<div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=205751.msg10236981#msg10236981">Quote from: Chloe Milev on 10-07-2014, 05:41:11</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"><br/>Kleris followed Artaxes' path with his eyes, not moving as he watched the centaur slowly trot around and then right up to him.  That muscled bare chest was on display right in front of him and he had to look up to Artaxes.  "Umm, y-yeah, that would be nice.  I haven't studied that much of centaur life and culture.  As for myself, I'm from a city; not Tokur or anything that big, but it was a good size.  My mom's a hedge mage and she married my dad, an adventurer.  He got lost a long time ago in some necromancer's lair I hear, so mom supported us herself with her magic shop.  He gave her this ring a long time ago, and she gave it to me to remember them.  Fortunately there were a lot of customers and I learned a lot from them, and they helped point me to Redhurst and apply for grants to attend.  So that's me: a city kid helping run the shop with my mom and learning the business and magic from the wizards and folk passing through.  How was your family?  Did anyone else study magic?"</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"That's a beautiful ring," Artaxes said.  "It's interesting how no matter our backgrounds, so many of us are pointed to Redhurst, even for people far away from the typical hubs for mages."<br/><br/>"As for my family, I was from a clan which shared positive relationship with elves.  The Creesh, as our clan was known, lived in the forest and really only interacted with them for trade and mutual defense.  My parents and relatives had little interest in arcane magic.  My father was a priest of the Earth Mother, and my aunt studied spirit lore, but aside from a few adepts in training my clan largely did not practice wizardry in general."<br/><br/>"In fact, when I expressed my desire to learn wizardry, my father said 'well, I suppose it's a tradition like any other form of magic,' and that was that."  Artaxes laughed.<br/><br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Dinner</span></div>"Well, I ran into Professor Karnakia again today, and while she seemed to have known my father, she was evasive and wouldn't tell me anything about their history..."<br/>"I think before we do anything directly, I should feel things out and look around the inside of Mordant for myself.  The best way to sneak into a place, I've been told, is to act like you belong.  Actually, I will belong, I'll audit a class.  Then inside, maybe I can find someone to show me her office..."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"That's probably the best and least risky way," Zull said, nodding her head.<br/><br/>"I think, no, I<em>know,</em>that you can pull this off!" Rensha exclaimed.  "But if you ever need our help at any moment, just tell us."<br/><br/>"I suppose we should leave things to Kleris for now, and wait until her next report," Lillin said.  "Today ends our first meeting of the Conspiracy to Unearth Mordant's Secrets!"<br/><br/>Zull and Rensha groaned.<br/><br/>"What, it's a good name!"<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Day 35</span></div><br/>Entering the foyer of Mordant tower, Kleris looked up the professors and class schedules, looking for someone he could "audit."  He had heard good things about Assistant Dean Frekka, and saw she taught Monster Identification 101.  That actually seemed interesting, and wasn't a huge leap for an enchanter to suddenly start studying.  He approached her during office hours and saw to it he would be able to listen and have legitimate access during school hours.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"Ah, Ms. Merchiot!  What a pleasant surprise!"  The elderly half-orc seemed awfully energetic for a women of her age.<div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/phXESCT.png?1)</div>"I heard so many good things about you from Zullinat!  Did you know she takes Monster Identification 101, too?  Are you trying to fit in more time with her?  Oh don't worry, I can tell that your enthusiasm is genuine.  Unfortunately you're already taking six classes, and if you dropped one of them you'd need to do a month's worth of catching up with the rest of the class.  But I'm more than willing to help you out during a free time schedule suitable for the both of us!  In the meantime, here are some books I'd recommend reading..."<br/><br/>One of the books Frekka gave Kleris had a sinister-looking black-and-gold cover with a humanoid skull which was...glaring, somehow, and had the numeral "1" covered into it.  Its title read<em>The Tome of Horrors, Abridged.</em><br/><br/>(http://i.imgur.com/E65T1mL.jpg?1)<br/><br/>It looks like Kleris has gained Frekka's trust!  He now has a good alibi for being in Mordant!<br/><br/><em>Add Tome of Horrors, Abridged to your inventory.</em><br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"><strong>Other Idea:</strong> If you have any suggestions of your own, I'd be happy to hear about it!<br/>[Diplomacy 11+12=23]<br/>Kleris asked around about any Mordant prefects or teacher's assistants that he might be able to use to get deeper access to the dean's office, maybe even her own student assistant.  Maybe they would be seduced, or at least charmed, into helping him out.  