Previously...
Leaving Hedrard's office, Bujilli decided to do some exploring before heading off to try and meet with Sprague in the East Wing of the Academy. He didn't get very far before he found himself looking down on the pens, cells and pits used for holding and caring for exotic beasts used in the Arena, Experimental Surgeries, Physionometrist's Labs, Biology Classes, and other purposes. He watched a dead manticore being removed from an isolated cell and saw a chance to meet someone new, so Bujilli dropped down into the cell from the mezzanine and introduced himself only to be ignored. Then Unfred, The Keeper's Third Assistant Under-Janitor, caught him in the pens. This might have gone badly, but Bujilli mentioned that he had a Voucher from Hedrard. Unfred backed down and designated Leeja, the white-haired girl who was ignoring Bujilli previously, as his guide. Now he just needs to decide where he wants to go...
Leaving Hedrard's office, Bujilli decided to do some exploring before heading off to try and meet with Sprague in the East Wing of the Academy. He didn't get very far before he found himself looking down on the pens, cells and pits used for holding and caring for exotic beasts used in the Arena, Experimental Surgeries, Physionometrist's Labs, Biology Classes, and other purposes. He watched a dead manticore being removed from an isolated cell and saw a chance to meet someone new, so Bujilli dropped down into the cell from the mezzanine and introduced himself only to be ignored. Then Unfred, The Keeper's Third Assistant Under-Janitor, caught him in the pens. This might have gone badly, but Bujilli mentioned that he had a Voucher from Hedrard. Unfred backed down and designated Leeja, the white-haired girl who was ignoring Bujilli previously, as his guide. Now he just needs to decide where he wants to go...
"Have you gotten yourself assigned to a dormitory yet? Have you eaten?" The girl with white hair stared at Bujilli. Her eyes. The gold in her irises swirled. Like clouds.
"I have a room. It's temporary. And no; I haven't eaten in...a while now." Bujilli realized he was famished. Food sounded really good right now.
"A room? You have a private room, all to yourself?" Leeja blurted incredulously.
"Yes. For now. Gnosiomandus arranged it for me just before he had to leave--"
"You know Gnosiomandus?!?" Leeja had large, expressive eyes. Golden-green irises. Skin like fresh yak's milk in the morning light. Surprisingly, to Bujilli, un-hairy. He'd not seen such smooth skin up close before. Leeja was quite attractive. And she knew it.
"Yes...I mean no...I mean we've only recently met."
Leeja's shoulders sunk in disappointment. An almost petulant quiver pulsed across her lip then evaporated as she quickly recalculated the situation.
"...but he has agreed to take me on as a student--" Bujilli stumbled on. He felt strange. Normally reticent and quiet by nature, now he wanted to divulge practically every detail of his life story. To a stranger. To this girl.
"Really? What a fabulous break. You're very lucky!" Leeja smiled seductively. She smelled blood after all.
"I guess so..." Bujilli scowled. Shook his head. The hairs of his nape and forearms were standing on end.
"Well, that settles it. Let's get out of here. If you don't mind a slight detour, we can swing by my dorm and I can get cleaned-up. Then we can go get something to eat and we can start your orientation." Leeja began to lead the way out of the half-cleaned pen.
"Okay. I think..." Bujilli shook his head once more. It wouldn't clear. His brain felt like it was pickled in honey. Sweet. Sticky. Stuck. In-between arousal and hunger, intoxication and excitement. Something was...
"Are you okay?" She asked oh so solicitously, a smile emerging from her perfect, alabaster--
"No."
Bujilli stepped back. He adjusted his eyes to more readily see the things no one notices, a trick his Uncle taught him as a child. A trick that had saved his life dozens of times before. Like now.
He brought up his right hand and quickly, carefully, matter of factly made the Voorish Sign.
Leeja screamed.
Talons?
Bujilli felt the insidious, all-too-intimate touch of dozens of minute tendrils slither back and away from him, each one lashing and snapping at his soul like invisible vipers.
He hesitated. His hand tight on the grip of his tulwar. A quick litany of his spells filled his inner vision with a swarm of iconic glyphs, each one color-coded as to its current usefulness and effect.
"Stop. Please." Leeja retracted her claws. Her eyes were mauve around the shining golden irises.
"Give me a reason." He barked hoarsely.
Her eyes pored over him, searching, seeking, desperate.
She bowed her head. Shuddered.
"I...am...sorry. I...meant no offense..."
Bujilli laughed. He clapped his hands derisively. A spell hovered close at-hand, ready to erupt in an instant. He was curious just what Zymurgic Disgestion would actually do to someone...
"You meant no offense?! You were influencing my mind, insinuating yourself into my soul--"
"Yes. I was. It is in my nature."
They both stood there, poised on the brink of terrible violence. Each staring into the other's eyes.
Leeja looked away.
Bujilli's stomach rumbled.
He considered the white-haired girl before him.
Perhaps...
What should Bujilli do next?
Now that he has some idea of Leeja's true nature, can he trust her?
Does Bujilli need to trust her?
Should he put Leeja to work giving him a tour of the campus?
Perhaps they might come to some sort of agreement?
You Decide!
Now that he has some idea of Leeja's true nature, can he trust her?
Does Bujilli need to trust her?
