THC RP Forum

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters Date: ??? Who: The collective members of THC Dysmas raised his hand.  " I'm coming with. I need at least understand something about magic. In three months i've encountered magic cannons, magic dragons, magic towers and" raising the decapitated head of a dwarf out of a canvas bag at his hip "a magical dwarfs head." He turned to Invidia, "Is it going to be fun?"

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters Date: ??? Who: The collective members of THC "Yes. Very fun," Invidia replies. "But there will be a body involved." 

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC. Dysmas rose from his chair. "Corpses stopped being haunting since our little escapade at Shade-mount."  He pointed at the bed and asked Lucian. "Mind prestidigitationing my bed back in order? Thanks." "Oh and before I forget, Veger" He turned to the Dragon Knight  "Your people will be OK with bringing their own dead back to life right?"

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC. Lucian gives a couple of flicks of his wand to clean Dysmas' bed. Lucian looks at Invidia and says, "By the way, can you teach how to cook something nice? There is a family of kobolds I promised to check up on amd I thought it would be nice to mae them something."

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC. Cyprus, for all of Lucian's planning and strategy that he had put time and effort into, had no mind for tactics. That much had been Heskan's domain, back when he had called The Wayfarer's home. The cleric instead felt disconnected, and he knew that he needed rest in a nontraditional sense. With his new blade sheathed at his side, the Aasimar gave a nod to his comrades after the talks of planning for the future had subsided. There were many things down here that he didn't quite understand. The dragon, for instance; how on earth had a Sapphire Dragon found their way into the Underdark and make alliances enough to essentially run an entire city? The idea was ludicrous when Cyprus thought about it for too long, but bending the knee had seemed to be 'the thing to do' if he had wanted to keep his head. It didn't stop the idea from feeling wrong, though. Mikaelis was quiet. Then again, Mikaelis was always quiet, but Cyprus dwelled on it anyway. He needed a space apart, someplace he could channel the light his goddess brought and not be disturbed. Or disturb anyone, for that matter. Light was an unneeded commodity in the Underdark, so he had found. Perhaps one of this new company would know of such a place.

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC. Mollin paid surprisngly paid attention to Lucian's outline of the company's plan for the next couple of weeks. While it was often filled with pointless "spa-zazz" as the drow had often heard the half-breed call it, it was useful information - a good reminder, though often repetitive, as Invidia pointed out before wandering off to his project with both Lucian and Dysmas. The drow frowned as he gracefully hopped onto the room's elaborately crafted desk, its beautiful surface masterfully chiseled and polished. Crossing one leg over the other in his usual meditative pose, the last thing his pink gaze saw was Cyprus, clearly thinking to himself as the monk began to look inward. The last few days had been eventful; hells, the last few hours  had been eventful. Meeting with Invidia again, of all people, and then coming across the Horizon Company, entering a mysterious ruin, encountering a... what was it? A demilich? A lich? Both? Mollin grimaced as he focused. The image of the lich was fresh - all too fresh. But more so was the sacrifice the old man, once his enemy, had made. ' For parting words, he definitely chose to to be... ambiguous.' His mouth continued to pull into a disturbed line focusing more. An enemy that was once bitter, turned to a sacrificial martyr? 'How does that even happen? How can someone be willing to give his very soul away to preserve someone he barely knew? '  His focus shifted from Inniswell's face, to the skull's face, to...Memory of another face caused the monk to clear his throat, and to inhale deeply, smoothly. 'Who was that?' It could not have been a god - they don't exist, or if they did, they died a long time ago. But the holy face, wrapped in light, reaching out in the sheer dread of dark etheral moment... 'It had been there,' Mollin could not deny. 'But maybe... could have it been a god?' Mollin's firm mouth cracked for moment, the corners of his mouth lifting in amusement. 'No, no it could not...well...' A long exhale, a long inhale. Silence on the outside, depicted by the returning frown. But inwardly, the faces flashed before his mental eye; from one to the other, a complete picture of mortality, one pointing to death, one to life, and one to the one who truly allow him to live. All pieces of a puzzle that somehow that would complete him, pointing Mollin to the one thing he wanted most. In a moment of frustration, a single sentence sprang to Mollin: "What does it even mean, to live a life worth remembering?" The monk's eyes would snap open, surprised by his own voice and immediately regretting seeing who had heard his statement: Cyprus.

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC   An external voice drew Cyprus from his inward thoughts, and his eyes turned to rest on Mollin, the speaker. He looked for a moment in surprise. The question posed had been so existential, rather unlike the Drow as far as the Aasimar had known him. Albeit, that experience hadn't been gleaned from a very long period of time. All the same, the cleric offered a smile, uncrossing his arms and approaching the seated man. "If you meant to address me," He began, running a hand through his hair. "I think a life worth remembering is a life without regrets. It's a life where you can say, with confidence, that you've done all you can. Living that sort of life takes doing, and," He laughed a little. "I don't suppose it's for everyone, but I'd like to think that everyone deserves to be remembered in some way, y'know?"   His gaze changed a little as Cyprus surveyed Mollin's disposition. Something certainly seemed off, but the cleric couldn't quite place what. "Is there something on your mind?" He asked, a look of worry adorning his eyes.

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC Mollin practically scoffed at Cyprus's gesture, watching his almost perfect hair whish back as the drow responded callously, "Life is nothing but regrets." His eyes would harden as he met the cleric's worried gaze, "Regrets matched with clouding disappointment, drowned dreams, and heartbreaking nostalgia of anything that could resemble anything what some might call happiness." His eyes would close once more, inhaling in a similar fashion as before. "Those who are unfortunate to live long enough only find a piling debt that can only apparently be repaid by--by." A frustrated exhale followed Mollin's stuttering statement, unable to find the appropriate word, trailing off in a dark mutter, "Hells if I know. But it certainly isn't by some faith to gods that do not care to listen or answer the whimpering of their followers." Another inhale. "But no. No, nothing is on my mind. Just something I heard from--" A slowed, shaky exhale. "--from someone." 'At least he won't suffer in hell - not again.'

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC. "Lucian," Invidia says gently, "I'll be very honest with you in that it would take skills beyond mine to teach you how to cook. How about I just cook the thing for you?"

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC "That's quite enough." His voice cut through, stern with an edge to it. Cyprus' worry turned sour at the other's jaded quip. "I haven't known you for more than a day, Mollin, but in that time, I've given you aid for no other reason than the simple fact that you were in need of it. That goes for any of your company, regardless of who." The slight the man had made against his goddess, gods  in general, and followers therein was enough to set the Aasimar on the defensive, but insight alone told him that reacting in kind would only fuel the fire within Mollin. Cyprus chose his words carefully.  "That's my philosophy made manifest, and insofar as it and I  can be attributed to the reason you sit in this room at all, I would ask that you offer a bit more respect than what you're showing now." The cleric exhaled, his own eyes burning for a moment with the aura that seldom left him.  Cyprus was silent for a moment, assessing the air in the room. (13 insight check)  "You lack faith." He spoke simply, after a time. "I don't mean to convert you, that isn't my intent, but you lack faith, if nothing else, in yourself." He shook his head. "And in my experience, that can hold someone down more assuredly than any single regret." In all of it, Cyprus' face was honest, if not hurt. His own piercing blue eyes met Mollin's pink, and as he spoke, he refused to look away.

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC The quiet, flared ferocity of the cleric caught Mollin off guard. Of course it had been realized that he had been rended injured, even to the point of the cool blackness of unconsciousness, but, 'Had I died a third time?' Mollin's last moment with Inniswell had been practically dreamlike, watching the man take his place in the lich's last touches to its twisted rite, but -- 'Was I really dead?'  Cyprus would see the drow's shocked expression, thanks to his experience with people, though the expression itself may not have been as subtle as the monk had hoped (Deception Check: 11). However, the cleric's next words would almost immediately shift Mollin's expression from shock to an expression of someone who had been wounded, a snarl twisting at his lips as the drow harshly retorted shaking his head in disbelief, "I lack faith? I lack faith ?!" Pink diamonds would bore into sapphires, attempting to split the cleric's face in half as a sharp tongue lashed the air, "I was a follower of a god once, cleric. I worshiped with the fervor of a madman, I sacrificed more than any pretender, I murdered dozens, scores of innocent to curry favor, to prove the power of my god."  Mollin's face would move closer and closer with each emphasis, until he was almost nose to nose with Cyprus, "And where did I end up? Dead, forgotten , ignored in the most dire moment of my second life. Without the love of my life, without the blood that deserved to be spilled, not the uncountable innocents that haunt every miserable moment of my life." The monk spat off to the side onto the stone floor, a full sneer pulled across his face. He pulled away from the cleric. "How do you even know it was your god that saved me? I've never heard of a god revealing itself to a nonbeliever, and I saw something when--."  Mollin let the sentence fall flat, a silent sneer wrenched across his face, waiting for the cleric's response as the drow leaned against the wall behind him. (Deception 13 -- Lemme know what you get and I can tell you if you see something else ;D)

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC. Lucian quickly takes Invidia's hand and says, "Deal! Truth be told, I was kind of hoping you would say that. I once set a  kitchen on fire trying to make oatmeal." Lucian looks around at where Invidia brought him and says, " So why did you need us? Does it have to do with that cool staff on your back? I figure you must have gotten it from Veger's boss master, but I don't have any familiarty with it."

