Scroll Lock Disabled

Some distraction did keep Erendriel from yet doing that book reading for Seldan, but her mission continues apace. She reads a message sent from another Temple, on the west coast of the High Kingdom of Myrddion. "The ship Everwood will be a second attempt to deliver the scrolls. Please acquire them." So reading that, she starts walking along the busy docks, scanning for arriving ships. When the Everwood is spotted starting to slide in to a mooring, she takes a seat a safe distance away, sitting on a post, legs crossed, dagger in hand, zapping the blade with little bits of fire.

In a busy port such as this one, there are many arriving ships, and it can be difficult to keep track of them all. A bit further down the way, one docked about an hour ago, but it isn't the Everwood. It doesn't even seem to have much in the way of cargo, but finally the gangplank drops, and several people emerge off of it, one a familiar figure.

Seldan is slightly pink, and seems to be clad in full adventuring gear, pack included. He hops down off the gangplank, looking clean, and if his shirt and trousers are wrinkled while the overcoat looks pristine, hopefully that isn't too odd.

Erendriel waves to Seldan, raising her arm. "Oh hey, there you are! You ended up on a boat? Wow." Her eyes then go right back to the Everwood, now being tied up, and a plank readied to be lowered. She hops off of the post back onto her feet. "Do you have that book with you now? I could read it if you do... but I do have to um, take care ofs omething as well."

GAME: Erendriel rolls spellcraft: (6)+8: 14

Seldan looks over at the familiar voice. "Erendriel, good day. I had not expected to find you here ... yes, I was on a job for the Guild." That explains the pack and full gear. He shoves a lock of hair out of his eyes that, while clean, is rather more limp than usual. "I fear I do not have it with me, as the job required going underwater. Perhaps later, if you have something else to do?"

Erendriel blinks. "Underwater... wow. That would be rough. But um... watch this." She goes into her backpack and takes a minute to dress herself up as an agent of the city. And at, that, she walks up to the plank before anyone can get out. "Excuse me, I'm here because of a concern about a diseased ooze attempting to heighten the plague in the city. I must request you submit to a routine inspection of your cargo before it is unloaded."

GAME: Erendriel rolls disguise: (4)+15: 19

GAME: Erendriel rolls bluff: (6)+24: 30

The crew look at each other, and to her. "Are you sure? We're in a hurry," they say with very strong Myrrish accents.

Seldan is left standing on the dock, in full adventuring gear including pack, weapons, and armor, watching bemusedly as Erendriel approaches the crew. Bemusement turns to a frown as he watches, and he makes no move whatsoever to interfere.

Malik isn't too far away, haggling with someone on the docks for a small, cloth-wrapped item of some sort. Seemingly satisfied, he turns and starts to head back, just in time to see Erendriel shifting into that city agent clothing. He pauses to watch a moment, then moves a bit forward, stepping up to Seldan's side as he lowers his voice. "You know" he tells the Paladin, "I'm starting to think that women really -do- carry just about everything they need in a bag." He shoulders his own, watching the interaction with the crew as he asks, very quietly, "There actually a plague?"

Erendriel shakes her head. "It's urgent. I must look at once. Please show me to your cargo, I can give it an inspection, and get you clearance to unload as soon as possible." Bullied, they give in, and lead her down below deck and out of view.

It's a few minutes later when she returns from below. "Thank you. I will report with my associates and like can give you formal clearance in a few minutes." She walks down the plank, and back to Seldan. Glancing at Malik, she murmurs. "Hi. Seldan, what if I told you that the contents of that cargo are much worse than I thought? Would you like to know what the scrolls are?"

Seldan looks over at Malik as the latter slides up to him, his frown not relaxing. "Yes," he answers shortly, suddenly wary. "It is indeed related to an ooze." He still isn't happy, but doesn't appear to be making any move to call her out. Up close, his shirt and pants are clean but wrinkled, and the rest of him is the sort of clean one gets from use of spells to accomplish the task, not proper ablutions.

When Erendriel approaches him, he levels a -look- at her, a disapproving one. "Go about your business. We will speak later."

Malik just stands off to the side, letting the two discuss whatever business they've got going on. The confirmation that there's an ooze of some kind makes him frown a bit, though. Otherwise, he's quiet. The man might be terrible with people, but he can at least read the room when it's obvious that something is getting tense.

GAME: Erendriel rolls intimidate: (14)+15: 29

Erendriel didn't expect that. Taken aback at the cold look and reply, she takes a deep breath. "I'll explain later," she murmurs, then turns around. Keeping her pained face, she watches as a crate is taking right to the plank. WAtching, she makes no move to stop them from unloading the crate and bringing it right onto the dock. She then shouts "Step back. My associate does not approve, and I'm going to have to take immediate defensive action."

The sudden sharp tone startles the seamen, and they are driven back onto the boat. Clearing the way for Erendriel to raise her hand and launch a fireball right at the crate. With an explosion of fire, the crate bursts into flames. The captain of the Everwood is appalled, but she looks right at him. "I regret to inform you that the infection was too great to allow into Alexandria. You are instructed to return to your home port, and contact Inquisitor Shakil at the Elunite Temple there to assist with the cleansing of your ship, and any compensation you are owed for the loss of cargo. Is that clear?"

Already intimidated by her, and shocked at the show of magical force, they hop to, untying and getting out of there as fast as possible. She then sighs deeply, and turns back around to Seldan and Malik. "Polar Midnight. Symbol of Insanity. Create Greater Undead. Cursed Earth. This was all a plot of a cult, directed by an abyssal demon, to create destruction for its own sake." she says softly, not to be overheard by the Everwood.

Seldan folds his arms across his chest, his expression not changing. "I understand, but I cannot interfere," he answers in that same low tone. "I heard that discussion the other day. We will speak later." He doesn't quite sound angry, but he nods to Malik. "I need to report back to the Guild. Her blessings on you both." With that, he takes himself off down the dock.

Seldan has left.

Malik blinks at the rather noisome display, shouldering his bag a bit as he looks around, nervously. "That's one way to get your point across," he mutters. "Remind me to learn that trick." Though as she starts to list out the contents of the crate, he raises an eyebrow, clearly confused. And more than a little bit curious, eyeing some of those scrolls like they might be made out of sugar, and he hasn't eaten in days. When Seldan excuses himself, though, he gives the man a nod, turning back to look at Elendriel. "So, what. You just take them back with you? Hand them over to someone else?"

Erendriel shakes her head. "They are just scrolls. I now let them burn, be destroyed, and preventing from doing anyone any harm," she explains, her voice a little louder. Looking back and seeing the Everwood departing out of earshot. "The Inquisitor will try to purge them of the abyssal influence. They are victims, not inherently evil themselves. I don't know if they even know the contents of the scrolls."

"Burn?" Malik looked like he was only half paying attention right up until that moment. But when she says that she's going to burn them, his eyes get a little wider. "You're going to -burn- them?" He looks a bit horrified at the thought, gesturing toward the crate. "That's -thousands- of gold worth of magic! Not to mention a whole store of knowledge! And you want to just set it on fire?" He blinks, shaking his head incredulously as he pinches the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath. "Don't you think that they might be put to better use elsewhere?" he asks her.

Erendriel points back at the crate, still on fire after she fireballed it. "I think they are too great of a risk. I think that because the priests explained to me what was going on. Those spells are blunt instruments, that do great harm all around them. Most of them are necromantic, and the taint is strong in them."

"Yeah, blunt instruments, big harm," he agrees. "Which is why you -don't- destroy them. You -study- them. You save them back for when other people are using that kind of magic, and you can act to -stop- it. Any kind of taint can be cleansed." He runs a hand through his hair, looking frustated as he watches the smoke rise. "But sure. Do what they always do. Tear down everything you don't understand, and that makes you a little afraid." He shoulders his pack, starting to move along the docks again. "You can't fight a thing you don't understand."

Erendriel shakes her head. "I can tell just what they are. They're specific spells, that are known. They aren't mystical artifacts that belong in a museum. I understand it perfectly. I'm afraid of them BECAUSE I understand them. Have a good day though!" The last part added as he seems to leave.