Akimitsu Sori (Part 2)

Log Info

• Title: Akimitsu Sori (Part 2)

• Emitter/GM: Karasu

• Characters: Carver, Corey, Karasu, Telamon

• Place: Yurika, Xian

GAME: Telamon casts Veil. Caster Level: 20 DC: 28
GAME: Telamon casts Mind Blank. Caster Level: 20 DC: 29
GAME: Telamon casts Mind Blank. Caster Level: 20 DC: 29
GAME: Telamon casts Mind Blank. Caster Level: 20 DC: 29
GAME: Telamon casts Mind Blank. Caster Level: 20 DC: 29
GAME: Telamon casts Overland Flight. Caster Level: 20 DC: 26
GAME: Telamon casts Greater Teleport. Caster Level: 20 DC: 28

Village of Yurika

It's a small village where all the roof tiles are a rosy color and the people seem friendly. It hardly seems like the sort of place that is hiding a fiendish underground. Or like they are hiding assassins under their simple peasant clothing. No. It's a simple farming village with children running up and down the street and warm smiles from neighbor to neighbor. A small market with only one inn. All very... comfortingly simple.

Stepping through space and time, in an eyeblink crossing the many miles between Alexandros and Yurika. Telamon is a master of this, and the spell he winds around the hunters hides their countenances, making them a simple group of travelers, nothing more.

The sorcerer lets his eyes rove over the village as they stand on the outskirts, watching the people, examining the buildings. Looking for inconsistencies, subtle signs that not all is as it seems.

GAME: Telamon rolls detectBS: (1)+detectBS: 1 (EPIC FAIL)
<OOC> Telamon peers. where's my rollalias?
<OOC> Telamon says, "Weird."
<OOC> Telamon says, "Anyways, it'd be a 32."

Corey is taking full advantage of Telamon's veil spell, which is to say that he hopes to the gods and stars that nobody asks him his name or where he's from, because he is a terrible liar.

While Telamon is looking for inconsistencies, the silver-eyed paladin of Gilead is looking around warily, fingering the necklace of Gilead around his neck. He's subtly concentrating on the gift he has as a paladin to discern evil from the people around him, but he's trying to keep an eye out for the environs around him.

This is, after all, a long way from home.

GAME: Corey rolls Perception: (5)+22: 27

Step. Step. Miles.

Carver mastered the toll of her body's rejection from magical transport over time, coming to appreciate the expediency. Not the act itself though, and given a choice, will always take the saddle. Which has her looking longingly back. Without Deathless, she cannot help feeling more vulnerable than she'd care to admit.

Her eyes harden and focus ahead back on the sleepy village. She could not say that first impressions are damning. It is difficult to tell at first glance that something demonic seethes beneath the decorum of peaceful rural life, but she knows one thing for sure. If you dig a little? You will find the rot of their presence.

Karasu stays close to Core'thil, his eyes on the villagers with the same level of distrust in them that they offer to him. He says nothing however, not in greeting nor even in explanation to the group. Instead he takes the lead and starts to move the group of adventurers (and his husband) through the village. He glances at Telamon and the others as they make their way toward the center of the village. "Was there somewhere particular that you wanted to stop on the way?" His voice is low and careful.

Telamon stays with the group, his eyes darting about. "I don't like this," he mutters. "They -really- don't like strangers here, and that kickball game looks off for some reason." He sighs inwardly. Ten years ago he'd have been playing a game much like that. At Karasu's question, he smirks. "Not really. I don't think we should linger, especially as we have work to do. But... can you cover for me?" He's pretty sure magic will definitely be noticed.

Corey blinks and seems greatly alarmed by something he's gleaned. He comes close to the archmage and to their ranger-friend, as Karasu is close by him. "Be aware, this whole village is... tainted with evil. Even the children. One in three seem to be playing host to a fiend of some kind." Cor'ethil's whisper is exceedingly quiet. He then shudders. He can think of nothing worse than a child being possessed by a fiend.