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC His own aura had only just begun to quiet as the Drow's flared in visible anger. Cyprus' discerning eye caught almost every nuance of the other man's emotions (25 insight check), made manifest in the way he snarled, the way he spat and lashed out in words against him. Seeing and understanding didn't dull the sting of the other's words, however, and though Cyprus didn't move away when the monk came nose-to-nose with him, the glint of tears in Mollin's eyes took him by surprise. This man was hurting, nursing wounds he hadn't shared and had allowed to infect him below the surface of his psyche. Cyprus realized with a pang that he'd only inflamed them again. The sharp-tongued responses came quickly, and it took everything he had not to fire a reply back before the monk was through. It was only after the words slowed that Cyprus put the pieces together, painting a picture of what had happened to this man to jade him so. His sneer was getting under Cyprus' skin, and though his voice remained calm and his face stonelike, his eyes held a piercing gaze that might feel as though he was staring right through Mollin. "Who betrayed you, Mollin?" He asked simply, lifting his own chin. "Someone close, that much is clear, but it's an act that hasn't left you, something that's continued to fester and cause more pain." His eyes softened to a touch of concern. While hurt, he was still tasked with maintaining wellbeing. Wherever Mollin stood physically, the emotional landscape of this man seemed to be the furthest step from fairing well. Then, all at once, Mollin made a mention of the cleric's god, and of seeing something as he came to life once more, and and Cyprus' attention snapped to it. "What did you see?" His voice was more urgent than he had intended it to be. "As you lay dying, Mollin, what did you see?" His eyes were uncharacteristically wide in shock at what might be. 

Location: Underdark, The Camp, ??? Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC. "So I set this up last night while speaking to the man in the armory," Invidia says as they walk down the stone hallway with all their strange equipment. No one else is in the area, which speaks to the ungodly hour they woke up at to begin their journey. The musty scent of heated stone stings their nostrils. They pass a variety of metal doors and arrive at an unmarked room. Invidia pauses for a moment, considering, before opening the door and walking in. A body lies on a stone slab. "Dysmas, this is why I had you buy those thirty lemon-scented tags," Invidia says to the rogue with a smile. "Let's get to work." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some hours later, four silhouettes are seen walking back into the guest quarters. Invidia is trailed by a humanoid covered completely in splint armor, with a hand resting easily over a longsword. A mask covers the being's face and a shield is slung over their back. It smells faintly of citrus. "As you lay dying, Mollin, what did you see?" Invidia hears Cyprus' panicked voice ring throughout the room as he and his friends walk in.  "I really hate to interrupt," he says, interrupting, "but I'd like to introduce you two to Mai Butler. This is my personal retainer." He moves to sit on a seat. Mai smoothly bows to Cyprus and Mollin before walking to sit down next to him. Invidia cocks an eyebrow. "Well?" he asks. "Don't let me interrupt you." 

Location: Underdark, The Camp, ??? Date: Day 1 of Downtime, Early Morning, during Invidia's experiment. Who: The collective members of THC. "As you lay dying, Mollin, what did you see?"  In a moment their faces morphed like a drop of paint in a cup of oil. Cyprus was leaning in on his chair, his feet resting on the balls of his toes, his body slightly lifted from his seat, hands clenched to his knees. His face flashed with annoyance as he glanced at the intruders, but the four were no concern to him. He glanced back at Mollin. The Drow’s face was a cold mask. But for a split second Dysmas saw something there he had not seen many times in the Cog. An ache that had nested deep inside the Drows soul. And for all of Mollins vitriol, abuse and supremacy he saw beneath it – the squirming, agonizing pain of having an itch you can never scratch. Dysmas knew the pain of not knowing oneself. "I really hate to interrupt, but I'd like to introduce you two to Mai Butler.” Invidia announced, gesturing to his fascinating abomination “This is my personal retainer." The silence was like a vacuum, slowly crushing them all inside. In a brief millisecond Dysmas glanced at Cyprus and knew that this was Mollins only chance at change. He felt his chest and lower sternum constrict with breathless panic. And then wizard took a bloody seat. God damn it man! “ Well, Don't let me interrupt you." Dysmas stepped forward, cutting off Invidia’s line of sight with the pair. He crouched ever so slightly, and leaned forwards like a polite waiter. “Invidia we’ve still got some of my errands to run, and I need your help in particular.” He said with a smile. But his eyes did not match up with the sweet sing-song tenor of his words. It told the wizard that we’re interrupting something important, and we need to leave now and not leaving now will make things worse in the long run and dear god don’t push Mollins buttons cause that elf’s got a chip on his shoulder and if Cyprus doesn’t pull it down then no one can, and that man is representing a nation we need on our side. Dear god, let’s just go. The art of telling a co-worker a lot with a mere glance of the eyes is necessary when one made his living as a burglar prowling through quiet corridors. Dysmas continued “You have the most academic prowess here and I need to look through Bellavantors books to try and find some intel on this little art piece I got on my back.” He stood straight and offered a hand. “Besides think of all the magical knowledge Bellavantor might have that you could use. Plus we can regail our comrades about our …” the thief eyes glazed over with a 100-mile stare “... Friend later, when we’re all the dinner table.”

Location: Underdark, The Camp, ??? Date: Day 1 of Downtime, Early Morning, during Invidia's experiment. Who: The collective members of THC. As Mollin and Cyprus' argument escalates, A Thief, a Necromancer, an empty shell returned from the grave, and the black sheep of a family of slavers enter the room.  Only one of them is cartwheeling -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Standing on his hands, Lucian's perspective on the situation allows him to see that Mollin and Cyprus were having quite the row, and that they seemed to have interrupted at quite the pivotal moment. Also that they seemed to be upside down. If Lucian had to guess, it was likely related to Mollin's feelings of inadequacy in combat, latent trauma over dying, or he had started some shit with the cleric about his whole anti religion deal. Knowing Mollin, Lucian figured it was a mix of all three.  Backflipping to his feet, Lucian looked to Dysmas and saw that he was trying his best to subtly indicate to Invidia to give them some privacy. Also that he had formed a bond wtih Mai during the course of the journey, and had come to regard him as a friend which heartned Lucian's spirits. Lucian decided to give him a hand, and turning to face Invidia, Lucian chimes in , "Don't forget you promised to help me cook a meal for a Old Kobold as a favor. It's already about time to eat anyways." Lucian also looks over to Dysmas and says , "You can come too Dysmas. I'm sure he would love the company"

Location: Underdark, The Camp, ??? Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC. "Wait, what?" Invidia asks confusedly. "I think I can really add a lot to this conversation. Look here." He starts digging through his knapsack. Along the way, he brings out a variety of interesting, shiny items. "Ah, finally! These are notes that I took on the metaphysical nature of death while conversing with Arduk. I think they really might help Cyprus and Mollin in clarifying what lies beyond the veil," he says, holding out the papers. "We can do all that other stuff in a little bit."

Location: Underdark, The Camp, ??? Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC. Lucian looks at Invidia, looks at this huge nerd before him who is unable to read the mood, and he understands. He understands that despite Invidia's incredible intelligence, that he is comletely caught up in his various shiny ... distracting... NOT DISTRACTING items, and that he won't leave unless forced to. Dysmas won't be able to stop him, and so Lucian hardens his resolve.  As Lucian begins to search through his spells for anything that could help him, he remembers Pup's usage of Dimension Door, and knows that would be the perfect spell for this situation. yet, the only way to use it, is to directly augment a spell. Though he typically draws this process out over a few days, Lucian knows that doing so now is his only chance to stop Invidia's evil plot of telling abunch of stories about his various knick knacks and souvenirs. Tossinga side his cloak, Lucian begins drawing all the arcane energy in the room, directly absorbing it into himself as his body attempts to convert it into raw power.  To those proficient in Arcana, they can detect that Lucian is channeling great amoutns of mana into himself as he empowers Misty Step, shaping and molding it into its new, more powerful form of Dimension Door! Grabbing Invida by the scruff of his collar and before he can react, Lucian casts the spel as the two of them move out the window to 500 ft away. "This is my most dangerous technique, but if I don't use it, then I'll be trapped in this [ AWKWARD CONVERSATION ] forever!" Lucian says, ignoring his many other far more dangerous techniques like encouraging getting punched in the face just to hellish rebuke somebody, punching himself int he face to sell a disguise, or lighting himself on fire to get out of a parking ticket.  Invida and Lucian dissapear in a burst of white flame that stains the floor as Lucian converts the two into energy and reconstitutes them outside. ------------------------------------------------- 2 minutes go by when Lucian teleports back into the room soaking wet and lying face down, and says, "I landed in a water fountain."  Grabbing a hold of Mai Butler, Lucian says to Dysmas, "Meet us outside." and then teleports back out. 

