WG - The Mystery of the Poisoned Healer Options

[mALX]

*

Eyja:

Eyja cut over the hill to the suite's back door and was confronted by the body laying stiffly against the wall. The last thing they needed after the cat pee incident was a body being found back here. She cast feather on it and hauled it up to the ruin, surprised to find a fire burning there.

Eyja dragged the body into the pyre and hurried back down the hill to the suite door, casting the seal off and then resealing it after she darted in.

"Seth? Abiene? I've got some news! I've found the assassin."


*

[Black Hand]

"That's even better news!" Seth said in a pleasant tone, clearly pleased by the turn of events.

"I'm also prety sure the assassin is a Necromancer. Orc-boy came back and stitched up somehow. I took care of him but the normal method of inflicting enough damage didn't stop him. He was still wriggling long after I'd trimmed him down. Never seen anything like it. It might have been something akin to Abiene's studies." he conferred.

"What's your findings?"

[Grits]

The door lock clicked opened, and then Abiene’s arms were full of a trembling Maxical. “We're safe, dearest Abiene,” Maxical told her. “Seth killed it. It's gone, Abiene; we're safe now.”

The two clung to each other for a long moment in shared relief as well as for support. Abiene felt as unsteady as Maxical, yet the Khajiit had stood guard alone outside the door. Abiene felt awe at her courage.

Her eyes went over Maxical’s shoulder to Seth. If that was the orc raised a second time, then we’re not safe. Far from it. Mister gro-Gonk did not reanimate himself. But the Dunmer’s face did not reflect her worries.

He’s right, Abiene thought. We’ll face each terror as it comes and use the time between to prepare. No use in shivering over what might happen.

Eyja returned through the side door. The group convened in the kitchen area. Abiene would have loved to dive into the brandy, but she would need a clear head to follow Eyja’s and Sethyas’ rapid reasoning. She cast a quick spell to sharpen her thinking instead.

Abiene glanced at Maxical. Her friend still clung to walls and furniture for balance. Stendarr’s mercy, what have I done to you?

.

This post has been edited by Grits: Aug 16 2013, 04:26 PM

[mALX]

*

Eyja:

Eyja checked the seals on all the windows and doors rapidly but systematically while the others gathered at the table. She came down last and scrubbed her hands thoroughly before pouring herself a coffee and tipping a few drops of brandy into it.

She put the pot of Seth's stew over the fire again before making her way to the table; plopping down a bowl of fruit and some cheese and bread before taking a seat.

"We've got to keep our strength up, don't neglect your stomachs." She turned to Abiene first.

"What can you tell me about the Altmer woman that works at the chapel? I need to know her name, any history of the woman such as where she came from; what schools she attended. She had taken over your duties temporarily when I first arrived, and from everything I saw was in hopes that would become permanent. She wants your position with the Master Gureryne Selvilo, and may be using charm spells or some other spells on him to get it."

Eyja watched Abiene carefully for her reaction while she slathered a hunk of bread with butter and cut herself a wedge of cheese. She nodded her head in satisfaction at the rage she read in Abiene's eyes.

"Don't worry, she won't be such a prime candidate after tonight. It may be discovered that she is connected to necromancy and the Dark Brotherhood. I planted many items from that laboratory in the sewers around her room to be discovered, and a sure way to bring people in to search her room. In case she finds the planted items before anyone else does, I left a few things she won't be able to find that will override any charm spells she could use."

Eyja turned to Seth. "She is the assassin, and I have just let her know that I know it; and that we know of her connection to that laboratory in the sewers. The games will begin in earnest now, with two targets in one spot."

"Maybe three." Maxical raised her hand. "She somehow knows of my connection to Abiene, too. She had a bottle of poisoned wine delivered to me to give to Abiene. If she is connected to Earana's laboratory below the sewers, she would know I was being held there; there is only one white Khajiit in Cyrodiil, I'm easy to spot."

"Then let us prepare." Eyja lifted her skirt, then her shirt and began removing weapons from various places on her body and laying them on the table; the last daggers from her fancily tooled feminine boots.

Maxical unsheathed her sword and dagger from her waist and lay them in front of her on the table. She pulled two more daggers from her boots; then emptied a pouch at her waist with various odd shaped spikes and hooks. She pulled a whetstone from her pack and began sharpening each blade.

Eyja pulled a whetstone out from somewhere on her person and began doing the same.

