HF 048 Rune Taken Hostage

[3/17/17, 10:12:04 PM] Josh: You start walking...you have that bonus to passive perception, right?

[3/17/17, 10:12:36 PM] Rune: Rune does!

[3/17/17, 10:12:48 PM] Josh: Ok, good to know.

[3/17/17, 10:14:47 PM] Josh: As you walk, you're about to put out your hand for a taxi when you feel hard, scaly arms grab you.

[3/17/17, 10:15:02 PM] Josh: They go for your mouth and hands, roll acorbatics or athletics.

[3/17/17, 10:15:59 PM] Rune: Rune screams.

[3/17/17, 10:16:30 PM] Josh: The hands wrap around you before you can.  "Be quiet."

[3/17/17, 10:16:38 PM] Josh: It's Malayssa, the dragonborn thief.

[3/17/17, 10:16:49 PM] Josh: Malayssa drags you into an alley.

[3/17/17, 10:17:14 PM] Josh: Malayssa: "Now, I'm going to let your mouth go, and you're gonna be quiet, or I am emptying your guts right here.  Got it?"

[3/17/17, 10:17:29 PM] Rune: Rune nods.

[3/17/17, 10:17:59 PM] Josh: Malayssa keeps her hold on your arms but lets go of your mouth.

[3/17/17, 10:18:15 PM] Josh: Malayssa: "Sorry about this.  Boss says to bring one of you to him."

[3/17/17, 10:18:35 PM] Rune: For what?

[3/17/17, 10:18:55 PM] Josh: Malayssa: "Says one of you magic folk will know how to fix him."

[3/17/17, 10:19:28 PM] Rune: ... I probably don't, but if someone's in trouble I'll at least check. All you had to do was ask.

[3/17/17, 10:20:32 PM] Josh: Malayssa: "Yeah, well, last time you guys saw me, you almost outed me to that big shiny oaf.  Ok...now...if you get sick...try to throw up away from me."

[3/17/17, 10:21:11 PM] Rune: Ugh. I do have a weak stomach.

[3/17/17, 10:22:11 PM] Josh: The world spins around you for a bit, and, suddenly...you're in a cave.

[3/17/17, 10:22:40 PM] Rune: Rune was warned, and kept her eyes closed in an effort to not hork.

[3/17/17, 10:23:16 PM] Josh: You manage it.

[3/17/17, 10:23:24 PM] Josh: But you do feel your stomach turn a bit.

[3/17/17, 10:23:40 PM] Rune: Urrrghh.

[3/17/17, 10:23:43 PM] Josh: In front of you, you see another familiar face.  Leo, the stupid elf who lost questions to Creed, three times.

[3/17/17, 10:24:09 PM] Rune: All right, what's wrong?

[3/17/17, 10:24:21 PM] Josh: Leo: "Boss needs help."

[3/17/17, 10:24:34 PM] Rune: I gathered that.

[3/17/17, 10:24:42 PM] Rune: Well let me see, then.

[3/17/17, 10:25:47 PM] Josh: A figure steps out from the shadows.  An older man, burly, badly worn by time and life.  His face is scrunched, to a point, where his right eye seems to be permanently swollen shut, and he walks with a knotty, old cane.

[3/17/17, 10:26:15 PM] Josh: Man: "I fear that what afflicts me isn't quite so visible.  Mal, let the poor girl go, she ain't going anywhere."

[3/17/17, 10:26:23 PM] Josh: Mal releases you.

[3/17/17, 10:26:45 PM] Rune: Rune turns around and throws up on her.

[3/17/17, 10:27:03 PM] Josh: Mal :"GAH!  SERIOUSLY?!?"

[3/17/17, 10:27:06 PM] Josh: Leo chuckles.

[3/17/17, 10:27:23 PM] Rune: ... sorry... I was flying earlier.

[3/17/17, 10:27:32 PM] Rune: Do you have any water?

[3/17/17, 10:27:59 PM] Rune: Rune spits a couple of times and wipes her face off.

[3/17/17, 10:28:43 PM] Josh: The man holds out his waterskin to you.

[3/17/17, 10:30:30 PM] Rune: Rune rinses and spits a couple more times.

[3/17/17, 10:30:42 PM] Rune: All right. Now who are you, and what's the trouble?

