Look Who's Back
There's a heavy fog in the air, obscuring everything from view. The torches and mana lamps do their best to push it back, but they only serve to fill the air with smoke and uncertain haze. It's hot in spite of the darkness which has fallen, and the world feels opressive. Heavy. Few people are out and about at this hour outside the gates to Alexandria. Most have hurried inside or taken refuge in the inns. Away from the looming fog.
One man at least has decided not to worry about the heat or the fog however. A tall man who's nearly six and a half feet tall. Thin and lanky and wearing a fine outfit of black that matches his slicked-back black hair. The fog and lighting gives the illusion that his cat-like green eyes are luminous. He leans against the gate comfortably, watching the passerby's with the watchful gaze of a predator. A small smile on his lips. It's... creepy.
Dirk is out and about. He's leaned up against the wall not too far from the gate, his bluff features illuminated by the dull orange glow of his pipe. His thunderbelcher is close at hand, and his owl Lulu perches on his shoulder. "Och, what's -with- this fog, anyhow?" he grumbles around a gust of pipe smoke. "Hardly natural fer this time o' year." He glances at the tallfolk man close at hand, his shaggy white brows furrowing. He mutters under his breath, fidgeting on his feet a bit. Lulu ruffles her feathers as she stares wide-eyed at the man. "Hoo! Hoo hooooo!" she hoots. Dirk grunts softly, his whiskers bristling. "Aye, I don't much care fer the looks o' that one either," he mutters around his pipe stem.
Imane happens to be passing through the area, her heeled boots clicking on the pavers eching louder than usual off the dense fog. She doesn't seem overly worried about sinister forces lurking in the fog, this is the city afterall. yeah, there IS that whole Elven obliviousness thing again. Either way, she pauses to take note of the looming shapes in the fog as she nears both the stranger and Dirk. The whooting draws her attention and she tilts her head as the blob on Dirk's shoulder hoots again.
Two men are unworried by the heat, despite the latter being clad entirely in armor from head to foot, and dressed entirely for adventuring, with a sword at his hip and bow over his back. He is kitted out as if preparing to leave town, as well, perhaps on a journey of at least a small distance. Seldan is striding purposefully for the northern gates, but slows his steps as a pair of green eyes grabs his attention, and ice water shoots through his veins. He comes to a complete stop, surveying the predatory man as if to be certain of what he sees.
Serene isn't so kitted for a journey and is armed and armored as she has been for the last several years. Perhaps the last decade. If ever she was, at one time, 'in style', that time has long, long past. Still, she walks with Seldan as if she means to accompany him through the gates and beyond. When he stops, she takes two more steps before stopping herself, looking first at him and, at his expression, immediately following his gaze to the man in black. Her eyes narrow, then she looks back at Seldan, silently questioning.
Mikilos is also an oblivious elf, though somewhat less so at the moment, less concerned with the fog and what may be in it than with a message that a package has arrived for him. Not an unusual message, quite a few delivery services that only come as far as the gates. Or charge a villainous amount to come further.
The man in black doesn't seem to notice that he's garnered such attention. Or rather, someone in particular has garnered _his_ attention, and so he stalks toward Dirk. He almost seems to just appear at the man's side, one hand reaching out to slide around Dirk's shoulders. Carefully so as to not bother the owl. "Hello my friend... Were you talking about me perhaps?" His voice has an accent, but it's hard to determine where it comes from. It's just enough to be present. He peers down and down at Dirk, looming over the much shorter man. But always smiling.
Dirk startles as he finds himself getting armdraped by that man. Lulu flutters up off his shoulder as he jerks himself away. "Oy! Leave off!" he snarls. Lulu lands upon the road sign pointing out the roads leading to and from Alexandria, hoo-hoo'ing angrily. She draws herself up tall and skinny, narrowing her eyes as she turns her body into profile, glaring daggers at the man. The vampirowl is released, fear for your eternal soul for she will have it. "Maybe mind yer own bloody business, ye scrawny beanpole! An' keep yer bloody hands tae yeself!"
GAME: Dirk rolls Will: (3)+3: 6
Imane blinks as the odd man shifts locations, as if by some sort of magic or something, and reappears next to Dirk. She follows the owl with her eyes as it lands on the sign post. She frowns and after a moment returns her attention to Dirk and the stranger. Nothing, other than some creepiness and disregard of personal space, has occurred thus far, so she holds her ground and just sort of watches with suspicion.
GAME: Seldan casts Magic Circle Against Evil. Caster Level: 16 DC: 21 GAME: Dirk rolls Will: (9)+3: 12
The sudden movement confirms it. "Kol Demontry," Seldan mutters to Serene, very low. "The Mourner's warning came not a moment too soon." He breaks into a ground-eating stride, the glamor of ordinaryness dropping from his armor like rain sheeting off of a window to reveal an armor that glows dully by torchlight, a quiescent moonlit sheen.
"Kol Demontry. Let him be!" The usually mild and quiet Elunan is all business, an icy, dangerous edge of warning in the light tones. Several sigils are drawn, even as he strides, multiple interlocking things drawn through and pulled together beneath the crescent and sphere of Eluan's holy aegis.
Serene gives a short nod, her suspicions confirmed. She doesn't step after Seldan immediately as he strides past her; Seldan is more than capable of initiating this confrontation and shielding the others that have gathered for the few moments it takes her to do a sweep of the immediate area, her gaze thorough. Possible allies, possible victims. Minions. Hazards. Only when Seldan calls out his challenge to the man in black does she turn back towards him for the approach, fixing her eyes on the tall, lanky figure.
Mikilos mutters to himself. Delivery driver has probably already left. What they do, send a message, then drive off to the tavern, leaving a message 'Sorry we missed you, can pick up your package at our office across town between the hours of 1:00 and 1:05...' The wizard blinks at Seldan's shout, taking a moment to place the name an situation. That... can't be, can it? Kol's dead. I mean, he already was dead, but then he was destroyed, right? ...right?
Whatever sort of resurrection/time travel shenanigans are going on, the magus is going to be one step ahead this time... maybe. He hopes. Murmuring softly, the elf bolsters his own defenses.
GAME: Mikilos casts Protection From Evil. Caster Level: 18 DC: 22
The man stays where he is save to stand a bit behind Dirk. Resting one hand on either side of Dirk's shoulders. "Hello." He says to the man that said his name, tilting his head to one side and looking Seldan up and down. "Do we know one another my friend?" He leans over Dirk slightly, eyes flickering to Serene's weapon and then Seldan's.
Dirk blinks owlishly, just like Lulu might. For a moment, he seems dumbstruck, holding his pipe in his hand as he looks... baffled. Perhaps even boggled. He looks over his shoulder, tilting his head. "Och, have we met?" he asks. "Seems like I've known ye all my life. Who are ye? An'... why do I like ye so much?" He looks back to the others, folks he -does- recognize. "Oy, here now, this good lad an' I were just talkin'. Nae need tae go aggro, nay?" Lulu peers from her perch, all vampirowled up. Her wings twitch from where she has them compressed to her body, and she hisses through her beak. She can tell that something is not right with her master.
"Do not toy with me, Kol, and do not take me for a fool, unless it is another bath that you desire." Seldan's eyes flick to Dirk, and to the others, the sigils that have settled to the ground around him still glowing gently blue-gold-silver amidst the cobblestones. He has not drawn the sword yet, but it nonetheless speaks up, in the voice of a querulous old man. "It's the henpecked vampire again! You're like a false copper, you keep turning up."
Seldan turns then more fully to the khazad. "You stay out of this, good master. This one is no friend to you."
GAME: Serene rolls sense motive: (10)+28: 38
Imane stops eyeing the owl and her master and turns towards Sel as he gets all glowy. She starts to ask a question but something seems off about how the tall skinny man was just there and Dirk now is chums with him, so she shuts her mouth instead of asking said question and just watches quietly.
Mikilos considers. Could it be...? Too many unknowns. The wizard steps forward, the mana-light somehow shining across his face like dappled sunlight through a canopy of tree leaves... it's an elf magic thing. "Do you know me?" he inquires of the tall lanky man.
"Hmm." Serene's soft grunt takes in Kol's seeming ignorance of Seldan's identity.. feigned, or not? "He may not be toying with you, Seldan. Recall we encountered Kol after his destruction... a younger version, whom the forces we were fighting at the time were attempting to recruit after they had lost the original."
The man identified as Kol Demontry smiles a broad smile at Seldan, his green eyes lighting with interest. "A bath? With you? I would happily toy with you for such." He grips Dirk's shoulders and calms the man in his hands with simple words. "We are friends, good friends. All of us are are we not? All of us here to have a good time."
He looks toward Mikilos and shakes his head, an eye flicker toward Serene and then he's looking at Seldan again shrugging. "I have always had a problem remembering those I meet. Unless we meet again, and again, and again. But of late my memories have been even more... fragmented than usual. I suppose I will have to make new memories yes?"
Dirk blinks confusedly, looking around at the others. When Seldan tells him that the vampire is no friend of his, he headtilts curiously. "He's not?" He looks over his shoulder at Kol. "But he -seems- like he is, don't he?" He scratches the back of his head confusedly. Looking back to Kol, he nods his head. "Aye, see? We're all friends here. Why don't we head over tae the TaRaCe an' get a drink, eh?" He looks back up at Kol. "You up fer a drink? I'll buy. Anything fer a friend, nay?"
Imane just remains quiet and tries to sort out what exactly is going on.
"Careful, good master," Seldan warns Dirk, stepping forward towards the pair. "He may not remember me, but well do I remember him, and inviting him for a drink is a dangerous thing indeed." He still has not drawn the sword, but he is straight and tall, and his posture is plenty belligerent, but he does not yet make an aggressive move. "Let him go, Kol. You are not welcome in this city, be your memory of it active or nay."
GAME: Serene casts Break Enchantment. Caster Level: 20 DC: 26 GAME: Serene rolls 1d20+15: (2)+15: 17
Mikilos considers, and murmurs softly, gesturing to Seldan and Serene, then turning away and whispering in the Celestial tongue. Despite his near silent voice, the words carry clearly to the pair... who hopefully understand the angelic tongue. "I will stun Kol for a moment. It might leave him helpless, but is most likely just going to distract him a moment."
GAME: Mikilos casts Message. Caster Level: 18 DC: 21
Serene reaches up to touch the emblem of Eluna as she calls upon her patron for a blessing, one to unweave enchantments and other such curses.. but as she completes the small ritual of casting it, it appears to have had little effect. Her eyes narrow further. Failure doesn't please her. "Good woodsman, step away from this man. You do not know him, and he is not your friend." Her hand finally falls to her sword.. it remains undrawn, but the implied threat is there. When magic fails, violence prevails? "You, Kol, will not leave with this dwarf, nor any other. Your aura is as vile as ever.. the people of this city will not be your prey." She tilts her head to the side, then, listening for a moment.. then she gives a small shake of her head, raising her hand up in Mikilos's direction. A pretty common sign for 'hold', or 'wait'.
Kol looks from Dirk to Seldan and then back again. "My friend has invited me to have a drink. You offer other enticing things, but then say that I am unwelcome?" He tilts his head, clearly confused by the situation. "Come friend of mine. We will get the drink you offered and leave these others to their own business." He pulls Dirk back away from the group of individuals and into his arms. He wraps them around Dirk. "You _will_ come with me yes?"
Dirk is starting to get a little agitated. The tensions of the last few weeks have been bad enough. Now there's people here threatening his new friend. He raps his pipe sharply against his palm to knock the last few smoldering embers from the bowl before stuffing it in his pocket. That done, he picks up his thunderbelcher, gripping it tightly. "See here now, I may've only just met this lad, but he -is- my friend! I can feel it! He's nae hurtin' anybody, so none o' you have any business hurtin' him, right?" He looks up at Kol, giving a firm nod of his head. "Aye, I could use a drink. You a beer man? Or d'ye prefer ale?"
GAME: Seldan casts Resilient Sphere. Caster Level: 16 DC: 22 GAME: Seldan rolls 1d100: (51): 51 GAME: Dirk rolls Reflex+2: (9)+7+2: 18
"His drink of choice is blood." Seldan isn't backing down, and when Dirk raises the thunderbelcher, raises a hand to gesture again, the wide, sweeping motions practiced and easy, lips set into a thin, tight line. "Enough." He shouts an arcane phrase, and a bubble of force springs into being between the vampire and his prey. "I said, leave him be. I shall not have your word games, or your mind games." Someone's in no mood to be nice.
Mikilos frowns as Serene gestures, but hesitates, relaxing a fraction as Kol and Dirk are seperated. The magus stands ready, but doesn't cast just yet.
GAME: Serene rolls 1d20+20+5: (2)+20+5: 27
As Dirk is, for the moment, removed from the equation, Serene steps forward. When you know what to look for, the signs are obvious as she begins to swell with positive energy, drawing it in as she reaches for Kol. Whatever she'd hoped to accomplish, however, is moot.. the man easily turns away her aggressive reach.
Kol steps quickly back in the face of Serene's charge forward, blinking in surprise and then waving a finger in her face. "Not so quick. You have taken my friend from me, but I will come for him another time." With that, he disappears. Vanishes without a trace into the fog and gloom. Gone.
-End