Should he put Leeja to work giving him a tour of the campus?
Perhaps they might come to some sort of agreement?
You Decide!
Series Indexes
About Bujilli (What is This?) | Who is Bujilli? | How to Play
Bujilli's Character Sheet | Leeja's Character Sheet | Cast of Characters
Bujilli's Spells | Little Brown Journals | Loot Tally | House Rules
Series Two (Episode 20-36)
Series Three (Episodes 37-49)
Series Four (Episodes 50-68)
Series Five (Episodes 69-99)
Series Six(Episodes 100-ongoing)
Labyrinth Lord | Advanced Edition Companion
Series Six(Episodes 100-ongoing)
Labyrinth Lord | Advanced Edition Companion
I think he needs to hear her story first--what she is at least and what she wanted from him. She might be useful.
ReplyDeleteI second trey here, sure she might be creepy, but Brujilli has already made his name in Wermspittle as a nice guy. Leeja hasn't yet tried to kill him while hopped up on white powder and he almost killed himself saving that horrible child - at least Leeja appears sane and moderately competent. She what her story is and tell her she owes him, recruit her as hench-woman, all the better that she seems to believe that working for him can be to her own benefit. Unless she's a vampire - vampires are boring.
ReplyDeleteSome D20's: 12, 9, 17, 10, 4
Hi Trey, and Hello to Gibbering Mouther, Thanks for joining-in!
ReplyDeleteYou both want to know more about Leeja. That seems to be fitting, given that Bujilli is an intensely curious person and is in Wermspittle to learn. He grew up in a rotten environment and while he has no intention of becoming a demon himself, he has dealt with a few malevolent spirits during his childhood and adolescence--he grew up in a sorcerers yurt.
Gibbering Mouther makes a great point--Bujilli acted with compassion towards Lemuel, after the brat attacked him and tried to kill him using both White Powder and Blood Threads. Nasty stuff. And you're right--technically, Leeja did not outright attack him. Not in a damaging way. But she did violate his person, intruded upon his privacy and was in the process of insinuating herself into his soul. Good thing that Bujilli has had some strenuous training in the sorcerous arts thanks to his uncle.
Getting Leeja to talk might not be too difficult, now that he has proven himself able to resist her and possibly mess her up big time. He isn't acting kindly out of weakness. That's important to have established early-on, otherwise he's going to be seen as a weakling, not a good person. Oftentimes this is a fatal distinction, in Wermspittle.
Getting Leeja to serve as a henchwoman or ally...now that is inspired. Using the rolls provided, adding the CHAR modifier and adding in a mod to address the impression he's made...and it looks potentially favorable--depending on what happens next. Bujilli may be able to negotiate a deal with Leeja, possibly get her to work with him a bit, especially if it is to her mutual benefit. Guess it's time to more fully flesh-out her character sheet...
As to vampires. Yawn. There are very few classic-style Vampires in Wermspittle. Most of them have been burned to ash by the actinic torches of the Street Patrols. There are a few Oupir and related wretched plague-infested things here and there, mostly hidden among the Refugees, but for the most part vampirism is considered a disorder to be cured, mitigated or expunged. Hence the reference in some of the earlier Wermspittle Encounter Tables to 'Vampire Ignobles.' Some sorcerers might dabble in sanguinary feeding rites, as Charles Dexter Ward did in HPL's novella. But that is an unpopular and mostly discredited practice these days. There are a few psychic vampire-things running around, and things like the Sanguinovores, but nothing like the World of Darkness/Anne Rice/Blade/Twilight stuff. If anything, vampirism is either a voluntary affectation or a despicable curse that more often than not leads to the infected/affected person's summary destruction or they get devoured by an Ordrang, if not something else.
Vampires are inextricably bound-up with plague, and in this place, plagues have been decimating the surrounding countryside pretty heavily. Hence all the Refugees. Most of the vampires have been ferreted-out and destroyed quite some time ago. Any that do arise are unlikely to make much of a fuss for fear of the consequences if they are discovered, so vampirism could be seen as something of a secret malady...
They do have problems with gargoyles in these parts, and some other critters. Gargoyle Hunters have a truly tough time of it. We'll be detailing that particularly sordid business very soon.
It occurs to me that Hedrard probably witnessed the entire exchange. So, if Bujilli is not certain what kind of creature Leeja is, he could do a consult with Hedrard. Or do research in the library. He should definitely ask Leeja. I think he should try to figure out whether she is "in the closet", disguised as a human with very few people knowing, or if in fact some people know. My assumption is that the tolerance for tentacular humans isn't terribly great In Wermspittle.
ReplyDeleteBujilli should go ahead and hear Leeja out, being alert for any more attempts at insinuation. If it's "in her nature", it may also be in her nature to try again, testing for vulnerability. Or, now that she's been resisted she may quiet down. Definitely see if he can find out how many folks are aware of her skill-set. If Unfred knows then he was potentially expecting Leeja to co-opt Bujilli since he specifically suggested that Leeja could show Bujilli around. (Episode 27)
ReplyDeleteAlso, Bujilli should not go back to Leeja's dorm with her. The Menagerie should have its own clean-up area for the stablehands, not have them traipsing all that muck through the grounds and hallways to get to the dormitory. They need to stay in more public areas for a while.