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC The drow's eyes shifted to the side, avoiding the cleric's gaze, as Mollin's expression turned even more spiteful when Cyprus asked his questions, 'Lucky guess. How many times have you said what you're saying, with your perfect face and honeyed words? Why are you even pursuing this?' (Insight Check: 1 CRITICAL FAILURE :C ) The monk wouldn't even bother to look at Cyprus when the cleric's outburst hit his ears. ' He doesn't deserve to know. It was probably some illusion, the gasps of a dying brain that was somehow desperate for--' Mollin's attention would snap to the door that burst open, making way for the three returning members of the company and...a new companion? (Perception Check 14)  "I really hate to interrupt," Invidia said, interrupting, "but I'd like to introduce you two to Mai Butler. This is my personal retainer." "Your butler." Mollin would state flatly, more in a tone of disbelief than one of questioning. ' What a pompous, loathsome--'  As Invidia sat with his new companion, and finished with a, “ Well, Don't let me interrupt you," Mollin's list of descriptions grew, 'meddling, swell-headed--' The monk began to move his legs, starting to rise before Dysmas interjected, quickly followed by Lucian. But this did not stop Mollin's legs sweeping off the table, dangerously close to the floor. A dark hand was already reaching for the ornate handle of the Amber Scythe, but stops at Invida's insistent words, "Wait, what? I think I can really add a lot to this conversation. Look here." The anger that had threatened to boil over did just that. Well, almost did. As the drow stood, hateful eyes boring into Invidia as Mollin's mouth moved to snarl. But before he could tell what he really thought about the wizard, Invidia's eager rummaging filled the room, the assortment of oddities and ends, papers and other unusual items clattering and bumping about in his bag caused Mollin to hesitate just enough for Invidia to speak: "Ah, finally! These are notes that I took on the metaphysical nature of death while conversing with Arduk. I think they really might help Cyprus and Mollin in clarifying what lies beyond the veil," he says, holding out the papers. "We can do all that other stuff in a little bit." It was the straw that broke the camel's back. Mollin's patience snapped as his voice grated the air, (Performance Check: 18 -- Using his anger to cover something) "If you are to even asSUME THAT THOSE PAPE--!!" But suddenly, surprisingly, Mollin's tirade was interrupted by Lucian's voice, loud and... announcing? "This is my most dangerous technique, but if I don't use it, then I'll be trapped in this [ AWKWARD CONVERSATION ] forever!" Lucian and Invidia vanished, leaving the infuriated Mollin's eyes bulging, now absolutely speechless. But before the drow could recover, the lovable sorcerer reappeared just as fast, sopping wet and faceplanted. Grabbing onto Butler, he gave final instructions before he blinked from existence once more, "Meet us outside." Mollin's jaw was hanging open wide enough for flies to enter. However, he quickly recovered, pink shards of glass stabbing their way towards Dysmas. "Get out." If Dysmas protested or even peeped a word, Mollin's lithe form would immediately begin pulling into a stance before a scream of a wounded animal ripped through the air, "GET. OUT." If Dysmas fled , Mollin's stance would falter and then fall apart, his newfound weapon clattering to the ground as the drow collapsed onto his knees, drained. Unsteady breaths would rack his chest as he sank deeper and deeper into the ground before clearing his throat roughly, pulling himself into his meditative stance. A shroud of darkness began to bleed from his form before completely enveloping him and then the room, his breath still unsteady, shaking with emotion. Suddenly, a long scream ripped from his last known position, a cry of anguish that eventually forming into words: "GEEEEEEAAAAUUUUUUUHHHHHHICANTICANTICANT--I CAAAAN'T!!" The darkened room filled with the darkness remained silent for a while, deep sobs coming from a crushed individual. " The gods don't care -- if they did, why am I here? I have lived two life times and now only suffer in my third. I have lost everything twice, I have nothing to show for the life someone--something keeps breathing back into me. Am I cursed? Cursed to--" A sob hiccuped from the broken monk, "To always return to nothing? To see a face in some cursed light pulling me back to this suffering? I can't." A shaky sigh pushed itself into the black. "I can't keep living like this. I can't do this."

Cyprus barely registered the beginning of the altercation until it was already upon them, and by that time, the cogs moved too fast to interrupt. Invidia, Dysmas, Lucian, and a fourth entered as quickly and unannounced as they had first left, and with his own question hanging unanswered in the air, it had taken him a moment to fully realize what it was that Invidia had done. "I really hate to interrupt," Invidia's voice rang through as the wizard entered, "but I'd like to introduce you two to Mai Butler. This is my personal retainer." Undead. It was the only fully-formed thought that managed to get through a mass of more questions than answers. Mai didn't speak, and almost instinctively, Cyprus' hand glowed with a white-hot radiance– the beginnings of his Turn Undead . His eyes were wide as the rest of the room seemed calm and unaffected by this development, and for a moment, the cleric turned away from Mollin to take in what exactly it was that had entered the room with them. It was at this point that the atmosphere in the room changed, as Invidia, though Dysmas and Lucian seemed to be dissuading him, took a vested interest in Mollin's vision. Shock in Cyprus' eyes turned to confusion, and the wizard's words blended together in a sort of jarginless white noise. He was talking, he was still  talking, as if the energy in the room wasn't poisonous enough already! The other two seemed to have their words bounce meaninglessly off the man's ears, and Invidia seemed to pay them no heed.  "Wait, what? I think I can really add a lot to this conversation. Look here."   Invidia moved right along in his analysis, and all Cyprus could do was watch, mouth agape, at this clueless, insightless man attempt to analyze what had caused more than a rift in the room.  "Ah, finally! These are notes that I took on the metaphysical nature of death while conversing with Arduk. I think they really might help Cyprus and Mollin in clarifying what lies beyond the veil,"  He said, holding out the papers. "We can do all that other stuff in a little bit." Then, by all merciful gods, Lucian stepped in.  It happened faster than Cyprus could have thought possible, but the sorcerer managed to spirit both Invidia and Mai away through a rift in the room, and his words echoed out as he worked his magic. Cyprus was stunned, not fully internalizing what had just happened with these four men coming and going in such a fashion. "This is my most dangerous technique, but if I don't use it, then I'll be trapped in this [ AWKWARD CONVERSATION ] forever!" Was this really what Lucian considered to be an awkward  conversation? Not an incredibly intense one that may or may not bring something important to light? The cleric let out a frustrated sigh, turning just in time to see Mollin's face. The man had changed drastically from their old position. Now, as his attention was focused on Dysmas, there was no hidden anger in him. Mollin was enraged, incited beyond the point that Cyprus had seen him before. However, the Aasimar's attention moved away from Dysmas' reaction to it all. Oh gods.  A shroud of darkness began to pour out from Mollin's form, the room itself being swallowed in a shadow that Cyprus' aura, try as it might, couldn't break through. The cleric couldn't see, couldn't think beyond freeing himself into the light, but in that moment, he heard Mollin's voice breaking, a cry for help that Cyprus hadn't expected. The man, in the last reaches of sight that Cyprus held, had crumpled to the ground, his weapon lying useless, and a scream ripped out through the room, shaking the Aasimar to the core. It was all he could do to stand, to listen as Mollin laid himself bare in anguish that surely was coming from years of silence. " The gods don't care -- if they did, why am I here? I have lived two life times and now only suffer in my third. I have lost everything twice, I have nothing to show for the life someone--something keeps breathing back into me. Am I cursed? Cursed to--" It was here, as a sob escaped the unseen Drow, that Cyprus moved as if in a dream. He followed, carefully, the cries of the other man to understand him to be in the center of the room, incomparably dark as it was.  "To always return to nothing? To see a face in some cursed light pulling me back to this suffering? I can't." Pensive, he laid a hand on his own chest, the emblem of Dol Arrah engraved there on his breastplate as a symbol he refused to forget. Cyprus slowly closed his eyes and knelt, channeling a spell he knew by heart– the first he had chosen to prepare today and each day previous since the day he had learned it.  "I can't keep living like this. I can't do this." Centered on himself, the cleric willed the warmth of the light, his  light, to pour out into the room, radiating to each and every corner until nothing lay in darkness there. As he opened his eyes once more, he lifted his head to meet Mollin's eye, and in the warmth of that sun, he smiled. "You can." He replied simply, moving to kneel in front of the seated man. "I don't say this lightly, Mollin. You can, and you already are . " Cyprus didn't realize it right away, but the edge of a radiant feather caught his eye as he glanced around the room. Two bright wings had manifested on his shoulders, and his aura flared in the light. He'd activated Radiant Soul. Blue eyes met Mollin's pink, and Cyprus's gaze grew to one of quiet determination. The care never left his eyes, and he cupped the other's chin in his hands, speaking plainly with resolve beyond himself. "The only person stopping you is yourself, Mollin. Your past shouldn't be forgotten, but it never  has the power to control you. You are more than the sum of your experiences,  does that make sense?" A glowing smile came from the other, and he lowered his hands, rising and extending a hand, meaning to help Mollin to his feet. "You are the sum of your choices ."