Maxical glanced over at Eyja. "You've got less to sharpen than I do, make up some sacks for Abiene and me to use, I'll teach her how." She pointed to a solid and heavy hand iron on the hearth, the kind used to press clothing.

"Make sure to get that in one."

Maxical turned to Abiene next. "I'm going to need that healing to fight." She sheathed her sword and dagger and began honing the hooks and spikes with the whetstone.



*





This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 16 2013, 10:20 PM

[mALX]

*

Maxical:

Maxical honed the last hook on an odd bar of metal with raised metal hooks and barbs sticking out of it, then began honing the spikes and filling them from a bottle of poison.

When she was done she loaded them back in the pouch on at her waist and pulled herself up. She worked her way over to Abiene holding onto the table, and shifted through her spells till she found the one she wanted.

"I'm going to share this spell with you Abiene. It gives the lightest hit so much velocity that it is like being hit by a minotaur. You can take down a Daedra with it in one hit with one of these sacks in your hand or a good pair of steel knuckles. Let me show you how it works."

Maxical paused. Abiene looked like she was going to explode with rage, but was struggling to hold it in.

"Are you okay Abiene? Have I done something to make you mad? What is it, dearest Abiene? You look like you may blow up on someone!"



*

[Grits]

Abiene opened her fists and forced her hands to relax.

“It’s not you, Maxical. I’ll heal you as soon as I’m calm, right now I could chew metal and spit nails.” She looked over at Eyja. “I know who you mean, but I don’t know her name. She was in Master Selvilo’s office when I went to ask for a leave of absence. She knew what the poison was just by glancing at the list of ingredients for the cure that I showed to Gureryne. And of course she did, the poison was hers!”

She paced across the room and then quickly back.

“Anyone at the chapel could tell you her name if she’s replaced me, or I could march right down there and ask her myself! It’s my position with Gureryne that someone would want enough to kill for, not my secrets. I can’t believe I was so blind! I looked right at that woman, and she looked right at me.”

Abiene passed a hand over her eyes, completely failing to settle down.

“The thought of that wench treating my patients… Let’s go, can we confront her now? Maxical, let me heal you. Stendarr on a pogo stick, I’ll kill her myself!”

She stopped at the table, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

“Please excuse my language. Maxical..?” Abiene sat down and stretched out her hands.

[mALX]

*

Eyja:

Eyja shook her head. "Don't bring this to the chapel or play it out in front of Master Gureryne Selvilo. You will be endangering everyone there. Let her come to us; and she will, have no doubt on that. I have declared war with her in a way she will understand. One prime factor in winning fights is going into them in control. Here in this suite we have that control. In the chapel an innocent bystander could get caught in the middle of the conflict."

Maxical nodded, and gave Abiene a hug.

"Geez, for gods sake don't leave the suite; remember how mad Seth got when I did? But she's right about that, Abiene. This fight should be kept away from the chapel at all costs. Here we have the advantage of being prepared for anything she brings. We can lay traps for her, and lure her to them. We have to go into this with clear heads, this woman has shown intelligence and cunning. Those are strengths we need to limit her ability to use. There she can have traps set for us, but here she is out of her element and doesn't know what will happen next. We have the advantage if we force her to come to us."

Eyja gave Maxical a surprised glare. "You left the suite?" She caught herself. "Never mind, we'll talk about it later." She turned and patted Abiene's shoulder consolingly.

"Hone that rage for the battle ahead, don't let it overtake your senses and go stomping over there half-cocked. Spend your time preparing every asset you can bring. Illusion, conjuration, potions, anything. I'll need magicka restoral potions if you can make them. Maxical is a powerful asset in battle, and we'll need her if you can get her healed from this dizziness."

"And healing potions for me." Maxical called out.

Eyja nodded.

"Maxical can't heal herself. She'll need strong healing potions in combat, or you'll have to stay right with her and keep her healed. She'll keep you protected if you'll listen to her; and can teach you some filthy dirty self-defense tricks even a child could use."

She pulled out her notepad, and signaled Abiene. "As you think of any asset you can bring to the fight, just call it out and I'll log it for our planning."

She turned to Maxical next. "You'll handle security. Once Abiene gets you healed I want traps set. Doors, windows, and the room connected to the suite. Make sure you use something that leaves an odor, the Altmer uses chameleon."

Eyja and sat down across from Seth with the quill poised over the parchment.

