description
joaquin: hhgh havi: we’re here for you joaquin: hhhrrrrrrgh
everyone wakes up the next morning. to galloping hooves. havi & tanum are in the same bed. philip runs to the window and shouts for everyone to get up.
hoaquin runs downstairs and finds philip with one arm around meekus, and two other men joaquin has never seen before. one man is an elegant & groomed elf. the other is wearing all black, with a black hood, and a face mask.
meekus: joaquin! i’m glad the group has stayed together
meekus: there are a couple things i need to talk to you about
meekus: unfortunately i need to get going, but this man is philip’s right and true mentor, and i need you to make sure the two of them have time to train every day.
meekus: and this is his private bard.
meekus motions to areli. (shad’s new character!)
meekus goes inside to find the other. he approaches tanum.
meekus: you’ve never been a mage
meekus: and you’re never going to be.
and he leaves. havi notices that it pained meekus to say that. but he also knows that it’s true. havi runs after him.
havi: meekus?
meekus: yeah?
havi: what was that.
meekus: that was the truth.
havi: you can’t just … crush his hopes like that
meekus: *takes havi’s hand* if it was up to me, that was not how it would have been done
meekus: but i had my orders
and he leaves again. joaquin sees meekus walk back to the stables, hop onto a deer, and gallop off.
the dark figure gives areli a list of songs to play every day and never speaks to him.
philip is charmed that he got to see meekus again. havi goes to console tanum. he’s sitting on the top bunk bed curled around his own legs. havi climbs up and puts his hand around his shoulder. tanum starts to cry. havi doesn’t know what to do. tanum cries more, but he’s leaning into havi’s presence.
havi: hey it’s okay, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about
tanum: it’s not okay!!!
tanum: i just got! a spirit! a god! told me! that i’m not, that my dream, is never gonna happen!
havi: that’s not quite what he said
tanum: he said he
havi: he’s a god, maybe he was being cryptic!!!
tanum: did he SOUND like he was giving a riddle???
havi: not really
tanum: *grumpily* i’m gonna go make breakfast
havi: do you want me to help you
tanum: no.
havi: i’m gonna help you.
tanum: fine
havi & tanum try to make breakfast, but tanum keeps getting really frustrated at the eggs and runs off. havi follows him and they take a walk together.
eventually they all sit down for breakfast. philip asks joaquin what they should do next.
areli: what’s his deal
philip: joaquin? what do you mean
areli: he just takes a while to warm up! you two will get along
philip tells areli he likes music about magic and mages and that he should play a song. areli does.
tanum and havi come back. tanum is curious who the masked figure is. philip explains its his new mentor that meekus dropped off, and this is his personal bard. havi laughs.
joaquin gets back. he looks at the situation he doesn’t want to engage in and goes upstairs.
tanum: so havi
tanum: it’s— never mind
havi: what?
tanum: don’t, no— i’m brooding
havi: if you want to talk we can talk.
tanum: no, it’s just— meekus shows up and tells me i’m not a mage and then drops off philip’s mage mentor
havi: we don’t know anything about him, it was probably a coincidence that … he dropped off … another mage?
32:00
havi: we could go search for another one of those stones. two down, one to go?
tanum: i mean, that’s a way of looking at it … but we don’t even know if it’ll help
habi: we didn’t know if it was gonna help before? with the other issues? and it did!
tanum: he said i would NEVER BE A MAGE
tanum stands up and slams his hands on the table before running off. havi notices charred handprints on the table.
areli asks havi what the hell just happened.
areli: what is GOING on.
havi: he’s having a bit of a tantrum.
joaquin asks philip what he wants to do next. he says he has to train with his new mentor. joaquin brings up that clint wants him to visit home, but he’s unsure if he wants to go or if anyone else would want to come with. philip says he would want to come with! if it’s okay.
joaquin: i’d be the problem here
philip:
philip: i have a silent magic mentor
philip asks the others if they want to go to litor. they say sure?
havi finds tanum again. he’s sitting in the room by the window. havi leans against the doorframe. 40:00
havi: you’re probably going to have to cough up a few coins to the owners of the inn
tanum: no it’s fine i’ve been working as their cook.
havi: because you burnt their table.
tanum: what? no, all the pans that i used i left in the kitchen
havi walks up to tanum and grabs his hands.
havi: you burnt the table when you hit it.
tanum: that doesn’t make any sense
havi: you got ALL angry at me and you burnt the table.
havi: you’ve GOT magic in you
havi: it’s THERE we’ve just got to figure out how to harness it
tanum: OKAY SO MAYBE I HAVE! magic! that doesn’t mean i can use it!
havi: you just did!
tanum: havi … we both know that we have magic; i might have more magic than you
thst doesn’t change the fact that you’re always gonna be … the useful one
tanum: because you can use it
tanum: i just hope
tanum: i just hope that this doesn’t change things? between us?
havi: not for the worst, no
tanum: thanks
havi kisses tanum on the cheek again – there are no sparkles this time.
areli plays music downstairs.
[ben]: you have to admit, he plays some mean chords
[shad]: corns?????