Location: Underdark, The Camp, next to a fountain Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC Invidia lands next to a fountain. Lucian is not so lucky, and is soaked to the bone in spring water. Before the wizard can say anything, Lucian whirls away. Then back. Not long after, a scream of anguish rings out.  "Was that Mollin?"  Invidia wonders. "I guess he was just disappointed that he didn't get to discuss the meaning of death with me. Shame. I think he would've enjoyed it."  The wizard patiently waits for Mai to walk to him. The lumbering butler soon appears alongside Dysmas.  "Well that was kind of rude, Lucian!" Invidia says once he is finally sure that the warlock wasn't about to teleport away. "Honestly, I think I could've helped them out there. Just because I'm a wizard doesn't mean I'm unfamiliar with religious material." He pauses for a moment.  "I guess we should get started on the other tasks for the day," Invidia finally says. "I trust them to figure it out."

Location: Underdark, The Camp, next to a fountain Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC Soaked and Sogging, Lucian walks to Invidia and says, " This will be ruder. " Quickly ripping off his glove, Lucian darts in and does a backwards slap with the wet item before activating his Boots of the Aristocrat to instantly return himself to pristine condition. " My gods man. Seriously, I am the party idiot, yet somehow I repeatedly am forced to act like the voice of reason. That is not my character role. I'm supposed to be the comically oblivious one, and you the genius, yet I'm far more certain that Mollin is dealing with some heavier issues than can be handled by a lecture on religion." Lucian looks out to the room where he left Dysmas, Mollin, and Cyprus. Lucian has enough trust in Dysmas to read the situation and leave. From here on out, he would have to place his faith in Cyprus, though he would go check up on Mollin privately in the evening in order to allow him to speak without the worry of judgement. Lucian sits at the edge of a fountain, a marble statue to some underground deity or the other, and sighs, " I apologize Invidia for losing my temper like that. If you wish, you can stab or hit me to make up for it. " Lucian invites Invidia to sit next to him and then breaks into an earnest laugh, " Honestly, for a profession so adept at understanding the intricacies of a person's innards, all of the necromancers I've known, or necromancer adjacent in your case, tend to be far more comfortable with the dead than the living." "Amiright Mai?" Lucian says, holding up a high five to Invidia's newfound corpse/sidekick.

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: Cyprus/Mollin Darkness had always been Mollin's place for safety. Hells, wasn't it for most creatures that were born in the depths of the Underdark? It had always been a place where one truly felt secure, to draw power, and where one could hide from the hated sun. But no one ever told him that the darkness could be a place where despair could overcome the strong willed. No one ever told him that the darkness would swallow him whole and cause him to forget who he was. No one ever told him that the light could be a place of safety. At first, Mollin winced, recoiling from the bright light that melted his darkness. All at once, he could not tell if this was it, if this was some miracle of circumstance that would end his miserable existence. But the words, "You can," changed it all. The light warmed him like a fire, the eyes that were amidst the light - this was not a lie. Cyprus meant every word. As the cleric of light spoke, however, Mollin gasped, eyes widening. Cyprus had wings. In the glorious basking moment, Mollin was awestruck as Cyprus's words spoke quiet truths that Mollin, once a man of faith, had denied for so long. Where the follower was truly following his god, Mollin truly realized a truth: 'His god is real.' It was no cheap trick, no attempt to impress the masses with power; this was real. It was then that the drow realized that an armored hand was being offering, which Mollin took without hesitation. Rising to his feet, Mollin's wide eyed gaze spoke what he was thinking before the words ever reached his lips. "Then my choice is simple: teach me the ways of your god."

Location: Underdark, The Camp, next to a fountain Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC "Eh," Invidia replies, rubbing his cheek, "I was alarmed by how incompetent he was in fighting the lich. The same type of angst existed in the last group I traveled with. You remember, right? They ended up tearing themselves apart. I don't want that to happen here. It can't happen here. I needed to force a confrontation of some sort to get things ironed out." Invidia sighs and sits down next to Lucian. "He needed some sort of trigger to get things out of his system, and I figured that I would spend the entire week pissing him off to do that. Sometimes you need to reduce something to its most simple parts before building them back up, stronger than ever." The wizard motions to Mai. "I believe people are similar to constructs in this way."  "Now, I'm no mastermind," he continues. "There was no guarantee that it would work. But I had to try." A pause. "There was no kindness in this, of course. I don't inherently care for Mollin," Invidia remarks in the same conversational tone."But..." he trails off. "This isn't the minor leagues anymore. You know that we almost all died fighting the Maker, right? If he had been just a smidgen more careful, we would have all perished in that room," Invidia says quietly. "Then, we would have had our souls mutilated and consumed by his experiments. I read through his notes. We would have spent the rest of all existence screaming into the void, with no hope of salvation." Invidia looks away at the city. The sound of fountain water fails to ease his furrowed brows. "There's no room for failure anymore. The inertia of who we are will propel us forward into becoming legends or nothing at all. There's no "normal" existence left for us, even if we wanted to leave it all behind," he finishes. "Mollin as he was would have gotten us killed. But I get the feeling that things are different now." Invidia gets up and stretches. "Let's get to work, yeah?" he directs at the two.

Location: Underdark, The Camp, next to a fountain Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC "Hold up a bit, I'm exhausted. I basically did an accelerated form of what usually takes me a week back in that room." As he catches his breath, Lucian can't help but laugh at Invida's words, " Good lord man. We had a magic mirror. We could literally have fixed his combat ability the entire time. All you did was piss him off worse. I'm amazed at how bad that plan was now that you are describing it to me. I mean, we were planning on helping him out, all you did was give him shit.You're definitely right about not being a mastermind" Lucian does get a bit more serious, and says, " But yeah, you're right about how it was back there. To be honest, we really fucked up a lot back there. We kept running into traps. We failed to coordinate even with telepathy. Theltar and Veger kept rushing ahead on their own. But the solution to that isn't antagonizing our teammates. I know you said you don't care about Mollin, but I do. I care about you and Dysmas and T9 and Ari and Veger and Cyprus and even Theltar and Klektash. By this point, we've encountered numerous beings capable of doing just as horrible things to our souls as the Maker would have intended. And if we fall, oh if we were to fall, there is far more on the line than just our souls, but the souls of every one we'll fail to save as well. Without us, who will fix the dimensional rifts or stop the daelkyr or any number of horrific threats facing our world? You were right about Mollin, but I want you to understand that what you tried is not okay. I don't know what you encountered in GOTHS that traumatized you so much, but intentionally antagonizing your team won't help." " Listen, I'm a huge idiot. immensely so in fact, but even I know that communication is what makes a successful adventuring group. Tactics. Teamwork. Loyalty. Being able to coordinate is our greatest asset. Fighting the Maker was dangerous yes, but for the most part, we did pretty okay. We stayed on our feet, we kept each other standing, and we supported each other. I noticed Mollin's weakness and polymorphed him into a Giant Ape to help compensate until we could use the mirror. When he went down, it wasn't planned for, but I Cyprus and I kept bringing him back. If you have a problem, promise me that you'll actually discuss it rather than doing this passive aggressive business. Because admitting to me that you were trying to manipulate your teammate into breaking down in an actively dangerous situation... " Lucian pauses, " that sounds like GOTHS garbage and you're better than that ." Lucian stands up and stretches and says, " I'll keep that quiet, but I want your word that you won't try anything like that again . I trust you Invidia, so let's go get some work done. "