"Okay, now for the planning. We know she is a necromancer, an alchemist, and possibly Dark Brotherhood. She has strong illusion magic, but that is all I could learn. I can guess some of what she'll bring to the fight, but you know better than I do. I'll take my orders from you."



*





This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 17 2013, 01:06 AM

[Black Hand]

Sethyas kept himself centered amongst Abiene's Catharsis. She'd earned it. When she brought that urn down upon him, she'd shown him her own will to survive.

His eyes squinted at Eyja's assessments, nodding impressed at her quick and military way of bringing everything together so quickly for the response. She'd not only found the Assassin out, she'd declared silent, invisible war on her. The same war he'd fought against the Brotherhood whether he'd wanted too or not for two centuries.

Naturally, his own blades were always sharpened. With the exception of Shimsil; the enchanted ebony shortsword. But, one did not sharpen ebony with a whetstone.

"A Dark Sister...she'll doubtless have contacts. Sleepers. Agents. They don't kill, nor do they necessarily have the skill to. The Organization employs a large number of support agents. Couriers, herbalists, real estate, you name it. Most don't even know who they work for, which further protects the inner circles."

"Regardless, she'll be unable to reveal her true identity or purpose to any of them. Silence would be her primary tenet. If she's indeed after Abiene's position to gain knowledge of this new College in restoration, my suspicion is that she used it upon the Orc, and sicced him on us in an attempt to unnerve us." He recited.

"However, the sewing work was quick and haphazard. The Orc was so slow and sluggish, the drunkards downstairs could have easily dodged him. No, it was the work of someone in a rush, someone desperate to scare us. Even the poisoned wine attempt is a sign of this: Too Blunt. Virtually no subtlety, such as with the metal poisoning, but employing equal skill in preparing a scene that would point to other causes of death."

He nodded to Eyja, with a slight smile. "Your fantastic work gives me hope that we will rattle her cage even more. Regardless, we must assume that she has recentered herself, and that she will use any and every advantage that she can muster."

"There is no honor in the mind of a ruthless killer. There is black and white. Dead and alive. That is all. People are merely means to their ends. Perhaps we were even her unwitting pawns in the demises at Cloud Top."

"But, she will stick to her strengths: Trickery, illusion, subterfuge. I don't know what level of skill she's acquired..." He sighed. "But so far as I can tell, dismemberment seems to be the only completely effective method of at least disabling raised regenerated dead, if she is able to apply it to herself...it may get messy. I can handle that..." He said.

He finally sat down and went deep into thought, playing out several scenarios in his head. Each more distasteful then the last.

"There may be one final mission I'll need to run: but I have a very strong feeling what her next move will be." He said.

"But...in order to do it effectively I'll need to be able to scout Cloud Top without being detected, while I can stick to the shadows well enough, I still suspect that she'll somehow figure out that I figured her out." He clasped his fingers together.

"If the Orc was raised...doubtless she did the same to Earana. Who is also an Altmer female. It is my belief that she will use her body as a decoy." He finished grimly.

[mALX]

*

Maxical:

Maxical nodded toward Seth as she put her hands into Abiene's for the healing.

"That's what I thought too. Earana was a strong battlemage, she'll send in her troops of undead first to wear us down or hopefully do her job for her so she can stay in the shadows. If she wants Abiene's position it will be imperative she not be found out; being as the Master is connected with the chapel."



*





This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 17 2013, 01:53 AM

[mALX]

*

Eyja:

Seth's words reminded Eyja of the two brown vials she had taken from the Altmer's room.

"Speaking of which, these were hidden behind a heavy dresser in the Altmer's room. Can you determine what they are capable of? If they are deadly enough, we can use them against her." She handed them over to Seth.

Maxical grinned. "Nice touch, Eyja. She'll recognize her own poisons and know we have taken them without her knowledge. Psychological warfare. What will she be hitting us with if she tries to poison us?"

Eyja grinned back. "A mild anti-constipation potion. I put a strong one in her wine at dinner, she will not be able to stay far from an urn for a while. She may also be itching, I used your trick of sticking the kitchen mice in her bed to fill it with fleas aside from the scaring it would give her."

Maxical laughed. "You remembered that? Hey Eyja, it might not be a bad idea to go back into that laboratory and switch out a few more ingredients if that is where she is making the poisons. Find ingredients with similar consistancy. I used to do that to Arch Mage Traven with his salt and sugar, you should have seen the face he'd make when he tasted his tea."

