The Eye of Undoing [Van the Mad & Rotochron]
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		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Exotic Solos =&gt; Topic started by: vanTheMad on 01-04-2016, 19:23:36</h2>
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				Title: <strong>The Eye of Undoing [Van the Mad &amp; Rotochron]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>vanTheMad</strong> on <strong>01-04-2016, 19:23:36</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/BhovTQq.png)</div><span style="font-size: 18pt;" class="bbc_size"><strong>The Eye of Undoing</strong></span><hr><br><div align="center"><em>Towering over the city of Ailderhon, the Sapphire Tower of the Gehnovan Mage's Guild casts a long shadow over the Grand Forum. The tall marble structure gleams in the late afternoon sun, its cerulean blue banners wave in the sea breeze. Near the top, on the highest balcony of the great spire, the stone figure of the Guild's founder stands in silent watch far above the teeming streets below. Unknown to the city, and even unknown to the great and powerful who reside within the tower's walls, a prophecy spoken of long ago, spoken by the same founder who stands immortalized in stone, begins to take shape, mortal players moving across the chessboard of fate. On the streets below, events begin to unfold, events which will guide even the lowliest of pawns through a great and unknown adventure, one which will shape the fates kings, queens, and gods alike.</em></div><br><hr><br>The high stone walls of the Mage's Guild coutyard rise up ahead of you, shading you from the heat of the midsummer afternoon. A gentle wind blows against your back, kicked up off the bay, bringing the pleasant smell of the street vendors peddling their wares to your nose. You wait to gain entry to the Sapphire Tower, where you have heard the High Archivist is seeking outside assistance- assistance which, so it goes, pays extremely well. As you wait in queue for the guards to finish inspecting a large caravan of wagons bearing the emblem of Omben, you catch sight of your travelling companion, Vera, doing her best to lean on the counter of a street vendor peddling small pies, despite her stature. You can tell from here that she's haggling, even without hearing her speak; the way she's leaning on the counter, the vendor must have a clear view down her bodice. After a few minutes of chatter, you see her relocate to a nearby bench opposite the Guild, where she holds up two meat pies and gives you a playful wink.<br><br>The queue ahead of you moves slightly, only three wagons remaining to be checked by the guards, and only minutes until you're within the walls, on your way to a meeting with a potential new employer; however, any thoughts of the future are interrupted by the sound of a throat clearing behind you. A grinning halfling in shabby clothes, tailored to give the mocking impression of elegance, bows to you.<br><br>"Well, 'ullo friend," he begins, his voice as cheery as his grin. "Ya got buzzy business with the fussy fidgets in the Guild, eh?"
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Eye of Undoing [Van the Mad &amp; Rotochron]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Rotochron</strong> on <strong>04-04-2016, 05:36:38</strong>
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				Erwin didn't much care for lines, seeing them as a waste of a perfectly good amount of time, spending that time waiting for the prospect of likely more waiting tended to chafe at him. His gait was a bit off-kilter compared to most others', a fair amount of dipping and a rolling posture that gave away his long hours spent amidships, the very life which had earned him his surname made him stand out amid the landlocked. The temptations of the smells on the breeze almost turned him away from the Sapphire Tower, almost, but the prospect of that coin, that coin that came for extremely well-paid outside contractors, that kept Erwin Shipsman in line and waiting. Even when he saw Vera, the incorrigible little woman all but inviting the merchant's longing gaze down her top so she could either grift him out of another pie or secret it away with one of her deft, ever-moving hands. Erwin rather liked Vera, found her company very pleasant and her skills seemed to line up nicely with his own, leaving them a good team even on the first few outings together. If he were more religious, the man might wonder whether she had been specifically sent to his life.<br><br>He let out a little groan at the clearing of a throat behind him and through mighty effort didn't roll his eyes when an... interestingly dressed man sketched a bow before him, one that put him even lower than his stature. His clothes seemed contrived, as if he didn't have to be swaddled in burlap and homespun but <em>chose</em> to be, insisting that a fine tailor garb him in the stuff as a lark, but his manner of speech gave him away in Erwin's mind as either someone who spent a lot of time amid the streets and without a roof, or as someone playing the part. In truth he could have been something else altogether, but he didn't know for sure and wasn't exactly busy, so finding out wouldn't be too much of a hassle.<br><br>The man kept an eye on the queue so as not to lose his spot during the conversation, though he did return the halfling's address, "Well met. I trust your dealings are sweet," a simple turn of phrase for anyone involved in the Highcliff Collective that both showed one's familiarity and also showed common grounds for mutual respect in assuming another's money flowed well for them, "Indeed. The Guild's put out notice fer a few, they say 'outside contractors', to handle a bit of sticky business the likes of which they can't quite tell ya off the hop. Y'know the type." <br><br>Erwin figured that since Vera had seen him she'd also be keeping an eye on this newcomer, though he figured if anything happened he could handle it. He'd been through a lot growing up and it was rare that a situation balked him, that his courage failed him. Some said he was foolhardy and didn't know fear, but Erwin knew the right of it. Him and fear'd been good friends during his growing up, they'd only had a falling out in the last half dozen years when Erwin had simply stopped listening to it.