Runelords 12.2 - Cleaning Up the Basement

"So, in an effort to not think about the runewell that's sitting outside waiting for me and may or may not actually work," Virgil said conversationally as his sword cut deep into a lunging ghoul, "Khyr, what's up with you?"
"Whatever do you mean, Virgy?" Khyrralien replied coyly, loosing a crossbow bolt into the side of another ghoul's head. "Currently I am delighting in disassembling these here ghoulies!"
Virgil shrugged off an attack and retaliated as he replied, "Well, your clothes seem in a bit of disarray, and not from the bracing combat, if you know what I mean."
Khyr gushed, "Oooh, yes! I've been a very bad boy lately, it would seem. So much fun!"
Making a conceding expression, Virgil continued, "Well, good for you then. Good to enjoy yourself. Though, how are you going to play that off in town, out of curiosity?" His sword bit into the ghoul again as he whirled and danced around artfully. "Because something seems a bit off about your disguise now, from a layman's viewpoint."
"Hmmm," Khyr muttered, considering that as he fired another bolt. "You do bring up a good point. I suppose I shall have to get creative! The more pressing issue, I would think..." he said, his voice dropping into a hushed whisper, "will be our great and fearless leader here." Their gaze glanced over to the nearby Eamon, transformed by his battle rage into a glowing, azure being of destruction. "Prissypants isn't likely to be thrilled."
"Well," Virgil replied, dropping to a whisper as well. "I don't fully blame him. He's taking the fall for anything his team screws up on record. Pandemonium is probably going to be slightly pissy at this development."
Waving him off, he returned, "Yes, yes, many excuses and all that. It isn't such a big deal though, really. Like anything else we do here, it's only a problem if they find out; as long as things are back to how they were upon departure, it's only a little bit of fun!"
"Of course. No judging," Virgil conceded. He exchanged a few more blows with the ghoul before continuing, "So, what is going on there? Did your whole face change or something?"
Khyr giggled as he said, "I do not entirely know just yet! I will need a date with a mirror. I can say that I do feel the most thrilling changes to my teeth and tongue. I am so excited to have a look!"
"Well, it will be an interesting unveil then!" He executed a skillful twist before continuing, "What triggered it again? I don't know if I noticed right away; you know how non-Materian things are, wanting you to think it was always one way when it was really another. What were you doing? I don't remember anything in particular..."
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When the battle had ended, the three men rounded up all of the bodies they could find, both of the ghouls and their victims. The remains of the feasted corpses were scattered about and mangled, making it impossible for the three men, lacking as they were in knowledge of more advanced Materian anatomy, to identify what was human and what was animal. There were only three bodies that were still identifiable, and one in particular they even recognized: a bandit they had seen on a local wanted poster. The highway robber had been well-equipped, it seemed, and Virgil went over the body for its weapons and valuables. He lingered over the hat that still clung to the dead man's head, having caught its magical signature. As he investigated the enchantment, he grinned. "Excellent!" He stood up, spinning the small, red turban around on his finger. "What we have here, is a Hat of Disguise."
Khyrralien instantly perked up. "Ooooooh!" he trilled, "Mine! Mine mine mine!" He practically skipped across the room, holding out his hand and making grabbing motions towards the hat. "I call dibsies!"
Virgil deftly twirled it away, dodging the grasping hand. "Now, wait a second," he said, with a note of seriousness. "I think we should give it to Foxglove." Though his face was covered in masks and scarves, one could still practically see Khyrralien blinking, taken off-guard by the lack of immediate gratification he had expected. "I mean, the man's going to need a disguise, provided he hasn't gone unhinged again since we left him outside. He's a lot worse off than Luna: he needs more than a scarf and some make-up, and he's no caster, so he's not learning spells or getting a wand. Not to mention that he's pretty well-known, and known for being fashionable, whereas we are all pretty well known for looking weird, at this point."
The fey started to make a noise of protest, but Eamon cut him off, "No, it is not yours, Khyrralien." He stepped over to join them, giving a somber nod of his head. He held his hand out to Virgil, "I will be taking it for now, and we shall decide what to do with it later, when everyone is present. As Virgil pointed out, you are not the only one in need of it," he added as a mutter under his breath, "and certainly not the most deserving."
Passing it over into Eamon's outstretched hand, Virgil nodded, "You're the boss." The ease of Virgil's acquiescence suggested strongly that he felt his argument was already won. As Eamon tucked the hat away, he added, "But, just as a point of order...if we're going to discuss this later, don't bring it up to Aldern in the meantime. Even I know that's a dick move, to tell someone we've got a solution to their problem but we aren't sharing. If we end up deciding not to give it to him, fine, but don't let him know we have it. That's just cruel." 
Eamon nodded, saying, "It will be kept in confidence until we have made a formal decision." Khyrralien made some exaggerated whining noises of bereavement, which were ignored completely by the two outer-planers as they went back to examining the area. 
Category:Rise of the Runelords