Eyja nodded. "I'm one step ahead of you. I dumped anything I knew made poisons and filled the vials with harmless ingredients or healing potions. She'll know the difference if she is a good alchemist, but if she is in a hurry or upset it may get by her. Either way she'll have to get more ingredients or fight closer and in person."



*





This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 17 2013, 02:21 AM

[Black Hand]

"Hmmm. Then I probably don't need to head out." He said getting up and exiting for a moment.

"I'll be right back." He called.

He returned with a large chest, and dumped it on the floor.

"It really is a shame you Mages don't learn translocation spells and the like out here: The fear of re-opening the portals to Oblivion is nearly laughable." He shook his head. "Plus it lets you keep the 'just-in-case-case' handy from a fixed location."

He opened the chest, revealing a Dwemer-make crossbow in the lid and scores of other weapons. Swords, short swords, and daggers in nearly every high-quality material and variation criss-crossed neatly within it's space.

He grabbed the Dwemer Crossbow, which seemed to have twice the usual amount of strings and shaft. He grabbed the forward guard which pulled back into a cocking lever making the priming both easy and rapid.

"Get me and this crossbow up to and including one league of this Necromancer with a clear line of sight....battle's over." Sethyas said loading a bolt with a sort of power-mad grin.

"They just don't make them like the used too. This here beauty was the original armor-piercing device. Nothing in Tamrielic history has ever surpassed it." He said looking down the sight, and aiming it at a wrought-iron decoration on a side table..

He released the bolt, it and the decoration went flying across the room, landing into the wall, with the bolt penetrating through nearly a half-inch of iron almost to the tail end.

"Ever."

He kicked the chest towards the trio.

"What's mine is yours." He said, and accepted the poisons from Eyja, slinging the crossbow across his back and getting to work on analyzing them.

This post has been edited by Black Hand: Aug 17 2013, 02:41 AM

[mALX]

*

Maxical:


Maxical was anxious to dig through the interesting chest, but held off. A weapon wouldn't do her much good if she couldn't get healed of this dizziness.

"You know what I like if you see it in there, Eyja. Dirty hand weapons." She called, then turned back to Abiene and gave her full focus to her.


*

[Grits]

Abiene held Maxical’s hands while the other three spoke. She kept her mind calm, waiting to begin her spells. She needed all of her concentration to find where she went wrong.

She cast her spells of preparation without the customary posturing. The gestures were mostly to reassure patients and focus the caster, neither of which was necessary in these circumstances. She didn’t want to let go of Maxical until they were finished.

Maxical turned her attention to Abiene.

“Let’s begin,” said Abiene.

A careful study of Maxical’s body showed that she was in radiant health. Abiene focused on her inner ears, sinuses, and brain for a second examination, looking for anything that might cause dizziness.

Nothing.

She drew back into herself for a moment, frustrated.

Perhaps she needed to look with different eyes. She began the spell that she had used to draw magicka from Sethyas and Eyja into one hand while also bringing her healing spell to mind.

There was that power inside Maxical, blinding as a sun. Abiene pushed down her fear and looked closer.

Still nothing.

She pulled her awareness away again, blinking moisture back into her burning eyes. “I’ll solve this,” she whispered to Maxical. She gripped her friend’s hand for courage.

Tendrils of red mist began to swirl around Abiene’s fingers as she started the Equilibrium spell. Maxical’s body twitched in response. The connection that would allow her to regenerate Maxical’s tissue hummed between them, but Abiene held the spell back.

She focused on their energy now, her own life’s force as well as Maxical’s.

There. A slender thread stretched between them, red in Abiene’s mystic vision and gently pulsing with power. Her energy, pulled out in a strand like spider silk and drawn into Maxical.

Abiene broke the connection more abruptly than she planned.

“I’m sorry,” she said to Maxical. “I meant to be more gentle.” She took a shaky breath. “I don’t know how it happened, but there’s a kind of a… soul siphon between us. I don’t think I could build it again if I tried, perhaps it has something to do with your… special condition. Regardless, you’re drawing from my life’s energy, for lack of a better description. No wonder you feel light-headed. So much vitality must be intoxicating.

“Breaking the spell didn’t change anything. Now that I know it’s there I can feel it, can you? I’m going to cast Dispel on both of us. Treating it as a kind of cast curse. But first I’ll do some work fortifying my skill and such. Just letting you know why I’m waving my hands around.”