<br><br>"Somethin' you needed, friend?" the last word stressed ever-so-slightly, since he didn't really know this guy and while he didn't mind being someone's friend, it tended to get his hackles up a bit when someone called him that out of course. Like a man who called you brother after knowing you an hour, it was a familiarity that didn't quite sit well with the sailor.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Eye of Undoing [Van the Mad &amp; Rotochron]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>vanTheMad</strong> on <strong>05-04-2016, 07:01:24</strong>
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				The grinning halfling shook his head and shrugged.<br><br>"Oh, no no no, sirrah," he responded, still as cheery as ever. "But I keeps my ears an' eyes to the to the happenin's which happen therein. I used to be a student there, ya know- til the tizzy teachers got too intimidated by m'prowess, ya see. I'm a natural-born mage, an' they were worried about me takin' their jobs." As if to demonstrate his power, he deftly extracted a flat, polished stone from his sleeve and rolled it across his knuckles, then made a flourish as it reached his littlest finger, before showing his palm to demonstrate that it had disappeared. While a cute trick, it was obviously just sleight of hand, a fact that does not seem to have any meaning to him as he continues talking.<br><br>"The name's Wick the Wizard," he said with another exaggerated bow. "An' it's a pleasure to meet such a strappin' fella as ya, sirrah." As he talks, you notice his eyes move, ever so quickly, away from you and to something just behind you, and then back to you. He pulls a brightly colored kerchief from his pocket and wipes his nose with it.<br><br>"I 'ate to be a buzzy bother, but 'ave you met with the Grand Duplicatorian? I think 'e might 'ave dropped this." He held out the kerchief this time, and with an exaggerated hand motion, tossed it up into the air, along with three others, nearly identical to it, and began juggling.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Eye of Undoing [Van the Mad &amp; Rotochron]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Rotochron</strong> on <strong>07-04-2016, 00:01:38</strong>
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				To be honest, Erwin wasn't all that surprised that someone had sought him out. He held himself like someone with an eye for adventure and acted like someone with a nose for trouble. Those weren't his words so much as those of a particular Captain he'd served under for a season or two, who had stated simply that for most sailors the salt on the wind was enough but for Erwin, well, he'd scent trouble like a hound to blood and Gods be damned if he didn't bay on after it much the same. <br><br>So it was that regardless of how bemused he was by the prospect of a street magician trying to ply simple sleight of hand as magic, Erwin entertained the man by pretending to be rather intrigued, "You know I think you might be right. Such a shame, the Grand Duplicatorian losing so precious an object, but you know what they say; easy come, easy go." The sorcerous sailor chuckled and swept his fingers through his hair, raking it back even if the breeze would catch and tousle it all over again. Inwardly he wasn't sure whether to expect someone at his back trying to pilfer his coinpurse or some other belonging in a clever, sly way, or if when he turned he'd encounter some hulking brute just about to swab him good and clean with a rough club. <br><br>Regardless, he had spotted Vera and she knew where he was so at least Erwin had that to count on, as well as a life at sea with men more vicious than those on land could hope to be. Guarding one's back was almost second nature to him these days, but even if all of that didn't work out, Erwin could count on the subtle power bubbling away within him, teeming with possibilities, rife with power but deft enough to be woven as cloth. <br><br>It also helped that he was confident to a fault that he was in control of most situations. Including this one.<br><br>"Still," he half-turned and stepped along with the line, angling his body to put the area behind him in view as well as to keep Wick the Wizard in sight, "I would hate to miss my appointment because I stopped overlong to admire the wonders put forth by Wondrous Wick the Wizard. Do you think you can keep that up while following me? I haven't met the mage and would like to hear more of them." Erwin glanced away from Wick to scan the area quickly, absently rolling the fingers of one hand through the motions of priming a simple cantrip, though it wouldn't do him much good without intoning the words. Well if worse came to worse he could cast the spell and try dazzling Wick with illusions of some kind, perhaps a voice shouting convincingly from a ways off and footsteps as if guards were approaching.<br><br>No sense playing that card if nothing happened though and if things were on the level Erwin would simply disengage when he was beyond the checkpoint and those without official business couldn't continue.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Eye of Undoing [Van the Mad &amp; Rotochron]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>vanTheMad</strong> on <strong>12-04-2016, 07:02:45</strong>
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				As you turned, you heard a small "eep," and found yourself face to face to face with a young human girl, or rather, chest to face. The girl's hand hovered, frozen at waist level, clearly intent on your coin purse, and her eyes were as wide as saucers. From behind you, you could hear Wick curse.<br><br>"Essie!" he shouted, his voice a combination of annoyed and panicked. "Run, ya daft girl!"<br><br>Wick's tiny legs beat a quick retreat, and the girl in front of you, now identified as Essie, finally snapped from her frozen fear and dashed across the square, headed for a throng of people opposite the Sapphire Tower's walls. Alerted by the sudden commotion, the one of the guards previously investigating the caravan rushed to your side, while two others ran off in pursuit of the would-be crooks.<br><br>"Did they get anything? the guard inquired, looking you over carefully. From her bench across the plaza, you can see Vera smiling, apparently amused by the events which had transpired.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Eye of Undoing [Van the Mad &amp; Rotochron]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Rotochron</strong> on <strong>12-04-2016, 21:49:31</strong>
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				Well. That all happened rather suddenly didn't it? Erwin sighed as he spotted the girl, heaved another when it became clear that his first instinct had been right and he'd been a simple mark. Why? Honestly the man didn't understand; if Wick and Essie had needed something, like food or some other essential, what kept them from asking and drove them to just take it from someone else? Heck, with his tricks Wick could actually be a good street magician and make some decent coin at that, perhaps use Essie to open a side business telling fortunes with cards and dice and the like?<br><br>Puzzled, Erwin simply shrugged when one guard spoke to him, absently patting over his body where he'd keep his belongings. Honestly he didn't know whether or not they'd gotten anything and if they -had-, chances were it was something he wasn't going to notice until later when he actually did a thorough inventory of himself. "Ehh.. not sure. I don't think so." <br><br>The man shrugged again and offered the guard an apologetic smile, "Hey ah.. don't be too harsh on 'em if you catch 'em eh? Maybe they're just hungry or somethin'." Despite himself, Erwin wanted to believe the best of people and had the sort of attitude that he hoped inspired others to -be- better because of it. <br><br>In the end though he rolled his eyes at Vera and debated on waving her over, though he didn't know whether she'd be allowed to attend this sort of meeting with him. <br><br><div class="spoiler_container"><div onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button" class="spoiler_header">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body">Did he get anything? Do I need to make a check? How are we handling stuff like that?</div></div>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Eye of Undoing [Van the Mad &amp; Rotochron]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>vanTheMad</strong> on <strong>13-04-2016, 19:23:27</strong>
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				<div class="spoiler_container"><div onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button" class="spoiler_header">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body">No, he didn't get anything- effectively, their attempt at sleight of hand was worse than your passive perception. Sometimes I'll prompt you to make knowledge or perception rolls, but largely I'll leave it up to you to choose when you think that your character would use them.</div></div><br>Nodding, the guard motioned for you to follow him in front of the remaining caravaneers.<br><br>"Glad to hear they didn't get anything," he began, dismissively waving his way past a surly-looking dragonborn caravan driver. "There's been a real problem with pickpockets around the Tower, sir. Ole' Wick and Essie are harmless enough, the only reason they still hang around here is on account of our leniency towards them in the past. They're not the type we're concerned with, and I'm assuming you'll be meeting their type soon enough." The guard turned as he reached the main gate to the Guild, and looked a little embarassed.<br><br>"Err, that is, I was assuming you're here for Master Cerenth's job offer, that is, sir."
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Eye of Undoing [Van the Mad &amp; Rotochron]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Rotochron</strong> on <strong>19-04-2016, 17:01:32</strong>
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				"I guess that makes sense.." he tapped his chin a bit, still looking off in the direction the pair had run. There were times when it was more than just slinging spells at the bad guys, he guessed, shades of grey and whatnot. An old captain he'd served under had once said that you never knew a sardine from a small fry until it was on your lap. Or something. Maybe Erik was misremembering it.<br><br>The man raised a brow at the guard's words, "That I am, once the line moves along anyway. For now I'm just sort of in limbo, waiting between events." he winked boldly and chuckled, amused at his own humour, "Say, you don't think I could skip the rest of the wait? I bet Master Carenth is just itching to get on with his end, so that I can get on with mine and solve the problem." he liked to think of himself as that, a professional problem solver, but in reality he was just another man in the world making his way.<br><br>Best not to get too big for yer britches and forget what spawned you, as the cook aboard the last ship would have said.<br><br>"Whaddaya say. Wouldn't be hurtin' anyone to let me skip the line, in light of the circumstances, eh?"
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