Run By: Ryudori (3xp)

Players: Philokrates

Summary: The last plot twist before the end of For Want Of A Gem!

Back at Barker's little hill home, the sound of hammering is clearly audible even through the dirt and rock "walls" of the area. Metal on metal, it clangs resoundingly through the air, a clear sign that the Jadeborn is busy. Markid, leaning on the wall outside (probably on guard duty) looks up and waves at Philokrates.

 "Welcome back! Barker's really busy - I'm not sure you want to go in there."

Philokrates sits down outside, and waits. "I'm in no great hurry. I suspect that I can wait quite a while, if necessary."

The door swings open. "Come in," Barker rumbles, staring at Philokrates, "Did you bring a heart?"

Philokrates says, "No, not yet. I've been investigating and scouting, and meeting the Gemborn Drakes. What they've done to your people is horrifying, but I'm hesitant to disrupt it and risk sending it spiralling deeper in to chaos."

Philokrates pulls himself to his feet.

Barker crosses his huge arms, looking down at Philokrates patiently. "And?"

Philokrates says, "And I've found the fifth of their number. Him I'll kill. The wickedness of it is the very thing that I have been taught to loathe - an unenchecked executive authority acting purely for it's own amusement."

Philokrates says, "The others are either prisoners of it's whims, their own madness, or their own obsessions, and most seem hardly deserving of execution."

"So why are you back here? Did you come to check to see if the Jadeborn was doing his work for you like a good little servant?" He asks, sounding just a bit bitter. "Or is there something else on your mind?"

Philokrates looks skeptically at you. "You can keep the feet," he says, shaking his head. "I don't need them that badly. I'm not doing this for your reward, not any more. Now I wonder..." He looks distant, thinks. "Now I'm not sure what the right action is here, and I wondered what you thought."

Barker's face softens, and he gestures for Philokrates to come in. The legs seem already mostly-assembled, curved and metal and truly artistic, sitting on the anvil in the center of the workshop. Barker sits down in the stone chair. "You really want to know what I think is the right action?"

Philokrates says, "I've asked the four unelemental dragons; I don't know why I wouldn't think you qualified if I was willing to ask those lunatics."

Barker chuckles and shakes his head. "I was that monster's plaything for years. The one without a name, the one that discarded or forgot or whatever the fuck it did." He relaxes. "It left me uncorrupted so it could torment me over and over, so it had one with free will to corrupt as it wanted."

Philokrates says, "It is good, then, that that is the one which I have decided to kill."

Philokrates says, "But I need your help."

"What do you need?"

Philokrates says, "Two things. I need your help before the victory, and after."

Philokrates says, "Before, I need you to teach me how to find it's black heart, to swim through the stone. I'll need arrows that can shoot through the core of the mountain."

Philokrates says, "After... I need your people ready to move in and take the gemborn."

Philokrates says, "We must plan for the wake of our victory."

Barker raises an eyebrow.

Philokrates says, "What, did you think I would simply rampage through and leave chaos in my wake?"

Philokrates says, "I am a think of order and legislation."

"That's not what I'm raising my eyebrow at," Barker replies simply, "You didn't accept anything in the mountain, did you?"

Philokrates says, "...I don't see what you mean."

Philokrates says, "Elaborate."

He stands, reaching for his massive hammer as he points over Phil's shoulder.

Philokrates looks over the his shoulder, leaving his charms open to activate an Adamant Skin Technique if this turns in to a nasty trick.

It is a nasty trick - but not by Barker.

 The gemstone elemental stands in the way, clutching Markid in a massive clawed hand. Twin wide wings grow forth from its back, and a reptilian face hangs from its head, no eyes to speak of jumping out from that sparkling visage. A tail swings to and fro in the doorway, catching the sunlight and sizzling a bit at each motion.

 >I really can't believe you didn't put two and two together,< it says, sounding very very amused.

Philokrates says, "...You're very quiet."

Philokrates conjures his bow in a flare of light, his essence beginning to ground in the world.

Markid cries out as the creature's claws close. >I wouldn't,< it notes, holding up a massive claw.

Philokrates says, "I would. You left the world when my kind arrived, didn't you? You knew better than to face us in the fullness of our power. Now you have forgotten the terror of us as you have forgotten our name; you think you can intimidate us with your barbed claws and wicked wings, when we are such things as drove creatures infinitely vaster than you to nightmare and panic. Put him down, and we will speak as civilized creatures, equal to equal, man to man."

>There is one thing you forget.< The drake points out, >This is not my heart. This is not my body. This is a host I slipped inside your trusting, trusting body to wait until you returned to Barker.<

(Judge) Philokrates rolls Lore + Intelligence: [ -1- -1- -1- 4 5 8 8 9 <10> ]

        Resulting in 5 successes.

(Judge) Philokrates rolls Valor: [ 2 2 7 9 ]

        Resulting in 2 successes.

Philokrates says, "...LIAR."

(Judge) Philokrates rolls Wits + Awareness: [ -1- 3 4 6 7 7 8 9 ]

        Resulting in 4 successes.

Philokrates /screams/ with lungs that breathe like Gurvald rolls, the bellow resonating forth like a vast, shining bell, and draws back his bow until it is a line from fingers to fingers. When he releases it, the bolts of light punch violently through Merkid's arm, tearing it off in a spray of- ah, but there isn't going to be any blood there, si there? Not that the gemstone dragon knew that, he thought that was safe...

The drake roars, discarding Markid callously; the boy thumps against the wall, but is safe, as Barker dives to collect him. "Hit it in the forehead!" He shouts, "It's the most effective way to disperse the-"

 THUD! The creature's tail lands on the backside of the Jadeborn's head. >I will hear no more from you, artisan!< It 'shrieks', >This is between myself and the chosen!<

"LIAR!" Philokrates moves forward with an intensity normally reserved for his projectiles, gathering up sharp-edged crafting tools from the table as he goes, and sending their crystal-chiseling points forward hard enough to nail the creature's thrashing tail to the ceiling.

The tail thunks against the ceiling, sending the creature hanging comically upside-down like a threatening pinata. It rears back, claws thrashing at Philokrates worthlessly. >DIE, SOLAR! DIE AND RETURN TO THE AGE YOU BELONG IN! THESE ARE MY TOYS!<

Philokrates breathes deeply. "They are creatures of their own," says Philokrates sternly. "We taught that lesson to the Primordials with their death... I had hoped to convince you to see a wiser path. But a liar knows only one education!" He draws a red-hot brand from the forge, draws it across the bow, and fires it through the thing's fucking skull!

The skull shatters, crystals cracking and falling to the ground. But the body shakes with laughter. >This is not my body, you know,< It mocks, >And now you have shown me your techniques...< And with that, it breaks apart, crystal dust in the air.

Philokrates shudders, breathing violently, and goes in to a fit, smashing the fragile remnants, screaming incoherently at the air, thrashing his way outside and bellowing like an animal. To the horizon, rabbits scatter through the underbrush, away, away!

Barker hunkers down over Markid, allowing Philokrates to leave as the door slams shut behind him for their own protection.

Philokrates rushes off without further preparation, to find and kill his foe.