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: Cyprus/Mollin Naerth had been sitting in the corner watching all of the events unfold. He had tried to teach Mollin how to come to grips with his past, how to find peace through meditation and training. Though Naerth himself wasn't what others would consider him a "monk" he believed that it was the best way to fix Mollin's issues. Mollin had made amazing progress, still prone to outbursts but had done so well these past few weeks. What was different? As Naerth scanned the room and come to realize this group itself was causing Mollin to once again lose his way. As Invidia rudely interrupts it becomes obvious that certain members were more toxic than others to Mollin's new way of life. " I'll have to let him find his own way through this for now and talk to him when he has let it out. Mollin always meditated on his thoughts better after he let out his feelings ." Naerth says quietly in the corner, too quiet for anyone to hear.  As things continue to progress Naerth contemplates interrupting the exchange anyways, as Naerth begins to move to protect his friend a sudden burst of light fills the room, blinding Naerth. Unable to see what is going on all his hears is Mollin's last words, " Then my choice is simple: teach me the ways of your god." As these words register in Naerth's mind he finds himself in disbelief. After weeks of trying to get him to give thought to following his goddess of the moon a newcomer worshiping the sun managed to convert Mollin in only a few days. Naerth finds himself disappointed in Mollin as it becomes obvious that he is once again setting out on a journey ruled by his emotions rather than his mind. Naerth stands up, covered by the bright light and silently hops out the window. He will have to speak with Mollin later about this but first Naerth wanted to find out more about this new group he found himself aligned with for convenience. 

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: Cyprus/Mollin Mollin's wince sent a pang in Cyprus' heart. He knew the Drow had been through more than his share of pain this afternoon, and he didn't enjoy adding to it, but the light remained for its duration. The cleric ran a hand through his own golden mop of hair, a bit apprehensive concerning how his message might go over. Mollin needed time, that much he knew for certain. Wounds that deep couldn't heal in a day, but they could begin to be cleaned and cared for. But Mollin's gasp took him by surprise, and his shoulders and wings reacted almost instinctively, flaring out a little as he drew a bit away. Mollin's eyes were wide, and Cyprus reflexively looked behind, realizing the sort of spectacle he'd caused. The cleric laughed sheepishly, a bit in spite of himself. "Oh, right," He scratched the back of his head. Damn his stupid brain for not thinking this through. "That...happens sometimes. Not from Dol Arrah, though. I'm afraid not ever cleric of the Sun gets wings..." His words slowed to a quiet, and he took in Mollin's countenance in full. The new strength of conviction in the monk's eyes was more than enough to bring a grateful smile to Cyprus' face, and as the two rose, Mollin's words rang true in his ears.  "Then my choice is simple: teach me the ways of your god." His aura glowed with the light and the pair of wings he allowed to beat, if only for a short while longer. "Dol Arrah stands for honor first, I suppose that's where I can start." He looked a bit sheepish in his introduction, allowing the bright light to fade to the regular light of the sun through the window. "I'll do my best to teach you what I know, Mollin, but I'm no expert. I learned to help as I do through trial and a lot of error. My..." His words faltered for a moment, and Cyprus cleared his throat. "My old party had a lot of patience with me as I learned, but I studied best by doing. There's an aspect within Her light of that as well. Honor isn't passive, it asks for action, for a willingness to stand and not let things lay as they are." He glances down at the emblem on his armor before meeting Mollin's eye. "I'm not perfect, but I hope that I emulate that in my actions. If this is a path you want to take, I hope you can take that to heart as well. And, well, the sunlight."  Cyprus looked out around the room, a question still nagging at the edge of his mind. "I'm sorry to ask, I know it isn't pleasant to recall, but Mollin," He looked back to the Drow, a spot of earnest worry on his face. "What did  you see? The gods are often silent, you know this already. Was it a face, or some sort of symbol...?"

Location: Under dark, The Camp, next to a fountain Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC "Get out." The drow growled. Didn’t need to tell me that the thief thought. He glanced at the pair for less than a second and gave Cyprus a meaning look and nod. If anyone could help him, it’d be him. Except maybe Lucian. He tourniquet on his heel with robotic precision and stepped out of the room. He was already a few feet away from the door when he realized he left his bag behind. He sighed with resignation. That mad dark elf is going to kill me. He crept back at half his normal pace, and slipped past the threshold of the door and picked his bag up. “ GET. OUT." With that the thief dashed out the door like a frightened cat. “Phew.” He whistled walking down the corridor. His gaze was fixed on the entrance, and his posture was stiff, as though he was afraid if he looked back he would see the scythe-wielding angst man “ That was clo- “ “ "GEEEEEEAAAAUUUUUUUHHHHHHICANTICANTICANT--I CAAAAN'T!!" Dysmas broke out in a nervous sweat, and picked up his pace, quickly pacing down the corridor as fast he could. Then he saw a bright light flash all the way from the room, casting the corridor itself in terrifying radiant light. At that the thief dashed, using all his rogue’s prowess to put space behind himself and the trio of nutjobs that were … gods, he wasn’t sure what they were doing. By the time he was at the entrance of the massive palace he was leaning forward, hands on his knees catching his breath. “I swear, if we find three corpses in that room, I won’t even act surprised.” Dysmas had always thought of Mollin as troubled person. Besides the fact that the first time he had met the Drow, he had been kidnapped in an hour and no even even bothered to launch a rescue party. In Mollin he had seen anger. Anger had so many different flavors to it, for Dysmas had seen almost all of it in the Cog. Doused in a cocktail of anguish, sadness and self-pity, they sought the warm embrace of a fiery death . You should never be around those sort of men , he heard Vjortechs voice utter in his mind, because you can never know when they would go out in a blaze of fury, and take you down with him. He gazed up and saw Invidia and Lucian by the fountain, and by their posture he knew that Invidia was in a spot of trouble. Not too much, he realized, because Lucian didn’t look angry, though he was still dripping wet from… probably landing in the fountain itself, maybe? He stood straight and spat out some phlegm, having caught his breath. “ Gods have mercy on any one who makes Lucian mad.” He muttered, as if to warn himself. [Or Passive Perception of 20, to try and spot Naerth leaping out of the window. DM's discretion, cause Dysmas is not actively looking for Naerth.]

Location: Underdark, The Camp, next to a fountain Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: Invidia, Lucian, Dysmas "I wasn't trying to 'fix' his skills, as the mirror would've done," Invidia replies. "I was trying to have him make a choice—any choice. It wasn't really a matter of manipulation. I just wanted him to yell at me so he could feel better. As brash as Veger is, he wasn't the only person disappointed when Mollin impotently attacked a golem with a plain scythe. Determination is admirable only if it works. And in that case, it didn't." "Frankly, I don't think there's any room in our pseudo-military outfit for whinging. After all, you're right in that there is quite a burden placed upon us. And it is for that reason we ought to prod our allies and friends into becoming better," Invidia continues. "By the way, I did some digging into the literature after the fight. Your analysis is off. The initial howl that he let off would have almost certainly resulted in the death of one or more of us had he been more aware of its area of effect. We ought to thank the gods that the Maker didn't think to do so." "And really," Invidia snorts, " provoking a team member in an 'actively dangerous situation'? We're safely behind the walls of a city run by an allied dragon. If anything, you should be chastising him for striking me in the middle of an actually actively dangerous situation. He purports to be a centuries-old   monk . I'm eighteen. He should know better. Theltar certainly isn't over a century old, and even he knows to not do such a foolish thing." "By the way," Invidia muses, "if you consider our current surroundings to be an actively dangerous situation, do you feel like a hypocrite? Why is it that your immediate recourse is physical violence? Then, without any sense of shame, you proceed to tell me that communication and loyalty are key to a successful adventuring group. I would have thought that my earlier demonstration to both you and Dysmas would have shown you the degree of trust that I hold—held for you both. I don't run around raising bodies for everyone to see."