[3/17/17, 10:31:17 PM] Josh: Man: "My name's Taluk.  I lead this might band we call the Gang of Cloaks."

[3/17/17, 10:31:40 PM] Josh: Taluk: "And I am dying."

[3/17/17, 10:31:59 PM] Rune: Of?

[3/17/17, 10:32:45 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Of being old and living a life of unhealthy choices.  Heh heh."

[3/17/17, 10:33:03 PM] Rune: Well I can't help with that.

[3/17/17, 10:34:02 PM] Josh: Taluk: "The dying ain't the problem there, missy.  The problem is I was a dang fool about it before."

[3/17/17, 10:34:20 PM] Josh: Taluk pulls up a sleeve and shows you a marking on his forearm.

[3/17/17, 10:35:13 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Know what this is?"

[3/17/17, 10:35:38 PM] Rune: No.

[3/17/17, 10:35:44 PM] Rune: What is it?

[3/17/17, 10:37:48 PM] Josh: Taluk: "This is my signature.  My signature on a contract with a foul and hateful beast, the likes of which I wish I'd never met."

[3/17/17, 10:38:13 PM] Rune: Oh, you're a warlock.

[3/17/17, 10:38:23 PM] Josh: Taluk: "I am that."

[3/17/17, 10:38:27 PM] Rune: What beast?

[3/17/17, 10:39:50 PM] Josh: Taluk: "A devil.  A creature of hell by the name Rumnoch.  Offered me power and time for something I once thought so pointless and only now realize is all there is."

[3/17/17, 10:39:59 PM] Josh: Taluk: "My soul."

[3/17/17, 10:40:26 PM] Rune: Well that wasn't very smart.

[3/17/17, 10:40:39 PM] Rune: What do you want me to do about it? I'm not a demonologist.

[3/17/17, 10:41:23 PM] Josh: Taluk: "No, but I know that one of you was once like me...and now he ain't."

[3/17/17, 10:42:16 PM] Rune: Yes. If a patron loses its power the bond can snap. It almost killed him, incidentally, and then his digestive system went backwards for a while.

[3/17/17, 10:42:28 PM] Rune: But I don't know how to depower a demon.

[3/17/17, 10:42:39 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Hurm...now, that is a disappointment."

[3/17/17, 10:43:03 PM] Rune: I could try to do some research on it. The Guild might have some information.

[3/17/17, 10:44:01 PM] Rune: But I'm a wizard. I don't do that kind of magic and it's not my area of expertise. None of the others know much about it either, not even the boy who used to be a warlock. He didn't even want the pact, and how he lost it had nothing to do with him at all.

[3/17/17, 10:44:43 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Now, you see...I do believe you...but it's darn funny."

[3/17/17, 10:45:02 PM] Rune: Probably because I'm telling the truth.

[3/17/17, 10:45:10 PM] Rune: Have you tried bargaining with it?

[3/17/17, 10:45:25 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Oh yes, I even offered him these."

[3/17/17, 10:45:42 PM] Josh: Taluk pulls out two large eggs, just like Creed's and Anna's...except they're yellow and blue.

[3/17/17, 10:45:59 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Funny...I thought he'd've wanted at least one of these puppies."

[3/17/17, 10:46:16 PM] Rune: Most people would. ... people are awfully stupid, I find.

[3/17/17, 10:46:45 PM] Rune: Your best bet is probably throwing yourself on the guild's mercy.

[3/17/17, 10:47:00 PM] Rune: If you tell them a good enough sob story you can probably get the lot of them researching on  your behalf.

[3/17/17, 10:47:34 PM] Josh: Taluk: "...I think I had a different idea in mind, actually."

[3/17/17, 10:47:50 PM] Josh: Taluk: "You see, this blue one got to talking to me, and it told me all sorts of useful things."

[3/17/17, 10:48:33 PM] Rune: You should never, never trust objects with a mind.

[3/17/17, 10:48:45 PM] Rune: Just so you know.

[3/17/17, 10:49:06 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Now, I know that...but I am a desperate man.  And when it says I can pass the curse on to someone else...well...I start to listen."

[3/17/17, 10:49:25 PM] Josh: This comes into your mind.  Quill is sending with you. "Rune, where are you?  Are you okay?"

