*Blackthornes enters the house gives a low bow as well, respecting the women's title*
"Hello M' Lady, thankyou for inviting us into your regal home."
*Now he looks around the vast room from were he is standing. Then looks back to the girl*
"M' lady, do you live here by yourself?"
Game: Great minds think alike
Wed, 2006-06-14 14:57
#1103
Game: Great minds think alike
Wed, 2006-06-14 15:04
#1104
Game: Great minds think alike
Lady Sheeram gives him a warm smile.
"Yes, indeed. I have reasons to prefer secludedness... not that I like it, but for now, it is better at times."
She observes Blackthornes for a moment, then adds, "You are beautiful."
Wed, 2006-06-14 15:17
#1105
Game: Great minds think alike
"I wasn't going to say anything, but now that you mention it... Yeah, I guess I am." The masked gnoll says.
Gee, this lady sure is nice.
Wed, 2006-06-14 15:29
#1106
Game: Great minds think alike
*Blackthornes turns and gives the masked gnoll a discusted look, and then turns back to the girl*
"Well, thankyou M'Lady, your youthful image shows beauty as well."
*thinking to himself*
Im not entirely sure how to take that, but I will remain respectful to this young lady.
Wed, 2006-06-14 23:26
#1107
Game: Great minds think alike
Sheeram turns to the Masked Gnoll and gives him, too, a warm smile. "I was referring to your friend Blackthornes. But while you mention it, you, indeed, are beautiful, too. You must be quite a gigolo for the gnoll women, are you not?"
Turning back to Blackthornes, she continues, "Do not be confused - I am used to speak my heart, that is all."
Wed, 2006-06-14 23:29
#1108
Game: Great minds think alike
Sheeram was about to turn away from Blackthornes, but suddenly turns back to him again. She jumps up a little and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek. With a childish chuckle, she then walks into the hall, obviously happy.
Thu, 2006-06-15 04:06
#1109
Game: Great minds think alike
As the conversation unfolds, Ian steps out of the way to the the others through the door. Ian finds Sheeram to be innocent a plesent, until taking a step back. Its a useful tactic, to ignore your emotions for a few minutes and just think.
Vampire Hunter. Her title is Vampire Hunter. As in... she hunts the blood sucking, undead abominations of the night. Unless she can suddenly fill a room with daylight at will, she is considerably more powerful then she appears to be. Proceed with ...
This train of though is suddenly, and permenantly, de-railed as Sheeram refers to the Masked Gnoll as a male prostitute.
Must fight visual.... Must fight visual....
Thu, 2006-06-15 04:23
#1110
Game: Great minds think alike
Sheeram walks to the center of the hall, then speaks out loud: "Table and chairs, please!"
Just in front of her, a large, ornamented wooden dining table rises from out of the ground, along with a couple of comfortable chairs - each for one person, including one very big chair which would fit perfectly for the Masked Gnoll. While this happens, the ground appears to have transformed into a liquid where the objects appear, sending out small ripples in all directions.
"I love this house," Sheeram says with a bright smile, her eyes sparkling. As she sees Ian, her face becomes a bit sad. "Why so tensed? Is something wrong?"
Thu, 2006-06-15 04:36
#1111
Game: Great minds think alike
"There is nothing wrong, I was only thinking." Ian says, walking to stand behind a chair. "If I may ask, where are the documents we were sent to aquire? As much as I would love to stay, it seems we are still in need of some equipment, namely Spell Keys, and we might not be done searching for them."
Thu, 2006-06-15 05:23
#1112
Game: Great minds think alike
Sheeram's face turns angry as Ian asks for the documents. Her expression is a strange merging of a child's anger and that of an adult.
"Your words are SO polite, but your intentions are not. The documents ARE mine - I am willing to give them to friends, but not to someone demanding them from me."
She crosses her arms and stares at Ian, her lips slightly pursed.
Thu, 2006-06-15 07:19
#1113
Game: Great minds think alike
*Blackthornes puts his hand on his cheek and stands dazed for a moment. He then snaps out of it and crosses over to were Seeram and Ian are standing*
"Im sorry M'Lady, it seems my friend is in a bit of a hurry, though I dont think the rest of us are the same."