This time Abiene did use the gestures to reassure herself, increasing the effectiveness of her spells as she decreased the cost in magicka. Then she weakened them both to the effect of the Dispel. Her skill in mysticism came nowhere near her restorative abilities, and she hoped she hadn’t inadvertently cast a curse that she didn’t have the skill to lift. Maxical is already weak to magic, she remembered. She’s the source of the siphon. This should work.

Abiene gave Maxical a nervous smile. “Here we go.” She cast Dispel.

When the mist faded she gave Maxical a hopeful look. “How do you feel? Can you stand? Did it work?”

[mALX]

*

Maxical:

Maxical got tentatively to her feet, but was nervous about letting go of the table.

"Before I let go, think about something interesting. Like mating. Think about it like you were earlier...you know, like..."

Maxical wasn't sure if Abiene's face was red from her thoughts or...had she just embarrassed her in front of Seth?

"Are you thinking about mating yet? I'm not getting anything..." Maxical let go of the table.

"It's gone, the dizziness is gone!" She hugged Abiene, then took a few steps around the room. "I can walk without holding on..."

She drew her sword out. "Eyja, spar with me for a minute, let me run through my moves and make sure I can do everything I should be able to."

Maxical started off slow, with just stiff parries; but soon warmed up to the point she was springing from the balls of her feet and testing Eyja's mettle with master level moves and full on swordplay.

She breathed a sigh and sheathed her sword; then hugged Abiene again, squeezing her tightly. "Thank you, dearest Abiene. You are an amazing healer!"

She turned back to Eyja. "I'll get right on those traps."




*


Maxical dug in Eyja's schrank till she found what she was looking for, a little maid's outfit. She donned it and tied her tail down to her leg; pulling a pair of Eyja's white stocking hose over her leg and tail. Next she tucked her hair up under the little mob cap and pinned it onto her head; then went to the next wing, knocking on doors and calling in,

"Here to empty the urns."

"At this time of night?"

In unoccupied rooms she let herself in by picking the locks, then grabbed the urns. In each room she lifted the clothing irons off the hearths; each time carrying them to the room their suite was connected to.

When she had what she needed, she began setting traps; first in that room and then casting chameleon and setting them outside the back door to the suite and all the ground floor windows. Next she opened the balcony window and climbed out, tying herself off from the nearest chimney for each set of windows with a long length of rope.

When she was done the second floor window traps were set to blow an explosion of fire, the lower windows and doors would give damaging blows with the heavy irons blown at high speed toward whoever would be standing there; and the intruder would be covered with the contents of the urns; which were now invisible to the eye.

She climbed back in the balcony window and set several of the fiery explosions on it. Now to warn everyone.

She hurried down to the kitchen, hopefully to catch them before anyone tried a window or door.

Eyja gave a little shriek. "Is that my maid outfit? You've ruined it! Look at it, it's filthy and torn!"

"Oh. Yes, well I needed it to uh...well, anyway, the traps are set. I guess I should have changed before climbing out on the roof." She weathered Eyja's glare to show how the traps worked.

"If you need to open a door or window from the inside of the house, this is how you dismantle the trap from this side." She showed them how to feel for the invisible length of line.

"Pull down on the line as far as it will go, then tie it off on the doorknob. That lifts the trap off the trigger. To reset it from the inside, loosen the line slowly till you hear the sound of metal clinking on metal. It won't be loud, you'll have to listen closely."

Eyja nodded. "What about coming in from the outside?"

"Your best bet is to trigger the trap from a distance, shoot it with an arrow or something. The target is invisible, you'll just have to guess till you hit it. You won't want to retrieve the arrows, so use something you don't care to lose on it."

Maxical grabbed some bread, cheese, and several strawberries and plunked down with a sigh. "It feels good to be active again."

She covered Abiene's hand with hers and squeezed it. "Thank you so much, dearest Abiene. I was afraid I'd never be myself again."



*


Maxical in Eyja's maid outfit:


http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq67/Ma...zps1c70b99a.png


http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq67/Ma...zps05ae08d0.png


http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq67/Ma...zpse35f2438.png



*






This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 17 2013, 09:05 AM

[Grits]

Abiene glanced at Sethyas as Maxical tried out her feet. The Dunmer’s crossbow remained on his back, and his near fiendish grin had faded into concentration. There didn’t seem to be any more metal objects pinned to the wall.

She smiled to herself, buoyed by his enthusiasm for the contraption. Also relieved that such power would be directed away from her and toward their enemy.