[3/17/17, 10:51:06 PM] Rune: Taluk, passing warlockism onto me is a bad idea, and I'm positive Malayssa and Leo here don't want it either. Why are you hiding out in a cave, anyway? That's daft.

[3/17/17, 10:51:24 PM] Rune: Rune Sends that last paragraph.

[3/17/17, 10:51:56 PM] Josh: ((Ok))

[3/17/17, 10:52:46 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Well, we was staying in a nice little place in town, afore Malayssa got caught hiding out."

[3/17/17, 10:52:56 PM] Josh: Malayssa: "Stupid purple demon chick."

[3/17/17, 10:54:18 PM] Rune: Creed can be kind of difficult at times, yes.

[3/17/17, 10:54:28 PM] Josh: Leo: "Heh.  Smelly butt."

[3/17/17, 10:55:34 PM] Rune: Part of the issue is that forcing warlockism onto someone else is definitely an evil act, so the devils would get you anyway.

[3/17/17, 10:56:16 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Maybe.  But who knows, these days.  All I know is if I don't, I am definitely going."

[3/17/17, 10:56:38 PM] Rune: You're definitely going with either of those options, frankly.

[3/17/17, 10:56:48 PM] Josh: ...roll persuasion.

[3/17/17, 10:56:53 PM] Rune: You need a third way.

[3/17/17, 10:57:32 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Sometimes, there just ain't any third ways, missy.  That's the harshness of the world."

[3/17/17, 10:57:55 PM] Rune: That's the demon talking, probably.

[3/17/17, 10:58:11 PM] Josh: Leo: "...Taluk...I don't--"

[3/17/17, 10:58:16 PM] Rune: Wait. How does it work?

[3/17/17, 10:58:19 PM] Josh: Taluk: "QUIET BOY!"

[3/17/17, 10:58:38 PM] Rune: Does someone have to consent to take the pact, or can you put it on them? ... do they have to be sentient?

[3/17/17, 10:59:18 PM] Josh: Taluk: "...it needs a soul."

[3/17/17, 10:59:58 PM] Josh: Taluk: "The egg didn't say anything bout any consent."

[3/17/17, 11:00:50 PM] Rune: Usually that's required to transfer a pact.

[3/17/17, 11:01:11 PM] Rune: At least the other boy's was like that. Maybe the egg doesn't know better.

[3/17/17, 11:01:39 PM] Josh: Taluk: "...you're sure of this?"

[3/17/17, 11:01:43 PM] Rune: Oh yes.

[3/17/17, 11:02:00 PM] Rune: We had a very annoying archfey after him to transfer the pact but he always said no.

[3/17/17, 11:02:05 PM] Rune: So the archfey couldn't do anything.

[3/17/17, 11:02:36 PM] Josh: Taluk: "...well, that does throw a monkey wrench into things, don't it?"

[3/17/17, 11:03:09 PM] Josh: Taeral sends you again: "I need more details, anything.  Taeral can't find you in the city."

[3/17/17, 11:03:10 PM] Rune: Well, you can try if you like, but they do call it a pact, not a gift or a transferrable bond or something, you know.

[3/17/17, 11:03:57 PM] Josh: Taluk: "...Mal, put a call to her buddies."

[3/17/17, 11:04:11 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Maybe we can strike a bargain."

[3/17/17, 11:04:29 PM] Josh: It's then that Mal pulls out your AEGIS medal.

[3/17/17, 11:04:51 PM] Rune: Rune sends and speaks. "None of my friends will trade their souls to you either, not for me and not for the yellow and blue eggs you have either."

[3/17/17, 11:05:20 PM] Rune: ... they're not daft.

[3/17/17, 11:05:36 PM] Josh: Mal: "...S'not working, boss."

[3/17/17, 11:05:42 PM] Josh: And she tosses you back your medal.

[3/17/17, 11:05:56 PM] Rune: Rune takes it and looks at it. "... are we on another plane?

[3/17/17, 11:06:17 PM] Josh: Taluk: "No...we're just in the desert."

[3/17/17, 11:06:34 PM] Josh: ((You would know, that's probably still out of the medals' usual range))

[3/17/17, 11:06:45 PM] Rune: Oh. ... we must just be out of range, then. Bother.

