Truth.

Taka: ...crap

Dionysus: You have the thug leader & another thug left (the other is on his ass)

Taka: What're they doing with this new development?

Dionysus: Reeling from their recent blows.

Taka: Well, my first instinct is to grab Saravine and run like hell. somehow I doubt we'll get too far.

Dionysus: What do ya actually do?

Taka: ...Run like hell with Saravine. For what good it may do.

Dionysus: You escape.

Taka: Woo!

Dionysus: You continue running to the Flower Market?

Taka: yep

Dionysus: You turn from squalor & filth to beauty in an instant.

Dionysus: Rows & rows of flowers, arranged by type & color

Dionysus: People harking them

Taka nearly trips in surprise.

Dionysus: Saravine gasps.

Dionysus: And the High Priest of Truth materializes in front of you.

Taka: [bet it smells better here]

Dionysus: Much

Dionysus: "Do NOT try to run again. It will get tiresome... for you."

Taka flattens her ears in irritation.

Dionysus: "I couldn't let you be raped to death by common street trash, but I also cannot allow you to escape. I know what you are."

Taka says nothing.

Dionysus: Nor does Saravine.

Dionysus: "Now, I suggest you come with me, & we will have a little talk. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

Taka glances at Saravine.

Dionysus: She looks scared.

Dionysus: "Come now, we don't want a scene."

Taka: "Promise you or any under your command will not harm us."

Dionysus: He nods. "Done."

Dionysus: Saravine says, "He's a master of lies, Taka. No promise from him is worth anything."

Dionysus: He shrugs. "Of course it isn't. But then, you are both spies. I owe you nothing. Now, do I force you, or do you come quietly?"

Taka: "It's better than nothing." ear-flick. "wherever we're going I hope there's food. I haven't eaten all day."

Dionysus: He shrugs. "No, we're just going for a walk, & on it, you will tell me everything."

Dionysus: He begins ushering you down the street, away from the Market.

Dionysus: "Talk, or I will invoke it out of you."

Taka considers talking about the weather, but disregards it as suicidal. "just keep in mind that I don't know everything. And I doubt she does." indicating Saravine.

Taka pauses a moment to admire a pretty flower.

Dionysus: "She hardly knows anything at all. Most of what I have fed her was disinformation. But you? You have been haunting the Argents, who are ever the center of the Empire. What do you know?"

Taka shrugs. "Not much. The Argents themselves and I had little to do with each other, aside from sharing travel companions...they'd hardly fraternize with a tribal scout, now, wouldn't they?"

Dionysus: "You have eyes & ears. You know a lot more than that. Do not force me to force the story out of you."

Taka: [?]

Dionysus: [Getting food, sorry]

Taka: ['s cool]

Taka: "Look, this would go a lot faster if you'd tell me just what, precisely, you wanted to know."

Dionysus: "Start from the beginning. Tell me everything, absolutely everything you have learned sinceyour arrival in Maraddon."

Taka: "Well, I've learned that I really hate trains, for starters. And that rotting cheese and rotting flesh smell eerily similar."

Taka: [he did say everything, after all...]

Dionysus: He sighs, then raises a hand & prays.

Dionysus: Roll will.

Taka: [she was continuing while he did that...I just was in the middle of being flippant OOC]

Taka: hah. 20.

Dionysus: Heh. What were you gonna say in the continuance?

Taka: "I've learned that young Sir Argent would be a nice kid if he'd loosen up once in a while, and his Captain of the Guard is going to marry a Roma girl." more flip, really...*wry grin*

Dionysus: Ahh

Dionysus: Yeah, you stop in the middle of that & begin telling the story from the beginning, basically.

Taka: ok.

Dionysus: (Sorry. He's powerful, & rolled extremely well)

Taka: [It's cool. I expected to lose that one.]

Taka flattens her ears in irritated resignation as this happens.

Dionysus: When you finish, he says, "Very well." He pauses. "I cannot in good faith detain any on such a mission. But I cannot let you go unpunished for damaging my temple, either." He smiles. "As such, this is your punishment:"

Dionysus: He prays again. Roll will again.

Taka: 22

Dionysus: 29.

Dionysus: One sec

Taka: yeah. again, not one I figured on winning

Dionysus: "Mother of Truth, let this errant child never speak falsely to a direct inquiry again."

Taka flicks an ear in a rather wry manner.

Dionysus: And it is so. If asked a direct question, you either have to beat a will power vs. 16 to lie, or tell the truth (that is, at least part of it)

Taka: [heh. nice.]

Dionysus: Yes or no questions will be hard to get out of, though

Taka: indeed

Dionysus: He says, "Now be gone!"

Dionysus: And he walks off.

Taka watches him go, then looks at Saravine and sighs. "Well. This is going to make things interesting. Come on, let's get you outta here."

Dionysus: "It worked on me, too. His prayer. Damn him."

Taka: "Hey. at least you're going home."

Dionysus: She nods. "Lets' go."

Taka: And we go.

Dionysus: You have to wait til ten for the way out to be ready, but that's easy enough

Taka: how long's the wait?

Dionysus: Hour and a half at this point.

Taka: anything besides flowers for sale around here?

Dionysus: Excuse me, half hour

Dionysus: No

Taka: ok

Taka: so we wait.

Dionysus: But every flower variety in the world is for sale here

Taka: pity they won't stay fresh from here to Berellia.

Dionysus: At ten o' clock sharp, a flora priestess arrives.

Dionysus: She says in Berellian, "You seek the Way or Roots?"

Taka indicates Saravine. "My friend does, yes,"

Dionysus: She nods. "Do you understand the dangers?"

Dionysus: Saravine indicates she does not.

Dionysus: "The Atanaxans move through the depths of the earth. The dwarves fight each other in the tunnels. War is erupting there. We can take you through, but it will be dangerous."

Dionysus: Saravine nods. "I will try it."

Taka: "Good luck. Give my regards to my parents."

Dionysus: The priestess nods & leads you both to a back alley where they are unloading flower bales from carts.

Dionysus: Saravine nods, "I will. Your father is a good friend to me." She indicates her sun faith holy symbol.

Dionysus: "I will see you again, Taka, I hope."

Taka grins. "Count on it."

Dionysus: And she goes.

Dionysus: Now what?

Taka: Now I go find someplace that sells food at this hour. and maybe a good stiff drink into the bargain.

Dionysus: Easily done.

Dionysus: Then what?

Taka: Excellent. once the meal and drink is finished, it's back to the compound for some sleep. been a long day.