The ink seemed to lift off the page, reaching out to enwrap and suffuse Andrei's head.  After a moment, though, they dissipated harmlessly.  "Wow, that looks like it comes in handy a lot.  Thanks for that..."  Taking the documents back, now that they appeared to be disarmed, Kleris read aloud, until he came to the confusing personal parts, when he trailed off, rereading it several times.<br/><br/>"I knew he was an adventurer, but I had no idea he was so well-traveled as to visit at least four planes.  I thought he was just lost looting a lich's tomb, but this is more like hunting necromancers all over the universe.  What was he looking for?"<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=205751.msg10382059#msg10382059">Quote from: Skynet on 15-08-2014, 05:12:35</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"I don't know.  Either Mr. Merchiot is on the run from someone, or..." she dared not say the last thing on her thought, not in front of Kleris.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>"What?  He was hunting necromancers?  Or he was in trouble himself?"<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Knowledge Planes DC 16</div><div class="spoiler_body">Golarion and Toril are alternate Material Plane worlds.  Golarion is a planet which was hit by a meteor thousands of years ago, sending its civilization into a dark age before slowly recovering.  Toril is a planet notable for a rich tapestry of magic known as the Weave overlaying it, administered by the Goddess of Magic.</div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Knowledge Religion DC 16</div><div class="spoiler_body">The Whispering Way is a philosophy on Golarion dedicated to the promotion of undeath.  It teaches that the shedding of mortality removes the weaknesses and suffering of life.  Thus, the ideal state of the world is one where all life is wiped out or turned into undead.  The Whispering Way is never written down, instead orally passed from one person to another; within its teaching lie the secrets to undeath.<br/><br/>If Andrei is asked whether he knows anything on the philosophy, he shakes his head.  "Sorry, not all vampires and necromancers are clued in to each other's traditions.  This applies doubly so in regards to transplanar travel."</div></div><br/>[Planes 7+8=15<br/>Religion 12+8=20]<br/>The names Golarion and Toril seemed familiar, but he couldn't recall their significance.  The Whispering Way did stand out, however, as one of the alarmingly apocalyptic philosophies they learned about in the ethics of magic.  "You don't mean he's a part of the Whispering Way?  That's... well, I don't know if that is absurd or not, I don't really know him.  But adventurers are always trying to stop the end of some world or another, he might have been worried about this cult's plans..."  Again, only more questions came with every scrap of information.  "You're right, I need to talk to Arisad.  That's another person who's obviously hiding what he knows about my family.  But I think I can return this report alright; I've got an inside contact, if he's not in detention already.  I'll let the heat cool down a bit and then try to contact him."<br/><br/>A few hours later, before dinner, Kleris wrapped her cloak around for a generic disguise [DC 20] of a nondescript, brown-haired boy.  It felt odd to be wearing slacks for once.  He hid the papers in a dead drop, not wanting them to be found on himself, and walked near Randall's usual routes around his dorm.  Searching for the prefect, he hoped he hadn't been taken in to custody.<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Day 40, Hentru's Resort</span></div>Kleris was usually clueless about others' attitudes and motivations, but after most of a semester of trial and error, he seemed to be learning a little about others, at least his friends.  "Is there something wrong, Rensha?  You seem out of sorts."<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"Kleris, I've been meaning to ask you something," she said in the middle of the casting of a <em>shield</em> spell.  "You went out on a date with that centaur.  Heard it from Zull.  It's just a first date, you know?  Nothing official and all."<br/>Rensha zoomed right up to Kleris to deliver a touch spell of a nonlethal <em>Shocking Grasp</em>.  21 (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=62868)<br/>"Did I throw you off?  Sorry.  Anyway, it's my fault for not taking the initiative.  Kleris, if you're still open, I want to go on a date with you!"<br/>Twisting his arm behind his back and pinning him to the ground, Rensha had Kleris in a locked hold. (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=62869)<br/>"So, are you free or not?"</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>Bringing up his date with Artaxes, along with Rensha's sudden interest in it brought up a lot of mixed, confusing emotions and some slight embarrassment.  Distracted, he didn't realize Rensha was following up with a close attack, and was then physically shocked as much as emotionally.  When Rensha then followed through with a proposal, Kleris was left dazed and blinking, finding the world suddenly spinning and swimming, his face against the ground and the orc's weight on his back, muscles locking him down immobile.<br/><br/>Catching his breath, he just let out a chuckle.  "Clearly I'm not, you've caught me.  I could never say no to you Rensha, you've got a date, heh," calling out sideways to his opponent.  He didn't struggle to get up yet, just enjoying the large girl holding him down in a pin; he could get used to this.  And it was a good example of the use of psychological tactics in a fight.  