[3/17/17, 11:07:13 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Well, this whole scheme's gone sideways faster than a rabbit on ice."

[3/17/17, 11:07:36 PM] Rune: Which is why you ought to have stopped by and asked for help like a sensible person instead of making me throw up on Malayssa.

[3/17/17, 11:07:52 PM] Rune: I haven't got any of my books here.

[3/17/17, 11:08:00 PM] Josh: Malayssa: "Yeah, I could've done without that."

[3/17/17, 11:08:17 PM] Rune: Have you tried a lawyer?

[3/17/17, 11:08:46 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Yeah, turns out most of them work for the other side.  The ones that don't couldn't help, neither."

[3/17/17, 11:09:02 PM] Rune: Then the guild is the best option.

[3/17/17, 11:09:15 PM] Josh: Taluk: "The guild will kill me."

[3/17/17, 11:09:25 PM] Rune: No, the Witchhunters would kill you.

[3/17/17, 11:09:55 PM] Rune: The guild would tut-tut at you, sit you on a nice couch somewhere and then wander into the library.

[3/17/17, 11:10:48 PM] Josh: ...roll persuasion, again.

[3/17/17, 11:14:00 PM] Josh: Taluk seems really hesitant.

[3/17/17, 11:14:08 PM] Josh: Leo: "...you really think they'd help him?"

[3/17/17, 11:14:57 PM] Rune: Honestly, it is a bit of a risk, but it's not nearly as much of a risk as doing something worse than murder to a guard.

[3/17/17, 11:15:19 PM] Rune: You know how the guard is about things like that. It'll all be shoot to kill, all three of you and any of your associates.

[3/17/17, 11:16:17 PM] Josh: Malayssa: "I'm not scared to die."

[3/17/17, 11:16:39 PM] Rune: That's the regular guard.

[3/17/17, 11:16:47 PM] Rune: There are also the witchhunters.

[3/17/17, 11:17:07 PM] Rune: They have a really full prison.

[3/17/17, 11:17:33 PM] Josh: Taluk: "...ok...you're right."

[3/17/17, 11:17:50 PM] Rune: Look, if you want, I can go with you to the guild house, that might help.

[3/17/17, 11:18:13 PM] Josh: Rune, you see Mal going for her daggers.

[3/17/17, 11:18:16 PM] Rune: But you seriously are going to have to do something about that soul issue, because if you don't you're going to be just exactly in the same position anyway.

[3/17/17, 11:19:10 PM] Rune: STOP. We don't need to kill each other over this!

[3/17/17, 11:19:23 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Mal!  Down!"

[3/17/17, 11:20:22 PM] Josh: You hear Quill and Creed come in over the badges.  "Rune?!?  Rune?!?"

[3/17/17, 11:20:59 PM] Rune: Oh, there they are. Can I answer them, please?

[3/17/17, 11:21:23 PM] Josh: Taluk looks from Leo to Mal.  "...give them a chance to get away, then call them back."

[3/17/17, 11:21:29 PM] Josh: Mal: "That's not--!"

[3/17/17, 11:21:38 PM] Josh: Taluk shoots her a look and she quiets.

[3/17/17, 11:22:34 PM] Rune: I just want to know if the dragons are with them, because if they're coming to save me they might not know you're not going to hurt me.

[3/17/17, 11:23:32 PM] Josh: Taluk nods.  "Ok, give them a warning.  Tell them to land, and we will meet with them."

[3/17/17, 11:23:37 PM] Rune: (("We have... powerful friends."))

[3/17/17, 11:23:44 PM] Rune: All right.

[3/17/17, 11:23:51 PM] Josh: (( :) ))

[3/17/17, 11:24:18 PM] Rune: Rune answers on the badge. "I'm all right. Don't let the dragons start burning everything down."

[3/17/17, 11:25:52 PM] Rune: Rune adds "There's a person here with a problem involving a demon pact, they just wanted me to help him. I think we've worked out what to do, but maybe you'll have some ideas. Careful, they're all armed and kind of jumpy, but I don't think it's going to turn to a fight."

[3/17/17, 11:26:37 PM] Josh: Skype's not letting me copy that.  Can you copy that into the main chat.

