I'm back running Tal! Feels like a comfortable old shoe.

This game sees the introduction of a new player, Naj Taraj's sister Anonaj.

(7232) GM: When we last saw our protagonists, they'd just had a meeting in Atlan with the "Unlucky Chosen," and learned some great truths about the world and themselves.
(7232) GM: After travelling for weeks, Laj, Merduk, and Merdmira have returned to Cymril.
(7232) GM: Laj having made a few stops along the way to pick up some curioiusities to sell back to Naj.
(7237) Merduk: (I discovered that I am not necessarily cursed like the rest of my race. Merduk is not sure what to make of that.)
(7237) Merduk: "We're goin to Vegas!!!"
(7232) GM: On the morning of your arrival, the lesser sun rises first. It's been many long weeks since you've slept in a comfortable bed.
(7232) GM: Laj, your aht-ra is laden with statues and trinkets, liberated from their deceased owners.
(7232) GM: The suns are not very high in the sky when you get your first glimpse of Cymril, Green spires, windships flying to and fro, and many travelers on the roads.
(7232) GM: The sky is mostly clear, just a few clouds in the eastern sky.
** (7244) Laj looks at the City of Magic and says, "Good." **
(7244) Laj: "Midmorning. Real food."
** (7237) Merduk is relieved to see Cymril, but like usual, doesn't really show it much. **
(7232) GM: Shortly after midmorning, you arrive at the city gates.
(7232) GM: Many people are trying to enter and leave, mostly merchants. It's rather crowded.
(7232) GM: The guards eye you suspiciously, Laj, but wave you on through.
(7232) GM: The guards don't even acknowledge Merduk.
(7232) GM: Or Merdmira.
(7237) Merduk: (Par for the course.)
(7232) Test: What are your plans?
** (7244) Laj smirks under his veil. **
(7237) Merduk: (You are Test again!)
(7232) GM: (( Stupid alias tool. ))
(7244) Laj: (Hmm, visit Naj, get some food, and some rest, probably.)
(7237) Merduk: "Should we find a place to stay?"
(7237) Merduk: "I want to get a good meal in me. I'm tired of eating trail food, and dropping little rabbit turds afterwards."
(7237) Merduk: (For Marukans, it all comes back to poopin' eventually."
** (7232) Merdmira smirks at Merduk's remarks. **
(7232) Merdmira: "Some food maybe, and something strong to drink."
** (7244) Laj nods. **
(7244) Laj: "Your choice."
(7232) GM: The streets near the gate are crowded. People stream right and left of you.
(7237) Merduk: (Does it seem unusually busy? Like a coming holiday or something?)
(7232) GM: (( No more than usual. ))
(7232) GM: (( Where are you headed first? ))
(7237) Merduk: (To a decent tavern.)
(7232) GM: You find a tavern called The Silver Wing in the foreign quarter.
(7232) GM: It's not far from the windship pylons, and the patrons seem to ignore you.
(7232) GM: Behind the bar is an older Cymrilian who looks familiar.
(7232) GM: He asks you what you'll have.
** (7244) Laj notes the Cyrmilian's face. "Aquavit with water." **
(7237) Merduk: "An ale is fine."
** (7237) Merduk tries to place the face. **
(7232) GM: When he puts the glasses on the bar in front of you, you notice his right hand has the callouses of a swordsman, but he wears no blade now.
(7232) GM: He looks familiar, but not overly so.
(7232) Bartender: "New in town?"
(7244) Laj: "Newly returned."
(7237) Merduk: "Yeah. Did some sightseeing."
(7232) Bartender: "Must be merchants. You don't look like windship crew."
(7232) Bartender: "Need directions, maybe?"
(7232) Bartender: "Maybe looking for something else?"
(7244) Laj: "Perhaps."
(7244) Laj: "Anything interesting happen lately?"
(7232) Bartender: "Not too much. Got a new temple to the white god. Most people aren't too happy about that."
(7244) Laj: "Except Aamanians."