Maxical dazzled with a display of swordsmanship. Abiene’s concerns about her lifted. She must finally be fully healed.

When Eyja finished her swordplay Abiene addressed her earlier question.

“I’ll run through the schools of magic and tell you what I can do,” she said. “I can’t guess what might be useful to you in a fight or in preparation so I’ll just go through them all.

“I’m the least skilled in Conjuration and Mysticism. I can summon a daedric spirit bound into the form of boots, but I only learned that to fulfill my requirement at school. I suppose I could leave strange tracks or distract someone who has a boot fetish…” Abiene gave Eyja a quick grin. “You’ve seen me use Dispel, and I can also detect life at a fair distance. My spell just shows the energy, though, it doesn’t distinguish between living, daedric, or undead. I can move small objects through Telekinesis, but nothing heavy or precise.

“I can cast any effect from the school of Illusion, but it seems as if this woman is more skilled than I am. That means I won’t be able to take control of creatures or people who are under her command, but I’ll at least be more resistant to becoming her unwilling minion. She would probably resist my curse of Silence. Of course I can turn myself invisible, see in the dark, and cast light. I’m not very good at Chameleon, though. It takes too much magicka to be useful for my purposes, so I didn’t keep working past that slight blurring effect. Oh, and I used to think I was sneaky until I heard you and Sethyas moving, or rather didn’t hear you. If this woman is a trained assassin I won’t get too close to her unless there’s a distraction.

“Moving on, if there’s water nearby I can breathe it or walk on it. I can cast both of those on another as well. My shield spells and elemental shields would need to be cast before the fight, but they’re strong. Another option is a curse of Burden. I can cast that at a good distance with pretty good accuracy.

“My Destruction spells are the ones that are closely connected to Restoration. I do little with elemental magic. So think of any skill or attribute a mortal possesses as well as their magicka, bodily stamina, and life’s energy. Against our foe I can cast a curse of weakness or a drain at a distance, or I can absorb into myself on touch. For example I might cast a curse of weakness to poison before a fight with poisoned blades, or weakness to magicka if you are using enchantments. I can cast a spell that makes a person slow, weak, soft-skinned and more susceptible to physical blows, mentally distracted, clumsy, you get the idea. The catch is that these are complicated spells. I’m not sure how effective I’ll be if someone’s hitting or shooting at me.

“Now, anything that I can curse, absorb, or drain I can also restore and fortify. In addition I can cast charms of elemental resistance, poison resistance, blade-turning, resistance to paralysis and magicka, even a charm to help us fight off diseases. Once again I imagine these will only be useful before a fight.”

Abiene took a sip of someone’s coffee to moisten her throat.

“Also I’m a Journeyman alchemist. My potions won’t be nearly as strong as Seth’s, but taken together they can keep a steady stream of healing or magicka flowing into the body in a time when you’ll be too busy to stop and take another one.”

She glanced up at Eyja. “Is there anything you can think of that I might have forgotten? They still taught Necromancy when I first started at the Arcane University, but certainly not to beginning students. Not many of the post-graduates could even qualify. The amount of power needed was immense. That’s why necromancers are known for killing folk and stealing souls. They need more body parts, but they mostly need the power.” Abiene gave herself a little shake. “Anyway, can you think what I might have forgotten?”

.

This post has been edited by Grits: Aug 17 2013, 03:52 PM

[mALX]

*

Eyja:

Eyja pointed to the ring she'd given Abiene when she mentioned using spells to detect life.

"The ring covers 250 feet and through walls. Don't waste magicka on anything you don't have to, you will need all you have if we are fighting a mage."

"Since you are the prime target and not trained for combat, I'd prefer you stayed in chameleon. We can't afford your magicka being spent on that either, especially not if you'll still be visible."

Eyja indicated her pack. "That inner pocket contains robes, rings, amulets, and slippers that also muffle sound. You won't be able to see them, just feel in there and grab out what you need to give you full chameleon. You can't wear anything under that robe, not even panties. It feels strange at first, but you'll get used to it. Just don't forget and remove the robe in the wrong place."

Eyja nodded her head at the list of skills Abiene did have that would be useful.

"These are all good if your aim is accurate under pressure. I'd like you to stay nearest Maxical because she'll need you keeping her healed. You know that is where I should and would normally be. It is a trust I'm placing on you. Maxical will protect you with her life, she'll never back down if you are in danger. You will be safe with her at your side. Just stay close behind her back to stay clear of her blade or spells and keep her healed from wounds, paralysis, and poison. You'll need to be fast and agile..."

Eyja broke off what she was saying as a sudden thought hit her. "Can you siphon magicka off Maxical in combat like you did from us for the healing? If so, you will have nearly an unlimited supply. Part of that disorder is an exceptionally high magicka, and she rarely uses it."




***


Eyja dug in her pack for a minute, producing several strange odd shaped jars and a looking glass; then a wig. She held the wig up against Abiene's hair and shook her head, digging in her pack till she pulled out another that was a closer match to the color of Abiene's.

She tucked her hair into a stretchy looking stocking and pulled the wig on over that.

"Abiene, I need you to arrange this hair exactly as you wear yours, and I'll need to look over your wardrobe, see if I have anything similar. If not I'll need to borrow something of yours. I am going to bait the trap."

Eyja opened the largest of the jars and began smearing a thick past over her skin in places, rounding her face out to match the contour of Abiene's face. She cupped Abiene's face for a second to perfect the shape on her own face and gauge the skin tone, then began applying makeup over the paste.

"This won't be exact, and of course my eyes aren't brown; but from a distance I should make a good enough decoy to fool the assassin."

She grinned at Seth and pointed to her pack. "Who needs Oblivion realms when they have the 'Bag of Holding'?"

When Abiene finished her hair and Eyja was finished with the makeup, other than Eyja's greater height and the color of their eyes, they looked eerily similar, especially when Eyja found a dress in her pack that matched the one Abiene was wearing.

She began tying off leather straps on her leg and loading each with a dagger, then changed boots to a pair more suited for combat and ran a couple daggers inside each boot.



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This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 17 2013, 10:20 PM

[mALX]

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Maxical:


Maxical glanced up from digging in Seth's chest and caught Abiene's stunned face at the transformation Eyja was making on herself.

"You should see her as an Orc, you can't tell the difference from a real one."

She pulled a few wicked looking short gauntlets with thick spikes of alloyed metal on the backs from Seth's chest.

"Are these Dwemer? Can I borrow these?" She slid one on and adjusted it, testing her arm action with it on.

"They look heavy, but they're not."

At Seth's wave of his hand she clipped them on the belt of her greaves. When Abiene was finished with Eyja's hair Maxical brought her the sack containing the heavy hand iron for pressing clothes.

"Okay, now load that spell I gave you and practice using it to speed your arm movement. You grab the sack overhand like this..." She demonstrated.

"So it becomes a part of you, like an extension of your fist. I can wear the guantlets, but they will affect your magic if you do. Something about armor deadens magic. But you can hold one of these sacks without losing any power. Now watch how fast that spell makes my arm punch. Stand well back behind me, because all my conjures spawn as hostile Daedra no matter what I cast."

Maxical grabbed the sack and moved into the hallway from the kitchen so she blocked it. With her left hand she conjured a Deadra. As it charged her, her right arm with the sack moved like lightning, shooting in a clean uppercut. The sound of the impact with the Daedra's jaw was a loud crack as the massive bone shattered and the Daedra fell back into a crumpled heap on the floor. It's moaning stopped before it shimmered from view.

Maxical turned back to Abiene. "A child could take out a Daedra with that spell and one of these sacks. Practice the arm movement so you can do a good uppercut. You always need to use an uppercut to be effective." She demonstrated, moving her arm slowly several times so Abiene could see the movement.

"That shatters the jaw so mages can't do incantations. Aim to hit closer to the throat and you crush the windpipe and main arteries with the same hit, they die quickly. If you aim for the nose you will drive these bones..." She pointed to the bones behind her upper nose.

"Up into their brain. Just remember to always use an uppercut."

She watched Abiene practicing for a second and then stopped her. "Use that spell at the same time you are raising your arm. Feel it charging down your arm and driving your fist up. Keep practicing till your uppercut shoots up faster than your eye can see. You'll know you have it right when you feel it. Eyja can conjure a skeleton for your to practice on if you'd like."


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This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 17 2013, 10:19 PM

[Black Hand]

Sethyas set the poisons down, and dipped a couple of drops onto a neutral metal plate, taking a few strips of what looked like paper from his belt-bag.

Maxical practiced with some very impressive moves with Eyja, and he held his admiration in silent watching. He was equally curious at to the vials' contents.

During his analyzing, Eyja showed her additional talents, and didn't just cast a spell of Chameleon, she embodied the talents of an actual one.

"Who needs Oblivion Realms when you have a 'Bag of Holding'?" the now near-twin of Abiene, Eyja grinned.

He shot her a bemused glance. "I guess we can all learn new tricks I suppose." He said dipping the strips into the liquid drops.

"Are these Dwemer? Can I borrow these?" Maxical said, seeming to have a childlike curiosity going through the chest. Seth raised hand in a gesture of acquiescement. The strips started to turn a bright blue, almost white.

"What's mine is yours, as I said." He replied, clearly more concentrated on the strips then Maxical.

"Just make sure you can use what you take, it's mostly loot from random encounters. Ruins, bandits, malefactors. You learn to not just pawn everything you come across off..." He said trailing off.

"Oh my...." Seth said seeing the final test.

"Eyja...this acidity...I think you know what it means...this Assassin is sadistic on top of it all." He said showing her the litmus test strips.

"A paralyzation toxin alongside pain augmenters. This poison isn't designed to kill. It's designed to make the victim wish they were dead. Much like spider venom keeps the victim alive while it eats it, aware of every agonizing moment....I would never have designed; much less used, something like this. It's sick and twisted, and that's *me* saying this..." He shook his head in disgust.

"I'll gladly give her a taste of her own medicine." He sneered, carefully applying it to an odd looking dagger.

The blade was shorter than most knives, certainly not long enough to reach any vital organ. Upon closer examination, it had a series of tiny pin-prick holes along it's flat side near the center downslope. The handle; after he carefully unwrapped its black leather grip, had a compartment door that slid upwards, and he poured the liquid inside. The compartment held the poison. The blade; after being inserted into the victim, delivered it's payload directly to the bloodstream.

It was also balanced and designed in such a way that it could be thrown as well as handled. Despite it's clear usefulness to the profession of the one who handled it, it did not appear to be well used.

This post has been edited by Black Hand: Aug 17 2013, 09:59 PM

[Grits]

“Eyja...this acidity...I think you know what it means...this Assassin is sadistic on top of it all,” said Sethyas.

Abiene knelt on the floor by Seth’s chest. She tilted her body to hide what her face must be showing.

That woman has her hands on helpless folk in the Healing Hall. Did she plan to use that poison on a patient, or was it also intended for me?

Simple ambition couldn’t account for such hate. Abiene began to wonder if there was more to it. Perhaps the Altmer loved someone who had died under the knife on Abiene’s table. A necromancer might even hope to bring them back somehow.

Abiene wiped her eyes on her sleeve, then picked gingerly through the weapons. A sack full of irons might break bones, but a small blade could open an artery. She hoped that she would not get close enough to use either.

She found one with a textured grip that fit comfortably in her hand. The curved blade came to a point and was razor-sharp on both edges. Abiene strapped the sheath to her upper arm, reversed so she could draw it with a downward motion.

She stood and practiced flicking the catch open with her thumb, then slashing with both a forward and a hooking motion. Ten minutes’ practice didn’t make her a knife fighter any more than it had made her a brawler, but at least now she wouldn’t end up trying to open a vein with fingernails and teeth.

Eyja’s bag contained the variety that she had described. Abiene chose the robe for Chameleon and the slippers for silent movement. Going without panties did not present an obstacle, but she didn’t think it necessary or appropriate to assure everyone on that subject.

Abiene glanced at Eyja as she shook out the robe. How many others have gone bare under this? she wondered. Hopefully only Eyja. The woman kept herself immaculate. But she may have used this robe to conceal the sweaty backsides of any number of terrified folk.

She shook her head. Desperate times, desperate measures.

[mALX]

Eyja:

While Maxical was teaching Abiene some self defense moves, Eyja moved over and sat beside Seth to hear what he was saying about the poison.

She nodded agreement with his words. "Maxical goes for the quickest and least painful kills whenever possible, and I'm usually the same; but some enemies deserve to feel what they've afflicted on others. Especially when using it against an innocent like Abiene."

She put her hand on Seth's arm. "Seth, Maxical's conjure just gave me an idea. The assassin may not know you've rendered the Orc useless. If she sends Earana next, which I assume she will...consider if she didn't know either of her walking dead were gone. You and I could walk right up to her disguised as Earana and her Orc, initiate combat and catch her totally unaware. She will fight once attacked, but we will have the advantage of surprise. Just a thought."


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