<div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=205751.msg10203729#msg10203729">Quote from: Skynet on 03-07-2014, 00:14:53</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"In my home country of Orsan Purl, arcanists practice a tradition where a spellcaster must become one with their talent.  Reliance upon magic items, deities, and external power sources is believed to weaken talent, a crutch which can be taken away.  We are a religious people, but our magical philosophies encourage being one with the art.  Tattooed magic is our way of ensuring that these words of power remain with us.  As for the snake, it's an <em>animated tattoo,</em> a permanent spell which can be used for self-defense."<br/>The snake lunged out of her skin in an arc before diving back into her flesh.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>Kleris flinched back in surprise as the tattoo writhed and jumped out of Asma's flesh.  "Woah, that's amazing.  Do you feel it moving all over you when it does that?"  He held a hand up as if to pet the head on her arm, but didn't approach as petting a snake on a naked girl was not the most prudent thing to suddenly grab for.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"A lot of folk think that, but the origin is much more political," Arisad said.  Eighty years ago a cabal of demon-worshiping scribes called the Verses conspired to overthrow the government by seeding their magic into ink which they then sold to mages.  They managed to kill many people with their own spellbooks, including half of the Ninemage Council at the time.  Everyone involved in the conspiracy was executed publicly, and there was little protest once it became known how insidious and far-spread their schemes spread.  Ever since, the practice of ink magic has been banned within Allain's borders."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>"Oh, I can see how that's much more personal and immediately dangerous for a city of wizards.  I guess there's always a unique problem to find in any society.  Thank you First Primarch."<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"Oh there is, in lands beyond.  They still blame us for the state of affairs in the Wastes, although it was a minority of tiefling nobles, and far more humans, responsible for the summoning of the Great Old Ones.  Most of us were just regular folk trying to survive.  Hey, if you're interested, you could always transfer here."<br/>"Maybe, although the folk at Redhurst are very nice.  The teachers do a great job on cutting down prejudice and bigotry against newcomers."<br/>"That's good to hear.  Just don't let the elves get too much power now, you hear?"<br/>"Um, yeah, I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that.  So, would anyone mind if we took a tour inside the Academic?"</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>Kleris held on to Lillin's arm possessively, took keep the foreign students from stealing her friend and classmate for their own.  "Wow, pots, meet the kettles, you have a lot in common, heh.  Well, hopefully they learn something from Zull and the other students about giving everyone a chance."<br/><br/>Kleris hissed as the spell failed to incapacitate the student.  Her classmates were physically restraining the attackers, maybe he could<em>daze</em>one long enough for them to get an advantage.  But then a local headmaster appeared, a giant of a man that sent most of them, including Kleris, to sudden attention and shock.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"That shall all be in the past soon.  In the meantime, I heard reports that one of you had a magic ring in the encounter?"  Arisad looked upon their hands, catching the one on Kleris.<br/>"Give me your hand?"  His eyes gazed at the ring for a while, deep in study.  "I've seen this design, this arcane pattern before...Yes, I know it!  You're a Merchiot, I presume?  I met a man bearing this surname before, back when I visited the necromancer Karnakia.  She wasn't always the foremost teacher of necromancy in the Known Realms.  I wouldn't be surprised if she had something to do with your recent admission to Redhurst...  Oh, you don't know?  Well, that's not for me to pry.  Anyway, Dean Khûdzak of Redhurst should be here to fetch you soon.  I apologize that your field trip must end on such a sour note, but you have the rest of the month to visit Allain."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>"We're sorry it got out of control, First Primarch, we just couldn't let them jump Arturon.  But yes, I have a ring," he held his hand out, palm down to let him examine it.  "Yes, my father was Breyten Merchiot, he found this ring adventuring."  A sudden deluge of questions flooded Kleris' mind, he had to know.  "How did you know my father, when did you meet?  Where, why?  And what did Dean Karnakia have to do with him, or my admission?"  He looked over at Arturon, remembering their host and current predicament.  "I'm sorry, I know you're busy and we're going to have so much detention for fighting.  Please don't blame Arturon for any of this.  I hope I could talk to you about this soon, First Primarch, thank you for your hospitality."<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Dean Khûdzak's Office, 7 pm sharp</span></div><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"A fight?!"  Khûdzak roared.  "And with students of Bemmea, no less!  Do you know how this makes us look?"  He paced back and forth across his office.  "Yes, I heard the story.  Yes, I know that you wanted to defend Arturon.  But you threw the first spell, making you the aggressors.  <strong>20 demerits for each of you,</strong> and detention tomorrow!  As for you, Arturon, your duties as prefect are temporarily suspended for the time being!"</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Perception DC 13</div><div class="spoiler_body">Kleris could spot Arturon shedding a tear before he turned away.</div></div>[Perception 6+1=7]<br/><br/>He wanted to argue, but it seemed clear the dean would hear none of it.  Kleris held his tongue and swallowed his objections, turning to leave with the others.  He didn't see Arturon's face, but his warning about behaving to make a good impression for all of them suddenly weighed more heavily on Kleris' mind than Khûdzak's rage.  He would have to check on Arturon later, after he had some time to himself.<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Day 34</span></div><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Normally this would be a weekend, but due to having detention Kleris has no free time other than studying.  He can still pursue relationships, but it would need to be someone within his study circle (Zull, Rensha, Lillin, and Artaxes if I recall correctly).</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>Stuck in detention, Kleris didn't have much chance to check on Arturon.  He hadn't seen Zull on the campus yesterday, and given the city's attitude to elves, he went to "study" with her, asking how she enjoyed the field trip, hoping nobody gave her grief.  He knew they still had to have their "talk" with Rensha later, and just wanted her to feel a part of the group.<br/><br/>Later, he decided to take up Artaxes' offer to study together.  He seemed to be taking his enchantments for granted and needed to hone his edge as it were.<br/><br/><div align="center">Kleris, Rensha, and Zull's Dorm</div><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"No, but I heard.  It's about us.  Zull, I...er, the day before yesterday, you were sort of loud, and we could hear what was going on.  There's nothing wrong with...you know, but...you used my bed."<br/>"Oh no!  I'm sorry, Rensha, I was overcome with desire, and my bunk was so high, and yours was just right by there!  I know it was wrong; it won't happen again!"<br/>"It's alright, Zull, I cleaned the sheets.  But we should plan ahead for this, when one of us might need the room...alone for a bit."<br/>"Okay, what do you two propose?  Everyone uses the sock on the door.  Sometimes roommates make a deal on the same day to spend their respective nights in their boyfriend's bed.  Something like that?"</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>"Hmm, visiting someone else's room is easy on the rest of us, but I suppose they would have the same, um, scheduling conflicts too.  Maybe one night a week, each of us can have the room for a while, and the others come back later, or sleep in someone's room for the night.  Or if a regular schedule doesn't work, maybe make sure you can give the others enough notice to leave the room open?  Maybe both; Zull has the room Monday nights, Rensha Wednesday nights, me Friday nights, and if needed, the weekends are up for dibs, or something like that?"  Kleris wasn't sure how to best make arrangements, but it felt odd and a little flirty to talk about scheduling respective sex days.<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Enter Karnakia</span></div><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"Yes, I do know of him, but our meeting was brief.  He came here to conduct some private research, and paid us for our services.  As to what he was looking for I cannot say, and while I did see him from time to time, anything I might have learned about the man is known better to you.  I don't know why he hasn't kept in contact with you, but for whatever reason it might be, I can say that it's not to avoid you.  Sometimes people wish to go unnoticed, or need to keep their distance.  It may not make sense, or seem cruel at the time, but in the end it may be for the best.  I'm sorry, Kleris, I know that this is not what you want to hear.  But you'll need to trust me on this.  Until then I have a class to teach, and must depart for Mordant now.  Until next time."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>While it wasn't unusual for an adventurer to pay for some research, it was odd that he had never heard of it, and nobody had mentioned it when he arrived.  "So he just paid for access?  Do you know what books he might have borrowed, or who he consulted?  Please, he's been missing for years, not, he didn't just leave us..."  Kleris felt confused at the old wound in his life suddenly being poked and opened here at Redhurst, where he was supposed to be starting a new chapter in his life and leaving the childhood abandonment behind.  Now there were suddenly prestigious figures who seemed to have known his father and they couldn't, or wouldn't, tell him anything.