When Telamon asks if there's a cover that can be managed, Corey thinks quickly. He's learned a song known among Karasu's people from Karasu's eccentric and excitable kitsune ancestor, Kiku-no-Musoku. Or, at the least... He claims it's a song known among them.

He looks at Karasu. "Want to sing Fry Chikki Chikki with me?" he asks. "As a cover for Telamon's spellcasting?"

It is difficult to hear Corey's damning words about the village. That even the children are no better. One can only hope it is because they, like the ranger and her companions, they are enchanted to appear different than they might seem. "Possession?" Carver asks, latching onto the last part with a shake of her head. She is not especially eye-catching but a lift of a brow comes at the suggested idea.

"I.. do not have a better suggestion." Which is a true statement even if Corey's idea is not perfect. He seems convinced in the magic of the song so who is she to doubt.

Karasu tries to think of a way to cover a mage casting a spell that won't be noticed and is coming up blank. When Corey suggests singing a song Karasu ducks into an alley instead and looks at his husband dryly. "Do not believe everything my grandfather says to you. No one sings that song but him. You have a few seconds Telamon before someone grows curious and looks down this alley. Make your spell a quick one."

GAME: Telamon casts True Seeing. Caster Level: 20 DC: 26

Telamon exhales, "Well, at least it wasn't that old dwarven song about digging a hole. That one gets stuck in my head all the time..." When they slip into the alley, Tel immediately casts his spell. "Irhandi igi-kar, namzu igi-bad." Tracing a circle round each eye, before blinking. "I won't be able to tell if they're possessed, but I -can- tell if they're in disguise -- or if the target's hidden under illusion as well."

"It does not get us closer to answers," Carver points out. "I suppose it confirms what Karasu said though. Iffin' the entire town is going to be against us, it's going to be difficult to get any answers because the minute we drop that name? I suspect some message gets sent back immediately." She shrugs, "I suppose we could try to tail any messanger, but fiends have their own magic... and true seein' seems to be amongst them, in the most powerful."

Karasu nods to Telamon in response. Knowing if Akimitsu Sori is hiding among his own is a useful bit of information. So is knowing with certainty that whoever they are speaking to is human or not. Though Corey will likely be a better judge of that with his ability to see the evil inside. Between the two they are well covered.

Karasu leads the group out of the alley through the other side and continues on his path forward. "So, was there somewhere specific you wanted to go?" If not, he has plans of his own. After all, he too is worried that they might come across a more powerful fiend who can see through Telamon's illusion. Best to stay off the street if they can. Or get off it as quickly as possible in other words.

Telamon follows the others, his expression sour. "A cheerful thought," he replies to Carver. "Hopefully we've not been marked already, or this is going to get noisy very fast." He considers Karasu's question. "... Sori would want a place he could hold court at. Give orders, receive reports, consider the situation. A place where no one who isn't 'read in' as my father puts it, would remark on visitors coming and going." Tel rubs his chin. "Could he be based out of the inn?"

Corey frowns at the notion that Kiku could have led him astray. "Fry Chikki Chikki is an ancient song," he protests weakly in a soft murmur. "But the Archmage has a good point. He has to be somewhere..."

And then he looks at Telamon. "Do you want to inquire? You're the best of all of us at talking like you belong somewhere. I think?"

"Certainly the smoothest talker." Carver admits. "Though the villagers are hardly what could be considered just normal folk." She looks around, scratching at the stark line of her reinforced bracer with a frown. "Would Sori take visitors in the past, Karasu? Did he treat with migrants or accept those who might travel from elsewhere to come into service? Or is all his influence... homegrown?"

One of Karasu's dark eyebrow lifts at Telamon. "Beneath the inn is one of the entry points of his stronghold yes." Karasu says, reminding everyone that he has been here before. "Or at least it was the last time I was here."

Still, they have no proof that Sori is there at this exact moment, so finding out somehow might be their best bet at locating the man at all. Thus Karasu doesn't argue that asking the locals might draw unwanted attention to them. If anyone can ask and not have attention raised in the asking... it is Telamon. He does answer Carver's question though. "He would accept visitors who were looking to have assassinations performed for them quite often. Visitors from many other lands and means. So long as they could pay."