(7232) Bartender: "They're pleased. Trying to convert the masses."
(7232) Bartender: "Can't figure out why Azradamus would let them here for that, though. Guess he figured it's better than another war."
** (7244) Laj shrugs. "Aamanians. Smart as erds. Tolerant as Imrians. Happy as raknids." **
(7232) Bartender: "Heh, well spoken. You're a fellow who's travelled."
** (7244) Laj disinfects his water with aquavit, and his aquavit with water. **
** (7244) Laj shrugs again. "Family business." **
(7237) Merduk: "Should arrange for the Zandir to have a Paradoxist temple on the same street."
(7232) Bartender: "That'll start some fights."
(7232) Bartender: "Care for another?"
** (7244) Laj nods. "Dry, but not enough for a third." **
** (7237) Merduk shrugs, "Then we should also put a bookie on the street." **
(7232) GM: The bartender moves off to serve other customers.
(7232) GM: It's about midday.
(7244) Laj: "Know him?" the Yitek asks his companions.
** (7232) Merdmira shrugs. **
(7232) GM: (( Make Perception rolls... ))
(7244) Laj: [1d20+3] => [11,3] = (14) PER
(7237) Merduk: [1d20] => [8] = (8)
(7232) GM: Laj, it suddenly snaps: This guy looks remarkably like Captain Terevelos. He's not the captain, but he must be a relative.
** (7244) Laj 's eyes widen. "Terevelos, the windship captain." **
** (7237) Merduk peers. "No, that isn't him. Similar, though." **
(7232) GM: He does favor him a lot.
(7244) Laj: "Brother or cousin then."
** (7244) Laj waits for the bartender to work his way back over. **
** (7232) Bartender comes back eventually. **
(7232) Bartender: "Need a top up?"
(7232) Bartender: "Gentlemen, another drink?"
(7244) Laj: "Water."
** (7232) Bartender pours more water and adds Aquavit. **
(7244) Laj: "And more aquavit. You get your stock from the docks?"
(7244) Laj: "Left your sword there?"
(7232) Bartender: "Don't carry a sword anymore. And yeah, I buy from the docks. You guys windshippers after all?"
(7244) Laj: "Once."
(7244) Laj: "Survived."
(7244) Laj: "Good captain."
(7237) Merduk: "Not professionally. But we've travelled a little."
(7232) Bartender: "My brother flies a windship. I prefer the ground, myself."
** (7244) Laj nods. "Terevelos." **
(7232) Bartender: "You know him?"
(7244) Laj: "He was the good captain. Dead otherwise."
(7244) Laj: "We send greetings."
(7232) Bartender: "He's off in Arim these days, should be back in a week or so."
(7244) Laj: "Iron?"
(7232) Bartender: "Could be. He doesn't talk much about what he does on those trips."
(7232) Bartender: "You guys looking for a place to stay, I usually don't rent rooms, but if you've flown with my brother, you can't be too bad."
** (7244) Laj shugs. "Depends. Few welcome Yitek or Marukans." **
(7232) Bartender: "True, but you don't seem the usual rowdy sort of windship crew. If you're quiet, I'll cut you a deal."
(7237) Merduk: "We're not just quiet. We're actually kind of boring."
** (7244) Laj nods. "True." **
(7232) Bartender: "Ok then, For the three of you, 2 lumens a night."
(7237) Merduk: "Sounds good. What is your name again?"
** (7244) Laj nods again. "Fair." **
(7232) Bartender: "I'm Arlyn Terevelos."
(7232) Bartender: "Come back in a couple hours, I'll have one of the girls get the rooms ready."
** (7244) Laj nods. "Many thanks." **
** (7244) Laj finishes his drink. It almost washed all of the dust from his throat, but not his soul. **
(7232) Bartender: "See you in a while, then."
** (7232) Bartender moves on to other customers. **
(7232) GM: The midday crowd is arriving in earnest, it's starting to get a bit crowded with dock workers.