He subtly dug into their social life, and what sort of person they might be attracted to.  With a <em>disguise self</em> and <em>glamour</em>, he could become almost anyone's fantasy, and his <em>beguiling touch</em> [charm 1 round, DC 15] would help seal the deal, at least for an initial agreement.<br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>(http://i.imgur.com/3v9cfdy.jpg?1)<br/><br/>Randall's one of Mordant's prefects, and Kleris had earlier seen him patrolling the adjacent Thaumant school from time to time.  Rather shy and reserved, it seems that all of his classes take place in both schools.  A few students claim that he intentionally chose this combination so he won't have to travel too far away from the Far Dorm.  With the right questions, Kleris found out that he's into girls; tall ones, short ones, humans, elves, gnomes, he's not very picky overall.  A few of the Mordant girls tell Kleris that from dating him, he harbors a fantasy of one day meeting a djinn.  Randall's downright fascinated with these beings, drawing sketches of them in the margins of his notebook, gathering scholarly texts and works of fiction about them, even pestering some of the teachers if they could ever get a trip to the Elemental Plane of Air sometime.  Nobody really knows why he has such a fondness for these entities, although the two most popular are that he is descended from a djinni noble or that he wants to catch one and get three<em>wishes.</em><br/><br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Lunch</span></div><br/>While Kleris was enjoying a break between classes in Redhurst's dining hall, the person he least wanted to see made an appearance.<br/><br/>"Hello, Carson," Rensha said as she glared at his presence.<br/><br/>"Hello, Rensha," Carson replied.  "My business is with Kleris, and since I need to get back to my lunch, my purpose here is straightforward."<br/><br/>His gaze landed upon his new arch-rival, and continued standing as he gave his speech.  "Kleris, in spite of your last duel's technical...victory, I can recognize that you're no mere novice.  If we are to truly fight as equals, then I must know as much about your style as possible."<br/><br/>"That's none of your business," Zull said.<br/><br/>"It would be foolish<em>not</em>to learn about your opponent.  I expected you of all people to know this."<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Sense Motive DC 11</div><div class="spoiler_body">Carson's referring to Zull's race in this last sentence.</div></div><br/>"Anyway Kleris, during my research I noticed that you're an enchanter.  Yet during the duel you chose two wands of Conjuration, classes you are not taking."<br/><br/>"What in the Nine Hells is wrong with you?!" Zull exclaimed.  "Stop stalking her!"<br/><br/>"What classes we take is public knowledge.  It's no secret that I'm a magus, which makes my loss all the more surprising."<br/><br/>"I have one final question for you, Kleris.  During our altercation in that Allainian Academy, only then did you resort to a spell aligned with your specialization,<em>sleep.</em>It did not work, surprisingly, but in that moment of immediate danger did you default to your full potential.  So why did you hold back in our duel?  You, I, and all the other club members are fully aware that the chamber's magic prevents lethalities."<br/><br/>"Your point?" Rensha asked.<br/><br/>"I can tolerate misjudgments in a match, but I cannot tolerate an opponent who does not give it their all!  Kleris, next time we meet in conflict, I don't want you to hold back!  Show me your true potential like you would against a hated foe!  You may not like me, but you must honor the traditions of the mage's duel!"<br/><br/>"Are you done yet?"<br/><br/>"Not until I hear Kleris' reasons for her actions.  Until then I won't be satisfied."<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">I Know What You're Thinking</span></div><br/>This time Professor Yarminda was meeting each of the class' small number of students one at a time at different periods throughout the school day.  "This might be unconventional, Kleris, but I'd like to hold a session with you alone.  Don't worry, you're not in trouble, I'm doing this for everyone taking my lessons."<br/><br/>Instead of in Jecture, today's solo session took place in Professor Yarminda's office.  The room was decorated with motifs of fey creatures; a portrait of a satire playfully posing with Yarminda hung behind her desk, not any ordinary painting but a full-color version of<em>Capture Image.</em>A miniature statue of a dryad emerging out of a tree held down a stack of papers as a comfortable wind from outside blew through the open window.<br/><br/>"Kleris, I will deem you ready to learn the spell of thought detection, but first you must undergo a few trials.  First you must understand the sensation of having a person bore into your mind.  This spell only detects surface thoughts, not forgotten memories or things the target's not thinking about at the time.  It is all too easy to reach into someone's conscious without consideration of their feelings, if you yourself never experienced being on the other side.  Once you're ready I will cast the spell on you.  Don't worry, I won't be probing for long.  