He wondered if he could use it against Carson in a few days.<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Society of the Scarlet Serpent Meeting</span></div><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"So, Kleris," Rensha asked.  "You in?  We need all the help we can get, and knowledge of the party needs to be kept hush-hush and passed to the right people so that everything goes smoothly."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>"Wow, a<em>Mansion</em>?  That's impressive.  Yeah, I'm totally in, whatever you need!"  Thinking over what needs to be done, he blushed a little that they would overtly make plans for contraception, but it was only wise.  With some experience crafting some magic items, he had an idea.  "I might be able to make some sort of token or infusion for, um, preventing any future problems.  I have half of the materials I would need, but it's not enough to make it myself.  If I could get a few more things, I could enchant everyone who comes in."<br/>[Craft wondrous item of<em>block the seed</em>:  spell level 1*caster level 1*use-activated 2000*one day duration 0.5 = 1000 gp market value = 500 gp crafting cost]<br/><br/><div align="center"><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Party Preparations:</span></strong></div>Day 40:  searching for a location.  Dungeoneering 19+8=27<br/>Day 41:  decorate with ribbons, balloons, reflective surfaces, glamered everything.  Spellcraft 8+11=19, 16+11=27<br/>Day 42:  collect funds, create a token/spray/infinite oral pills of<em>block the seed</em>.  Spellcraft DC 6.  Diplomacy 5+13=18 to solicit funds?<br/>Day 43:  hours taking 20 on Quick Change Cloak of disguise to look good for the party ; 20+13-2=31<br/>Day 44:  invite Zull, dorm-mates, Lillin, Arturon, Artaxes, and that jerk Carson to rub it in his face.<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Day 40</span></div><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Today like every week before (and sometimes when they were feeling extra-frisky), Lillin offered to help Kleris "relieve" himself with the help of her body.<br/>"Mmm, you're tastier than usual today," she says after kissing him.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>Kleris was surprised, thinking back to what could be different.  Oh.  "Well, I did have a date yesterday.  With a boy.  Things went well, and, well, maybe I still taste like him a bit..."  He blushed, but knew he could probably tell Lillin anything.  "It was really fun, but it was my first time doing anything like that with a boy.  There's a party in a few days, you really have to come, but I'm a little nervous about doing more of that.  I kind of liked it, but I can't let the cat out of the bag, you know?"  Kleris continued making out with Lillin, letting her ride on top, grinding together as her tail also thrust into him as usual.  After, Kleris asked for her help scouting a  party location.  With her familiarity, they quickly found the perfect place that was off the map in a disused area, but simple to find with some directions.<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Day 41, Morning</span></div><br/><strong>Party Preparations:</strong>Not satisfied with the decorations, Kleris puts in a few more hours of work to make everything really pop.  Eventually the catacomb is transformed into a bitchin' pad, with loveseats, mood lighting, musical glamers, food, and leaving a few dark secluded corners.<br/><br/><strong>Relationship:</strong>Remembering how off-put he was dueling with Rensha, Kleris decides to stalk Carson around for the rest of the day, even concentrating on<em>detecting</em>his<em>thoughts</em>as much as he could for any exploitable insights.  It was probably a legitimate use of the spell: it was just preparing for a battle...  In addition to his personal investigation, he asked around about him to see if anyone knew him, his crippling weaknesses and neuroses, etc.<br/>[Diplomacy 5+13=18 if necessary]<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Day 42, the Day of the Duel</span></div>[If my relationship with Carson bumped up to 3, I don't have that message with the full relationship benefits any more, so I'm not sure what rolls might change.  And if he got any insights to Carson, there might be a psychological trick or disguise prepared (looking like unrequited crush/girlfriend who dumped him/etc)]<br/><br/>Carson gets a 5 initiative. (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=62872)<br/>[Initiative 4+2=6, whew]<br/><br/>The lantern lit, but each seemed to pause a moment to gauge the other and what the opening move would be.  Kleris decided to soften him up before pulling out the big guns.  Interrupting the silent stare, he sauntered up, seemingly forgetting about the fight, and gave Carson a flirty grin.  "Can't we just be friends, you big dummy?"  Reaching up, he gave him a kiss, delivering his<em>touch of idiocy</em>.<br/>[Melee touch 14+1=15, 6 penalty to Int, Wis, Cha (assuming they don't get separate damage rolls) for 40 minutes]<br/><br/>With Carson mentally dazed, he would be a sitting duck for any followup spells.  And that was assuming he could even retain any of his own spellcasting ability to continue the fight!  Maybe soon would be a good time to ask him for some money to craft the magic party supplies.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Carson puts his hands together and a burst of water rushes out.<br/>Carson gets a 17 on the Combat Maneuver roll against Kleris' 13 CMD.  He's pushed back 5 feet. (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=62873)</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>