(7244) Laj: "Good start to the day."
(7244) Laj: "Any plans?"
(7237) Merduk: "Not really."
** (7244) Laj talks to his companions. **
(7232) Merdmira: "Got a drink, I'm happy."
(7237) Merduk: (It's been so long since we've played, I am having trouble remembering what we did on the last couple of adventures.)
(7232) GM: (( You could go sell Laj's stuff at Naj's shop, *cough, cough* ))
(7244) Laj: (We met with an Aamanian traitor, foiled his daughter, met a diabolist, dumped him in Zandir, and got picked up at the last minute by Terevelos.)
(7244) Laj: (yeah, I'm working that way, GM!)
(7244) Laj: (I forget exactly what we did to mess with the Aamanians, but we did it AND fought off a subterranoid. That was freaky.)
(7244) Laj: "Need to see Naj. Too much on the aht-ra."
(7232) GM: You leave the bar and head to Naj's shop. Directly across from Naj's shop now stands a temple made of clean white stone.
(7237) Merduk: (Are the people there walking around arms straight out ahead, slack-jawed and drooling like a good member of the faith?)
(7232) GM: You don't see anyone going into or out of the temple.
(7232) GM: But planted in pots all around the temple is a lot of Bald Nettle.
** (7244) Laj laughs in his disturbing, hollow way. "Bad luck!" **
** (7237) Merduk shakes his head. "This isn't bad luck. It's just bad." **
(7232) GM: Naj'
(7232) GM: Naj's window looks just as you remember it, with a colorful stained glass picture of some distant Cymrilian battle.
** (7244) Laj ties up Graceless, his pathetic tatra mount, outside of Naj's shop. **
(7232) GM: The door is open to let in the warm spring air.
** (7244) Laj enters wordlessly. **
(7232) GM: (( I'd forgotten she was called "Her Grace!" ))
(7232) Naj: "Laj Yeto! What a pleasure to see you!"
** (7232) Naj looks up from his counter. **
(7244) Laj: "Still alive. Been converted yet?"
(7232) Naj: "Fortunately not. But they have tried."
(7232) Naj: "One does not often argue successfully with a Sindaran."
(7232) Naj: "They soon saw that I was not easily swayed."
(7232) Naj: "How have you been?"
** (7273) Anonaj quietly makes her way inside, holding a book against her chest, trying to be invisible. **
** (7244) Laj looks at the newcomer. **
(7244) Laj: "Well. You?"
** (7232) Naj starts to say something, but looks at the door in surprise. **
(7232) Naj: "Anonaj?"
** (7273) Anonaj looks up from the shiny things and smiles. "Naj." **
(7237) Merduk: (Ah, a new face! Who is she?)
(7232) Naj: "You're... It's been so long since I've seen you!"
** (7232) Naj hugs Anonaj. **
** (7273) Anonaj looks at the two at the front. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, sirs." **
** (7273) Anonaj is shocked and slightly squirms before returning the hug. **
(7232) Naj: "Ouch... Careful of my side, my dear. This is most surprising."
(7232) Naj: "How have you been? How silly of me... These are my friends, Laj Yeto, Merduk, and Merdmira."
** (7244) Laj nods in greeting. **
(7232) Naj: "This is my sister, Anonaj, who I've not seen in many years."
(7237) Merduk: (She is a Sindaran?)
(7232) Naj: (( Yes, she is. ))
(7273) Anonaj: "I was not expecting you.. or maybe I wandered... perhaps, one of the two... the shiny things, they looked so interesting from the window."
(7237) Merduk: (Did you brief Hybride about Sindarans?)
(7237) Merduk: (Cool.)
(7232) Naj: (( Yep. ))
(7232) Naj: "Yes, I have quite a few things for sale. But come, this is a momentous occasion."
** (7232) Naj closes the door, and leads you back to his living area. **
** (7244) Laj smirks. "Ten minutes and he'd have more." **
(7232) Naj: "Much nicer back here. I'll make some kaf."