*Blackthornes glares at ian and turns back to Sheeram*
"So M'Lady, i've been meaning to ask you, how did you aquire your title."
*Blackthornes pulls out a chair for the young lady and offers it to her*
OOC: I don't know wether or not to make a diplomacy check or a bluff check, or no check, so I will just make both. add four to the second roll for my Bluff check.
17 Bonus for Skill to do
I rolled 1d20+17, the result is 31.
I rolled 1d20+17, the result is 36.
Thu, 2006-06-15 07:35
#1114
Game: Great minds think alike
Sheeram stares at Ian for a few more seconds, then turns to Blackthornes.
"I don't like being treated like I'm anyone's property. I'm not. It's been like that all my life in Arcadia, and I don't want this anymore."
She sighs, then walks over to Blackthornes and sits down on the chair. "The Vampire Hunter thing you mean? Not a free choice. I'm a daughter of a Bloodwoman - an Arcadian women's order that hunt down vampires. When one of them bears a daughter, she is trained to become a vampire hunter herself from the beginning on. They are then sent out into the planes at the age of ten, after..."
She suddenly gulps, and begins to cry.
Thu, 2006-06-15 08:38
#1115
Game: Great minds think alike
"Your words are SO polite, but your intentions are not. The documents ARE mine - I am willing to give them to friends, but not to someone demanding them from me."
Ian bows again. "I assure you, this was not my intention. I had merely assumed that you and Charrd had worked out the terms of us aquiring the documents, but it appears I was mistaken. I apologize."
Later, as she begins to cry, Ian reaches inot his pocket, and pulls out his hankerchief. He offers it to her and says. "It's alright. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
Diplomacy, because I should get back on her good side: 6+16= 22
Thu, 2006-06-15 08:44
#1116
Game: Great minds think alike
Sheeram looks up, her face wet from her tears.
"Do you always do things only because you consider them useful? When was the last time you did something because you felt it was right?"
Thu, 2006-06-15 09:56
#1117
Game: Great minds think alike
Arg! A mindreader?! Can't I go for a single sodding hour without someone pokeing around in my head?
"I use my intuition all the time, but I dont think thats what you're talking about. Making descisions based on emotions gets you killed, logic only gets you into trouble when you dont have enough information to make a descision, in which case you're probably in trouble anyway."
Ian offers the hankerchief for a few moments longer. "I can see that my presence here will only complicate matters." He turns toward the rest of the party. "I will wait for you at Charrds."
Ian walks toward the door.
Thu, 2006-06-15 10:25
#1118
Game: Great minds think alike
"You coward!"
Sheeram jumps up from her chair, shouting at Ian.
"You know what logic leads to? Logic makes mothers in Arcadia inject vampire's blood in their children's veins, to give them the powers of their sworn enemies! Logic makes an aunt try to kill her neice, because it is the best for the community! And logic makes you flee like a chicken when things get uncomfortable for you!"
"It was emotion that saved my life, the feelings of a man who couldn't see a ten year old innocent girl get killed! And it was always emotion that made me destroy my enemies - cold-hearted vampires who trusted their logic SO much. By the powers, I am a thirteen year old girl, and I have killed more than a thousand vampires in my life! I couldn't have done that with logic."
For the very first time, Sheeram is nothing but a young girl, a desperate child full of pain. She breathes hard as she stares at Ian, tears running down her face.
Very suddenly, she turns around, so Ian can only see her back, covered by her long red hair. "Go if you must."
Thu, 2006-06-15 12:09
#1119
Game: Great minds think alike
*Ophelia follows the others in and sits down on the offered seats. She watches amazed at this "little girl" while thinking of her reputation. When she see's her cerying and shouting and basically acting like a hurt little girl, she thinks of her own childhood and becomes sad. She thinks of how she misses her family and how hard it was to leave them. She understands the emotions that Lady Sheeram is going through and wishes to reach out to her, but feeling those same emtions herself she doesn't know how.*
-Ophelia
Thu, 2006-06-15 12:32
#1120
Game: Great minds think alike
As Sheeram calls him a coward he continues to walk away. After all, hes been called worse. But as she begins to describe her past he stop, and slowly tunrs to look at her sadly. In a soft voice, he says:
"Logic is a tool, nothing more. Never blame the knife for the murder, my Lady. There is no excuse for what you have seen, and what has been done. But that is the darker side of logic: that things can be done in its name, and it used as justification for the worst crimes a mortal can accomplish. If I had the power to stop that sort of thing from happening, I would. But I don't. I dont offer salvation." And then, in just a whisper. " Only vengence."
