FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY SEVEN
(I/C)
"So we have two options, either mana crystal or time skip.” Lannis paces slowly back and forth. “Both have their merits. I would say Mana Crystal so we can still capitalize on the knowledge of where the guardians are. I would say that, but instead I'll be going with option C. I will do nothing, no spells, no crystals, no time skipping, until Brendon explains how he knows what's in the book I keep in my pack to my satisfaction. We have plenty of time really, standing around in here for a few hours has the same effect as the time skip spell, should he not feel very chatty. Once that's done however, I'll gladly do whatever the group prefers, let no one say I'm unreasonable. So, Brendon, we are all waiting on you." With that, he leaned against the wall and put on his best ‘concerned listening’ face.
Feeling a bit flustered, Brendon purposefully avoided the wizards question and instead offered, “Since Lyra can detect where the evil us should we split up and check out what the brass balls do while Lannis dies… I mean does his oh so powerful magic thing?”
The Magic User shook his head, face hard, and cleared his throat, eyes narrowed. "We already did that, and I'm not doing anything until you explain yourself first."
“Oh we did,” Brendon exclaimed with false surprise. “Hours seem like months as of late.” He cocked his head and snapped his fingers dismissively. “Not to keep us all in suspense. Lil man asked me to get the book because he needed paper for his maps. I gave him paper that I had instead if destroying the book.” He looked Lannis full on in the face, making eye contact and shrugged, “Yeah I lifted it and we looked thru it. Now,” he let his voice drop half an octave, “go ahead and call me a thief.”
"So let me get this straight,” Lannis held up one hand and began ticking off points, “At some point you and Kovid took something out of my bag, looked through it, and returned it without my knowledge or consent. You then kept this secret, presumably, without telling anyone else. Who else's bag did you go through? Lyra? Abraxas? Wyn? Were you ever going to tell me?” He turned to the dwarf and extended both hands in a presenting motion, “Kovid? Thoughts? I almost expect this from him but I always considered your honor to be inversely related to your height. Did you take anything else out of my bag while you were in there Kovid?"
No expecting a reply, Lannis turned to the ponderous tome and prepared setting up for the mana stone ritual. “Could someone go get me a gem? Not Brendon, he might steal it and forget to tell anyone on the way back."
Lyra sat down on the edge of the altar and brought her pack around to her front. “You can both shut up now. You’re giving me a headache.”
A long and awkward silence passed before Wyn awkwardly cleared his throat and tried to interject. “H’okay… De actions of Monsieurs Dwarf en du Lac to look at yer cat book we’re not great… Offop, I dont tink now is de time ta truly deal wit it. Fer all we know, the two of dem were drunk when dey did dis. Seriously.”
"I honestly can't think of a better time to do this,” Lannis replied with righteous indignation. “Still, it certainly does seem easier to be forgiving when someone, drunk or not, went through someone else's pack instead of yours.”
“Please. We be on de final lap… or at least de penultimate lap… of dis long weird race we been goin on, en de unsavory actions of a self-proclaimed pirate “scout” should not surprise ye nor should dey keep ye from doin sometin dat will actually benefit ye. Dat is…. Making an awesome mana restorin’ crystal.”
“Don’t worry. I said I would do as the party asked once Brendon explained himself, and I am,” he gestured to the tome. “I have no designs on putting this group at risk over this, but I reserve the right to be feel offended and invaded.”
“When we get trough dis, we cen deal wit tings den.” Wyn then turned to Brendon and admonished the Scout, “In de meantime, ye may want ta keep ye mouth shut for a bit. Ye be in de wrong at dis point, Monsieur. Offop be a pain in de ass, but dat don’t mean ye be goin trough ‘is stuff.” Brendon placed one hand on his chest and made a mock look of surprise before wiping it away and nodding in understanding.
“I agree we litigate the morality of Master Brendon’s sticky fingers another time,” Kovid muttered, “But, if I was in any way a party to events that lead you to feeling violated, Lannis, this dwarf apologizes.”
Lannis gave a the dwarf a hard look and then the tiniest of nods. He resumed, “As to your question Wyn, if someone did find a suitable gem I would check Brendon’s pack first, he has already admitted to going through others belongings when it suits him."
Taking a deep breath, Wyn went on, “Anyway…Normally Wyn would stay to help wit de Magic’s, but I need to open de vault en I know where de gems are… unless someone else found a gem wort at least 100 crowns? Eidder way, Wyn needs ta open de vault. gonna go get dat gem, but I need someone to come wit me in case we come on sometin.”
Looking through his pack, Kovid grunted and pulled out a single colored stone. “On the gemstone front, sadly I have only this Fire Agate worth about 50 gold I believe. Not sure if we can use multiple agate stones to satisfy the hocus pocus required here even if any of you are still carrying the others. The only other is Corfard’s Crystal which may have been manufactured or corrupted in some way. Might not be a good fit for what we are trying to do.”
“Anudder option be iffin we all want to go to leave Monsieur Offop to ‘is tinkerin’ Wyn cen lock de door to de sanctuary. Or mayhaps Dwarfriend cen hang back en use his hammer ta keep de doors locked? Just a tought.”
“Wyn, If you would like me to stand wait in the Sanctuary while the you and others search for a suitable gemstone, I will, but I don’t like splitting up for too long, there still might be unaccounted for dangers wandering these halls.”
Abraxas took a deep breath and joined in. "H'okay, Señor Brejnom y Señor Loindiss, tus stay aqui y work ese out. Señor Kottnid y Señora Lapyra can hang out en el Sanctuary y keep it locked. Senor Wynrune y yo will go a el Vault y get una gem por una Piedra de Mana. That way, no one es solo y todos de equipo tienen some one a mirar their back. Comprenden? Vamonos, Señor McWyb."
"Work what out, exactly?" Lannis replied with a clipped tone.
Throwing his hands up and walking away from Lannis, the Fighter explaimed, "Que!? No comprendo que dices. Adios!"
“Hold on, hold tight. No one go anywhere.” Lyra dug to the bottom of her bag and pulled out a pretty nice sized gemstone. “I have a diamond here worth 500 crowns - worth a lot more than what we need really, but I think it’s just safer to use this one, then we might as well. It’s not like we’re short on money at this point.” She tossed it to the wizard who caught it and gave it a good once over.
“Thanks, Lyra. That’s using some horsesense.” He waved the group aside. “Everyone get out, let me get this started, need 10 minutes to start the ritual and then I have to close the door and we don’t come back until the morning right after sun up. If I did and do my job right, we’ll have a much needed manastone.”
The group filed out, waiting the in Sanctuary as the Magic User did his thing. Lannis read the complex spell, took sightings with the sextant, confirmed the time, wove that into the ritual, and then placed the gem square on the altar’s surface and backed away, closing the door behind him. The rest of the group stopped whatever hushed conversation they were having and looking over. “Ok, that’s doing it’s thing. What now, because this won’t be done for 20 hours.”
Time now is Day 12, 10:53 AM
(OOC)
Will make the Int check tomorrow (in game time). Ritual on the way. Can’t go back in until tomorrow AM. Where to now?
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