Instead, think hard of a number from one to ten thousand.  Focus on that number as you would focus on the mental rhythms necessary to cast a spell."<br/><br/>She opened her purse and withdrew a copper piece, the arcane focus for the spell.  Holding it up to her glass-framed eyes, she focused, for six long seconds.<br/><br/>"Okay, the first part of the spell tells me the presence or absence of thoughts in a general area."<br/><br/>"Now I can tell the number of thinking minds in the area and their intellectual capacity."<br/><br/>Yarminda focused ever harder on the copper piece, her eyes narrowing.  It seemed as though at any moment the coin would bend, erupt in flames, or some other flashy spell.<br/><br/>"Focus, Kleris!  Think of your number!  Ah yes, I can read your surface thoughts now!  I can see the number in your mind!"<br/><br/>And she told Kleris the number with perfect confidence, no sense of guessing in her voice.<br/><br/><br/>"That was quite a trip, wasn't it?" she asked.  "Kleris, I do not need magic to tell that you're good of heart.  I can rest easy knowing that this spell will be put into proper hands.  But first you must make a pledge."<br/><br/>Yarminda pulled a bright blue piece of patterned cloth from a nearby chest.  Unfolded, it portrayed a pair of hands encircling a crystal ball.  "The Blue Oracles are a prestigious order of diviners who use their talents to make the Known Realms a better place.  Although I do not belong to them, it is traditional for a diviner to swear that they will not use their powers for evil, to not violate other's privacy except in times of greatest need, and to see their talents for the benefit of the many."<br/><br/>She draped the flag over her desk.  "Place your hand upon the circle, and repeat after me."<br/><br/><div align="center"><em>"From the first dawn to the last night<br/>I pledge to commit to what is right<br/>Sworn among the first mages of old<br/>I, Kleris, this sacred pledge I will continue to hold<br/>Honor, Integrity, Justice<br/>That is what we diviners stand for<br/>And the responsible use of our lore<br/>Should I use a spell for ill<br/>Shall my powers be stilled."</em></div><br/><br/>After Kleris repeated the last word, Yarminda stood silent for a moment then bowed her head.  "And so it is done."<br/><br/><em>Learn Detect Thoughts.</em><br/><br/><br/>"Don't leave yet, Kleris, stay a little."  Even though class was over, Yarminda wanted to tell him something.<br/><br/>"I don't mean to pry, but I've heard through the grapevine that you've been asking about boys."  She giggled.  "Don't be ashamed, it's natural to have fondness for someone.  We at Redhurst are an open lot and don't frown upon relationships between students as long as they're consensual and not abusive.  You're charming, you're smart, and you're kind, all good qualities not just for a girl, but for anyone."<br/><br/>Yarminda smiled.  "But you're young, and inexperienced to the many trials of love.  I've been through it all, the good and the bad, loved and been loved by men and women in years as a mage.  If you don't mind, I'm more than willing to help you out in whatever ways you need."<br/><br/>"Don't worry, anything you reveal here will be confidential," she said with a wink.  "I won't tell."<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Relationships and Experience</div><div class="spoiler_body">Gain <strong>Relationship Level 1 out of 10</strong> with Professor Yarminda.  Gain 100 experience points.</div></div><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>Tome of Horrors, Abridged</strong></span></span><br/><strong>Aura</strong> Faint Divination and Illusion; <strong>CL</strong> 3rd<br/><strong>Slot</strong> None; <strong>Price:</strong> 100 gp; <strong>Weight:</strong> 2 lb.<br/><br/><strong>Description</strong><br/><br/>This ominous book has an individual page for its hundreds of fantastic beasts.  If the owner ever encounters a new or unknown creature, they can consult the book as a full-round action and roll a Knowledge check with a +5 bonus for the purposes of identification.  The owner is considered trained in all Knowledge skills for the purposes of this roll.<br/><br/><strong>Construction</strong><br/><br/><strong>Requirements</strong> Craft Wondrous Item, Skill Lore, 50 gp<br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"><strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Skill Lore</span></span></strong><br/><strong>School:</strong> Divination; <strong>Level:</strong> Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1<br/><strong>Casting Time:</strong> 1 standard action<br/><strong>Components:</strong> V, S<br/><strong>Range:</strong> Touch<br/><strong>Target:</strong> One creature touched<br/><strong>Duration:</strong> Until discharged (see below)<br/><strong>Saving Throw:</strong> Yes (harmless); <strong>Spell Resistance:</strong> Yes (harmless)<br/>You enhance a creature’s knowledge about a particular skill. While the spell is in effect, the target gains an insight bonus equal to +1 per two caster levels (max +5) to one skill check chosen at the time of casting. If this skill check takes more than one round it gains no benefit from this spell. Only one skill lore can be in effect on a creature at a time as a second casting counters the first.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>