Dagger Silent: Oriana

[Prince Toad]

Bingo. You find a locked door. Do what?

[KirbyBoy2000]

Check it for traps or anything. Then disarm any traps. Then pick the lock.

[Prince Toad]

Pretty standard.

You don't find anything. Pick the lock?

[KirbyBoy2000]

Pick the lock.

[Prince Toad]

A slight click gives you enough warning to dive out of the way as an explosion rips the lock apart and blows the door off its hinges. You take some glancing damage, but nothing too bad. A short, pale, shifty man in a white robe looks through the doorway with some slight annoyance on his face.

Man: Missed a trap.
Oriana: Er... I know. You're Jygarl the White?
Man: Yeah, that's me. Guess Hreklor wants some antidote? What plant?
Oriana: Uhh... I think it was summerstorm petal.
Jygarl: No surprise there. Hold on... here.

He hands you a delicate little vial with some bluish fluid in it.

Jygarl: Take that on back to him. Not that he needs it, but go ahead. Probably want to use the same hallway, since I have another Snowflake in the southern one. Go on.

Go back?

[KirbyBoy2000]

How much time do I have left for this? If I have enough then I'll drag the hell hound that was trapped onto the trap panel I avoided. If not I'll just go and give him the antidote.

[Prince Toad]

You've got time.

You pick up the still-raging hell hound and drag it over onto the panel, pushing it the last foot or so to avoid danger. With a final heave, the hell hound lands on the tile, and a little click is heard. Suddenly a number of darts comes hurtling out of those tiny holes you found on the wall, several embedding themselves in the hell hound's fur. At first, it thrashes about even more, but in a little while it slows down, eventually stopping.

You've managed to use almost every trap in order to... kill a hell hound. I am impressed. +50 EXP.

Go back and give Hreklor the antidote?

[KirbyBoy2000]

Yeah.

[Prince Toad]

You retreat through the hall, stepping around the known traps and the dying hell hound, and emerge on the other side. Hreklor's standing there, looking about the same as before. Seeing you, he roars and speaks.

Hreklor: Got that antidote for me, lass?!
Oriana: Yeah, right here.
Hreklor: GREAT!

He rips the top off the vial and swallows a small amount of the contents, replacing the cap with a violent motion.

Hreklor: Good job! I heard a dying hell hound, too! Not bad! Ahaha!

He shoots an icy beam into the hall from which you just came.

Hreklor: Looks like you're a Snowflake who settled! That's as opposed to melted! Aha!
Oriana: Thanks?
Hreklor: Alright, go back to that first room you came in! Here's a key! It's for the southern door! Go in and tell them what's on this note! Ahhh!

He nearly sets the note on fire with his random magic burst, but manages to control it long enough to hand you the paper. You read "The first snow falls" before he tosses it into the air and burns it.

Hreklor: Got it?
Oriana: Yup, I think so.
Hreklor: GREAT! Get in there!
Oriana: Yeah... thank you, sir.

Mission complete! +100 XP. You leveled up. Choose another move for your Primary Focus, and split 250 between your stats. And... 200 between HP and MP.

[ October 11, 2004, 03:54 PM: Message edited by: Prince Toad ]

[KirbyBoy2000]

+150HP, +50MP, 50Focus, +100Agility, +25Mana, +50Dominance, +25 Aura.

Inspect- Look at something with more focus, helps find traps and figure out how to disarm them or open locks.

Oh... right. I'll go... wherever I was supposed to.

[ October 11, 2004, 04:11 PM: Message edited by: KirbyBoy2000 ]

[Prince Toad]

K.

You follow his orders and go to the first room, where you notice four blindfolds on the ground. You find the southern door and put the key in. As you open it, you find a dagger at your throat.

Voice: How's the weather outside?
Oriana: Ah-- the first snow falls!
Voice: Very well. Come in, First Snow.

Guild Promotion: First Snow. +50 EXP. Usually you get one new skill for each focus, but not for the first one. You also get a "rank gift," which you'll receive shortly, new shop items, better payoffs, and in... four promotions you'll get Specializations.

The door is pushed open the rest of the way to reveal a tall, blonde woman. She leads you into a hall with several doors on each side. Without hesitation, she opens the first one on the right and takes you in.

On one wall, there are several weapons: swords, daggers, darts, and crossbows. She crosses the room and sizes you up.

Woman: I'm Aesryl the Sharp. I make sure all our First Snows get equipped right. Think of it as your first rank gift. Here's 500 gold, and choose one of these weapons.

She indicates the iron swords, daggers, darts, and light crossbows on the shelves.

Aesryl: You can buy more at the shop, although you're a little limited due to your rank. What's it gonna be?

a) Sword
b) Dagger
c) Darts
d) Crossbow

Note that you can use pretty much any weapon, this isn't a permanent choice. Just a starter thing.

[ October 11, 2004, 09:56 PM: Message edited by: Prince Toad ]

[KirbyBoy2000]

I'll take the darts.

[Prince Toad]

Aesryl: Darts it is.

She takes one of the cases and hands them to you.

Aesryl: Should be 25 iron darts in there. You can buy more cases in the shop, or other items. Whatever. You're pretty much on your own now. You can go do your blood note, buy some stuff, whatever. I gotta go guard the door again. Good luck.

She guides you out and directs you down the hall, towards the entrance to the main part of the enormous complex. Looking down into your hand, you find a perfectly folded piece of white paper. You unfold it and find red lettering inside spelling out: Crasdol Girin. Do what?

a) Find out more about Girin
b) Look for a shop
c) Look for people to ask stuff

[KirbyBoy2000]

C.

[Prince Toad]

You enter a lounge and find several people hanging out. Even the members of a secret assassin organization aren't so antisocial, apparently. They look up and grin at you.

Man: Hey! You're a First Snow?
Oriana: Yeah...
Man: Well then. Welcome to the Tong. Do enjoy your stay here. Anything you wanna know?

[KirbyBoy2000]

"Two things really. For one, where is the shop in here? And as for the second... do you know anything about something called Crasdol Girin?

[Prince Toad]

Man: Yeah, First Snow shop's around that corner there, first door on the right. As for Girin, I don't know about Crasdol, but House Girin is one of the smaller Houses trying to get some power. You're going to get a lot of political blood notes, so get used to it. Not all of them will be though. Oh, by the way, see that doorway on the other side of the lounge? In there's Vargadon Map-Maker. As you could guess, he sells maps, but he also knows more than anyone else I've ever met about geography. He could probably direct you to this Girin fellow's manor. It's incredible, really. A little ways down that hall is our resident savant, Eysa. She'll tell you anything you need to know about Houses, politics, specific people, rumors, or whatever. She's got a pretty thorough spy network.
Oriana: Thanks, that's very helpful.
Man: Ah! But I haven't introduced myself. I'm Gjordi the Snake, a Fierce Snowstorm here. If you need, I can find people to train with you, for a price. Well then, unless there's anything else, on your way.

[KirbyBoy2000]

Go to the shop first.

[Prince Toad]

Alright. Wanna see weapons, accessories, poisons, or items? (Instruments are available to Snowsong users as well, but obviously you aren't one.)

[KirbyBoy2000]

Uhh... whichever tools would be in. Items I'd guess. Then poisons.