Telamon squints, working the problem. "We definitely don't want someone who's ridden by a fiend. They'll probably see through us. We need someone who's 'read in', but not fiend-ridden, that I can work on." His lips quirk. "Lana taught me a couple tricks on that score. If we can find someone who's malleable enough..."

GAME: Corey rolls Perception: (2)+22: 24
GAME: Corey rolls Perception: (12)+22: 34

Corey's brows furrow together a little as he concentrates on his ability to discern evil from not-evil again. It's a little hard with how _much_ evil there is here, but he looks at a woman across the street from the inn, who is busied with selling some kind of preserves.

Unfortunately for everyone, one of Corey's little joys in life are jams, jellies, and preserves. So his eyes light up as he sees the woman's occupation, and he motions in her direction. "She's safe," he murmurs. "Come on!"

And then Corey glides over to the woman. "Sir! We will need preserves in our travels!" he says more conversationally to Telamon. "We need to restock."

"What does that even mean?" Carver grumbles when Corey says, 'She's Safe!'. Does not really grasp the whole Paladin thing. She falls into step, hardly acting as anything but what she is, a tagalong with a soft step. Thankfully, the veil softens her Dranish countenance.

Karasu can not discern those who bear a fiendish rider from those that do not, so he doesn't offer his insight to the matter, though he is the first to realize - by the light in his eyes - that Corey has identified a potential target. When he sees the woman is selling preserves he almost utters a sigh out loud. Corey is almost as bad about jelly and jams as his ancestor is about fried chicken. (If they don't leave with a new jar of preserves, Karasu will be intensely surprised.)

The woman for her part smiles kindly at the sight of potential customers as anyone might and spreads her hands out over her wares. "If you're looking for something sweet to last you over a long journey, look no further!"

Telamon's eyebrows rise up at Corey's choice of 'targets', but... he trusts the paladin to not lead them astray. He just hopes his silver tongue is up to the task. "Ni'essa light my way," he murmurs, as he follows in Corey's wake.

"A fine selection, ma'am," Telamon begins. "You've got quite the variety. Hmmm..." His eyes trace over the jars, before moving to the woman. "How well do they keep in cold weather?"

GAME: Carver rolls perception: (11)+21: 32

"Oh, we like sweets!" Corey says with a smile, but then he catches Karasu out of the corner of his eye. "Correction: _I_ like sweets!" Usually, when he says that, he's referring to himself and Wuya.

He comes up to the woman and begins to peruse her wares. There's so many unfamiliar looking fruits that he looks, well... like a child in a bakery filled with Pothy-shaped breads and sweets. Karasu's suspicion is correct. They're going home with at least one. "I would like one of everything... And in return, could you answer some questions for us?" he asks.

GAME: Corey rolls Diplomacy: (3)+22: 25

Carver's green eyes, expressive motes dance toward the inn. She is observant enough to observe when she is being observed. They sweep back across the impressive delicacies with slightly less enthuiasm than her compatriots. Still... some did look tasty, even if many of them were exotic. They were in a land she had never had the fortune to visit and now it was solely to pursue a fiendish legendary assassin.

"I..." She began to speak, but let it trailed off. Her Dranish tongue would stick out. Brutish and ill-fitting for the graceful form Telamon's veil cast upon her. She does lean over to speak with Karasu, "Watchers from the Inn."

Karasu eyes his husband with a mixture of embarrassment and fondness. He reins the other man in a little by placing a hand on his shoulder. "He really does like sweet things perhaps a little too much. Please forgive his enthusiasm." His eyes flicker over to Carver and he nods to show he heard her and shifts his weight.

The woman smiles wide at Corey, her eyes glittering with that sales-woman intuition that says here's someone she can sell to! "One of all the different kinds?" She smiles then. "How about this, I'll answer a single question per jar of preserves that you purchase. That way you aren't swindling information out of me." She laughs at this and then winks at Karasu. "I have twelve different flavors if you count the mixes!"