Location: Under dark, The Camp, next to a fountain Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC By the time Dysmas had reached the trio Lucian was already amid a reply. Dysmas listened quietly, standing behind the pair adjacent to … the thing. Mai was staring blankly into the void, as if his eyes fixed on some far of distance. Of course Dysmas couldn't quite tell, because the abomination was wearing a blackened steel skull cap, and matching chain mail that hung loosely from the ridges of his forehead, and reached the top of his ribs. While the pair were inattentive, Dysmas waved his before the dead man’s gaze. You freak, he thought to himself and, is if to reply in kind, the dead man craned his neck at an unnatural angle towards Dysmas. But his black visage gave away nothing.  “I don't run around raising bodies for everyone to see.” Invidia finished, with the gesturing at the two of them with a robed hand. “Gods, I hope you dont." He said with his 100-yard stare, before quickly shaking his head "And we're grateful that you trust us Invidia. So, I’m usually not the sensible mediator, but both of you have fair points” Dysmas said, channeling his inner Lucian/Rafi/Vjortech. He cupped his hands as offered it to Invidia. “Look here’s the thing. Mollins not the most stable guy. He’s a drow, and while I’ve never really known Drow, I do know men with chips on their shoulder. He’s the sort of person who puts up a shield to try and protect himself from the judgement of others, but that same shield is pressing in on his soul crushing him. He hates being seen as weak, and to him emotions are a weakness. And your approach was a bit...” he glanced at Mai and slightly shuddered at the thought of the unspeakable things he had to do to this corpse “…clinical. He’s in a vulnerable position, and that kinda clinical analysis might make him feel like the overly emotional patient. Men with chips on their shoulder, they blow up in anger when they feel like people can see right through them.” He turned to Lucian with his hands pressed together like a prayer, “But Invidia has a point. We’re not simply a merc company wandering through the countryside, and I know you know that Lucian. You had just said so.” He placed a hand on both of their shoulders, but Mai was in the way, so Dysmas slighty, but not aggressively pushed Mai back as he reached over Invidia’s shoulder. “Look we’re a team, and we all know what’s at stake. What we’ve been saying to each other, we all understand and already know, though we might weigh each more differently from the other. What matters is that when we think one of comrades is falling behind we do our best to pick him up. I know this ‘cause this is exactly what you guys did for me when I had that little…episode at the top of the tower with the ring.” His face grew sober . “We’re all born with some flaw that makes us less than we can truly be if we were perfect. And it’s hard to overcome that flaw. Impossible really. As people we can only live with it, acknowledge it, but don’t give it complete power over ourselves.” Dysmas burst back into a grin, slowly leading the pair down the path towards to city. “ Now, about we get cooking huh?” It was a few seconds before Dysmas remembered what he wanted to say earlier. “ By the by, there was a large flash of light, a cry of anguish and Drow who leapt from the window, but lets stay positive about everything, ok?”

Location: Under dark, The Camp, next to a fountain Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC Standing Knee deep inside of the fountain, Lucian goes, " Invidia, all I am asking is for you to not intentionally escalate conflicts in the party. It seems like your complaint is rooted in his volatile emotional state and his lackluster performance against the Maker. Holding an earnest conversation would have helped with the former, and we intended to use the mirror to address the latter. I know you had good intentions, but your plan would failed to accomplish either. In addition, there is a big difference between us being right in the thick of an emotionally cathartic conversation involving a man from a culture renowned for an internalied system of abuse and us being able to hold a conversation here in the safety of the fountain. " A genuine look of shame crosses lucian's face however, and he says to Invidia, " But that doesn't mean it was right of me to smack you with a wet glove. I was angry that you not only failed to recognize the severity of the situation, but that you refused to consider that your approach was flawed at all.  Too often, I consider all of your intellgience and accomplishments and frankly maturity  and neglect to consider that you're still so young. Even though you're only 18, you're still  the more stable and sensible members of this party which is why I was so dissapointed by your actions, but even then I was not justified. I apologize to you. I truly do, and I understand if you will continue to hold this against me. " "That being said, I want to propose something to you. This is hardly the first conflict within our party and I doubt it will be the last. Because of that, lI want to create a sort of formalized complaint process or HR Department for the Horizon Company in order to address conflicts before they escalate. " Lucian pauses for a bit, then extends a hand forward, "I wanted to ask you for help on this because I thought you would be the best person suited for the task of writing this up. What do you think?"

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: Cyprus/Mollin Mollin's gleamed with hope, filled with purpose and resolve - where all other gods were dead and gone, this god. This god was real. This god stood for what was taught to Mollin these past months. This god -- 'Naerth.' Pinks eyes darted to where his companion was last seen (Perception Check 12), but Mollin's mentor was no where to be seen. As Cyprus continued to speak, Mollin felt a wave of shame. All that he had learned from Naerth these past few months had collapsed in the moments before. What was it that Naerth was always saying? 'Do not be ruled by your emotion. Concentrate on the task at hand, rely on your mind...' This decision was flippant. Mollin would shake his head slightly, as if trying to shake off a daze. The details weren't there, the blind fervor that he found himself falling into-- "I saw someone coming out of the light. With wings, like yours, armor like yours and..." Mollin stopped, a look of confusion and disappointment starting to crawl onto his face, ' Was it just Cyprus that I saw?' The drow examined Cyprus's face, looking for any sign of trickery, deceit, any sign of a tell tale lie (Insight Check: 22). But there was none. He wasn't trying to convince the drow of anything, it was the honest truth. ' But if his god--goddess didn't give him wings...'  "It wasn't your goddess that saved me - who pulled my soul back, Cyprus?" Mollin's brow furrowing as the drow took a step back from the cleric. 'Naerth warned me. He warned me of this.'

Location: Under dark, The Camp, next to a fountain Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC "Unfortunately," Invidia begins, "the only Human Resources department I'm familiar with are those responsible for the proper disbursement of bodies. Just designate a mediator."

Location: Under dark, The Camp, next to a fountain Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC "I'm glad you brought that up actually, I was kinda workshopping an idea of an employee retirment plan involving necromancy, but I thought it would be disastrous for morale. A Mediation department is far better. If we continue to expand the guild, then hiring an on site counselor would be an excellent decision as well in order to deal with all the traumatized backstories involving dead parents, slaughtered villages, and what have you. ."

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: Cyprus/Mollin/Mikaelis "I believe you may be referring to me, Keepsafe."  A voice calls out from Dysmas's bed behind Cyrpus. There lay a most unusual sight. A beautiful woman wearing a long flowing dress, with braided silver hair and a furled set of wings behind here was laying on Dysmas's bed, almost as if she was ready to take a nap at any moment. As Mollin would turn to look at her he would see that she was shaking, and the look on her face was clearly one of exhaustion as her sunken eyes were the only blemish on an otherwise perfect visage. Unsure what to say next she continues after seeing the scowl appear on his face at the mention of his old, edgy name. "Oh I'm sorry I suppose I should call you by your real name rather than the one you called yourself when we first met months ago." 

Location: Under dark, The Camp, next to a fountain Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC "Yes, but regardless, we have other work to be doing," Invidia says. 

Location: Under dark, The Camp, next to a fountain Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC This wasn't your grandmothers cooking, but of course Dysmas never knew his Grandmother. He was enraptured by the smells wafting from Invidia's cooking kit. A thought crossed his mind. " How does a wizard of your ... school become such a good chef?" Dysmas asks, glancing at the food and then at Mai, and to the food again.

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: Cyprus/Mollin/Mikaelis "It wasn't your goddess that saved me - who pulled my soul back, Cyprus?" The Aasimar had opened his mouth to reply, that earnest expression bleeding over from a question he wanted nothing more than an answer to. Instead, the description Mollin gave brought a touch of understanding to his mind, and as that doubt spread to an idea, a cool, female voice behind him all but confirmed his suspicion.  "I believe you may be referring to me, Keepsafe."  Cyprus' eyes widened before he turned on his heel, his aura flaring, to face her. His eyes burned, and his jaw set in place as she came into view, this Deva he'd looked to for help when it hadn't come. His own wings began to fade as their time was spent, and instead, his eyes bored into hers.  "Mikaelis." His voice bit with a touch of venom he hadn't intended or expected. Cyprus' face was a stone. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd have better places to be."

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: Cyprus/Mollin/Mikaelis "Hmm? Oh yes I do in fact. But honestly I am so exhausted I don't think I would be able to stand being there but a moment longer." As the Deva completes this thought she accentuates it with an exaggerated stretch of her arms and a quiet yawn. "Really though you don't need to worry about that...well, yet at least. Right now I figured I would pop in and check on my favorite little adventurer now that they have returned to a place I could locate them. It only happened to be a bonus that when you came back your aura shot out like a beacon in my mind strong enough to make me curious." At this the perfect angelic figure begins to curl up on the luxurious bed that had been provided to the party. Her radiance dimming slightly as she closes her eyes. "Good thing too, otherwise I wouldn't have been around at the exact same time that Keepsafe found himself in trouble. Though I won't take full credit, by the time I arrived someone else had already begun the process of returning his soul to his body."