** (7273) Anonaj looks at Naj. "You look funny." **
** (7237) Merduk is unconfortable around the stranger. "Um, are you from around here? Or Sindar, maybe?" **
(7232) Naj: "I do? In what way, my dear?"
(7273) Anonaj: @The light in your eyes, it's different. Maybe with age you grew... I don't know."
(7273) Anonaj: @/"
(7232) Naj: "I've learned much, seen much, since I saw you last. You weren't nearly so tall."
** (7273) Anonaj looks at the two strangers. "Why so nervous?" **
(7232) Naj: "Did you make the trip here by yourself? That's a long way to travel."
** (7232) Naj walks slowly, as if his side pains him. **
(7273) Anonaj: "You know me... Pretty shiny things... they catch my eye. I wandered from one place to the next."
** (7232) Naj brings cups of kaf to everyone. **
** (7244) Laj accepts it with a slight bow. **
** (7237) Merduk sips his. **
** (7273) Anonaj looks at the cup then back at Naj. **
(7273) Anonaj: "I have news... but... am concerned, why are you walking so strangely?"
(7232) Naj: "Ah, that. I acquired a bit of a wound, a little more than a year ago."
(7273) Anonaj: "Why is it still hurting you?"
(7232) Naj: "I'm alright now, but on cold mornings it can bother me."
(7273) Anonaj: "Is.. I can help? Maybe shiny things can help?"
(7232) Naj: "It's nothing to bother with, my dear."
** (7244) Laj says nothing. That particular day a year ago is not a pleasant memory. **
(7232) Naj: "Would you like something to eat?
(7232) Naj: "
(7232) Naj: "I have plenty."
(7273) Anonaj: "I... brother.. they.. I don't know what to say.. but Sidard, you know? He was made WatchMaster.
(7273) Anonaj: "I didn't want to say anything.. but father.. well.. he.."
(7232) Naj: "He was? That is most excellent news. I am quite proud of him."
(7232) Naj: "Father? Yes? Is he alright?"
** (7273) Anonaj nervously drinks. **
(7273) Anonaj: "Oh, he's fine.. he sent me.. he knows I like shiny things.. told me if I happened to find you, to tell you. He was.. rather snide about it."
(7273) Anonaj: "Is he upset with you?"
(7232) Naj: "Possibly."
(7232) Naj: "It does not matter. I hope he is well."
(7232) Naj: "Perhaps in time, he may forgive me."
** (7273) Anonaj hugs Naj tightly again. "I missed you... the shiny things don't make up for you not being there." **
(7244) Laj: "Perhaps."
** (7244) Laj lifts his veil to sip his kaf. **
(7232) Naj: "I missed you too, dear sister."
(7232) Naj: "My friends here, they manage to bring me interesting objects, and interesting stories as well."
(7273) Anonaj: "Will you share with me, brother? Like old times?"
(7232) Naj: "Laj is quite adept at certain tasks. Merduk is quite handy with a blade, and Merdmira makes luck charms. I've sold some of them."
** (7273) Anonaj gasps. "Shiny luck charms?" **
** (7244) Laj smiles beneath his veil. He actually enjoys compliments, having received few in his scruffy life. **
(7232) Naj: "Well, lead. But shiny, yes."
** (7273) Anonaj looks at Merduk. "May I see your blade?" **
** (7237) Merduk shrugs, and pulls it out. It's not overly shiny, being simply a good, servicable blade. **
** (7273) Anonaj pets it affectionately. "Is very pretty... suits the Master very much." **
(7232) GM: It is a good, working black iron blade. The craftsmanship is not exceptional, but it does hold an edge well.
(7237) Merduk: "Thanks, I guess." Marukans are not accustomed to compliments, since they are pale, and usually smell of dung.
(7232) GM: And the construction is solid.
** (7244) Laj waits for Anonaj to finish admiring Merduk's blade before quietly leaving and returning with his load of antiquities, freshly liberated from their former owners. **
** (7273) Anonaj gasps. "Shiny!!!" is in haven, filtering through all of the pretty things. **
(7232) Naj: "A most impressive haul, Laj."