"I can not apologize for what you have experienced, because those are not my sins to pay for. But I can honestly say I am sorry this conversation occured. I will wait outside your home for my companions. If you feel I can return to your presence without causing you pain, then I would be honored."
He waits for a moment, looking at her sadly, before walking out the door.
Thu, 2006-06-15 13:13
#1121
Game: Great minds think alike
THe Illumian just observes. She takes a seat when offered, but for the most part, she just watches the conversation.
Thu, 2006-06-15 13:36
#1122
Game: Great minds think alike
As Ian walks out, Sheeram silently shakes her head. Just as he is about to close the door behind him, she says, "Honor comes from acting, not from escaping."
Thu, 2006-06-15 13:43
#1123
Game: Great minds think alike
*Blackthornes puts a comforting hand on Sheeram's sholder and speaks softly*
"M'Lady, I feel great sorrow for you, though there is nothing that can change what happened. People cannot mess with fate. But, considering how Ian was raised, I think you should not take it out on him. Growing up on the streets, a person must cast away most emotion to stay alive."
Thu, 2006-06-15 13:53
#1124
Game: Great minds think alike
Sheeram frowns as Blackthornes speaks, her eyes showing she can hardly believe what she hears.
"I have dead blood in my veins. I have a force within me pulling me towards death, every moment of existence. There is one thing I know: Killing your emotions is not a reasonable way to stay alive."
She takes a deep breath, obviously trying to gain back control over herself. "And as for fate... the reason my mother tried to kill me is that a vampire lord tricked her. He tricked her into believing his blood was the blood of a common vampire. When they infused the blood into me, he tried to gain control of my body. I feel him inside me, gaining strength, eating me up from the inside. I am doomed. But I refuse to accept that. This is why I am still a vampire hunter. I am learning everything I can, travelling the Upper Planes to learn how to deal with the pain, and travelling the Lowers to learn how to destroy it. One day, not too far away, I am going to meet my nemesis, and I am going to destroy him. Failure is not an option. So much about fate. I make mine myself."
Thu, 2006-06-15 16:52
#1125
Game: Great minds think alike
The masked Gnoll watches the fight unfold sadly.
Why cant we all just get along?
One day, not too far away, I am going to meet my nemesis, and I am going to destroy him.
"See, thats the spirit!" He says cheerfully.
Thu, 2006-06-15 17:23
#1126
Game: Great minds think alike
Sheeram gives the Masked Gnoll a warm smile. "The heart of the group..." she says, still with a sad voice.
Fri, 2006-06-16 11:59
#1127
Game: Great minds think alike
OOC: Feeling REALLY left out here 
-Ophelia
Fri, 2006-06-16 15:06
#1128
Game: Great minds think alike
[OOC: I'm never sure when people don't post because they don't have time, or because they don't find something good to post. Ophelia, you made a post where I thought something more would come out of it - I expected your character to get into the discussion somehow. Seems I misinterpreted this. :-/
Going to think of something, I'll post again tomorrow.]
Fri, 2006-06-16 15:17
#1129
Game: Great minds think alike
OOC: All I know is, someone in the party better do something, cause I'm out of the picture at this point.
BTW: Joyblood, is there even a remote chance of Ian hearing aything through that door? Cause he's going to try the ear against the door thing.
Fri, 2006-06-16 21:02
#1130
Game: Great minds think alike
"So," The Masked Gnoll says cheerfully. "This is your house, and we're your guests. What do you want to do? But I think we might have promised to spend the night at Charrds, so we can't saty too late."
Sat, 2006-06-17 01:15
#1131
Game: Great minds think alike
A lack of posting on my part is largely due to aforementioned exams.
Ohalian smirks during the exchange of words between the vampire hunter and Ian.
I think I like him.