[3/17/17, 11:27:27 PM] Josh: Tell them not to come until I say.

[3/17/17, 11:28:06 PM] Rune: Why, what difference does it make?

[3/17/17, 11:28:24 PM] Rune: Rune dutifully relays: They don't want you to come until Taluk, the boss, says.

[3/17/17, 11:28:33 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Cause these kids ain't going with me."

[3/17/17, 11:28:42 PM] Rune: Oh, that makes sense.

[3/17/17, 11:29:02 PM] Rune: There's no reason to put them in danger too. That's very self-sacrificing of you, that should help.

[3/17/17, 11:29:15 PM] Josh: Mal's tearing up a bit.  She looks...not just sad, but angry.  Leo seems to understand, but doesn't like it.

[3/17/17, 11:29:40 PM] Josh: Taluk: "...what about these?" He refers to the eggs.

[3/17/17, 11:29:53 PM] Rune: Well... I suppose I can take them for now.

[3/17/17, 11:30:06 PM] Josh: Taluk nods.  "Seems fair."

[3/17/17, 11:30:37 PM] Rune: They're horribly dangerous, though. You know, if you'd used one a lot, it literally could have turned into a shadow dragon or a strangulating scarf.

[3/17/17, 11:30:43 PM] Rune: ... we just found that out today, by the way.

[3/17/17, 11:30:58 PM] Josh: Taluk: "...in that case...is this a bad sign?"

[3/17/17, 11:31:07 PM] Josh: He turns the blue egg around to reveal a large crack.

[3/17/17, 11:31:47 PM] Rune: ... well, I'm worried. Just ... let's not use it anymore.

[3/17/17, 11:32:19 PM] Josh: Taluk nods.  Mal and Leo are heading down a tunnel by this point.

[3/17/17, 11:32:33 PM] Rune: Rune pockets the eggs.

[3/17/17, 11:32:36 PM] Rune: Rune waves at them.

[3/17/17, 11:35:07 PM] Rune: You really are going to have to try to be a good person. At first it probably won't count much because you'll be doing it out of self-interest, but after a while it'll start to feel really good and you'll get in the habit, and that's when it will really help.

[3/17/17, 11:35:56 PM] Josh: Taluk: "...maybe."

[3/17/17, 11:36:19 PM] Rune: Grandmother said it's better than the rush you get from almost anything else.

[3/17/17, 11:36:53 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Kid, I spent a good portion of my life helping others.  There ain't no rush.  Just pain."

[3/17/17, 11:37:13 PM] Rune: Maybe it's different for succubi, then. I don't know.

[3/17/17, 11:37:39 PM] Josh: Taluk: "I dated a succubi once."

[3/17/17, 11:38:11 PM] Rune: Was she nice? We have a couple of Erinyes living with us.

[3/17/17, 11:39:17 PM] Josh: Taluk: "She was...highly unpredictable."

[3/17/17, 11:39:37 PM] Josh: Taluk: "But when she was nice, she was very nice."

[3/17/17, 11:40:19 PM] Rune: My grandmother has kind of a temper sometimes. And I don't think she taught me how to swear properly.

[3/17/17, 11:41:11 PM] Josh: Taluk: "...how do you swear?"

[3/17/17, 11:41:58 PM] Rune: You know, just the normal way. "Heaven" and "angels" and "holy" and sometimes "sacred" if something is really bad.

[3/17/17, 11:42:20 PM] Josh: Taluk starts to laugh.

[3/17/17, 11:42:38 PM] Rune: It's not that bad, is it?

[3/17/17, 11:43:19 PM] Josh: Taluk: "Well...it's unconventional, I'd say.  Not the sort of four letter words that'd get my hind quarters smacked as a boy."

[3/17/17, 11:43:39 PM] Rune: Well, "bless" has five letters technically. I suppose "holy" has four.

[3/17/17, 11:45:37 PM] Josh: Taluk: "I think if I ever said "bless" in my home, my ma would've thrown a parade."

[3/17/17, 11:46:07 PM] Rune: People seem to use "fuck" as a swear, but that doesn't make any kind of sense. Sex is supposed to be--oh, hullo.

[3/17/17, 11:57:33 PM] Josh: You notice he keeps looking over where Leo and Mal went and seems to be making sure they don't come back.