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: Cyprus/Mollin/Mikaelis Mollin's firm lipped line of a mouth had reappeared as the new event unfolded itself quickly. ' A rather small world after all...'  What were the odds that, after all of this time, he would be speaking to the angel Mollin had help free from her stony prison. 'I wonder if she's looking for more souls.' "...It only happened to be a bonus that when you came back your aura shot out like a beacon in my mind strong enough to make me curious." Mollin could not help but notice the tense body language and the even tenser voice the cleric was conversing with his...goddess? Friend? Mentor? The language was curt, to the point about every pronunciation of a word, every tight movement, even the clenching of the jaw. But there was something more - was that a look of betrayal? (Insight Check: 23) The drow looked from cleric to otherworldly being and the back to Cyprus, "Good thing too, otherwise I wouldn't have been around at the exact same time that Keepsafe found himself in trouble." Mollin attempted to hide it, but he knew he did not stop his surprised eyebrows from shooting up in time (Deception Check: 10). A side glance towards Cyprus managed to catch his eye and Mollin couldn't help it, 'Is that... jealousy I see?' His frown deepened ever so slightly, 'Back to fighting for favor, I see.'  Mollin coughed once before adding to the conversation, "Keepsafe is dead, but you already knew that." The drow gave Cyprus another glance before giving the lounging being a small bow, right hand over chest as he continued, "I suppose I should be thanking you for finishing the rescue of my mortal soul. However, I cannot do so without a name." From his slightly bent position, pink eyes would peek upwards to the angel. She had changed from last he saw her - a once proud, powerful figure looked worn, tired. Straightening, he looked into her beautiful eyes, pausing for a response. If there was or was not a response, Mollin would ask the question that was pulling at his tongue, "If you were the one to finish the ritual of revival, who was the one that started it? His god? Another god? Any god?" Mollin's head would gesture towards Cyprus with a nod. His voice would be filled with a quiet of not a questioning man, but a desperate one, hoping to cling to the hope that he had felt only moments before. Purpose had entered his life, albeit hastily chosen. 'But if this another dead god...what will I do?' Another image of Naerth flashed before his inner eye as he waited for the angel's response.

Location: Under dark, The Camp, next to a fountain Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: The collective members of THC " How does a wizard of your... school become such a good chef?" Dysmas asks, glancing at the food and then at Mai, and to the food again. "There are two kinds of things I do," Invidia replies easily, "I do things that I like, and I do things that I'm good at. Being a chef just happens to be something that I both like and am good at. Pass me three tablespoons of butter." Mai passes the butter and awaits further instructions. "When adventurers go tomb-diving, they usually come out with a cart full of shiny items. Excluding the ancient arcana laid on some of them, the distinguishing factor tends to be craftsmanship and age. Clean it up a bit and sometimes you can't even tell how old something is," Invidia says as he cooks. "Swinging an old enchanted sword around doesn't really give you a sense of the person who owned that tomb you just robbed. If you eat what they ate, then you get much closer."  He wipes his brow before preparing the second part of the dish. "There's much more to this world than figuring out better ways to kill things," Invidia continues. "Being able to taste is an amazing gift in and of itself. Experiencing delicious cuisine is just one of the many beautiful things in this world that most undead are unable to appreciate fully. But to answer your question directly: I'm a wizard of many talents, Dysmas. And also not a walking stereotype."

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: Cyprus/Mollin/Mikaelis Do Devas sleep? Not really but they like to think they can because it gives a semi enjoyable way to meditate and rest. She certainly felt exhausted and though she couldn't *really* sleep she was half way to putting herself in her trance that would let her rest. Her eyes weren't open so it was strange that Mollin could see them. "No offense Mollin but Cyprus here just stated my name so I am confused as to why you are asking for it now? Either way it is Mikaelis. As for who it was that had started the process....I'm not sure. The essence left behind certainly is an enigma. They felt ancient and powerful while at the same time gone and weak. For a moment I was curious if one of the passions had intervened but that doesn't seem to be the case. Whoever it was, they have the ability to raise the dead but for some reason their power waned halfway through and they just...poofed away." _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Location: Underdark, The Camp, the stables Date: Day 3 of Downtime. Who: Lucian and T9 T9 finishes petting all of the lizards in the stables as well as the few horses they do have. He then went on to help feed the farm animals that would later go on to provide sustenance for the camp. Lucian commander had insisted that he try out some hobbies during this week to take his mind of his objective. "Yeah that's how you do it! See look those chickens love you man!" Exclaimed Lucian as he was doing a handstand on the back of a rhino. "You know, we don't really see these things very often on the surface. I wonder what a Rhino is doing in the underdark and why they are the preferred cattle of the camp. Seems like cows would be much more efficient." As T9 begins searching his databases for information on domesticated animals and their uses he feels something strange at his feet. There a group of baby chicks and decided to sleep ontop of his metallic feet. Uncertain what to do next he slightly warms his feet to make them more comfortable and stands there for hours, unmoving while the baby chickens slept. After Lucian gets the hint that T9 isn't willing to disturb the chicks he leaves to take care of some business and returns just as the chicks wake up and start to leave. T9 looks to Lucian for guidance on what just happened.

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: Cyprus/Mollin/Mikaelis The disappointment could not be hidden from Mollin's shoulders, as they drooped when Mikaelis gave her answer. 'The gods work in mysterious ways' He bitterly thought, looking to Cyprus with a flash of frustration. "Then your god had nothing to do with me returning? One moment, you believe they're there and the next...'poof?" Mollin's hand would crumple into a ball in front of his face, releasing into an "explosion" at the end of his sentence. "Or are they just trapped, withering away - no offense meant, of course, Mikaelis." Mollin stated flatly, looking the angel up and down. The drow would pull up a chair, sitting down and ruffling a rough hand through his long hair as a frusterated, broken sigh issued from the disheartened drow. 'Naerth was right. He knew there wasn't anything all along. And I didn't listen.'

Location: Underdark, The Camp, Dysmas' sleeping quarters. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: Lucian/Invidia/Dysmas/Orco/Snoot's Family After resolving their squabble, Lucian  takes Dysmas and Invidia into the Kobold section of town easily marked by a sign that reads, "Kobold Section of Town yes we need a sign. no don't write this down". Striding above the tiny denizens of the city, Lucian explains to both Dysmas and Invidia that when he first arrived to the camp, that he encountered a Kobold named Snoot who he wasn't able to save. Because of that, he promised that he would check in whenever he could and help out his family. Knocking on the door to their home, Lucian says that since he wasn't able to save up any gold due to paying for the golems, making a nice meal for Snoot's family would be the second best thing while he sold some supplies and did errands for the quartermaster to raise some money. Even with that in mind, Lucian is caught immensely off guard by the quality of the meal Invidia makes, a pleasant bintok buttered rock-rhino plumproast garnished with spices and cooked to perfection, served alongside some mushroom marmalade. While Lucian had originally planned to make a simple prestidigitation flavored soup, the taste of the surpasses anything he could have created and rivals most meals he had in his wealthy youth. . Lucian is particularly impressed by Invidia's keen understanding of the kobold palette, using the spices to directly appeal to their semi-limited taste buds, adapted to survive off a far greater variety of foods. More over the roast is cooked to perfection, each bite as seemingly savory and filling as a typical tavern fare yet all the more delicious. Paired with the beverage, It's an incredibly refreshing meal and Lucian feels his exhaustion from learning Dimension Door slip away. If left alone, Lucian feels as though he could eat the whole thing himself, and from the way the kobold children dig in, he can tell that this is a finer meal than they 've had in quite some time. While Lucian had eaten meals by Invidia before, Lucian had never seen him do so much with so little before, and he comes away remarkably impressed at his mastery of the essentials of cooking even when dealing with unfamilair materials like Rock-Rhinos. Lucian turns towards Dysmas and sees him being pestered by the kids, who seem particularly curious about him in particular for some reason, and chuckles.Out of a master chef wizard, draconic sorceror, and an invisible man, the kids sure did seem to find Dysmas the most interesting. Speaking of Orco, Lucian wwass glad to see the food on Orco's plate dissapearing just as rapidly as well, though Snoot's widow stared in confusion as to why she had to set a plate and food out for what seems to be only air. Lucian's only regret in this moment is that the rest of THC is not here to enjoy it as well, and for giving him this moment of peace, Lucian promises to repay Invidia in any way that he can.  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location: Underdark, The Camp, the stables Date: Day 3 of Downtime. Who: Lucian and T9 Returning from running some errands for the quartermaster, a great number of tasks that would require the man to leave his comfy office,  Lucian returns to see T9 meditating while absolutely covered in baby chicks. Lucian waits for a while with his friend and begins sketching the oddly cozy sight. Lucian curiously notes that in addition to being albino and lesss plump compared to most surface breeds of Chicken, some also seemed to be blind. [ANIMAL HANDLING 13]  With his experience with animals on the family estate and in his travels, Lucian wonders if this could be an adaptation to living in the underdark somehow as though there are either monsters which attack based on sight or if they have gained some other senses to compensate such as tremorsense, but Lucian is unable to do more than hazard a guess due to his lack of familiarity. Eventually, As T9 rises and questions him about what had occured, Lucian shrugs and says, " I suppose you've got a good way with those chickens. For some reason, they seemed to find you really comfy to lay on. " Lucian casts prestidigitation to clean some bird poop off T9 and asks, " How was your time with them? Was it something you would want to do again? Oh by the way, I drew this for you while you were waiting for them to wake up. I think it came out alright." [27 Performance Check] Lucian then hands over the ink sketch he drew of T9 with the little chicks. Despite the short amount of time and sparse background work, T9 can see that Lucian placed the bulk of his efforts in detailing T9 and the baby chickens, going for accuracy in his effort to record the moment.

Location: Underdark, The Camp, the stables Date: Day 3 of Downtime. Who: Lucian and T9 "This looks good Lucian Commander. Objectively speaking I would say you draw on an above amateur level, which is much better than most of the population. Congratulations." T9 thinks back to the list of activities Lucian Commander had suggested he try out and remembered that one of them was art. T9 was methodical like a machine and had the ability to create perfect images if he wished, nevertheless he was curious. "Lucian Commander. I would like to try out art next if you are willing."

Location: Underdark, The Camp, the stables Date: Day 3 of Downtime. Who: Lucian and T9 Lucian smiles at T9's praise, and says, "Thanks T9! If you want to try art, then I know the perfect place here. We'll get started tomorrow In the meantime, let's go pester the rest of the Horizon company, and ask if they want to join us in panting". Lucian thinks that painting will be a good group activity for the group. While Mollin was still wrapped up in his internal struggle, Lucian found that artistic expression always did help him out in a pinch. It could be a good opportunity for the team to relax in a non hazardous environment after the stress of their training. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location: Underdark, The Market, Shop Roof Date: Day 3 of Downtime. Who: Lucian and T9 " Alright guys, this is the place. " Lucian says as he showcases the rooftop above the marketplace. While runnign errands, Lucian had noticed that the rooftop had an amazing view of the market, allowing someone to see nearly everything going on at once. It would be a perfect place for an artist looking to peoplewatch, draw a skyline, or make a great number of sketches. Turning to whoever had decided to join him and T9 today, Lucian pulls out a heavy bag he and Orco were carrying containing a great number of art supplies, and begins speaking, " Alright, it looks like it is going to be a wonderful day to paint. After bugging the quartermaster, he gave me some supplies from an old artist who passed away and whose leftover equipment was just wasting away. Thanks to that, we have enough supplies to draw or paint as much as we want today. From here, we'll have a pretty good view of the entire marketplace. I'll hand out supplies and then give a rundown of the basics, then we'll see where we go from there. I'm not proficient in the use of any painting supplies more advantced than a pen or charcoal, but if any of you need help, feel free to let me know." After giving that small speech, Lucian directs Orco to hand out supplies and then speaks privately to T9, " I know you said that you can apparently perfectly replicate any art or image you see, so today I'm going to assign you a particular task. " Lucian then reaches into his pack and then pulls out a sunbeaten sketchbook. If T9 looks within it, he'll see a large amount of sketches of people, monsters, and places that Lucian has seen or met. Early on are several images of what appears to be Lucian wearing several different eccentric outfits while above are the words The Dark Flame circled, bolded, and underlined. There are multiple minor portraits of people of all different races and class with their names written by them, though there are several individuals who show up more than once such as a plain and quite stoic looking woman named Alea and a figure who T9 could surmise Lucian appeared to be quite close to. There are quite a few landscapes as well of big cities and landscapes such as the Talenta Plains or the City of Sharn. As T9 flips throught he book, Lucian says, "  Just being able to perfectly replicate what you see  isn't great if it isn't something that you're passionate about. Art is fundamentally communication, what you're seeing is something that the artist wants you to see, that it was something that they wanted others to..OH HOLD ON, " Lucian suddenly takes away the pages displaying his attempts to work out a cool adventuring outfit for The Dark Flame  before nonchalantly continuing," wanted others to also see or that was important to them. For me, I drew a lot of the people I've met over the years. I've got a terrible memory so I want to make sure that I would never forget them because I find people fascinating. Today, I want you to watch,wait, and draw whatever you find interesting. If you find yourself fascinated by the skyline or are intrigued by a passing stranger then start drawing. Today is purely about trying to find a good subject for you. I chose this spot specifically because you'll be sure to see a great number of random people, animals, and objects passing through."

Location: Underdark, The Camp, The Snoot Family Cave, Cobalt Street. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: Lucian/Invidia/Dysmas/Orco/Snoot's Family Lucian was deep in thought when he heard a voice call out to him. “ Hey Lucian! Check this out!” Dysmas yelled from across the room. He was juggling, not one, not two, but four daggers, two of which were his blunt Daggers of Harmony. The Kids were ecstatic with joy, clapping and leaping on their toes, pushing each other until the group was only a few feet from the daggers. Sometimes he tossed the daggers under his armpit and over his shoulder, a few times he tossed them from under his leg. He caught one of the mundane blades in his mouth and then attempted a mad stunt. Mid juggle he plucked one of the magical daggers from the air and tossed it high up in an arc towards the dinner table. He waited a brief three seconds before he tossed his last non-magical dagger in a similar arc. In a flash of red he disappeared and apparated a few feet from Snoots Widow causing her to flinch in panic, and with his back turned to the children he turned with a flourish, and stretched his arm out to catch the blade. Unfortunately, he mistimed and the dagger planted itself in his shoulder. The children gasped collectively, and then burst into a fit of laughter and applause. The thief gave a dramatic bow, and turned on his heel. He gritted his teeth, and reached down and with considerable effort pulled out the dagger. “ Hey Lucian, can you heal me?” he muttered plaintively. If Lucian did cast some sort of healing spell, Dysmas would mutter about needing to learn advanced first aid. If Lucian did, Dysmas would give him a look, and mention that he really should visit the hospice to have it treated.

Location: Under-dark, The Sapphire City, Municipal Hospice. Date: Day 1 of Downtime, much later after Snoots Feast. Who: Dysmas, Shutac Spinegrinder and the Staff of the Hospice. If you press your ears to the cool walls of the Cog at night and you cast out the sweltering city behind you, if you know how to listen, you might just hear the soft crash of waves against the cliffs of the Hilt. That soft lullaby was nectar to Reginald when he first came to the Cog, alone and starving. So, as he stood on the roof of a building, he grinned at that familiar soft crash again in the direction of the lake. A great wall stood between it and the city, and dotted along the banks were outposts guarding a complex system of canals and tubes, that somehow brought water up throughout all the levels of the city. The Svirfneblin knew their engineering like it was the back of their hand for sure. But this was not the reason he was here, though it did give him an idea. He turned around and looked down the quiet stone road, that was lit with a faint blue light. Here the roads coiled around the hill like a snake, and the buildings were pressed against each other but not in the chaotic manner of Sharn shanties. No, these buildings showed foresight, each one designed with an elegant purpose to them. One of these buildings was the Hospice, with wide doors to accommodate numerous patients bustling in and out, with clearly delineated paths for incoming and outgoing traffic. But the halls of the hospice were for the most part empty, save the few doctors and nurses. Time to go give them a visit. A for the next week or so Dysmas volunteers as nurse, and given the small number of patients in the Hospice the head nurse. He is hairy, unusually tall, gruff and foul-mouthed Svirfneblin named Shutac Spinegrinder with a soft spot for juggling and  Faezraess moonshine. Spindegrinder takes the Whiplash method education, grilling Dysmas in advance field care in short amount of time. Of the 7 days of training, Dysmas breaks into tears for only 5. A respectable number. He now has the Healer Feat.

Location: Underdark, The Camp, The Snoot Family Cave, Cobalt Street. Date: Day 1 of Downtime. Who: Lucian/Invidia/Dysmas/Orco/Snoot's Family Lucian creates some magic butterflies to distract the kids while he takes the knife out of Dysmas and heals him up. Lucian pats him on a non stabbed area of his back and says, "you were doing pretty great until the end there buddy. Good work."