[everyone]: *cries about the word corns for like a minute*
ireth finally comes downstairs. she asks joaquin who the masked figure is. philip asks joaquin what areli’s name is. he’s been talking with him the whole time and never learned his name.
philip: i forgot his name
ireth: if it makes you feel better, i never learned his name so i could just ask for you
philip: i thought you were gonna say that you never learned my name
philip: and i was going to say that was rude because you were in my body
ireth greets areli. she questions how the hooded figure is going to train philip if he doesn’t speak.
ireth & areli have an arm wrestling fight in the middle of the inn??? areli rolls a -1 strength check.
the group heads to litor. philip has been training with the figure. it’s been stressing him out, but he says it’s what he needs to do. joaquin asks if the hooded figure is going to kill us in our sleep. philip says no.
its cold out. ireth considers buying a coat.
as they approach the city, the marble walls and gates split up the horizon. joaquin’s hair is blond from caranthir’s ring.
ireth buys a cloak with a bear head on it. joaquin approaches havi.
joaquin: did you want to stop at your home? visit your family?
havi: oh! no, no that’s fine
joaquin: hhgh
havi: we’re here for you
joaquin: hhhrrrrrrgh
someome shouts halt! a group of people on horseback canter to a stop. joaquin hides. a young woman hops off her horse. she walks up to the group
???: i saw a young man and i thought i recognized him
???: so any of you know a young man named cassidy calloway
similan: i’m her friend similan!
similan says if we run into someone named cassidy, we should tell him asks is the daughter in the highest class district of the city.
1:13:25
areli is snippy towards tanum, who smacks areli’s horse and causes it to run away. joaquin is generally stressed out.
joaquin; how much do you guys know about the government here
ireth: nothing
joaquin: you guys know clint, he’s important. he’s my brother. so
joaquin: my family is … important, i guess
ireth: how important?
joaquin takes his hair color-changing ring.
joaquin: there are twelve families that rule the government in litor … my family is one of them
ireth: why did you leave???
joaquin: i did something i have regretted every day since leaving
tanum: WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE! does your family still want you back?
joaquin: i don’t know
havi: if you don’t wanna— we don’t have to talk about it
ireth: i want to talk about it
joaquin: a guy had a gun pointed at my father – i tried to stop him, and he fell off the wall he was standing on and died.
joaquin: i left— they were dressed like a guard, i didn’t have a chance to explain it, so i left
tanum: so it looks like you killed a guard and then vamoosed!
areli returns on horseback. he holds his hand out for tanum to give his belt back.
tanum asks joaquin what he wants to do! if he wants to tell them he’s back one by one or all at once. tanum asks if joaquin knows they’re all still alive. it’s super ominous.
ireth: dont. joke about that.
tanum: i wasn’t JOKING
ireth: you don’t even understand what that feels like.
tanum: are you saying i don’t understand life or death?
tanum: i have LITERALLY died, TWICE
havi notices tanum is feeling pretty irked.
they reach the calloway estate. it’s near a bakery.
cameron stops and looks at joaquin.
cameron: someone save me i’m SWOONING~
cameron: my BROTHER’S HOME~
cameron: IT’S CASSIDY COME LOOK~
joaquin:
cameron: OH EVERYONE HE’S SPEECHLESS HE DOESN’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY~
cameron: *suddenly looks serious* where have you been.
joaquin: i’m sorry.
cameron: i’m glad you’re back. but you ARE gonna have to talk to mom.
cameron: she’s in the study. dad is out on a patrol, he’ll be back pretty soon
cameron: do you want me to come with?
cameron: cuz i’m not gonna!!!
joaquin approaches the study to confront his mom. she’s working st her desk and feeezes when she sees him
caterina: what are you waiting—
caterina:
caterina: *walks around her desk and hugs him*
joaquin: *crying*
caterina: are you staying?
joaquin:
cameron: do you know?
joaquin:
caterina: how many times have i told you to at least give an answer one way or another.
caterina: it’s ok if you don’t know, but don’t give me this “ah, uh, um”
caterina: you’re a leader, cassidy.
she says we’re welcome to stay with them. ireth gives joaquin a hug. he goes to visit his dad.
calhoun is outside at the stable. he sees joaquin, unstraps his armor, leans into the stable, and he tosses joaquin a wooden practice sword.
calhoun: en guard!
joaquin tears up. calhoun waits. they spar for a bit.
eventuallt they all have dinner
calhoun asks if the group has had to hold their own in a fight. we’re confidently say yes. calhoun asks if we have any stories to tell. ireth says he killed a demi-god. areli is also shocked.
calhoun explains they’ve been looking for a group not affiliated with litor to carry out some missions. but before that, there’s an important council meeting that night that calhoun wants joaquin to attend. he agrees.
we find out they’re voting tonight on whether or not litor goes to war with quarmar.
at the council meeting, the 12 families vote on whether or not to go to war. havi notices arnam, a childhood friend of his, is representing one of the voting families and votes to go to war.
after the meeting, calhoun explains they’ve been experimenting with sending out small groups of highly trained individuals to complete tasks. joaquin says he willing to help in any way he can.
calhoun has hand-picked people we can utelie if we need their special skills.
shadrack: oldest brother, psychometabolism psionic discipline – can use his energy to augment his body – protective toward his younger brothers, tries to stay distant from others
meishack: middle brother, psychoportation psionic discipline
abendigo, youngest – clairsentience psionic, can see the future but it’s not cut and dry. quiet and not good at talking to people because he often times gets visions of when and how they will die.
paulette sanderfoot – 19, smart, explosions expert. her ship was attacked by pirates once.
curtis sarko – swordsman, duelist expert.
our first mission is to locate a quarmar weapons cache and ensure none of them are fit for combat.
areli asks the masked figure if he has to help out with the war. he suddenly sits down.
havi: are we going … to do … it
ireth: have sex???
tanum: 2:21:00
joaquin goes to talk to clint, who’s outside wailing on a practice dummy with a sword. they talk about how clint was drafted into the silver hand, a military group with unique skillsets that are sent out on missions.
joaquin: so how’d you know meekus
clint: i met him … years ago
clint leads joaquin up to the roof and tells him the story of what happened to him in qdndos (will link to later). joaquin is emo.
havi mentions meeting arnam to tanum (quote later)