"Okay, so you have issues with your family. I think everyone here has some sort of mental issues, or we wouldn't be in this line of work. That said, you should be thankful that the blood from the vampire was of a compatable blood type, or you would have died within hours as a blood clot caused a heart attack or a stroke. Additionally, if all that's wrong with you is a bit of magic blood, that's easily enough fixed. I think."
Sat, 2006-06-17 02:36
#1132
Game: Great minds think alike
"I...", Sheeram begins to answer to the Masked Gnoll. She stops when Ohalian begins to speak, then walks over to him.
"You think THIS is easily fixed?"
Abruptly, she throws back her head, the muscles throughout her body straining. As she screams out loud, the hall is filled with darkness, and a strong wind comes up - suddenly throwing open the front doors, hitting Ian and throwing him on the ground.
Sheeram's skin turns ash dark, and you can see her finger nails grow while a cloud of darkness forms around her body. From a distance, you can hear screams of pain and terror... until you realize they come out of her mouth, along with her own scream. Those screams become louder and louder, until the hall is filled with a Pandemonic cacophony of pain, and small whirlstorms shake the entire mansion like an earthquake.
Maybe ten seconds later - although it seemed like minutes or hours - everything calms down again, the light returning, the wind ceasing and the screams stopping.
Sheeram breathes in and out a few times, then straightens again.
Now, she is no more the beautiful young girl you have seen before. Her face is hard, distorted, and two large fangs reach out of her mouth. Her eyes are like black clouds, her skin appears dark and dead.
"You really think this is easily fixed?" she asks with a rasping, dark voice. "I am half dead inside, and I feel the deaths of all those both I and my hated vampire lord have killed. They are within me, screaming, dying, and I die with them every moment of my existence. Tell me how to fix that."
[OOC: Forgot at first post: Ian can't hear anything through the closed doors.]
Sat, 2006-06-17 02:45
#1133
Game: Great minds think alike
Something calls up in Ophelia, a strange intuition... something that reminds her of her experiences with the illithid's cube.
Fear not. Follow your feelings. Fear not. Follow your feelings. Fear not.....
Sat, 2006-06-17 08:11
#1134
Game: Great minds think alike
"Aw, dont listen to him, Missy. He's just a Clueless. they don't even HAVE magic where he comes from. Kinda makes me wonder how he even knows what he's talking about." The masked Gnoll says, looking right into Ohalian's eyes.
You almost think he might be trying to stare him down, if it wernt for the fact that he seems to be smiling beneath his mask, and his eyes are bright and cheerful looking.
Sat, 2006-06-17 09:48
#1135
Game: Great minds think alike
*In total shock Blackthornes stares wide-eyed at Sheeram. He collects himself and starts to speak to her*
"M'Lady what do you wish to do today? Perhaps a walk in the garden? afternoon tea? what is it that you wish to do?"
Sat, 2006-06-17 10:30
#1136
Game: Great minds think alike
Ian sits up after being knocked on the ground. "What the..."
Ian looks in at the scene in the room, and what has happened with Sheeram.
*Sigh* This is why I wanted to leave before she got too upset.
Sat, 2006-06-17 11:14
#1137
Game: Great minds think alike
Ophelia suddenly and quietly gets up and walks twards Lady Sheeram. She walks right up to her face to face and says,"But there is still something of nature in you... something that pulses with life. You are not fully dead my dear, take care to keep mending and nurturing that part of you which still lives, as I am sure you do." She says all this very quietly and benignly. A tear for the dead part of Lady Sheeram trickles down her face, and she refuses to hide it.
-Ophelia
Sat, 2006-06-17 12:11
#1138
Game: Great minds think alike
The Illumian still quietly observes. She raises her eyesbrows a smidge at the transformation, but doesn't seem to have any other sort of emotional response.
Sat, 2006-06-17 13:52
#1139
Game: Great minds think alike
In obvious confusion, Sheeram looks at the Masked Gnoll, Blackthornes Ophelia and Ohalian. Tears still run down her face. Suddenly, she throws herself at Ophelia, embracing her, holding her tight. She cries softly, whispering, "Hold me. Please, just hold me. Hold me..."
Ophelia feels two things at once - first, she embraces a confused and desperate little girl. Second, she is touched by something dark, something as cold as death, and a frightening chill slowly crawls inside her.
As Lorevail sits on her chair, she notices something strange: The symbols floating around her head slightly jitter and vibrate as Sheeram jumps at Ophelia.
Sat, 2006-06-17 14:39
#1140
Game: Great minds think alike
"Group hug!" The masked Gnoll says, encircling both Ophelia and Sheeram in his big, beefy gnoll arms.
Sat, 2006-06-17 17:47
#1141
Game: Great minds think alike
Ophelia embraces Lady Sheeram and holds her tight. She gets goosebumps from that unnatural chill from within Lady Sheeram, but keeps it to herself, and focuses as much as she can on that little girl aspect of Lady Sheeram. Ophelia smiles when that Masked Gnoll joins the embrace and sniffles a little, then she holds onto Lady Sheeram as long as Lasy Sheeram holds onto her.
-Ophelia
Sat, 2006-06-17 18:26
#1142
Game: Great minds think alike
Ohalian is a bit surprised by her sudden transformation, and is a bit surprised by the rest of the group's reaction, and he pauses for a moment while he runs a scan.
"Uh, yes. I was going to simply say to open an incision, pump out all of your blood in order to remove the tainted blood, and then replace it with the blood of some compatable donors, but it sounds like some more radical surgery would be needed, to replace the necrotic tissue with either cloned living flesh or technological replacements. My world might lack magic, but we have technology, and that technology can do things you'd find amazing. I used to be human, just like you. Look at me now."
Sat, 2006-06-17 20:08
#1143
Game: Great minds think alike
The masked gnoll watches Ohalian talk about his techno-stuff. Its obviouse that he has no idea whats going on.
"You going to join the hug or not?"
Sat, 2006-06-17 20:22
#1144
Game: Great minds think alike
"I think I'll pass on the hug."
Sat, 2006-06-17 20:28
#1145
Game: Great minds think alike
The Masked Gnoll looks at him for a second, and droops a little.
"Oh..."
Sat, 2006-06-17 20:35
#1146
Game: Great minds think alike
Ohalian shrugs.
"I'm just not the sort of person that likes touching other people."
Sun, 2006-06-18 00:24
#1147
Game: Great minds think alike
As he speaks, the man in leather approaches Ohalian. "I'm afraid to say, but technology on our world is not advanced enough to solve this puzzle. Unless you speak of weapons to destroy the vampire that transformed her. I am currently trying to analyze the work of magic, and if I receive enough data, mother might be able to find something - or she might not."
For the very first time, the man in leather speaks like a normal human being, showing variation, even emotion in his voice.
Sheeram, hearing Ohalian's words, turns to him a bit, but still keeps embracing Ophelia and the Masked Gnoll. "I understand little of what you say - but if there is a chance to heal me... tell me how, and what I have to do for it."
Sun, 2006-06-18 00:27
#1148
Game: Great minds think alike
[OOC: @nick: What is Ohalian trying to scan?]
Sun, 2006-06-18 00:44
#1149
Game: Great minds think alike
He's scanning the Vampire Hunter lady.
"I don't know, I remember that there was experements with removing he brain and installing it in a robotic chassis where going on when I left, and I know vat cloning for replacement tissue is possible."
Sun, 2006-06-18 04:02
#1150
Game: Great minds think alike
[OOC: I meant, what are you trying to find out?]
Sheeram stares at Ohalian with a disgusted look. "Whatever you are trying to say there, but I'm not going to have my brain removed."
Sun, 2006-06-18 06:29
#1151
Game: Great minds think alike
As Ohalian technobabbles some more, the masked Gnoll does something he doesn't do very often, he thinks REALLY HARD.
"Oh! Oh! I got and Idea!" the Masked Gnoll says. Then droops again. "But I don't think you'll like it too much. The Vampire has infected your body, but not your soul, right?"
"Yes, Charrdh left a message with the bird. I hope the travel to my mansion was fine? The birds are a bit too playful sometimes, and it happens they take travellers too far into the light. It's not dangerous, but occasionally a bit nauseating."
She steps back and gives a nod towards the room, inviting the group into her house.