** (7237) Merduk is wondering about Anonaj. She is one of the hyper-logical superintelligent Sindarans? **
(7232) Naj: "Come my dear, I think you'll find these interesting."
** (7232) Naj helps Laj separate the items on the table. There are statues of pink stone, some with gold accents and painted faces. **
** (7232) Naj admires the jewelry. **
** (7273) Anonaj looks at the faces, tries to have a straing contest **
(7244) Laj: "Insufficiently guarded or improperly hidden."
(7232) Naj: "Hrm, this piece here, undoubted crafted by a Kasmiran. You are quite clever and brave, Laj. Or incredibly lucky."
(7273) Anonaj: *staring
(7244) Laj: "Both. That stain is demon ichor."
(7232) Naj: "Ah, we shall have to have it cleaned, then."
(7232) Naj: "Or perhaps leave it as a present across the street."
** (7232) Naj smirks at his own joke. **
(7244) Laj: "Aamanians," sighs the Yitek with a shake of his turbaned head.
(7232) Naj: "Never underestimate the power of a few zealots."
(7232) Naj: "Most impressive. I can offer 75 pentacles."
** (7244) Laj nods. "The story about it will have to wait." The Yitek accepts the pentacles. **
** (7273) Anonaj stares at the face still. "It says I won, but it won't blink... can I make it blink or will that cost me some pentacles?" **
(7244) Laj: "Perhaps the dead Kasmiran's spirit speaks through it. Heh."
(7232) Naj: "Clever, heh."
(7232) Naj: "Would you like to keep it, my dear?"
(7273) Anonaj: "Mmm.. if Mr. Laj would let me. I could melt it and wear it as jewellry.. or keep it at the foot of the door to pry evil spirits away!"
(7273) Anonaj: "It could be a good luck charm! very pretty... very shiny charm."
(7273) Anonaj: (Now I want to eat Lucky Charm cereal).
(7232) Naj: "I've just purshased it, so you may keep it."
** (7232) Naj smiles. **
** (7273) Anonaj is happy. "You're a good brother!" ponders how to melt the face and make jewelry out of it. **
** (7244) Laj doesn't care what customers do with purchases as long as he gets a good price. **
(7232) Naj: (( 1 Pentacle is 5 lumens, so that's a decent pile of money. ))
** (7244) Laj sips his kaf. **
** (7244) Laj also marvels at Naj's generosity. There must be something between him and his sister, especially since he has...tense relations with his father and brother. **
(7244) Laj: Perhaps she's his only family member who will acknowledge him.
** (7273) Anonaj puts the face on Laj's shoulder and looks at the two. "You look like twins!" **
(7232) Naj: "And how is Sidard? Is there a message?"
** (7244) Laj doesn't see the resemblance. **
(7273) Anonaj: "You have to look deeper... you're both stern looking, and have that pretty jewel look in your eyes."
** (7273) Anonaj glances over to Naj, "He wishes you health and hopes you are doing well." Doesn't mean to be distant of it, just is more interested in the shiny thing. **
(7232) Naj: "Sidard was always more level headed than father."
(7232) Naj: "And more forgiving."
** (7273) Anonaj looks up sadly at Naj. "You still have me, brother, if it counts for anything." Nervously goes and sits down with the face in her lap. **
(7232) Naj: "It is quite a comfort, little sister."
(7232) Naj: "But if father cannot see past... Ah, it is no matter now."
(7237) Merduk: (I sleepy.)
(7232) Naj: (( Wrapping up in a few... ))
(7237) Merduk: (Cool.)
(7232) Naj: "Actually, it is rather fortuitous that you and Merduk arrived today, Laj."
(7232) Naj: "I have a bit of a favor to ask you..."
** (7232) Naj picks up a scroll from a shelf. **
(7232) GM: And that's where we'll stop for tonight.
(7232) GM: