Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

(Seeds of Evil) B. 1-2 Interludes: Four Days In Honeytown

Status
Not open for further replies.
Okay so far this is Bale's Schedule (Will be editing as slots fill if any slots remain by the time we restart Bale will sell them)

Day1: Druid's vestaments (Sold), Arimina (+2 armor from +1), Buys Mithrial Buckler from Count,

Day2: Arimina (Page of spell knowledge enlarge) (Free Crafting Slot),

Day3: +1 Sword (Sold), 5 potions of cure light wounds (Sold)

Day4: Amulet of Natural armor +1 (worn), Living Steel Dagger, +1 and Defending (worn)

Please feel free to start a conversation or ask for an item to be crafted Balenore charges 1/2 market value for most items. He also tends to be able to craft 2 items in 4 hours a opposed to the normal 1/8.
 
Last edited:
tumblr_inline_naz40hcPkL1rl5z67.jpg

Baltana

With a feast paid for on someone elses coin and drink purchases by that some patron followed by a night in a comfortable bed she was much happier the following day.

Allowing her sleeves to transform into more civilized attire she still retained her armour and weapons as she moved about the city seeking to acquire weaponry that would be suitable against werewolves and others, stopping to admire the town as she did, and keeping her ears out for any word of werewolf attacks just in case he had been too stupid to flee when he had the chance.

She mulled her actions the night before and felt that she might have been tired or otherwise stressed - encountering a selection of people in the wilderness who had not attacked her was an odd experience, normally it was bandits or the like. The fact that they seemed competent rather than hapless travelers was also someone novel.

Considering the witch she stopped in her walking as she considered his name she put it together as 'Balenor' after a bit of time, one of the other warriors had mentioned it at the road. She had had an immediate negative reaction to him based on him being noisy - it reminded her of others, but he hadn't actually done anything to her, even the pranks that some forest spirits might have tried to pull when offended. He did seem inclinded to kill incapacitated enemies but than many people were - so she couldn't fault him on that overly even if she disagreed, if an enemy died when they attacked her she had no guilt over it after all.

Finishing up at the weapon smith she decided to find the man - at the least she could see about putting any bad blood behind her by making the attempt, and having a presumedly powerful witch have it out for her might only come back to annoy her later.

Searching out where he was near the end of the day she knocked on the wall softly enough not to be aggressive but loud enough to be heard "hey if you are not too busy, can we speak for a bit outside of a potential life or death situation?" she asked.

Day1: Purchase silver Gandasa and a cold iron Gandasa, see about meeting up with Balenor.
Day2: See about funding a dance hall and setting up a fight club, drink and eat in the evening.
Day3: Do unskilled manual work for her purchases and vet the people who she is thinking about allowing to run the fight club, drink and eat in the evening.
Day4: Continue Do unskilled manual work for her purchases and continue to vet the people who she is thinking about allowing to run the fight club, drink and eat in the evening.
 
Balenore goes to answer the door pleasantly surprised at the visitor.

No not busy at all I just got done taking inventory of my supplies. We were discussing how best to fix the shield I obtained and also considering going to look for a den of Worgs. What would you like to talk about?
 
Narunir

The events of the previous night had hit Narunir rather hard, so he'd thoroughly enjoyed the chance to sleep the night away. The next day however it occured to the half-elf that he hadn't recognized the manner of magic the other elf had used; Balenore he thought his name was. Curious about his method, Narunir decided to pay him a visit and see if he was willing to discuss it.

A few minutes later Narunir found that there was a familiar face already present, seeing Baltana standing outside his door as well. "Ah, hello there," he said, giving both figures a nod, "It seems I wasn't the only one who decided to pay a visit. How are you two this day?"
 
"Well I have made 3 major sales as well as obtained a shield which will not hinder me or my casting in the slightest so quite a good day. I do hope you are well."
 
tumblr_inline_naz40hcPkL1rl5z67.jpg

Baltana

She nodded to Narunir as he appeared "I'm alright - had a meal, wash etc can't complain" in truth she couldn't remember if she had heard his name but she didn't want to be taking up too much of thier time if they wanted to speak to each other - she didn't know what magic users spoke about but she felt it was probably less interesting than many things.

Returning her attention to Balenor, "truth is I owe you an apology, when we met in the woods and you were cackling I took an immediate set against you - it would have been the same if you were ominously whispering under your breath or similiar, and allowed that initial dislike to impact how I treated you - you have had opportunity to act against me if you were hostile and you haven't taken it, so felt I should put in the effort to at least say this if we are going to be operating in the same region together for any length of time", she was inclinded to speak or ask about prisoner treatment but she didn't want to get into a sensitive morality debate when clearly there was another waiting to speak to the man.
 
To be honest recent events have put neither of us in a good light it was not fair of me to use what I know about your heritage and bring that up in the middle of an argument, so I apologize for the abuse you suffered at my hand as well. Perhaps it would be best if we got to know one another outside of when both of us are sensing immediate mortal danger.

I know that cackling can be somewhat grating and will not hold your reaction to it against you. I would much rather have a person who can out fight a werewolf in a tree as an ally rather than an enemy regardless.

I feel there are some things that we need to make clear between us at some point would you like to settle them now or call on you at some other time?

Balenore knows that the two of them really need to hash some things out but frankly he is reluctant with a third party watching. Emotions tend to run higher when sensitive matters have to be discussed in a group setting and will be happy to seek her out since she already made the effort to come and talk originally, but seeing as she was the bigger person and came to talk with him first Balenore will allow her to decide how to proceed.
 
tumblr_inline_naz40hcPkL1rl5z67.jpg

Baltana

She nodded "sure, not a problem - I can be overly sensitive on my family history", nodding to Narunir "well as you have another visitor it might be an idea for us to meet for a drink at some point over the next few days when you are less busy and hash out any outstanding particulars between us", offering a smile "thanks for hearing me out", and with that she moved to leave.
 
Narunir

"Ah, don't mind me," Narunir said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head, "I only wished to ask Balenore a few questions about his magics, I've never seen anything like it before and I wanted to know a little more. If this is a bad time I could certainly come back another time."
 
For Malach - with the town relatively safe, and there being no immediate danger, he had decided to explore the town a bit. Partially just to get the lay of the land, but also to find a good place to meditate or at least relax for a bit. The local temple would be a good place for that - so the dark skinned man soon headed off in that direction, having no need to stow away his weapon or armor - for he carried neither besides his fists, and his own mind, of course.
 
How about this then Narunir I will be working magic tomorrow morning and will be more than happy to answer any questions you have then, you can even see how pike and I go about crafting items. We can get to know each other and talk about the different approaches to magic and how the one I use is unique then.

Which means that Baltana I will have time tonight to talk to you, we can order up a bottle of whatever you want and clear the air between us.

Balenore suggest trying to make both of them happy but really social situations are not his forte.
 
Baltana

"Sure sounds good to me, I found the rumboozle decent last night, but could go for something more upmarket if your prefer?" she queried as she moved back into the room.
 
Rumboozle will be fine I will go and ask for a tray please excuse me.

Balenore leaves for a bit and comes back with two tankards of the beverage.

So what is it you would like to talk about today?
 
Baltana

She took a glass when the drink "thanks".

"So primarally myself and yourself seem to be operating from different positions on downed enemies" she decided to cut to the chase "so felt that I should offer my prespective".

"Killing in combat is fine, killing an actual target is fine, but I don't like killing the defeated without premeditation" she took a sip "there are a number of reasons for this - but primarally I think it is very short sighted and offers a lot of room for error".

"For example that regenerating ogre - his behaviour makes little sense, here he was infiltrated into the guard and when he sees some well armed strangers he blows his cover immediately and attacks - even if he hadn't been cut down immediately any of us might have been able to escape and raise a warning, any member of the townsfolk who looked out the window would be able to raise an alarm etc" she shrugged "for anything resembling a careful planner his behaviour was odd", looking to the window "so the question might be was he magically provoked into action, was he just a normal guard and we fell for an illusion" looking back at the man "or any other random event outside of the obvious - killing him quickly prevents any more information being retrieved, including whether we were used as dupes to remove him".

Shrugging again "those are concerns I have about killing some randomer who attacks and is defeated - namely without knowing the full story I might be missing important information, there are others though - namely when does it stop, if the logic is to kill enemies because they might be a problem later or have abilities that I don't know about than I would end up killing everyone, if for instance he hadn't shown himself to be a shapeshifter should we have killed him anyway just to be sure?, should people kill everyone who ever wrongs them just to be sure?" taking another sip "and that ignore the precedent it sets, if people know you always kill they will never surrender and will not offer you quarter should you find yourself outmatched" offering a half smile "but don't want to go on about it - so just want to know your philosophy on killing".
 
Balenore sits calmly sipping his drink and ensures Baltanna is finished before responding.

We have very similar philosophies about killing then, I want you to think back to the werewolf that was captured before the Oni. He fell asleep due to me and I asked for yall to capture him because he could be safely taken in.

He takes a sip of his drink.

Now the Oni is an entirely different beast I do not recommend burning someone alive lightly it hits a little too close to home for my comfort; however, what you need to realize is that the term Ogre Mage is a bit of a misnomer. They have no connection to Ogres at all except occasionally coming onto this plane of existence and attempting to rule them. They really are a type of fiend a classification of creature which includes devils and demons among others.

It is not that he could shift shape the werewolf could do that but that Oni are such great shapeshifters some can become much larger or smaller some can even turn to mist. There is no safely capturing them unless you are prepared to do such a thing and as far as I know we were not; furthermore, even without the shapeshifting this one showed a propensity for mental control of people there may not have been a way to keep it guarded without it taking over the people who were guarding him.

Balenore finishes his glass before continuing.

It was not actually acting strange from what I know of them. If one of us escaped and warned someone he would have mentally influenced that person, if someone saw him he would have done the same. If somehow neither plan a or b worked he would have fled come back killed the next in line for the position taken their place and rose to power again in a single night. You see I know more of this creature because I make a point to study such things its powers were not a mystery to me and unfortunately I made my suggestion knowing that we were powerless to contain him otherwise.

What I want you to understand Baltana is that I do not take life lightly but if I have to kill one person to stop that person from killing dozens then I will without hesitation. My entire study of magic is devoted to creating items to help preserve and enhance life, the powers I have procured and spells I have gained all debilitate and heal in fact only one in my entire repertoire does damage outright, but I will kill if I find it absolutely necessary.

Knowing what I know that this creature likely could shape-shift out of any bonds we put him in and could take over the minds of the guards we used to guard him... What course of action would you have liked to see me suggest?
 
Baltana

She listened attentively as the man spoke, she had a memory of him instructing others to kill the werewolf rather than capture it - but she ignored it as in the heat of moment she might have misunderstood. The nature of the creature was interesting and made more sense to her than an ogre finding a spell book or similiar "I think that might get to the core of the issue, the Oni" she choose to use tha mans word for it "should it be treated as merely an Oni and interchangeable with all other Oni's are should we assume that it is a freewilled creature and treat it as such, its behaviour seems to indicate it capable of decision making and therefore the capacity to grow and change as a being".

"What we know from its actions last night seem not to raise to execution level - it was working as a guard, it lined its pockets with riches, and it coursed women into physical activity - but it did not seem to harm anyone, and it did not seem to mind control us or the woman it was with. Is it possible that it merely settled here and was making a life for itself as a guard without really doing any great harm or seeking to do great harm?" she queried.

Considering for a second "if we treat it as an individual I don't see anything in its actions that would have caused me to kill a downed human or elf last night and treating it as worse simple because it is more powerful than the average human or elf seems like it would than lead to an arguement that killing any potentially powerful entity would be justified" she thought about how to phrase her next line of thought.

"To be inelegant consider the two of us, at present you seem to have - correctly - assumed that I am a changeling, or to be blunt the larval form of a hag, and you seem to - correctly - regard me as struggling against that fate. But you don't actually know that, were I to have already made that transition than I would be a shapeshifting creature with any number of abilities based on type - green in the case of my mother. So a potentially invisible, untrackable, shapeshifting being - likely as hard to contain as the Oni. This raises the question of should all changelings be killed to prevent future harm - or at least treated as worse than humans or elves - but also the more overaching question of should all hags be killed based on them being hags, if some hag exists in isolation and doesn't bother people should she be killed for representing a threat and assumed to be evil, what if instead of isolation she pretends to be a local wise woman or merchant but seems to effectively avoid most harmful activity" these were questions she thought on a bit and went back and forth on her answers too "does free will matter, and should an evil creature who engages in lesser forms of evil be killed with less restraint than an human who engages in the same".

"In answer to your question on the Oni - my thoughts would be to keep it down until someone in the city arrived to deal with it, for all I knew it could have been purposefully employed in the job it was in - and had some activity overlooked - as a deterrent to werewolf, or other, attacks. I am dubious as to if those guards will be able to handle an attack by a pack of werewolves without it present to control minds, provide strenght of arm etc, and if one pack starts infecting people on the wrong day than this town could possible fall in a night".
 
Balenore nods along with her on the issue of race vs how the law treats people still listening intently to the rest.

Actually we do exactly what you are talking about and right or not that is how most laws are, look at how Tiefling and Half Orc are often treated. The question remains once we find such a being breaking the law how do you contain it? I would really like you to think on that and answer the question.

Now fiends having free will is a question many scholars and philosophers have debated, while I believe that they do I know that nature and nurture work against them. Imagine how either of us would turn out being born into a plane without a spec of good in it.

I feel we were reasonable to assume it was not placed in it's position by the way that the guards reacted to it being knocked unconscious, the guards were mentally controlled if he had been there legally then I highly doubt they would have needed to be. It is also improbable it was not doing any harm based on how easily the guards turned a blind eye to it's lawbreaking.

Balenore retrieves another glass motioning for Baltanna to have another if she would like.

On that note I do take exception to saying he coursed a woman into physical activities.... She was begging and pleaded for help that does not sound like coercion so much as outright rape to me and the guards were turning a deaf ear. In some locations that will warrant the death penalty, that compounded with stealing those riches well banditry is often punishable by death... human, elf, or other may very well warrant death, we would have to ask the count about local laws but what he did in a way is worse. Remember too the mind control it could have made her complacent but this creature enjoyed her screams and struggles he enjoyed causing pain and the power that made him feel.

Now some other things are being assumed.... How do you know it did not attempt to control one of us? We took it out blessedly quickly it could have tried and failed or even succeeded we just stopped it before the problem became apparent.

You have also assumed that I do not know you are too old to have not been called and if you had been called and not struggled against it you would have a great love of magic not fight against it so veraciously. I do applaud your struggle though I can tell you that the number who hear the call and resist are very few and far between.
Hags are difficult to contain but not impossible you are correct though if I found you were a hag I would have wanted to kill you where you stood should I have reason to because the danger of escape is much greater.

And there in lies the crux of the way I think creatures and people who can alter their forms or teleport or any number of things have always been regarded with a certain amount of fear because after all how do you stop them? Witches face this same issue because we can do much of this with the same ease as many of these being no spell book required. Our powers are more varied do to personal choice than that which comes naturally by race, still we are feared you are proof of that, you do not hate what you do not fear. But can we safely be contained? No, which is why I move around so people do not get nervous with me and give no reason to be executed. I do not hide my magic away any one who wants to see can watch me craft my items on the street so that none can claim I was trying to secretly curse an item I gave someone.

He takes another sip.

Back to the issue then. So while yes free will matters a creature that is usually evil who has walked the path of redemption should not be attacked we still must weigh the actions of the individual and how easily they can escape to cause more havoc. Free Will matters to the victims too a creature who would rob the free will of others arguably deserves less consideration, and by all accounts and evidence that is what we were seeing in those guards. I am not saying that the enchantment school is evil, or that the occational charm person spell does not have it's uses but we are talking about long term multiple people... How much of those men's lives were stolen?

He considers for a moment.

I will tell you what I am going to let you in on a little secret I can craft items cheaper than even most wizards I could make you a set of antimagic chains items that will lock a shapeshifter into form I could even make it so that they could shift size to accommodate larger things. We would need a way to transport them without magic though and Tye probably will raise six of the seven hells if we try to use her house for such a thing. But I could have them done as early as noon tomorrow, I'm faster too.

The issue is that most cells will not be able to hold such creatures, so local authorities will kill them as soon as we get back, is taking a creature to certain death any better? We can put the blood on someone else's hands but the life is still ended. Because as you surmised, depending on the location racism runs rampant even with the more common ones... So what chance do other things have?
 
Baltana

She took her second offered drink as she listened, and offered a slight smile "you are assuming that were I a being that was known known for disguise and deception that I would not know how to act the part" she wasn't sure if it was arrogance on the man's part or if he was confident in his skills, she disliked deception as a rule - but she knew from experience that she was very good at it when she felt she needed to be, she wondered how hard it would truely be to fake liking magic, or how hard it would be for a hag to fake hating it.

"I have concerns on the guards actually, so I will ask your expertise - do spells fail when the caster passes out, if someone were to command my mind to go kill someone and before I did so that person fell asleep would I be free, what if they were killed?" she shrugged "likely more complex than I care to hear but dealing with bandits some with magic I have not noted magic snuffing out once I take out a caster, so am dubious about the gaurds being controlled at all - they also didn't answer when I questioned them on any actual crimes that the creature had committed" taking a gulp of the drink "not that it matters now I suppose".

"On the woman, I have spend enough time in taverns where I have broke into rooms to 'save' someone only to find out that there screams for help were in fact just play acting - so I tend to ignore them unless I hear something more. She wasn't damaged and she was capable of defending herself - she did attack him from behind, neither of us knows what went on in there so ... " she shrugged "I guess that doesn't really matter anymore either".

"To sortof answer your question on containment - were it in the wild and he attacked I likely would have sought to defeat him by whatever means were appropraite, and if he survived I likely would have simply left him battered the path - and if he came after me again I would have sought to end him. Did that with a troll once, no need to kill a creature that might change even if it likely won't, might be a soft stop of mine for likely lost causes. In a city I would normally allow the local guards to deal with it unless they asked for help or it was personal - no need to go stepping on toes or undermining plans of whoever in the city is turning a blind eye - and there always seems to be someone turning a blind eye - last night it seems that the locals were aware and jsust had not bothered to act when we showed up" considering for a minute "not really sure where we go from here on death, containment or release - but think we can likely do a compromise of sorts".
 
Excuse me for saying so lady but I know of no hags who can create water in order to make a tree more slippery.... I doubt the others noticed because of the lighting conditions and lack of interest but I highly doubt you decided to climb the only tree that had been rained on

Balenore thinks for a moment

Yes and no.... If it is the effect I am thinking of then they would have completed the last order given and waited for new ones... once they saw that the commanding force were incapacitated they would revert to doing as they pleased till such a time as new orders were given. Some spells require concentration, some last a certain length of time and then end, some linger permanently, and the some alter the fabric of what is and leave it forever changed but no longer magical.... Charms and compulsions typically are part of either the first or second group and for him to do all that he was doing I would assume the second. But yes if he told them to attack anyone who came through the gate then after they did that once they would have waited for more orders which is likely why he came out and revealed himself in the first place.

And yes the woman did attack him from behind if he had forced her to face forward she would not have been able to see to aim her spell which makes me think the worst.

I believe that we can compromise I will inform you of whatever dangers something poses and you can decide. If whatever it is turns around and bites us then I get to deal with it the next time, sound good?
 
Baltana

"So me having access to magic you think is more likely than I choose to climb the wet tree?" she said with a smile, "and that type - of what I imagine is minor magic - you think a hag could not learn, and so deduce that I am not one", she caught herself and thought about it from his possible prespective - alone in a room within arms reach of a potential hag who had demonstrated some martial affinity, if she were a hag and wished him harm this would be roughly how she would have went about it, firstly make them think you couldn't be via revulsion, than isolate them, than toy with them, than strike, her eyes and face became serious "sorry - I occassionally find myself slipping into bad habits of teasing people with uncertainty".

"So to be blunt - yes I have some of my mothers foul nature within me, moreso than some other children seem to, it is not something that I like. But having said that some hags I understand are potent spellcasters outside of natural abilities - so I would not assume one could not generate water" she stated.

"For the agreement I would not need anything so formal as me getting first call, I am not the boss of you after all - and we would not be the only people involved - merely with downed enemies we discuss what to do rather than you immediately state 'kill it' and me immediately state 'no don't', I suspect that neither of us like receiving orders" she finished.
 
Narunir

"That would be more than acceptable Balenore," Narunir replied, giving his two allies a smile and a brief bow before he began making his way back to his own room. "I will call on you tomorrow then."

---------

And so the next day when he had a free moment Narunir did exactly that, the half-elf making his way back to Balenore's room and knocking on his door.
 
7bb2b15f169efa338702175eff2ee5f7.jpg


A small, buxom girl with nut brown skin, dressed in a dark green dress with a low neckline and a brown coat coat was sweeping the porch of a cozy looking temple. There were potted plants all over the porch. The stone building had a steepled tile roof almost tirhty feet high.

The young priestess looked up into Malach's eyes. Her own were liquid black, wide and expressive. She collored ever so subtly and offered him a dimpling smile, "Welcome to the House of Good Harvest, sir. My name is Dahlia Earthlight. How can we help you?"
 
The door to the room opens on it's own to reveal Balenore not present but his scorpion is there on the desk across the room counting coins. Soon Though Balenore appears with a tray of tea and small cakes as well as a bottle of wine and cheeses.

Sorry I did not know if you wanted alchohol or tea to discuss magic and it took me a tad longer than expected but I told Pike to let you in if you got here before me won't you sit down?

After setting out the food and drinks Balenore takes his own seat.

Now please what is it that you would like to know?
 
Malach was a rather striking man, between his darker skin and rich dark hair – and piercing eyes. Still, seeing the priestess he gave a smile. “Dahlia? I am Malach. I was looking for a place to rest and meditate for a while. Your temple seemed quiet fitting. Would it be possible to pay homage Chauntea while i’m here?” The man asked, taking a few more steps forward, looking the woman over a bit slowly, taking in her figure all the while.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom