[RP] Tea and Magic

Side blog for RP ( 18+ only ) I am 28 years old. There will be dark & NSFW content. Heed the tags/warnings !

[rp-tea-and-magic]

Welcome on my side account for roleplay !

Main account : https://tea-and-magic.tumblr.com/ I like to write various kind of stories, from bright & wholesome to dark & taboo. I only RP with adults (18+), even for SFW RPs.

I like to explore various forms of RP and collaborative writing; from writing a fanfiction together, to organizing big roleplay games with many people.

I do not tolerate harassment toward real people, especially not over fiction. I support creators and their right to create freely.

When I become too busy or when inspiration evade me, my answers might slow down without a warning. Please, be patient with me !

-

Current interests :

• Harry Potter : I'm fascinated by Severus Snape, especially in the marauders era. I'm also very fond of Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald !

• Dungeons & Dragons / Baldur's Gate III : I love illithids/mind flayers, githyankis & githzerais !

Feel free to message me so we can start plotting together !

-

Let's write something bewitching together !

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia stopped looking around when she heard her captor speaking. He was talking to another gith, requesting an audience with his queen. She noted the way the other gith sneered at him and wondered about that.

Either that guy is an arsehole to everyone or my captor isn’t very popular with his kin, she thought. At least I know for sure he’s one of Vlaakith’s. But what does she want with me?

She wondered what this gith did with others of her kind he captured. Considering how sadistic he seemed, she was sure she didn’t really want to know. She hoped she wouldn’t find out.

Why am I so important to Vlaakith? Dahlia thought, frustrated. She strained to hear what her captor was saying in a whisper to the other gith but couldn’t make it out. Does she just want to kill me herself? There has to be another reason she wants me alive. I’m sure he’d have killed me if she wanted me dead. And would enjoy it too. She shuddered at the thought.

Dahlia tried moving her hands in their restraints, testing how much motion she had. She was far better with magic while channeling it through her music, but perhaps if she could move her hand enough, she might be able to cast a spell? She didn’t have much hope, but she tried, wriggling her hands as much as she could against the chains.

Should I try to run? Or stick around and hope to get information for the rebellion? she thought. She didn’t want to just sit around waiting for him to take her to Vlaakith, but she also wasn’t sure if she could even get away, especially chained, unarmed, and with psionics suppressed.

Dahlia was also starting to feel a little dizzy from the blood loss, silvery blood still dripping from her throbbing tentacles. She swayed a bit as a wave of light-headedness hit her, but forced herself to remain upright and awake. She tried again to move her hands, biting back a snarl of frustration when it didn’t work.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The kith'rak expression went from bored to interested but doubtful in a matter of seconds. "Really ? And you managed to capture it ?" It was obvious he didn't trust Helios's words. Helios approached from her squirming form on the ground, his communication device still gripped in his hand so that the kith'rak could see for himself. The ghaik had managed to sit, upright and proud. Oh, how nice ! The proud ones were the funniest to break ! But this would have to wait, unfortunately, for he was on there on a (self appointed) mission. "I only see a ghaik," protested the kith'rak. "Bleeding pitifully. How would I know this is the one we were looking for and not just one of your usual toys ?" Helios snarled, barking at the ghaik : "Your identity, ghaik. Now."

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia fought the urge to flinch away from the gith as he approached. She held her head high, glaring at the two of them.

Looks like my captor isn’t respected by his kin, Dahlia thought. I wonder why that is?

“Your identity, ghaik. Now,” her captor snapped at her.

Dahlia stares at him, dumbfounded. How in the Hells does he expect me to talk without my psionics? Dahlia thought.

She just shook her head, bewildered.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The ghaik refused. If the circumstances had been different, if Helios' career had not depended on whether he could convince this irritating kith'rak to obtain him an audience with the queen... If it wasn't for all of this, Helios would have been delighted ! Finally, after weeks and weeks of istiks and weaklings who didn't dare to fight back, finally, there was someone who, even in such a desperate situation, would refuse to bend. Someone he could -and would- tear apart slowly, tearing and marking its flesh until its mind was utterly broken. How many days, weeks, months before it started to beg for death ? How many years before it started doing anything Helios asked, no matter how abhorrent, humiliating or painful, in the hope that, finally satisfied, Helios would release it from this existence ? He had thought that no one could ever be as entertaining as its previous toy ; others slaves had all been so boring in comparison. But perhaps, he had not been expecting enough from the hero of Baldur's Gate - an illithid who must have believed itself above those of its kind. If only the circumstances had been different, he could have proceeded slowly and enjoyed each second of it. But the kith'rak patience was fraying, and he couldn't afford for him to hang up. Helios kicked the ghaik violently in the stomach. A brusque method that didn't suit his usual refinement, but the kith'rak wouldn't have the patience for something more elaborate. "Your identity, ghaik," he repeated, taking hold of the chain linked to the collar, and tugging with enough strength to bend the ghaik's neck painfully, keeping the rest of its body back with one boot still pressing on that tender stomach.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia bit back a cry of pain as the githyanki kicked her in her already bruised stomach. She was already tender in that area from having his knee slammed into her belly earlier.

“Your identity, ghaik,” he repeated, yanking on the chain attached to her collar, foot pressing on her stomach.

She grabbed at the chain, trying to pull away. The collar was biting painfully into her neck.

What does he expect from me?

Dahlia shook her head again, gesturing at the collar, squirming as she tried to get his foot off of her, or put some slack in the chain.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The ghaik stayed silent, shaking its head with something akin to panic... Ah. Did it even know how to speak without its psionics ? Most were taught how to in these colonies of them, but one's teaching was sometimes incomplete. If this was the case... But before he could offer not-so-nicely a suggestion, the kith'rak had had been talking to spat : "I have better use of my time than this. Not everyone take pleasure in watching ghaiks squirm, vin'isk !" The connection was cut. "Tsk'va !" spat Helios as he tried to call back his only chance of an audience with the queen. But the kith'rak must not have been in the mood to be disturbed further, for he didn't pick up Helios' calls.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

It seemed that the gith was finally understanding that she couldn’t speak. She wondered vaguely if he knew something she didn’t, some way that illithids could speak without telepathy. It was possible—after all, she didn’t know everything about her own kind yet.

He opened his mouth to say something when the other gith he was speaking to seemed to reach the end of his patience and ended their conversation.

Her captor swore and attempted to call the other githyanki again.

Dahlia waited, still clutching the chain attached to her collar. Anxiety filled her as she watched him. She feared that he would take his frustration out on her, and judging by his reputation, he as very good at torturing illithids.

She dug her heels into the ground and pulled at her chain, trying desperately to get away from the gith.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The kith'rak wouldn't take his calls anymore. Infuriated, he nearly crushed the device on his hand, but forced himself to relax the grip of his fingers. He would have to try again tomorrow - perhaps his interlocutor would be in a more patient mood then. He slipped the device back in his pocket and crouched on the floor, leaning toward the ghaik until their eyes aligned. "Now, you can be a good little ghaik and stuck a tentacle down your throat," he cooed in his most sickeningly sweet tone, a smile without warmth on his lips, "or I can use you as a test subject for the new torture methods I have been developing recently." He tilted his head, staring at the ghaik with excitement, for both possibilities would be pleasing for him - the second one, particularly, would allow him to let off some steam after the infuriating way he had been treated by the kith'rak. But it would be unfair to not even leave a chance for this pathetic creature to earn relative safety by cooperating. "So, what will it be...?"

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia stopped looking around when she heard her captor speaking. He was talking to another gith, requesting an audience with his queen. She noted the way the other gith sneered at him and wondered about that.

Either that guy is an arsehole to everyone or my captor isn’t very popular with his kin, she thought. At least I know for sure he’s one of Vlaakith’s. But what does she want with me?

She wondered what this gith did with others of her kind he captured. Considering how sadistic he seemed, she was sure she didn’t really want to know. She hoped she wouldn’t find out.

Why am I so important to Vlaakith? Dahlia thought, frustrated. She strained to hear what her captor was saying in a whisper to the other gith but couldn’t make it out. Does she just want to kill me herself? There has to be another reason she wants me alive. I’m sure he’d have killed me if she wanted me dead. And would enjoy it too. She shuddered at the thought.

Dahlia tried moving her hands in their restraints, testing how much motion she had. She was far better with magic while channeling it through her music, but perhaps if she could move her hand enough, she might be able to cast a spell? She didn’t have much hope, but she tried, wriggling her hands as much as she could against the chains.

Should I try to run? Or stick around and hope to get information for the rebellion? she thought. She didn’t want to just sit around waiting for him to take her to Vlaakith, but she also wasn’t sure if she could even get away, especially chained, unarmed, and with psionics suppressed.

Dahlia was also starting to feel a little dizzy from the blood loss, silvery blood still dripping from her throbbing tentacles. She swayed a bit as a wave of light-headedness hit her, but forced herself to remain upright and awake. She tried again to move her hands, biting back a snarl of frustration when it didn’t work.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The kith'rak expression went from bored to interested but doubtful in a matter of seconds. "Really ? And you managed to capture it ?" It was obvious he didn't trust Helios's words. Helios approached from her squirming form on the ground, his communication device still gripped in his hand so that the kith'rak could see for himself. The ghaik had managed to sit, upright and proud. Oh, how nice ! The proud ones were the funniest to break ! But this would have to wait, unfortunately, for he was on there on a (self appointed) mission. "I only see a ghaik," protested the kith'rak. "Bleeding pitifully. How would I know this is the one we were looking for and not just one of your usual toys ?" Helios snarled, barking at the ghaik : "Your identity, ghaik. Now."

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia fought the urge to flinch away from the gith as he approached. She held her head high, glaring at the two of them.

Looks like my captor isn’t respected by his kin, Dahlia thought. I wonder why that is?

“Your identity, ghaik. Now,” her captor snapped at her.

Dahlia stares at him, dumbfounded. How in the Hells does he expect me to talk without my psionics? Dahlia thought.

She just shook her head, bewildered.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The ghaik refused. If the circumstances had been different, if Helios' career had not depended on whether he could convince this irritating kith'rak to obtain him an audience with the queen... If it wasn't for all of this, Helios would have been delighted ! Finally, after weeks and weeks of istiks and weaklings who didn't dare to fight back, finally, there was someone who, even in such a desperate situation, would refuse to bend. Someone he could -and would- tear apart slowly, tearing and marking its flesh until its mind was utterly broken. How many days, weeks, months before it started to beg for death ? How many years before it started doing anything Helios asked, no matter how abhorrent, humiliating or painful, in the hope that, finally satisfied, Helios would release it from this existence ? He had thought that no one could ever be as entertaining as its previous toy ; others slaves had all been so boring in comparison. But perhaps, he had not been expecting enough from the hero of Baldur's Gate - an illithid who must have believed itself above those of its kind. If only the circumstances had been different, he could have proceeded slowly and enjoyed each second of it. But the kith'rak patience was fraying, and he couldn't afford for him to hang up. Helios kicked the ghaik violently in the stomach. A brusque method that didn't suit his usual refinement, but the kith'rak wouldn't have the patience for something more elaborate. "Your identity, ghaik," he repeated, taking hold of the chain linked to the collar, and tugging with enough strength to bend the ghaik's neck painfully, keeping the rest of its body back with one boot still pressing on that tender stomach.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia bit back a cry of pain as the githyanki kicked her in her already bruised stomach. She was already tender in that area from having his knee slammed into her belly earlier.

“Your identity, ghaik,” he repeated, yanking on the chain attached to her collar, foot pressing on her stomach.

She grabbed at the chain, trying to pull away. The collar was biting painfully into her neck.

What does he expect from me?

Dahlia shook her head again, gesturing at the collar, squirming as she tried to get his foot off of her, or put some slack in the chain.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The ghaik stayed silent, shaking its head with something akin to panic... Ah. Did it even know how to speak without its psionics ? Most were taught how to in these colonies of them, but one's teaching was sometimes incomplete. If this was the case... But before he could offer not-so-nicely a suggestion, the kith'rak had had been talking to spat : "I have better use of my time than this. Not everyone take pleasure in watching ghaiks squirm, vin'isk !" The connection was cut. "Tsk'va !" spat Helios as he tried to call back his only chance of an audience with the queen. But the kith'rak must not have been in the mood to be disturbed further, for he didn't pick up Helios' calls.

[blog-tea-and-magic]

Little reminder : I am against censorship, bullying and harassment. I am pro kinks and the exploration of any themes through fiction. As long as the real people involved in its creation were all able to give consent, I will fight for the right for that story to exist. Fictional characters are nothing but vessels for a story, and if the story you want to explore is a non-con, underage, incestuous, zoophillia, necrophilia story... I want you to be able to write it without fear. Even when it's a story I personally don't want to read : you shouldn't have to censor yourself for me. I invite those who have a problem with this stance to block me immediately. Everyone else ? Take a cup of tea and welcome on my blog ! ;)

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia stopped looking around when she heard her captor speaking. He was talking to another gith, requesting an audience with his queen. She noted the way the other gith sneered at him and wondered about that.

Either that guy is an arsehole to everyone or my captor isn’t very popular with his kin, she thought. At least I know for sure he’s one of Vlaakith’s. But what does she want with me?

She wondered what this gith did with others of her kind he captured. Considering how sadistic he seemed, she was sure she didn’t really want to know. She hoped she wouldn’t find out.

Why am I so important to Vlaakith? Dahlia thought, frustrated. She strained to hear what her captor was saying in a whisper to the other gith but couldn’t make it out. Does she just want to kill me herself? There has to be another reason she wants me alive. I’m sure he’d have killed me if she wanted me dead. And would enjoy it too. She shuddered at the thought.

Dahlia tried moving her hands in their restraints, testing how much motion she had. She was far better with magic while channeling it through her music, but perhaps if she could move her hand enough, she might be able to cast a spell? She didn’t have much hope, but she tried, wriggling her hands as much as she could against the chains.

Should I try to run? Or stick around and hope to get information for the rebellion? she thought. She didn’t want to just sit around waiting for him to take her to Vlaakith, but she also wasn’t sure if she could even get away, especially chained, unarmed, and with psionics suppressed.

Dahlia was also starting to feel a little dizzy from the blood loss, silvery blood still dripping from her throbbing tentacles. She swayed a bit as a wave of light-headedness hit her, but forced herself to remain upright and awake. She tried again to move her hands, biting back a snarl of frustration when it didn’t work.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The kith'rak expression went from bored to interested but doubtful in a matter of seconds. "Really ? And you managed to capture it ?" It was obvious he didn't trust Helios's words. Helios approached from her squirming form on the ground, his communication device still gripped in his hand so that the kith'rak could see for himself. The ghaik had managed to sit, upright and proud. Oh, how nice ! The proud ones were the funniest to break ! But this would have to wait, unfortunately, for he was on there on a (self appointed) mission. "I only see a ghaik," protested the kith'rak. "Bleeding pitifully. How would I know this is the one we were looking for and not just one of your usual toys ?" Helios snarled, barking at the ghaik : "Your identity, ghaik. Now."

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia fought the urge to flinch away from the gith as he approached. She held her head high, glaring at the two of them.

Looks like my captor isn’t respected by his kin, Dahlia thought. I wonder why that is?

“Your identity, ghaik. Now,” her captor snapped at her.

Dahlia stares at him, dumbfounded. How in the Hells does he expect me to talk without my psionics? Dahlia thought.

She just shook her head, bewildered.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The ghaik refused. If the circumstances had been different, if Helios' career had not depended on whether he could convince this irritating kith'rak to obtain him an audience with the queen... If it wasn't for all of this, Helios would have been delighted ! Finally, after weeks and weeks of istiks and weaklings who didn't dare to fight back, finally, there was someone who, even in such a desperate situation, would refuse to bend. Someone he could -and would- tear apart slowly, tearing and marking its flesh until its mind was utterly broken. How many days, weeks, months before it started to beg for death ? How many years before it started doing anything Helios asked, no matter how abhorrent, humiliating or painful, in the hope that, finally satisfied, Helios would release it from this existence ? He had thought that no one could ever be as entertaining as its previous toy ; others slaves had all been so boring in comparison. But perhaps, he had not been expecting enough from the hero of Baldur's Gate - an illithid who must have believed itself above those of its kind. If only the circumstances had been different, he could have proceeded slowly and enjoyed each second of it. But the kith'rak patience was fraying, and he couldn't afford for him to hang up. Helios kicked the ghaik violently in the stomach. A brusque method that didn't suit his usual refinement, but the kith'rak wouldn't have the patience for something more elaborate. "Your identity, ghaik," he repeated, taking hold of the chain linked to the collar, and tugging with enough strength to bend the ghaik's neck painfully, keeping the rest of its body back with one boot still pressing on that tender stomach.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia stopped looking around when she heard her captor speaking. He was talking to another gith, requesting an audience with his queen. She noted the way the other gith sneered at him and wondered about that.

Either that guy is an arsehole to everyone or my captor isn’t very popular with his kin, she thought. At least I know for sure he’s one of Vlaakith’s. But what does she want with me?

She wondered what this gith did with others of her kind he captured. Considering how sadistic he seemed, she was sure she didn’t really want to know. She hoped she wouldn’t find out.

Why am I so important to Vlaakith? Dahlia thought, frustrated. She strained to hear what her captor was saying in a whisper to the other gith but couldn’t make it out. Does she just want to kill me herself? There has to be another reason she wants me alive. I’m sure he’d have killed me if she wanted me dead. And would enjoy it too. She shuddered at the thought.

Dahlia tried moving her hands in their restraints, testing how much motion she had. She was far better with magic while channeling it through her music, but perhaps if she could move her hand enough, she might be able to cast a spell? She didn’t have much hope, but she tried, wriggling her hands as much as she could against the chains.

Should I try to run? Or stick around and hope to get information for the rebellion? she thought. She didn’t want to just sit around waiting for him to take her to Vlaakith, but she also wasn’t sure if she could even get away, especially chained, unarmed, and with psionics suppressed.

Dahlia was also starting to feel a little dizzy from the blood loss, silvery blood still dripping from her throbbing tentacles. She swayed a bit as a wave of light-headedness hit her, but forced herself to remain upright and awake. She tried again to move her hands, biting back a snarl of frustration when it didn’t work.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The kith'rak expression went from bored to interested but doubtful in a matter of seconds. "Really ? And you managed to capture it ?" It was obvious he didn't trust Helios's words. Helios approached from her squirming form on the ground, his communication device still gripped in his hand so that the kith'rak could see for himself. The ghaik had managed to sit, upright and proud. Oh, how nice ! The proud ones were the funniest to break ! But this would have to wait, unfortunately, for he was on there on a (self appointed) mission. "I only see a ghaik," protested the kith'rak. "Bleeding pitifully. How would I know this is the one we were looking for and not just one of your usual toys ?" Helios snarled, barking at the ghaik : "Your identity, ghaik. Now."

[tea-and-magic]

One of my characters drawn by the wonderful @corvitine ! Helios is a dangerous, sadistic, cruel kith'rak with a fascination for ghaiks... Instead of killing them on sight, which he is supposed to do, he enjoy capturing them, torturing them and utterly breaking them. Of course, he has no qualms doing that against fellow githyankis either, if they stand on his way or if they dare to anger his Queen ! Some of his known past victims are Xatrov (one of my characters) and Dahlia (@tunes-and-tentacles's character), though they both survived their encounter with him, contrarily to many others. Who knows who might be next...? Maybe your character...?

[tunes-and-tentacles]

@tea-and-magic

Dahlia knelt beside the corpse of the young woman, observing the grisly sight before her. This was the latest victim of the killer that she was trying to catch, and they always had a gruesome, clearly agonizing death. She glanced at the sobbing man standing nearby, the girl’s father. He had been the one to discover the body. She could feel the distress coming off of him and did her best to not let it overwhelm her. The hardest part of being an illithid, for Dahlia at least, was controlling her emotions and blocking out the thoughts and feelings of others.

Her mind brushed against Jaheira’s, silently getting her attention. The leader of the Harpers let her in, and she asked, ‘Do you think I should try Speak with Dead?’

Jaheira paused, then said in a whisper, “No. I doubt you’ll learn anything you don’t already know.”

Dahlia sighed with frustration, agreeing with her. None of the other victims knew their attacker. The only information she’d gotten was that their murderer was a githyanki, and he was after Dahlia. She suspected the gith was one of Vlaakith’s—she had defied the gith Queen at every turn and she knew that Vlaakith must have hated her.

Still, why kill innocent people if he wanted Dahlia? Why not just confront her? It seemed strange to her—and absolutely infuriated the normally sweet-natured mind flayer. She was angry, both at the killer and at herself for not having caught him yet.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ she said to Jaheira. ‘I just wish there was something more I could do!’ How many more times would she have to tell a victim’s family that she would bring the killer to justice while having no real leads to follow?

Jaheira seemed to sense Dahlia’s frustration. She put a hand on her shoulder and said, “You won’t get anywhere by getting angry about it. Focus; we’ll solve this, and find the killer.”

Dahlia took a deep breath and nodded. I hope you’re right about that, she thought.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

@tunes-and-tentacles

(warning : murder & torture)

The man pleaded and screamed, as Helios cut apart his wife in front of him. Still, this human didn't say anything about the illithid who was living in this city. Perhaps he truly didn't know anything about it, like he had repeatedly told Helios. Useless istiks. They didn't seem to know anything. At least, if they had fought back skillfully, it would have been entertaining. But they seemed unable to, weaklings that they were. As soon as he stepped on them, breaking their ribs under his boots, they broke down, screaming and wailing, incoherent pleads on their lips. That's why he disliked human slaves - they couldn't endure anything and died quickly.

This mission was starting to get extremely frustrating. He had been tracking this illithid for weeks - and he still knew nothing new. The city was big, unfamiliar, filled with annoying *locals*. The thought of staying longer was torturous - and yet, to let go of this opportunity to impress the Queen, to climb in the hierarchy... Unthinkable. He gutted the man, quickly and efficiently, and winced when blood splattered on his boots -crafted for him by a renowned mlar. He wiped it on the corpse's clothes. Tasteless bland clothes. Everything was tasteless and boring in this house - except, perhaps, the beautiful silver earrings that the woman was wearing. He tore them apart from the corpse, admiring the way her blood completed the delicate pieces of jewelry. At least, this had not been a complete waste of his time.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched with sadness as the man left with his daughter’s body to lay her to rest. There had been no more information to glean from the scene, but she had yet again made a promise of justice that she wanted more than anything to keep. The man had looked at her and said, “I hope you keep your promise.”

Dahlia had been surprised by how steady his gaze and eyes were when he said that, considering how distraught he was. Just a moment ago, he had seemed incoherent with grief.

‘I will,’ she insisted, her words full of resolve. She kept her doubts to herself, pushed away in her mind so they didn’t come through to the man. He had just looked at her and nodded, then turned his attention to his daughter’s body.

Jaheira put a hand on Dahlia’s shoulder. “Let’s go. There’s nothing more we can do here,” she said.

‘It seems like there’s nothing we can do anywhere at the moment,’ said Dahlia bitterly, before she could stop herself.

She didn’t normally get angry, could normally bring optimism to her problems. This time, though, she was furious.

“That kind of thinking will go you nowhere,” Jaheira replied sternly.

Dahlia appreciated the older woman’s unwavering attitude, and the fact that she never coddled her. Dahlia hated being coddled, and knew she could count on Jaheira to be both honest and realistic. If she thought they could do this, Dahlia would as well.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ said Dahlia, pushing the anger away. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, willing her emotions to calm. ‘Let’s go!’

Jahiera nodded in approval and the two of them set off, toward the Harper’s base. Dahlia kept her mind open while they walked, trying to catch any stray thoughts or feelings that might give them a clue as to where the murderer was.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

(Warning : more torture and murder) A new victim, already - a passer-by, who had taken the unwise decision to wander through secluded streets, alone. And the even more unwise decision to not answer satisfyingly to Helios's questions. The feeble human was running away, trying to reach the main street. He was probably trying to call for help -not that anyone there would be able to stop a proper githyanki warrior, but it would be entertaining at least. The man kept holding his stomach as he ran, probably trying to stop his organs from slipping out. His calls for help were barely audible - weak gurgling sounds. Helios caught up to him and tripped him. The man fell to the ground with a mix of dry and wet noises -nose cracking and blood tainting the stones. Carelessly, Helios pressed his boot on the man back, until the man organs started to spill, until the man attempts to form words ceased - weak screams and heavy breathing the only sounds left.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia was suddenly hit by a wave of terror and agony, so overwhelming she fell from her hover beside Jaheira to her feet. She stumbled back a few steps, frantically looking around her.

She barely heard Jaheira ask her what was wrong, focusing entirely on the dying mind she felt. She bore the pain as best she could and honed in on the mind she felt. He was nearly dead, and his attacker was still there, slowly killing him.

‘I know where he is!’ Dahlia said, returning to herself. She was shaking from the pain she had felt from the man.

Without waiting for a response, she took off running, ignoring Jaheira’s calls to wait. She used the dying man’s mind as a beacon, readying her trident as she ran.

Dahlia quickly made her way to the location of the man and saw a githyanki warrior standing on him, slowly crushing the man under his boot.

‘YOU!’ She bellowed, pouring all of her anger and frustration into the single word. She swiftly aimed and threw Nyrulna at the gith.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"YOU !" The scream was full of rage and frustration. A relative of his soon-to-be-dead victim, perhaps...?

Or a hero-wanna-be who was seeming at the thought of injustice ? A wicked grin stretched across Helios's face, but before he could turn toward his opponent, he felt something coming toward him. Fast.

He leaned backward, just in time. Electric sparks burnt him as the trident passed close to him. The weapon hit the ground instead, and exploded. Helios tried to protect himself from the blast with his non-wielding sword arm - a mistake. His arm got burnt and torn, twisted and cracked. His chest-plate as well got greatly damaged - but at least, protected him from more harm No matter what others might say, he was still a githyanki, though, and could fight through pain, even when it became excruciating. He faced his opponent, his sword hold tight in his healthy hand, a mocking remark on his lips when he realized what was facing him. Could it be...? Was he really so lucky ? After searching in vain for weeks, his prey, facing him of its own accord...? He would have to make sure. "What a surprise... ! Are you the hero of the city ?" he asked, with the light tone one would use to speak of the weather, as he played with his sword, making it turn around with a flick of his wrist "Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki ?"

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched as Nyrulna soared past the githyanki. He dodged the trident’s deadly prongs, only to get blasted by its magic. She was never one to enjoy the suffering of others, but a small part of her couldn’t help but feel satisfaction from the damaged caused by her weapon.

She caught the trident as it returned to her hand, keeping a steady grip on it.

“What a surprise! Are you the hero of the city?” the gith asked. His tone was casual, but she knew this was no friendly chat. Her dark eyes remained focused solely on him and his sword. “Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki?”

‘I think you know damn well who I am, considering you’ve been killing my people to find me,’ Dahlia said coldly. ‘Well, here I am. Let me guess, your Queen,’ she spat the word with disgust, ‘wants me dead?’

She swung her trident up, now holding it with both hands. Its familiar weight steadied her. Dahlia knew she was being reckless. She hoped to get some answers from the gith before she was forced to kill him.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"It is my lucky day, it seems ! For once, the ghaik I am pursuing is coming throwing itself directly into my claws," he bragged, licking his lips, tasting his own blood with delight. He didn't gave any warnings. Nor did he gave any answers about his motive. The ghaik would learn quickly enough what the Queen wanted with it, anyway, when brought in front of her. It would be tied up like a pretty gift, perhaps with a few less limbs - Helios had a particular fondness for cutting ghaik flesh, and couldn't wait for this mission to be finished so he could go back at that. The citizen of this city were so much less... entertaining. He threw one of the smoke bomb he had made -filled with a particular mixture of mushrooms, it would prevent any psionics to be used - and ran toward the ghaik, intending to trip it and make it fall on the ground, while pretending to strike with his sword.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia coughed as the smoke filled the air, instinctively raising her trident in an attempt to block an incoming attack. She very quickly realized that something was very wrong as she fell from her hover—she couldn’t use her psionics!

She forced herself to remain calm and squinted through the smoke. There—a figure in the smoke, heading right towards her. She anticipated an attack and lifted Nyrulna to deflect the attack she was sure was coming.

Dahlia wished she had the time to cast a spell, since she couldn’t use her psionics, but knew she would have to fight with her weapon instead. She knew she wouldn’t be able to reach for her violin in time to use her magic.

So she held her trident in a defensive posture, ready to block a hit and hopefully counterattack.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The sword landed heavily on the trident, but it had never been Helios's true goal. He leaned forward, placed his ankle behind the illithid's own ankle, and pulled it toward himself with all his strength. The ghaik, meek thing that it was -though it seemed stronger than usual illithid- stumbled, loosing its precious balance, with no psionics to stabilize it.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia felt the gith’s blade connect with her trident but before she could even attempt to counterattack, her leg was suddenly swept out from under her. She attempted to keep her balance on her other leg but couldn’t, and she fell back, finding herself on the ground in front of the cruel githyanki.

Tentacles snapping at the air in frustration, she readjusted her grip on her trident and tried to get back up to fight.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

Warning : violence & gore Helios let himself fall, his sword encountering the trident once again, with a burst of angry sparks. Some of them flared against his already burned fingers, eating at his skin, letting the bones appears in tiny white dots among red. But his muscles still answered and he pressed on, forcing the ghaik to stay in this disadvantageous position. He placed one of his knee on the side of its body, for support, while his other knee violently pushed against the ghaik stomach. He pressed on it with all his body weight, trying to make it loose its breath -and its control over its weapon. "Underestimating your betters, ghaik ?" he teased with a cruel smirk, ready to send the ghaik's trident flying away as soon as it would loose its focus.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

The gith’s knee pressed into her belly, driving the breath from her. She bit back the pained sound in her throat, refusing to give him the satisfaction. Wincing, she tried with all her might to keep her hands on Nyrulna.

“Underestimating your betters, ghaik?” he taunted.

Dahlia couldn’t respond—without her psionics she couldn’t use telepathy—so she responded with a glare. Her eyes narrowed as she struggled to take a breath. Her arms began to shake with the strain of holding her weapon against the githyanki, her lungs screaming for air.

Out of desperation, she let the weapon fall away, and at the same time hoping the forward momentum of the gith pressing down on her would bring his head closer to her face. Perhaps having her tentacles around his face and his head near her mouth would give her an advantage.

She hoped it would make him pause or at least give her a chance to fight back and catch her breath.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

Waring : gore & mutilation The fog would not last for long, and Helios had to act fast. Finally, after a short but exhausting struggle, the ghaik let go of its weapon, choosing to attack him with tentacles instead. He saw the tentacles getting closer to his face, but ignored it, focusing on getting the collar fixed on its belt and to clasp it around his target neck. He heard the satisfying metallic noise indicating that the collar was safely in place, and that the ghaik wouldn't be able to use psionics until Helios decided to free it, just as the tentacles closed on his head and tightened. Sharp teeth missed his good eye by an inch only ; a chance, he thought, despite his skin peeling because of the digestive acid and his nose being partially teared apart from his face.

In the dark, moist embrace, he couldn't see anything. Yet, he groped for his knife in the dark, and when he found it, he gripped tightly the tentacles in one hand, and severed them with the other. One cut was enough to completely sever one of the tentacle. The second cut was not as efficient : the tentacle stayed attached to the ghaik face, though only by a thin slice of skin that kept getting thinner as the severed appendice was attracted toward the ground by gravity. Silver blood spilled beautifully, in a spectacle that never failed to rejoice Helios' cruel heart, despite the two tentacles left around his own head.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia barely had time to register the collar that closed around her neck before the gith’s knife met her tentacles. Agony, the worst pain she had felt since undergoing ceremorphosis, was all she could focus on. She tore her tendrils away from the githyanki’s head.

This time, she couldn’t hold back the screech of pain that tore from her throat. She thrashed, trying to dislodge the gith from on top of her.

Dahlia felt herself losing consciousness and fought to stay awake. Her vision blurred as she tried to escape, panic filling her as she struggled.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The ghaik released him as it panicked and trashed around hopelessly, screaming, screeching, gurgling like the wounded beast it was. The ghaik's managed to cause a few bruises, but compared to the pain in his arm, hand, and face, this was nothing. Breathing through his half-eaten nose was excruciating, though, and it was a good thing that the fight was nearly over. Helios didn't waste this opportunity, taking hold of the two tentacles that were left. He hold them together with one hand, close to the tip, away from the mouth, the teeth, and the flesh-dissolving saliva. He ordered in a threatening whisper : "Surrender, ghaik, and I might let you keep these."

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia froze when the gith grabbed at her two remaining tentacles, wincing at his crushing grip on the appendages. Breathing heavily, she glared up at him. The last thing she wanted to do was give in to this murderer. But she also didn’t want to lose the other two tentacles she had.

If I play along, maybe I can figure out what his plan is. If Vlaakith is involved, I might even be able to help the rebellion, she thought.

She mulled it over for a moment before she forced herself to relax, giving in to the gith’s demands. Dahlia still trembled at the pain in her missing tentacles, fighting through the agony.

She glared at the gith, promising herself that he would pay, not just for herself but all of his victims. Part of her wished to grab for her trident, to put an end to this now. But she knew this fight was over. At least for now.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

Disappointingly, the ghaik happened to be a reasonable one. But at least, this would make it easier to subdue it and the faster he would be done with this, the faster he would be able to heal himself and see if he would be left with scars, again.

He kept holding the tentacles in one hand, fumbling into his bag with the other, getting all kind of chains and manacles. This ghaik's submission was certainly temporary and he needed to take precautions. He encased the tentacles -the deadliest limb of an illitihid when they didn't have a trident at the reach of their hand - into manacles, did the same for the hand, and used a copious amount of chains to make sure it couldn't move its hands or its tentacles away from its chest. Then, he opened a portal to its camp, its tent, in the wilderness. It was too soon for a meeting with the queen, he was required to ask for an audience. It might be different once he would become a real kith'rak, and receive all the honors of his rank, but for now, he would have to be patient.

He gripped the illithid through its chains, not caring if he was strangling it a little, and threw it, without any precaution, through the portal. He jumped through the portal as well, taking the time, once on the other side, to admire his work one last time : the way the silver blood shone on the deserted street's pavement, the discarded weapon and the -now dead- man who had lured its target to him. Beautiful. Satisfied, he searched his bag for two health potions and a balm against burns. He walked toward the makeshift bed and sat on it. The illithid was squirming on the floor, close to the extinguish fire-pit, still bleeding silver from its severed tentacles. Helios ignored it, applying instead the balm to his arm, taking all his time.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia struggled to not resist as the githyanki began to chain her tentacles and hands to her chest. Part of her couldn’t help but feel like she was making a mistake giving in to his demands and she felt fear welling up inside her. She fought the fear and panic and forced herself to remain calm as he bound her tightly.

The gith opened a portal and threw her through it. Dahlia took one last look at her home, wondering if Jaheira was looking for her. She wished she had listened when she had been told to wait. Perhaps the two of them would have been able to beat the gith in a fight.

She also realized how alone she felt. She had been too distracted by the fight—and then the agony of losing her tentacles—to fully realize that she couldn’t feel the Emperor anymore. With her psionics suppressed, her mind was cut off from her partner’s.

That hurt nearly as much as having her tentacles cut off.

The panic returned as the gith approached and she struggled against the restraints. He ignored her as he tended to his wounds. She sat up, refusing to just lay there on the ground. She glanced around, not recognizing where they were. She didn’t know where to go if she managed to get away.

What is he waiting for? she thought. If the gith was one of Vlaakith’s, she had thought he would have taken her to his Queen. Had she been wrong to assume he worked for Vlaakith?

She growled with frustration. Not knowing what was going on made her anxious, and the anxiety made her even more angry with the githyanki. Whatever his plans were, she hoped she would find out sooner rather than later.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

Helios reached for the communicator hidden beneath his makeshift bed and activated it. When nothing and no one answered, he activated it again. It took four time for the projected picture of a grumpy kith'rak to appear. "Not everyone can afford to be distracted by your calls, vin'isk ! There are important matters happening here," the githyanki snarled, pointy teeth showing, eyebrows frowned. "Not as important as the news I bring, I assure you," answered Helios with an honey-sweet voice that made his interlocutor shiver in disgust. "I require an audience with our mighty, eternal queen..." The kith'rak's laugh interrupted him quite rudely. "An audience with the queen, none the less ! And why would she grant some of her precious time to someone like you ?" How dare...! The rudeness and the disdain he had to face would soon be a thing of the past, Helios was certain of it. With the catch he was about to bring before his queen, he would receive all the honors ! Perhaps an even higher rank than his interlocutor, perhaps he could become the Queen's silver now that Voss had betrayed them and lost his place among them... He turned the communicator toward the ghaik he had captured, and announced proudly : "I have a gift for her." "Another one of your tortured slaves ?" snipped disdainfully the kith'rak. "You are the only one who see a point in keeping ghaiks alive. The sight of their shivering tentacles doesn't bring joy to anyone but you, zith."

Helios bristled at the insult. "It is not just any ghaik !" he argued. "But the one the queen herself desire to see in captivity more than she desire anything else !" He lowered his voice to an ominous whisper -more to impress the importance of his hushed words than to prevent anyone from hearing him : "It is the ghaik who assimilated the hshar'lak prince's powers..."

[tunes-and-tentacles]

@tea-and-magic

Dahlia knelt beside the corpse of the young woman, observing the grisly sight before her. This was the latest victim of the killer that she was trying to catch, and they always had a gruesome, clearly agonizing death. She glanced at the sobbing man standing nearby, the girl’s father. He had been the one to discover the body. She could feel the distress coming off of him and did her best to not let it overwhelm her. The hardest part of being an illithid, for Dahlia at least, was controlling her emotions and blocking out the thoughts and feelings of others.

Her mind brushed against Jaheira’s, silently getting her attention. The leader of the Harpers let her in, and she asked, ‘Do you think I should try Speak with Dead?’

Jaheira paused, then said in a whisper, “No. I doubt you’ll learn anything you don’t already know.”

Dahlia sighed with frustration, agreeing with her. None of the other victims knew their attacker. The only information she’d gotten was that their murderer was a githyanki, and he was after Dahlia. She suspected the gith was one of Vlaakith’s—she had defied the gith Queen at every turn and she knew that Vlaakith must have hated her.

Still, why kill innocent people if he wanted Dahlia? Why not just confront her? It seemed strange to her—and absolutely infuriated the normally sweet-natured mind flayer. She was angry, both at the killer and at herself for not having caught him yet.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ she said to Jaheira. ‘I just wish there was something more I could do!’ How many more times would she have to tell a victim’s family that she would bring the killer to justice while having no real leads to follow?

Jaheira seemed to sense Dahlia’s frustration. She put a hand on her shoulder and said, “You won’t get anywhere by getting angry about it. Focus; we’ll solve this, and find the killer.”

Dahlia took a deep breath and nodded. I hope you’re right about that, she thought.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

@tunes-and-tentacles

(warning : murder & torture)

The man pleaded and screamed, as Helios cut apart his wife in front of him. Still, this human didn't say anything about the illithid who was living in this city. Perhaps he truly didn't know anything about it, like he had repeatedly told Helios. Useless istiks. They didn't seem to know anything. At least, if they had fought back skillfully, it would have been entertaining. But they seemed unable to, weaklings that they were. As soon as he stepped on them, breaking their ribs under his boots, they broke down, screaming and wailing, incoherent pleads on their lips. That's why he disliked human slaves - they couldn't endure anything and died quickly.

This mission was starting to get extremely frustrating. He had been tracking this illithid for weeks - and he still knew nothing new. The city was big, unfamiliar, filled with annoying *locals*. The thought of staying longer was torturous - and yet, to let go of this opportunity to impress the Queen, to climb in the hierarchy... Unthinkable. He gutted the man, quickly and efficiently, and winced when blood splattered on his boots -crafted for him by a renowned mlar. He wiped it on the corpse's clothes. Tasteless bland clothes. Everything was tasteless and boring in this house - except, perhaps, the beautiful silver earrings that the woman was wearing. He tore them apart from the corpse, admiring the way her blood completed the delicate pieces of jewelry. At least, this had not been a complete waste of his time.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched with sadness as the man left with his daughter’s body to lay her to rest. There had been no more information to glean from the scene, but she had yet again made a promise of justice that she wanted more than anything to keep. The man had looked at her and said, “I hope you keep your promise.”

Dahlia had been surprised by how steady his gaze and eyes were when he said that, considering how distraught he was. Just a moment ago, he had seemed incoherent with grief.

‘I will,’ she insisted, her words full of resolve. She kept her doubts to herself, pushed away in her mind so they didn’t come through to the man. He had just looked at her and nodded, then turned his attention to his daughter’s body.

Jaheira put a hand on Dahlia’s shoulder. “Let’s go. There’s nothing more we can do here,” she said.

‘It seems like there’s nothing we can do anywhere at the moment,’ said Dahlia bitterly, before she could stop herself.

She didn’t normally get angry, could normally bring optimism to her problems. This time, though, she was furious.

“That kind of thinking will go you nowhere,” Jaheira replied sternly.

Dahlia appreciated the older woman’s unwavering attitude, and the fact that she never coddled her. Dahlia hated being coddled, and knew she could count on Jaheira to be both honest and realistic. If she thought they could do this, Dahlia would as well.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ said Dahlia, pushing the anger away. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, willing her emotions to calm. ‘Let’s go!’

Jahiera nodded in approval and the two of them set off, toward the Harper’s base. Dahlia kept her mind open while they walked, trying to catch any stray thoughts or feelings that might give them a clue as to where the murderer was.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

(Warning : more torture and murder) A new victim, already - a passer-by, who had taken the unwise decision to wander through secluded streets, alone. And the even more unwise decision to not answer satisfyingly to Helios's questions. The feeble human was running away, trying to reach the main street. He was probably trying to call for help -not that anyone there would be able to stop a proper githyanki warrior, but it would be entertaining at least. The man kept holding his stomach as he ran, probably trying to stop his organs from slipping out. His calls for help were barely audible - weak gurgling sounds. Helios caught up to him and tripped him. The man fell to the ground with a mix of dry and wet noises -nose cracking and blood tainting the stones. Carelessly, Helios pressed his boot on the man back, until the man organs started to spill, until the man attempts to form words ceased - weak screams and heavy breathing the only sounds left.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia was suddenly hit by a wave of terror and agony, so overwhelming she fell from her hover beside Jaheira to her feet. She stumbled back a few steps, frantically looking around her.

She barely heard Jaheira ask her what was wrong, focusing entirely on the dying mind she felt. She bore the pain as best she could and honed in on the mind she felt. He was nearly dead, and his attacker was still there, slowly killing him.

‘I know where he is!’ Dahlia said, returning to herself. She was shaking from the pain she had felt from the man.

Without waiting for a response, she took off running, ignoring Jaheira’s calls to wait. She used the dying man’s mind as a beacon, readying her trident as she ran.

Dahlia quickly made her way to the location of the man and saw a githyanki warrior standing on him, slowly crushing the man under his boot.

‘YOU!’ She bellowed, pouring all of her anger and frustration into the single word. She swiftly aimed and threw Nyrulna at the gith.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"YOU !" The scream was full of rage and frustration. A relative of his soon-to-be-dead victim, perhaps...?

Or a hero-wanna-be who was seeming at the thought of injustice ? A wicked grin stretched across Helios's face, but before he could turn toward his opponent, he felt something coming toward him. Fast.

He leaned backward, just in time. Electric sparks burnt him as the trident passed close to him. The weapon hit the ground instead, and exploded. Helios tried to protect himself from the blast with his non-wielding sword arm - a mistake. His arm got burnt and torn, twisted and cracked. His chest-plate as well got greatly damaged - but at least, protected him from more harm No matter what others might say, he was still a githyanki, though, and could fight through pain, even when it became excruciating. He faced his opponent, his sword hold tight in his healthy hand, a mocking remark on his lips when he realized what was facing him. Could it be...? Was he really so lucky ? After searching in vain for weeks, his prey, facing him of its own accord...? He would have to make sure. "What a surprise... ! Are you the hero of the city ?" he asked, with the light tone one would use to speak of the weather, as he played with his sword, making it turn around with a flick of his wrist "Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki ?"

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched as Nyrulna soared past the githyanki. He dodged the trident’s deadly prongs, only to get blasted by its magic. She was never one to enjoy the suffering of others, but a small part of her couldn’t help but feel satisfaction from the damaged caused by her weapon.

She caught the trident as it returned to her hand, keeping a steady grip on it.

“What a surprise! Are you the hero of the city?” the gith asked. His tone was casual, but she knew this was no friendly chat. Her dark eyes remained focused solely on him and his sword. “Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki?”

‘I think you know damn well who I am, considering you’ve been killing my people to find me,’ Dahlia said coldly. ‘Well, here I am. Let me guess, your Queen,’ she spat the word with disgust, ‘wants me dead?’

She swung her trident up, now holding it with both hands. Its familiar weight steadied her. Dahlia knew she was being reckless. She hoped to get some answers from the gith before she was forced to kill him.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"It is my lucky day, it seems ! For once, the ghaik I am pursuing is coming throwing itself directly into my claws," he bragged, licking his lips, tasting his own blood with delight. He didn't gave any warnings. Nor did he gave any answers about his motive. The ghaik would learn quickly enough what the Queen wanted with it, anyway, when brought in front of her. It would be tied up like a pretty gift, perhaps with a few less limbs - Helios had a particular fondness for cutting ghaik flesh, and couldn't wait for this mission to be finished so he could go back at that. The citizen of this city were so much less... entertaining. He threw one of the smoke bomb he had made -filled with a particular mixture of mushrooms, it would prevent any psionics to be used - and ran toward the ghaik, intending to trip it and make it fall on the ground, while pretending to strike with his sword.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia coughed as the smoke filled the air, instinctively raising her trident in an attempt to block an incoming attack. She very quickly realized that something was very wrong as she fell from her hover—she couldn’t use her psionics!

She forced herself to remain calm and squinted through the smoke. There—a figure in the smoke, heading right towards her. She anticipated an attack and lifted Nyrulna to deflect the attack she was sure was coming.

Dahlia wished she had the time to cast a spell, since she couldn’t use her psionics, but knew she would have to fight with her weapon instead. She knew she wouldn’t be able to reach for her violin in time to use her magic.

So she held her trident in a defensive posture, ready to block a hit and hopefully counterattack.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The sword landed heavily on the trident, but it had never been Helios's true goal. He leaned forward, placed his ankle behind the illithid's own ankle, and pulled it toward himself with all his strength. The ghaik, meek thing that it was -though it seemed stronger than usual illithid- stumbled, loosing its precious balance, with no psionics to stabilize it.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia felt the gith’s blade connect with her trident but before she could even attempt to counterattack, her leg was suddenly swept out from under her. She attempted to keep her balance on her other leg but couldn’t, and she fell back, finding herself on the ground in front of the cruel githyanki.

Tentacles snapping at the air in frustration, she readjusted her grip on her trident and tried to get back up to fight.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

Warning : violence & gore Helios let himself fall, his sword encountering the trident once again, with a burst of angry sparks. Some of them flared against his already burned fingers, eating at his skin, letting the bones appears in tiny white dots among red. But his muscles still answered and he pressed on, forcing the ghaik to stay in this disadvantageous position. He placed one of his knee on the side of its body, for support, while his other knee violently pushed against the ghaik stomach. He pressed on it with all his body weight, trying to make it loose its breath -and its control over its weapon. "Underestimating your betters, ghaik ?" he teased with a cruel smirk, ready to send the ghaik's trident flying away as soon as it would loose its focus.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

The gith’s knee pressed into her belly, driving the breath from her. She bit back the pained sound in her throat, refusing to give him the satisfaction. Wincing, she tried with all her might to keep her hands on Nyrulna.

“Underestimating your betters, ghaik?” he taunted.

Dahlia couldn’t respond—without her psionics she couldn’t use telepathy—so she responded with a glare. Her eyes narrowed as she struggled to take a breath. Her arms began to shake with the strain of holding her weapon against the githyanki, her lungs screaming for air.

Out of desperation, she let the weapon fall away, and at the same time hoping the forward momentum of the gith pressing down on her would bring his head closer to her face. Perhaps having her tentacles around his face and his head near her mouth would give her an advantage.

She hoped it would make him pause or at least give her a chance to fight back and catch her breath.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

Waring : gore & mutilation The fog would not last for long, and Helios had to act fast. Finally, after a short but exhausting struggle, the ghaik let go of its weapon, choosing to attack him with tentacles instead. He saw the tentacles getting closer to his face, but ignored it, focusing on getting the collar fixed on its belt and to clasp it around his target neck. He heard the satisfying metallic noise indicating that the collar was safely in place, and that the ghaik wouldn't be able to use psionics until Helios decided to free it, just as the tentacles closed on his head and tightened. Sharp teeth missed his good eye by an inch only ; a chance, he thought, despite his skin peeling because of the digestive acid and his nose being partially teared apart from his face.

In the dark, moist embrace, he couldn't see anything. Yet, he groped for his knife in the dark, and when he found it, he gripped tightly the tentacles in one hand, and severed them with the other. One cut was enough to completely sever one of the tentacle. The second cut was not as efficient : the tentacle stayed attached to the ghaik face, though only by a thin slice of skin that kept getting thinner as the severed appendice was attracted toward the ground by gravity. Silver blood spilled beautifully, in a spectacle that never failed to rejoice Helios' cruel heart, despite the two tentacles left around his own head.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia barely had time to register the collar that closed around her neck before the gith’s knife met her tentacles. Agony, the worst pain she had felt since undergoing ceremorphosis, was all she could focus on. She tore her tendrils away from the githyanki’s head.

This time, she couldn’t hold back the screech of pain that tore from her throat. She thrashed, trying to dislodge the gith from on top of her.

Dahlia felt herself losing consciousness and fought to stay awake. Her vision blurred as she tried to escape, panic filling her as she struggled.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The ghaik released him as it panicked and trashed around hopelessly, screaming, screeching, gurgling like the wounded beast it was. The ghaik's managed to cause a few bruises, but compared to the pain in his arm, hand, and face, this was nothing. Breathing through his half-eaten nose was excruciating, though, and it was a good thing that the fight was nearly over. Helios didn't waste this opportunity, taking hold of the two tentacles that were left. He hold them together with one hand, close to the tip, away from the mouth, the teeth, and the flesh-dissolving saliva. He ordered in a threatening whisper : "Surrender, ghaik, and I might let you keep these."

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia froze when the gith grabbed at her two remaining tentacles, wincing at his crushing grip on the appendages. Breathing heavily, she glared up at him. The last thing she wanted to do was give in to this murderer. But she also didn’t want to lose the other two tentacles she had.

If I play along, maybe I can figure out what his plan is. If Vlaakith is involved, I might even be able to help the rebellion, she thought.

She mulled it over for a moment before she forced herself to relax, giving in to the gith’s demands. Dahlia still trembled at the pain in her missing tentacles, fighting through the agony.

She glared at the gith, promising herself that he would pay, not just for herself but all of his victims. Part of her wished to grab for her trident, to put an end to this now. But she knew this fight was over. At least for now.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

Disappointingly, the ghaik happened to be a reasonable one. But at least, this would make it easier to subdue it and the faster he would be done with this, the faster he would be able to heal himself and see if he would be left with scars, again.

He kept holding the tentacles in one hand, fumbling into his bag with the other, getting all kind of chains and manacles. This ghaik's submission was certainly temporary and he needed to take precautions. He encased the tentacles -the deadliest limb of an illitihid when they didn't have a trident at the reach of their hand - into manacles, did the same for the hands, and used a copious amount of chains to make sure it couldn't move its hands or its tentacles away from its chest. Then, he opened a portal to its camp, its tent, in the wilderness. It was too soon for a meeting with the queen, he was required to ask for an audience. It might be different once he would become a real kith'rak, and receive all the honors of his rank, but for now, he would have to be patient.

He gripped the illithid through its chains, not caring if he was strangling it a little, and threw it, without any precaution, through the portal. He jumped through the portal as well, taking the time, once on the other side, to admire his work one last time : the way the silver blood shone on the deserted street's pavement, the discarded weapon and the -now dead- man who had lured its target to him. Beautiful. Satisfied, he searched his bag for two health potions and a balm against burns. He walked toward the makeshift bed and sat on it. The illithid was squirming on the floor, close to the extinguished fire-pit, still bleeding silver from its severed tentacles. Helios ignored it, applying instead the balm to his arm, taking all his time.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

@tea-and-magic

Dahlia knelt beside the corpse of the young woman, observing the grisly sight before her. This was the latest victim of the killer that she was trying to catch, and they always had a gruesome, clearly agonizing death. She glanced at the sobbing man standing nearby, the girl’s father. He had been the one to discover the body. She could feel the distress coming off of him and did her best to not let it overwhelm her. The hardest part of being an illithid, for Dahlia at least, was controlling her emotions and blocking out the thoughts and feelings of others.

Her mind brushed against Jaheira’s, silently getting her attention. The leader of the Harpers let her in, and she asked, ‘Do you think I should try Speak with Dead?’

Jaheira paused, then said in a whisper, “No. I doubt you’ll learn anything you don’t already know.”

Dahlia sighed with frustration, agreeing with her. None of the other victims knew their attacker. The only information she’d gotten was that their murderer was a githyanki, and he was after Dahlia. She suspected the gith was one of Vlaakith’s—she had defied the gith Queen at every turn and she knew that Vlaakith must have hated her.

Still, why kill innocent people if he wanted Dahlia? Why not just confront her? It seemed strange to her—and absolutely infuriated the normally sweet-natured mind flayer. She was angry, both at the killer and at herself for not having caught him yet.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ she said to Jaheira. ‘I just wish there was something more I could do!’ How many more times would she have to tell a victim’s family that she would bring the killer to justice while having no real leads to follow?

Jaheira seemed to sense Dahlia’s frustration. She put a hand on her shoulder and said, “You won’t get anywhere by getting angry about it. Focus; we’ll solve this, and find the killer.”

Dahlia took a deep breath and nodded. I hope you’re right about that, she thought.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

@tunes-and-tentacles

(warning : murder & torture)

The man pleaded and screamed, as Helios cut apart his wife in front of him. Still, this human didn't say anything about the illithid who was living in this city. Perhaps he truly didn't know anything about it, like he had repeatedly told Helios. Useless istiks. They didn't seem to know anything. At least, if they had fought back skillfully, it would have been entertaining. But they seemed unable to, weaklings that they were. As soon as he stepped on them, breaking their ribs under his boots, they broke down, screaming and wailing, incoherent pleads on their lips. That's why he disliked human slaves - they couldn't endure anything and died quickly.

This mission was starting to get extremely frustrating. He had been tracking this illithid for weeks - and he still knew nothing new. The city was big, unfamiliar, filled with annoying *locals*. The thought of staying longer was torturous - and yet, to let go of this opportunity to impress the Queen, to climb in the hierarchy... Unthinkable. He gutted the man, quickly and efficiently, and winced when blood splattered on his boots -crafted for him by a renowned mlar. He wiped it on the corpse's clothes. Tasteless bland clothes. Everything was tasteless and boring in this house - except, perhaps, the beautiful silver earrings that the woman was wearing. He tore them apart from the corpse, admiring the way her blood completed the delicate pieces of jewelry. At least, this had not been a complete waste of his time.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched with sadness as the man left with his daughter’s body to lay her to rest. There had been no more information to glean from the scene, but she had yet again made a promise of justice that she wanted more than anything to keep. The man had looked at her and said, “I hope you keep your promise.”

Dahlia had been surprised by how steady his gaze and eyes were when he said that, considering how distraught he was. Just a moment ago, he had seemed incoherent with grief.

‘I will,’ she insisted, her words full of resolve. She kept her doubts to herself, pushed away in her mind so they didn’t come through to the man. He had just looked at her and nodded, then turned his attention to his daughter’s body.

Jaheira put a hand on Dahlia’s shoulder. “Let’s go. There’s nothing more we can do here,” she said.

‘It seems like there’s nothing we can do anywhere at the moment,’ said Dahlia bitterly, before she could stop herself.

She didn’t normally get angry, could normally bring optimism to her problems. This time, though, she was furious.

“That kind of thinking will go you nowhere,” Jaheira replied sternly.

Dahlia appreciated the older woman’s unwavering attitude, and the fact that she never coddled her. Dahlia hated being coddled, and knew she could count on Jaheira to be both honest and realistic. If she thought they could do this, Dahlia would as well.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ said Dahlia, pushing the anger away. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, willing her emotions to calm. ‘Let’s go!’

Jahiera nodded in approval and the two of them set off, toward the Harper’s base. Dahlia kept her mind open while they walked, trying to catch any stray thoughts or feelings that might give them a clue as to where the murderer was.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

(Warning : more torture and murder) A new victim, already - a passer-by, who had taken the unwise decision to wander through secluded streets, alone. And the even more unwise decision to not answer satisfyingly to Helios's questions. The feeble human was running away, trying to reach the main street. He was probably trying to call for help -not that anyone there would be able to stop a proper githyanki warrior, but it would be entertaining at least. The man kept holding his stomach as he ran, probably trying to stop his organs from slipping out. His calls for help were barely audible - weak gurgling sounds. Helios caught up to him and tripped him. The man fell to the ground with a mix of dry and wet noises -nose cracking and blood tainting the stones. Carelessly, Helios pressed his boot on the man back, until the man organs started to spill, until the man attempts to form words ceased - weak screams and heavy breathing the only sounds left.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia was suddenly hit by a wave of terror and agony, so overwhelming she fell from her hover beside Jaheira to her feet. She stumbled back a few steps, frantically looking around her.

She barely heard Jaheira ask her what was wrong, focusing entirely on the dying mind she felt. She bore the pain as best she could and honed in on the mind she felt. He was nearly dead, and his attacker was still there, slowly killing him.

‘I know where he is!’ Dahlia said, returning to herself. She was shaking from the pain she had felt from the man.

Without waiting for a response, she took off running, ignoring Jaheira’s calls to wait. She used the dying man’s mind as a beacon, readying her trident as she ran.

Dahlia quickly made her way to the location of the man and saw a githyanki warrior standing on him, slowly crushing the man under his boot.

‘YOU!’ She bellowed, pouring all of her anger and frustration into the single word. She swiftly aimed and threw Nyrulna at the gith.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"YOU !" The scream was full of rage and frustration. A relative of his soon-to-be-dead victim, perhaps...?

Or a hero-wanna-be who was seeming at the thought of injustice ? A wicked grin stretched across Helios's face, but before he could turn toward his opponent, he felt something coming toward him. Fast.

He leaned backward, just in time. Electric sparks burnt him as the trident passed close to him. The weapon hit the ground instead, and exploded. Helios tried to protect himself from the blast with his non-wielding sword arm - a mistake. His arm got burnt and torn, twisted and cracked. His chest-plate as well got greatly damaged - but at least, protected him from more harm No matter what others might say, he was still a githyanki, though, and could fight through pain, even when it became excruciating. He faced his opponent, his sword hold tight in his healthy hand, a mocking remark on his lips when he realized what was facing him. Could it be...? Was he really so lucky ? After searching in vain for weeks, his prey, facing him of its own accord...? He would have to make sure. "What a surprise... ! Are you the hero of the city ?" he asked, with the light tone one would use to speak of the weather, as he played with his sword, making it turn around with a flick of his wrist "Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki ?"

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched as Nyrulna soared past the githyanki. He dodged the trident’s deadly prongs, only to get blasted by its magic. She was never one to enjoy the suffering of others, but a small part of her couldn’t help but feel satisfaction from the damaged caused by her weapon.

She caught the trident as it returned to her hand, keeping a steady grip on it.

“What a surprise! Are you the hero of the city?” the gith asked. His tone was casual, but she knew this was no friendly chat. Her dark eyes remained focused solely on him and his sword. “Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki?”

‘I think you know damn well who I am, considering you’ve been killing my people to find me,’ Dahlia said coldly. ‘Well, here I am. Let me guess, your Queen,’ she spat the word with disgust, ‘wants me dead?’

She swung her trident up, now holding it with both hands. Its familiar weight steadied her. Dahlia knew she was being reckless. She hoped to get some answers from the gith before she was forced to kill him.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"It is my lucky day, it seems ! For once, the ghaik I am pursuing is coming throwing itself directly into my claws," he bragged, licking his lips, tasting his own blood with delight. He didn't gave any warnings. Nor did he gave any answers about his motive. The ghaik would learn quickly enough what the Queen wanted with it, anyway, when brought in front of her. It would be tied up like a pretty gift, perhaps with a few less limbs - Helios had a particular fondness for cutting ghaik flesh, and couldn't wait for this mission to be finished so he could go back at that. The citizen of this city were so much less... entertaining. He threw one of the smoke bomb he had made -filled with a particular mixture of mushrooms, it would prevent any psionics to be used - and ran toward the ghaik, intending to trip it and make it fall on the ground, while pretending to strike with his sword.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia coughed as the smoke filled the air, instinctively raising her trident in an attempt to block an incoming attack. She very quickly realized that something was very wrong as she fell from her hover—she couldn’t use her psionics!

She forced herself to remain calm and squinted through the smoke. There—a figure in the smoke, heading right towards her. She anticipated an attack and lifted Nyrulna to deflect the attack she was sure was coming.

Dahlia wished she had the time to cast a spell, since she couldn’t use her psionics, but knew she would have to fight with her weapon instead. She knew she wouldn’t be able to reach for her violin in time to use her magic.

So she held her trident in a defensive posture, ready to block a hit and hopefully counterattack.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The sword landed heavily on the trident, but it had never been Helios's true goal. He leaned forward, placed his ankle behind the illithid's own ankle, and pulled it toward himself with all his strength. The ghaik, meek thing that it was -though it seemed stronger than usual illithid- stumbled, loosing its precious balance, with no psionics to stabilize it.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia felt the gith’s blade connect with her trident but before she could even attempt to counterattack, her leg was suddenly swept out from under her. She attempted to keep her balance on her other leg but couldn’t, and she fell back, finding herself on the ground in front of the cruel githyanki.

Tentacles snapping at the air in frustration, she readjusted her grip on her trident and tried to get back up to fight.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

Warning : violence & gore Helios let himself fall, his sword encountering the trident once again, with a burst of angry sparks. Some of them flared against his already burned fingers, eating at his skin, letting the bones appears in tiny white dots among red. But his muscles still answered and he pressed on, forcing the ghaik to stay in this disadvantageous position. He placed one of his knee on the side of its body, for support, while his other knee violently pushed against the ghaik stomach. He pressed on it with all his body weight, trying to make it loose its breath -and its control over its weapon. "Underestimating your betters, ghaik ?" he teased with a cruel smirk, ready to send the ghaik's trident flying away as soon as it would loose its focus.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

The gith’s knee pressed into her belly, driving the breath from her. She bit back the pained sound in her throat, refusing to give him the satisfaction. Wincing, she tried with all her might to keep her hands on Nyrulna.

“Underestimating your betters, ghaik?” he taunted.

Dahlia couldn’t respond—without her psionics she couldn’t use telepathy—so she responded with a glare. Her eyes narrowed as she struggled to take a breath. Her arms began to shake with the strain of holding her weapon against the githyanki, her lungs screaming for air.

Out of desperation, she let the weapon fall away, and at the same time hoping the forward momentum of the gith pressing down on her would bring his head closer to her face. Perhaps having her tentacles around his face and his head near her mouth would give her an advantage.

She hoped it would make him pause or at least give her a chance to fight back and catch her breath.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

Waring : gore & mutilation The fog would not last for long, and Helios had to act fast. Finally, after a short but exhausting struggle, the ghaik let go of its weapon, choosing to attack him with tentacles instead. He saw the tentacles getting closer to his face, but ignored it, focusing on getting the collar fixed on its belt and to clasp it around his target neck. He heard the satisfying metallic noise indicating that the collar was safely in place, and that the ghaik wouldn't be able to use psionics until Helios decided to free it, just as the tentacles closed on his head and tightened. Sharp teeth missed his good eye by an inch only ; a chance, he thought, despite his skin peeling because of the digestive acid and his nose being partially teared apart from his face.

In the dark, moist embrace, he couldn't see anything. Yet, he groped for his knife in the dark, and when he found it, he gripped tightly the tentacles in one hand, and severed them with the other. One cut was enough to completely sever one of the tentacle. The second cut was not as efficient : the tentacle stayed attached to the ghaik face, though only by a thin slice of skin that kept getting thinner as the severed appendice was attracted toward the ground by gravity. Silver blood spilled beautifully, in a spectacle that never failed to rejoice Helios' cruel heart, despite the two tentacles left around his own head.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia barely had time to register the collar that closed around her neck before the gith’s knife met her tentacles. Agony, the worst pain she had felt since undergoing ceremorphosis, was all she could focus on. She tore her tendrils away from the githyanki’s head.

This time, she couldn’t hold back the screech of pain that tore from her throat. She thrashed, trying to dislodge the gith from on top of her.

Dahlia felt herself losing consciousness and fought to stay awake. Her vision blurred as she tried to escape, panic filling her as she struggled.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The ghaik released him as it panicked and trashed around hopelessly, screaming, screeching, gurgling like the wounded beast it was. The ghaik's managed to cause a few bruises, but compared to the pain in his arm, hand, and face, this was nothing. Breathing through his half-eaten nose was excruciating, though, and it was a good thing that the fight was nearly over. Helios didn't waste this opportunity, taking hold of the two tentacles that were left. He hold them together with one hand, close to the tip, away from the mouth, the teeth, and the flesh-dissolving saliva. He ordered in a threatening whisper : "Surrender, ghaik, and I might let you keep these."

[tunes-and-tentacles]

@tea-and-magic

Dahlia knelt beside the corpse of the young woman, observing the grisly sight before her. This was the latest victim of the killer that she was trying to catch, and they always had a gruesome, clearly agonizing death. She glanced at the sobbing man standing nearby, the girl’s father. He had been the one to discover the body. She could feel the distress coming off of him and did her best to not let it overwhelm her. The hardest part of being an illithid, for Dahlia at least, was controlling her emotions and blocking out the thoughts and feelings of others.

Her mind brushed against Jaheira’s, silently getting her attention. The leader of the Harpers let her in, and she asked, ‘Do you think I should try Speak with Dead?’

Jaheira paused, then said in a whisper, “No. I doubt you’ll learn anything you don’t already know.”

Dahlia sighed with frustration, agreeing with her. None of the other victims knew their attacker. The only information she’d gotten was that their murderer was a githyanki, and he was after Dahlia. She suspected the gith was one of Vlaakith’s—she had defied the gith Queen at every turn and she knew that Vlaakith must have hated her.

Still, why kill innocent people if he wanted Dahlia? Why not just confront her? It seemed strange to her—and absolutely infuriated the normally sweet-natured mind flayer. She was angry, both at the killer and at herself for not having caught him yet.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ she said to Jaheira. ‘I just wish there was something more I could do!’ How many more times would she have to tell a victim’s family that she would bring the killer to justice while having no real leads to follow?

Jaheira seemed to sense Dahlia’s frustration. She put a hand on her shoulder and said, “You won’t get anywhere by getting angry about it. Focus; we’ll solve this, and find the killer.”

Dahlia took a deep breath and nodded. I hope you’re right about that, she thought.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

@tunes-and-tentacles

(warning : murder & torture)

The man pleaded and screamed, as Helios cut apart his wife in front of him. Still, this human didn't say anything about the illithid who was living in this city. Perhaps he truly didn't know anything about it, like he had repeatedly told Helios. Useless istiks. They didn't seem to know anything. At least, if they had fought back skillfully, it would have been entertaining. But they seemed unable to, weaklings that they were. As soon as he stepped on them, breaking their ribs under his boots, they broke down, screaming and wailing, incoherent pleads on their lips. That's why he disliked human slaves - they couldn't endure anything and died quickly.

This mission was starting to get extremely frustrating. He had been tracking this illithid for weeks - and he still knew nothing new. The city was big, unfamiliar, filled with annoying *locals*. The thought of staying longer was torturous - and yet, to let go of this opportunity to impress the Queen, to climb in the hierarchy... Unthinkable. He gutted the man, quickly and efficiently, and winced when blood splattered on his boots -crafted for him by a renowned mlar. He wiped it on the corpse's clothes. Tasteless bland clothes. Everything was tasteless and boring in this house - except, perhaps, the beautiful silver earrings that the woman was wearing. He tore them apart from the corpse, admiring the way her blood completed the delicate pieces of jewelry. At least, this had not been a complete waste of his time.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched with sadness as the man left with his daughter’s body to lay her to rest. There had been no more information to glean from the scene, but she had yet again made a promise of justice that she wanted more than anything to keep. The man had looked at her and said, “I hope you keep your promise.”

Dahlia had been surprised by how steady his gaze and eyes were when he said that, considering how distraught he was. Just a moment ago, he had seemed incoherent with grief.

‘I will,’ she insisted, her words full of resolve. She kept her doubts to herself, pushed away in her mind so they didn’t come through to the man. He had just looked at her and nodded, then turned his attention to his daughter’s body.

Jaheira put a hand on Dahlia’s shoulder. “Let’s go. There’s nothing more we can do here,” she said.

‘It seems like there’s nothing we can do anywhere at the moment,’ said Dahlia bitterly, before she could stop herself.

She didn’t normally get angry, could normally bring optimism to her problems. This time, though, she was furious.

“That kind of thinking will go you nowhere,” Jaheira replied sternly.

Dahlia appreciated the older woman’s unwavering attitude, and the fact that she never coddled her. Dahlia hated being coddled, and knew she could count on Jaheira to be both honest and realistic. If she thought they could do this, Dahlia would as well.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ said Dahlia, pushing the anger away. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, willing her emotions to calm. ‘Let’s go!’

Jahiera nodded in approval and the two of them set off, toward the Harper’s base. Dahlia kept her mind open while they walked, trying to catch any stray thoughts or feelings that might give them a clue as to where the murderer was.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

(Warning : more torture and murder) A new victim, already - a passer-by, who had taken the unwise decision to wander through secluded streets, alone. And the even more unwise decision to not answer satisfyingly to Helios's questions. The feeble human was running away, trying to reach the main street. He was probably trying to call for help -not that anyone there would be able to stop a proper githyanki warrior, but it would be entertaining at least. The man kept holding his stomach as he ran, probably trying to stop his organs from slipping out. His calls for help were barely audible - weak gurgling sounds. Helios caught up to him and tripped him. The man fell to the ground with a mix of dry and wet noises -nose cracking and blood tainting the stones. Carelessly, Helios pressed his boot on the man back, until the man organs started to spill, until the man attempts to form words ceased - weak screams and heavy breathing the only sounds left.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia was suddenly hit by a wave of terror and agony, so overwhelming she fell from her hover beside Jaheira to her feet. She stumbled back a few steps, frantically looking around her.

She barely heard Jaheira ask her what was wrong, focusing entirely on the dying mind she felt. She bore the pain as best she could and honed in on the mind she felt. He was nearly dead, and his attacker was still there, slowly killing him.

‘I know where he is!’ Dahlia said, returning to herself. She was shaking from the pain she had felt from the man.

Without waiting for a response, she took off running, ignoring Jaheira’s calls to wait. She used the dying man’s mind as a beacon, readying her trident as she ran.

Dahlia quickly made her way to the location of the man and saw a githyanki warrior standing on him, slowly crushing the man under his boot.

‘YOU!’ She bellowed, pouring all of her anger and frustration into the single word. She swiftly aimed and threw Nyrulna at the gith.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"YOU !" The scream was full of rage and frustration. A relative of his soon-to-be-dead victim, perhaps...?

Or a hero-wanna-be who was seeming at the thought of injustice ? A wicked grin stretched across Helios's face, but before he could turn toward his opponent, he felt something coming toward him. Fast.

He leaned backward, just in time. Electric sparks burnt him as the trident passed close to him. The weapon hit the ground instead, and exploded. Helios tried to protect himself from the blast with his non-wielding sword arm - a mistake. His arm got burnt and torn, twisted and cracked. His chest-plate as well got greatly damaged - but at least, protected him from more harm No matter what others might say, he was still a githyanki, though, and could fight through pain, even when it became excruciating. He faced his opponent, his sword hold tight in his healthy hand, a mocking remark on his lips when he realized what was facing him. Could it be...? Was he really so lucky ? After searching in vain for weeks, his prey, facing him of its own accord...? He would have to make sure. "What a surprise... ! Are you the hero of the city ?" he asked, with the light tone one would use to speak of the weather, as he played with his sword, making it turn around with a flick of his wrist "Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki ?"

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched as Nyrulna soared past the githyanki. He dodged the trident’s deadly prongs, only to get blasted by its magic. She was never one to enjoy the suffering of others, but a small part of her couldn’t help but feel satisfaction from the damaged caused by her weapon.

She caught the trident as it returned to her hand, keeping a steady grip on it.

“What a surprise! Are you the hero of the city?” the gith asked. His tone was casual, but she knew this was no friendly chat. Her dark eyes remained focused solely on him and his sword. “Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki?”

‘I think you know damn well who I am, considering you’ve been killing my people to find me,’ Dahlia said coldly. ‘Well, here I am. Let me guess, your Queen,’ she spat the word with disgust, ‘wants me dead?’

She swung her trident up, now holding it with both hands. Its familiar weight steadied her. Dahlia knew she was being reckless. She hoped to get some answers from the gith before she was forced to kill him.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"It is my lucky day, it seems ! For once, the ghaik I am pursuing is coming throwing itself directly into my claws," he bragged, licking his lips, tasting his own blood with delight. He didn't gave any warnings. Nor did he gave any answers about his motive. The ghaik would learn quickly enough what the Queen wanted with it, anyway, when brought in front of her. It would be tied up like a pretty gift, perhaps with a few less limbs - Helios had a particular fondness for cutting ghaik flesh, and couldn't wait for this mission to be finished so he could go back at that. The citizen of this city were so much less... entertaining. He threw one of the smoke bomb he had made -filled with a particular mixture of mushrooms, it would prevent any psionics to be used - and ran toward the ghaik, intending to trip it and make it fall on the ground, while pretending to strike with his sword.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia coughed as the smoke filled the air, instinctively raising her trident in an attempt to block an incoming attack. She very quickly realized that something was very wrong as she fell from her hover—she couldn’t use her psionics!

She forced herself to remain calm and squinted through the smoke. There—a figure in the smoke, heading right towards her. She anticipated an attack and lifted Nyrulna to deflect the attack she was sure was coming.

Dahlia wished she had the time to cast a spell, since she couldn’t use her psionics, but knew she would have to fight with her weapon instead. She knew she wouldn’t be able to reach for her violin in time to use her magic.

So she held her trident in a defensive posture, ready to block a hit and hopefully counterattack.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The sword landed heavily on the trident, but it had never been Helios's true goal. He leaned forward, placed his ankle behind the illithid's own ankle, and pulled it toward himself with all his strength. The ghaik, meek thing that it was -though it seemed stronger than usual illithid- stumbled, loosing its precious balance, with no psionics to stabilize it.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia felt the gith’s blade connect with her trident but before she could even attempt to counterattack, her leg was suddenly swept out from under her. She attempted to keep her balance on her other leg but couldn’t, and she fell back, finding herself on the ground in front of the cruel githyanki.

Tentacles snapping at the air in frustration, she readjusted her grip on her trident and tried to get back up to fight.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

Warning : violence & gore Helios let himself fall, his sword encountering the trident once again, with a burst of angry sparks. Some of them flared against his already burned fingers, eating at his skin, letting the bones appears in tiny white dots among red. But his muscles still answered and he pressed on, forcing the ghaik to stay in this disadvantageous position. He placed one of his knee on the side of its body, for support, while his other knee violently pushed against the ghaik stomach. He pressed on it with all his body weight, trying to make it loose its breath -and its control over its weapon. "Underestimating your betters, ghaik ?" he teased with a cruel smirk, ready to send the ghaik's trident flying away as soon as it would loose its focus.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

The gith’s knee pressed into her belly, driving the breath from her. She bit back the pained sound in her throat, refusing to give him the satisfaction. Wincing, she tried with all her might to keep her hands on Nyrulna.

“Underestimating your betters, ghaik?” he taunted.

Dahlia couldn’t respond—without her psionics she couldn’t use telepathy—so she responded with a glare. Her eyes narrowed as she struggled to take a breath. Her arms began to shake with the strain of holding her weapon against the githyanki, her lungs screaming for air.

Out of desperation, she let the weapon fall away, and at the same time hoping the forward momentum of the gith pressing down on her would bring his head closer to her face. Perhaps having her tentacles around his face and his head near her mouth would give her an advantage.

She hoped it would make him pause or at least give her a chance to fight back and catch her breath.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

Waring : gore & mutilation The fog would not last for long, and Helios had to act fast. Finally, after a short but exhausting struggle, the ghaik let go of its weapon, choosing to attack him with tentacles instead. He saw the tentacles getting closer to his face, but ignored it, focusing on getting the collar fixed on its belt and to clasp it around his target neck. He heard the satisfying metallic noise indicating that the collar was safely in place, and that the ghaik wouldn't be able to use psionics until Helios decided to free it, just as the tentacles closed on his head and tightened. Sharp teeth missed his good eye by an inch only ; a chance, he thought, despite his skin peeling because of the digestive acid and his nose being partially teared apart from his face.

In the dark, moist embrace, he couldn't see anything. Yet, he groped for his knife in the dark, and when he found it, he gripped tightly the tentacles in one hand, and severed them with the other. One cut was enough to completely sever one of the tentacle. The second cut was not as efficient : the tentacle stayed attached to the ghaik face, though only by a thin slice of skin that kept getting thinner as the severed appendice was attracted toward the ground by gravity. Silver blood spilled beautifully, in a spectacle that never failed to rejoice Helios' cruel heart, despite the two tentacles left around his own head.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

@tea-and-magic

Dahlia knelt beside the corpse of the young woman, observing the grisly sight before her. This was the latest victim of the killer that she was trying to catch, and they always had a gruesome, clearly agonizing death. She glanced at the sobbing man standing nearby, the girl’s father. He had been the one to discover the body. She could feel the distress coming off of him and did her best to not let it overwhelm her. The hardest part of being an illithid, for Dahlia at least, was controlling her emotions and blocking out the thoughts and feelings of others.

Her mind brushed against Jaheira’s, silently getting her attention. The leader of the Harpers let her in, and she asked, ‘Do you think I should try Speak with Dead?’

Jaheira paused, then said in a whisper, “No. I doubt you’ll learn anything you don’t already know.”

Dahlia sighed with frustration, agreeing with her. None of the other victims knew their attacker. The only information she’d gotten was that their murderer was a githyanki, and he was after Dahlia. She suspected the gith was one of Vlaakith’s—she had defied the gith Queen at every turn and she knew that Vlaakith must have hated her.

Still, why kill innocent people if he wanted Dahlia? Why not just confront her? It seemed strange to her—and absolutely infuriated the normally sweet-natured mind flayer. She was angry, both at the killer and at herself for not having caught him yet.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ she said to Jaheira. ‘I just wish there was something more I could do!’ How many more times would she have to tell a victim’s family that she would bring the killer to justice while having no real leads to follow?

Jaheira seemed to sense Dahlia’s frustration. She put a hand on her shoulder and said, “You won’t get anywhere by getting angry about it. Focus; we’ll solve this, and find the killer.”

Dahlia took a deep breath and nodded. I hope you’re right about that, she thought.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

@tunes-and-tentacles

(warning : murder & torture)

The man pleaded and screamed, as Helios cut apart his wife in front of him. Still, this human didn't say anything about the illithid who was living in this city. Perhaps he truly didn't know anything about it, like he had repeatedly told Helios. Useless istiks. They didn't seem to know anything. At least, if they had fought back skillfully, it would have been entertaining. But they seemed unable to, weaklings that they were. As soon as he stepped on them, breaking their ribs under his boots, they broke down, screaming and wailing, incoherent pleads on their lips. That's why he disliked human slaves - they couldn't endure anything and died quickly.

This mission was starting to get extremely frustrating. He had been tracking this illithid for weeks - and he still knew nothing new. The city was big, unfamiliar, filled with annoying *locals*. The thought of staying longer was torturous - and yet, to let go of this opportunity to impress the Queen, to climb in the hierarchy... Unthinkable. He gutted the man, quickly and efficiently, and winced when blood splattered on his boots -crafted for him by a renowned mlar. He wiped it on the corpse's clothes. Tasteless bland clothes. Everything was tasteless and boring in this house - except, perhaps, the beautiful silver earrings that the woman was wearing. He tore them apart from the corpse, admiring the way her blood completed the delicate pieces of jewelry. At least, this had not been a complete waste of his time.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched with sadness as the man left with his daughter’s body to lay her to rest. There had been no more information to glean from the scene, but she had yet again made a promise of justice that she wanted more than anything to keep. The man had looked at her and said, “I hope you keep your promise.”

Dahlia had been surprised by how steady his gaze and eyes were when he said that, considering how distraught he was. Just a moment ago, he had seemed incoherent with grief.

‘I will,’ she insisted, her words full of resolve. She kept her doubts to herself, pushed away in her mind so they didn’t come through to the man. He had just looked at her and nodded, then turned his attention to his daughter’s body.

Jaheira put a hand on Dahlia’s shoulder. “Let’s go. There’s nothing more we can do here,” she said.

‘It seems like there’s nothing we can do anywhere at the moment,’ said Dahlia bitterly, before she could stop herself.

She didn’t normally get angry, could normally bring optimism to her problems. This time, though, she was furious.

“That kind of thinking will go you nowhere,” Jaheira replied sternly.

Dahlia appreciated the older woman’s unwavering attitude, and the fact that she never coddled her. Dahlia hated being coddled, and knew she could count on Jaheira to be both honest and realistic. If she thought they could do this, Dahlia would as well.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ said Dahlia, pushing the anger away. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, willing her emotions to calm. ‘Let’s go!’

Jahiera nodded in approval and the two of them set off, toward the Harper’s base. Dahlia kept her mind open while they walked, trying to catch any stray thoughts or feelings that might give them a clue as to where the murderer was.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

(Warning : more torture and murder) A new victim, already - a passer-by, who had taken the unwise decision to wander through secluded streets, alone. And the even more unwise decision to not answer satisfyingly to Helios's questions. The feeble human was running away, trying to reach the main street. He was probably trying to call for help -not that anyone there would be able to stop a proper githyanki warrior, but it would be entertaining at least. The man kept holding his stomach as he ran, probably trying to stop his organs from slipping out. His calls for help were barely audible - weak gurgling sounds. Helios caught up to him and tripped him. The man fell to the ground with a mix of dry and wet noises -nose cracking and blood tainting the stones. Carelessly, Helios pressed his boot on the man back, until the man organs started to spill, until the man attempts to form words ceased - weak screams and heavy breathing the only sounds left.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia was suddenly hit by a wave of terror and agony, so overwhelming she fell from her hover beside Jaheira to her feet. She stumbled back a few steps, frantically looking around her.

She barely heard Jaheira ask her what was wrong, focusing entirely on the dying mind she felt. She bore the pain as best she could and honed in on the mind she felt. He was nearly dead, and his attacker was still there, slowly killing him.

‘I know where he is!’ Dahlia said, returning to herself. She was shaking from the pain she had felt from the man.

Without waiting for a response, she took off running, ignoring Jaheira’s calls to wait. She used the dying man’s mind as a beacon, readying her trident as she ran.

Dahlia quickly made her way to the location of the man and saw a githyanki warrior standing on him, slowly crushing the man under his boot.

‘YOU!’ She bellowed, pouring all of her anger and frustration into the single word. She swiftly aimed and threw Nyrulna at the gith.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"YOU !" The scream was full of rage and frustration. A relative of his soon-to-be-dead victim, perhaps...?

Or a hero-wanna-be who was seeming at the thought of injustice ? A wicked grin stretched across Helios's face, but before he could turn toward his opponent, he felt something coming toward him. Fast.

He leaned backward, just in time. Electric sparks burnt him as the trident passed close to him. The weapon hit the ground instead, and exploded. Helios tried to protect himself from the blast with his non-wielding sword arm - a mistake. His arm got burnt and torn, twisted and cracked. His chest-plate as well got greatly damaged - but at least, protected him from more harm No matter what others might say, he was still a githyanki, though, and could fight through pain, even when it became excruciating. He faced his opponent, his sword hold tight in his healthy hand, a mocking remark on his lips when he realized what was facing him. Could it be...? Was he really so lucky ? After searching in vain for weeks, his prey, facing him of its own accord...? He would have to make sure. "What a surprise... ! Are you the hero of the city ?" he asked, with the light tone one would use to speak of the weather, as he played with his sword, making it turn around with a flick of his wrist "Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki ?"

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched as Nyrulna soared past the githyanki. He dodged the trident’s deadly prongs, only to get blasted by its magic. She was never one to enjoy the suffering of others, but a small part of her couldn’t help but feel satisfaction from the damaged caused by her weapon.

She caught the trident as it returned to her hand, keeping a steady grip on it.

“What a surprise! Are you the hero of the city?” the gith asked. His tone was casual, but she knew this was no friendly chat. Her dark eyes remained focused solely on him and his sword. “Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki?”

‘I think you know damn well who I am, considering you’ve been killing my people to find me,’ Dahlia said coldly. ‘Well, here I am. Let me guess, your Queen,’ she spat the word with disgust, ‘wants me dead?’

She swung her trident up, now holding it with both hands. Its familiar weight steadied her. Dahlia knew she was being reckless. She hoped to get some answers from the gith before she was forced to kill him.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"It is my lucky day, it seems ! For once, the ghaik I am pursuing is coming throwing itself directly into my claws," he bragged, licking his lips, tasting his own blood with delight. He didn't gave any warnings. Nor did he gave any answers about his motive. The ghaik would learn quickly enough what the Queen wanted with it, anyway, when brought in front of her. It would be tied up like a pretty gift, perhaps with a few less limbs - Helios had a particular fondness for cutting ghaik flesh, and couldn't wait for this mission to be finished so he could go back at that. The citizen of this city were so much less... entertaining. He threw one of the smoke bomb he had made -filled with a particular mixture of mushrooms, it would prevent any psionics to be used - and ran toward the ghaik, intending to trip it and make it fall on the ground, while pretending to strike with his sword.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia coughed as the smoke filled the air, instinctively raising her trident in an attempt to block an incoming attack. She very quickly realized that something was very wrong as she fell from her hover—she couldn’t use her psionics!

She forced herself to remain calm and squinted through the smoke. There—a figure in the smoke, heading right towards her. She anticipated an attack and lifted Nyrulna to deflect the attack she was sure was coming.

Dahlia wished she had the time to cast a spell, since she couldn’t use her psionics, but knew she would have to fight with her weapon instead. She knew she wouldn’t be able to reach for her violin in time to use her magic.

So she held her trident in a defensive posture, ready to block a hit and hopefully counterattack.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The sword landed heavily on the trident, but it had never been Helios's true goal. He leaned forward, placed his ankle behind the illithid's own ankle, and pulled it toward himself with all his strength. The ghaik, meek thing that it was -though it seemed stronger than usual illithid- stumbled, loosing its precious balance, with no psionics to stabilize it.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia felt the gith’s blade connect with her trident but before she could even attempt to counterattack, her leg was suddenly swept out from under her. She attempted to keep her balance on her other leg but couldn’t, and she fell back, finding herself on the ground in front of the cruel githyanki.

Tentacles snapping at the air in frustration, she readjusted her grip on her trident and tried to get back up to fight.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

Warning : violence & gore Helios let himself fall, his sword encountering the trident once again, with a burst of angry sparks. Some of them flared against his already burned fingers, eating at his skin, letting the bones appears in tiny white dots among red. But his muscles still answered and he pressed on, forcing the ghaik to stay in this disadvantageous position. He placed one of his knee on the side of its body, for support, while his other knee violently pushed against the ghaik stomach. He pressed on it with all his body weight, trying to make it loose its breath -and its control over its weapon. "Underestimating your betters, ghaik ?" he teased with a cruel smirk, ready to send the ghaik's trident flying away as soon as it would loose its focus.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

@tea-and-magic

Dahlia knelt beside the corpse of the young woman, observing the grisly sight before her. This was the latest victim of the killer that she was trying to catch, and they always had a gruesome, clearly agonizing death. She glanced at the sobbing man standing nearby, the girl’s father. He had been the one to discover the body. She could feel the distress coming off of him and did her best to not let it overwhelm her. The hardest part of being an illithid, for Dahlia at least, was controlling her emotions and blocking out the thoughts and feelings of others.

Her mind brushed against Jaheira’s, silently getting her attention. The leader of the Harpers let her in, and she asked, ‘Do you think I should try Speak with Dead?’

Jaheira paused, then said in a whisper, “No. I doubt you’ll learn anything you don’t already know.”

Dahlia sighed with frustration, agreeing with her. None of the other victims knew their attacker. The only information she’d gotten was that their murderer was a githyanki, and he was after Dahlia. She suspected the gith was one of Vlaakith’s—she had defied the gith Queen at every turn and she knew that Vlaakith must have hated her.

Still, why kill innocent people if he wanted Dahlia? Why not just confront her? It seemed strange to her—and absolutely infuriated the normally sweet-natured mind flayer. She was angry, both at the killer and at herself for not having caught him yet.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ she said to Jaheira. ‘I just wish there was something more I could do!’ How many more times would she have to tell a victim’s family that she would bring the killer to justice while having no real leads to follow?

Jaheira seemed to sense Dahlia’s frustration. She put a hand on her shoulder and said, “You won’t get anywhere by getting angry about it. Focus; we’ll solve this, and find the killer.”

Dahlia took a deep breath and nodded. I hope you’re right about that, she thought.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

@tunes-and-tentacles

(warning : murder & torture)

The man pleaded and screamed, as Helios cut apart his wife in front of him. Still, this human didn't say anything about the illithid who was living in this city. Perhaps he truly didn't know anything about it, like he had repeatedly told Helios. Useless istiks. They didn't seem to know anything. At least, if they had fought back skillfully, it would have been entertaining. But they seemed unable to, weaklings that they were. As soon as he stepped on them, breaking their ribs under his boots, they broke down, screaming and wailing, incoherent pleads on their lips. That's why he disliked human slaves - they couldn't endure anything and died quickly.

This mission was starting to get extremely frustrating. He had been tracking this illithid for weeks - and he still knew nothing new. The city was big, unfamiliar, filled with annoying *locals*. The thought of staying longer was torturous - and yet, to let go of this opportunity to impress the Queen, to climb in the hierarchy... Unthinkable. He gutted the man, quickly and efficiently, and winced when blood splattered on his boots -crafted for him by a renowned mlar. He wiped it on the corpse's clothes. Tasteless bland clothes. Everything was tasteless and boring in this house - except, perhaps, the beautiful silver earrings that the woman was wearing. He tore them apart from the corpse, admiring the way her blood completed the delicate pieces of jewelry. At least, this had not been a complete waste of his time.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched with sadness as the man left with his daughter’s body to lay her to rest. There had been no more information to glean from the scene, but she had yet again made a promise of justice that she wanted more than anything to keep. The man had looked at her and said, “I hope you keep your promise.”

Dahlia had been surprised by how steady his gaze and eyes were when he said that, considering how distraught he was. Just a moment ago, he had seemed incoherent with grief.

‘I will,’ she insisted, her words full of resolve. She kept her doubts to herself, pushed away in her mind so they didn’t come through to the man. He had just looked at her and nodded, then turned his attention to his daughter’s body.

Jaheira put a hand on Dahlia’s shoulder. “Let’s go. There’s nothing more we can do here,” she said.

‘It seems like there’s nothing we can do anywhere at the moment,’ said Dahlia bitterly, before she could stop herself.

She didn’t normally get angry, could normally bring optimism to her problems. This time, though, she was furious.

“That kind of thinking will go you nowhere,” Jaheira replied sternly.

Dahlia appreciated the older woman’s unwavering attitude, and the fact that she never coddled her. Dahlia hated being coddled, and knew she could count on Jaheira to be both honest and realistic. If she thought they could do this, Dahlia would as well.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ said Dahlia, pushing the anger away. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, willing her emotions to calm. ‘Let’s go!’

Jahiera nodded in approval and the two of them set off, toward the Harper’s base. Dahlia kept her mind open while they walked, trying to catch any stray thoughts or feelings that might give them a clue as to where the murderer was.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

(Warning : more torture and murder) A new victim, already - a passer-by, who had taken the unwise decision to wander through secluded streets, alone. And the even more unwise decision to not answer satisfyingly to Helios's questions. The feeble human was running away, trying to reach the main street. He was probably trying to call for help -not that anyone there would be able to stop a proper githyanki warrior, but it would be entertaining at least. The man kept holding his stomach as he ran, probably trying to stop his organs from slipping out. His calls for help were barely audible - weak gurgling sounds. Helios caught up to him and tripped him. The man fell to the ground with a mix of dry and wet noises -nose cracking and blood tainting the stones. Carelessly, Helios pressed his boot on the man back, until the man organs started to spill, until the man attempts to form words ceased - weak screams and heavy breathing the only sounds left.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia was suddenly hit by a wave of terror and agony, so overwhelming she fell from her hover beside Jaheira to her feet. She stumbled back a few steps, frantically looking around her.

She barely heard Jaheira ask her what was wrong, focusing entirely on the dying mind she felt. She bore the pain as best she could and honed in on the mind she felt. He was nearly dead, and his attacker was still there, slowly killing him.

‘I know where he is!’ Dahlia said, returning to herself. She was shaking from the pain she had felt from the man.

Without waiting for a response, she took off running, ignoring Jaheira’s calls to wait. She used the dying man’s mind as a beacon, readying her trident as she ran.

Dahlia quickly made her way to the location of the man and saw a githyanki warrior standing on him, slowly crushing the man under his boot.

‘YOU!’ She bellowed, pouring all of her anger and frustration into the single word. She swiftly aimed and threw Nyrulna at the gith.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"YOU !" The scream was full of rage and frustration. A relative of his soon-to-be-dead victim, perhaps...?

Or a hero-wanna-be who was seeming at the thought of injustice ? A wicked grin stretched across Helios's face, but before he could turn toward his opponent, he felt something coming toward him. Fast.

He leaned backward, just in time. Electric sparks burnt him as the trident passed close to him. The weapon hit the ground instead, and exploded. Helios tried to protect himself from the blast with his non-wielding sword arm - a mistake. His arm got burnt and torn, twisted and cracked. His chest-plate as well got greatly damaged - but at least, protected him from more harm No matter what others might say, he was still a githyanki, though, and could fight through pain, even when it became excruciating. He faced his opponent, his sword hold tight in his healthy hand, a mocking remark on his lips when he realized what was facing him. Could it be...? Was he really so lucky ? After searching in vain for weeks, his prey, facing him of its own accord...? He would have to make sure. "What a surprise... ! Are you the hero of the city ?" he asked, with the light tone one would use to speak of the weather, as he played with his sword, making it turn around with a flick of his wrist "Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki ?"

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched as Nyrulna soared past the githyanki. He dodged the trident’s deadly prongs, only to get blasted by its magic. She was never one to enjoy the suffering of others, but a small part of her couldn’t help but feel satisfaction from the damaged caused by her weapon.

She caught the trident as it returned to her hand, keeping a steady grip on it.

“What a surprise! Are you the hero of the city?” the gith asked. His tone was casual, but she knew this was no friendly chat. Her dark eyes remained focused solely on him and his sword. “Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki?”

‘I think you know damn well who I am, considering you’ve been killing my people to find me,’ Dahlia said coldly. ‘Well, here I am. Let me guess, your Queen,’ she spat the word with disgust, ‘wants me dead?’

She swung her trident up, now holding it with both hands. Its familiar weight steadied her. Dahlia knew she was being reckless. She hoped to get some answers from the gith before she was forced to kill him.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"It is my lucky day, it seems ! For once, the ghaik I am pursuing is coming throwing itself directly into my claws," he bragged, licking his lips, tasting his own blood with delight. He didn't gave any warnings. Nor did he gave any answers about his motive. The ghaik would learn quickly enough what the Queen wanted with it, anyway, when brought in front of her. It would be tied up like a pretty gift, perhaps with a few less limbs - Helios had a particular fondness for cutting ghaik flesh, and couldn't wait for this mission to be finished so he could go back at that. The citizen of this city were so much less... entertaining. He threw one of the smoke bomb he had made -filled with a particular mixture of mushrooms, it would prevent any psionics to be used - and ran toward the ghaik, intending to trip it and make it fall on the ground, while pretending to strike with his sword.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia coughed as the smoke filled the air, instinctively raising her trident in an attempt to block an incoming attack. She very quickly realized that something was very wrong as she fell from her hover—she couldn’t use her psionics!

She forced herself to remain calm and squinted through the smoke. There—a figure in the smoke, heading right towards her. She anticipated an attack and lifted Nyrulna to deflect the attack she was sure was coming.

Dahlia wished she had the time to cast a spell, since she couldn’t use her psionics, but knew she would have to fight with her weapon instead. She knew she wouldn’t be able to reach for her violin in time to use her magic.

So she held her trident in a defensive posture, ready to block a hit and hopefully counterattack.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

The sword landed heavily on the trident, but it had never been Helios's true goal. He leaned forward, placed his ankle behind the illithid's own ankle, and pulled it toward himself with all his strength. The ghaik, meek thing that it was -though it seemed stronger than usual illithid- stumbled, loosing its precious balance, with no psionics to stabilize it.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

@tea-and-magic

Dahlia knelt beside the corpse of the young woman, observing the grisly sight before her. This was the latest victim of the killer that she was trying to catch, and they always had a gruesome, clearly agonizing death. She glanced at the sobbing man standing nearby, the girl’s father. He had been the one to discover the body. She could feel the distress coming off of him and did her best to not let it overwhelm her. The hardest part of being an illithid, for Dahlia at least, was controlling her emotions and blocking out the thoughts and feelings of others.

Her mind brushed against Jaheira’s, silently getting her attention. The leader of the Harpers let her in, and she asked, ‘Do you think I should try Speak with Dead?’

Jaheira paused, then said in a whisper, “No. I doubt you’ll learn anything you don’t already know.”

Dahlia sighed with frustration, agreeing with her. None of the other victims knew their attacker. The only information she’d gotten was that their murderer was a githyanki, and he was after Dahlia. She suspected the gith was one of Vlaakith’s—she had defied the gith Queen at every turn and she knew that Vlaakith must have hated her.

Still, why kill innocent people if he wanted Dahlia? Why not just confront her? It seemed strange to her—and absolutely infuriated the normally sweet-natured mind flayer. She was angry, both at the killer and at herself for not having caught him yet.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ she said to Jaheira. ‘I just wish there was something more I could do!’ How many more times would she have to tell a victim’s family that she would bring the killer to justice while having no real leads to follow?

Jaheira seemed to sense Dahlia’s frustration. She put a hand on her shoulder and said, “You won’t get anywhere by getting angry about it. Focus; we’ll solve this, and find the killer.”

Dahlia took a deep breath and nodded. I hope you’re right about that, she thought.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

@tunes-and-tentacles

(warning : murder & torture)

The man pleaded and screamed, as Helios cut apart his wife in front of him. Still, this human didn't say anything about the illithid who was living in this city. Perhaps he truly didn't know anything about it, like he had repeatedly told Helios. Useless istiks. They didn't seem to know anything. At least, if they had fought back skillfully, it would have been entertaining. But they seemed unable to, weaklings that they were. As soon as he stepped on them, breaking their ribs under his boots, they broke down, screaming and wailing, incoherent pleads on their lips. That's why he disliked human slaves - they couldn't endure anything and died quickly.

This mission was starting to get extremely frustrating. He had been tracking this illithid for weeks - and he still knew nothing new. The city was big, unfamiliar, filled with annoying *locals*. The thought of staying longer was torturous - and yet, to let go of this opportunity to impress the Queen, to climb in the hierarchy... Unthinkable. He gutted the man, quickly and efficiently, and winced when blood splattered on his boots -crafted for him by a renowned mlar. He wiped it on the corpse's clothes. Tasteless bland clothes. Everything was tasteless and boring in this house - except, perhaps, the beautiful silver earrings that the woman was wearing. He tore them apart from the corpse, admiring the way her blood completed the delicate pieces of jewelry. At least, this had not been a complete waste of his time.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched with sadness as the man left with his daughter’s body to lay her to rest. There had been no more information to glean from the scene, but she had yet again made a promise of justice that she wanted more than anything to keep. The man had looked at her and said, “I hope you keep your promise.”

Dahlia had been surprised by how steady his gaze and eyes were when he said that, considering how distraught he was. Just a moment ago, he had seemed incoherent with grief.

‘I will,’ she insisted, her words full of resolve. She kept her doubts to herself, pushed away in her mind so they didn’t come through to the man. He had just looked at her and nodded, then turned his attention to his daughter’s body.

Jaheira put a hand on Dahlia’s shoulder. “Let’s go. There’s nothing more we can do here,” she said.

‘It seems like there’s nothing we can do anywhere at the moment,’ said Dahlia bitterly, before she could stop herself.

She didn’t normally get angry, could normally bring optimism to her problems. This time, though, she was furious.

“That kind of thinking will go you nowhere,” Jaheira replied sternly.

Dahlia appreciated the older woman’s unwavering attitude, and the fact that she never coddled her. Dahlia hated being coddled, and knew she could count on Jaheira to be both honest and realistic. If she thought they could do this, Dahlia would as well.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ said Dahlia, pushing the anger away. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, willing her emotions to calm. ‘Let’s go!’

Jahiera nodded in approval and the two of them set off, toward the Harper’s base. Dahlia kept her mind open while they walked, trying to catch any stray thoughts or feelings that might give them a clue as to where the murderer was.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

(Warning : more torture and murder) A new victim, already - a passer-by, who had taken the unwise decision to wander through secluded streets, alone. And the even more unwise decision to not answer satisfyingly to Helios's questions. The feeble human was running away, trying to reach the main street. He was probably trying to call for help -not that anyone there would be able to stop a proper githyanki warrior, but it would be entertaining at least. The man kept holding his stomach as he ran, probably trying to stop his organs from slipping out. His calls for help were barely audible - weak gurgling sounds. Helios caught up to him and tripped him. The man fell to the ground with a mix of dry and wet noises -nose cracking and blood tainting the stones. Carelessly, Helios pressed his boot on the man back, until the man organs started to spill, until the man attempts to form words ceased - weak screams and heavy breathing the only sounds left.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia was suddenly hit by a wave of terror and agony, so overwhelming she fell from her hover beside Jaheira to her feet. She stumbled back a few steps, frantically looking around her.

She barely heard Jaheira ask her what was wrong, focusing entirely on the dying mind she felt. She bore the pain as best she could and honed in on the mind she felt. He was nearly dead, and his attacker was still there, slowly killing him.

‘I know where he is!’ Dahlia said, returning to herself. She was shaking from the pain she had felt from the man.

Without waiting for a response, she took off running, ignoring Jaheira’s calls to wait. She used the dying man’s mind as a beacon, readying her trident as she ran.

Dahlia quickly made her way to the location of the man and saw a githyanki warrior standing on him, slowly crushing the man under his boot.

‘YOU!’ She bellowed, pouring all of her anger and frustration into the single word. She swiftly aimed and threw Nyrulna at the gith.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"YOU !" The scream was full of rage and frustration. A relative of his soon-to-be-dead victim, perhaps...?

Or a hero-wanna-be who was seeming at the thought of injustice ? A wicked grin stretched across Helios's face, but before he could turn toward his opponent, he felt something coming toward him. Fast.

He leaned backward, just in time. Electric sparks burnt him as the trident passed close to him. The weapon hit the ground instead, and exploded. Helios tried to protect himself from the blast with his non-wielding sword arm - a mistake. His arm got burnt and torn, twisted and cracked. His chest-plate as well got greatly damaged - but at least, protected him from more harm No matter what others might say, he was still a githyanki, though, and could fight through pain, even when it became excruciating. He faced his opponent, his sword hold tight in his healthy hand, a mocking remark on his lips when he realized what was facing him. Could it be...? Was he really so lucky ? After searching in vain for weeks, his prey, facing him of its own accord...? He would have to make sure. "What a surprise... ! Are you the hero of the city ?" he asked, with the light tone one would use to speak of the weather, as he played with his sword, making it turn around with a flick of his wrist "Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki ?"

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched as Nyrulna soared past the githyanki. He dodged the trident’s deadly prongs, only to get blasted by its magic. She was never one to enjoy the suffering of others, but a small part of her couldn’t help but feel satisfaction from the damaged caused by her weapon.

She caught the trident as it returned to her hand, keeping a steady grip on it.

“What a surprise! Are you the hero of the city?” the gith asked. His tone was casual, but she knew this was no friendly chat. Her dark eyes remained focused solely on him and his sword. “Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki?”

‘I think you know damn well who I am, considering you’ve been killing my people to find me,’ Dahlia said coldly. ‘Well, here I am. Let me guess, your Queen,’ she spat the word with disgust, ‘wants me dead?’

She swung her trident up, now holding it with both hands. Its familiar weight steadied her. Dahlia knew she was being reckless. She hoped to get some answers from the gith before she was forced to kill him.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"It is my lucky day, it seems ! For once, the ghaik I am pursuing is coming throwing itself directly into my claws," he bragged, licking his lips, tasting his own blood with delight. He didn't gave any warnings. Nor did he gave any answers about his motive. The ghaik would learn quickly enough what the Queen wanted with it, anyway, when brought in front of her. It would be tied up like a pretty gift, perhaps with a few less limbs - Helios had a particular fondness for cutting ghaik flesh, and couldn't wait for this mission to be finished so he could go back at that. The citizen of this city were so much less... entertaining. He threw one of the smoke bomb he had made -filled with a particular mixture of mushrooms, it would prevent any psionics to be used - and ran toward the ghaik, intending to trip it and make it fall on the ground, while pretending to strike with his sword.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

@tea-and-magic

Dahlia knelt beside the corpse of the young woman, observing the grisly sight before her. This was the latest victim of the killer that she was trying to catch, and they always had a gruesome, clearly agonizing death. She glanced at the sobbing man standing nearby, the girl’s father. He had been the one to discover the body. She could feel the distress coming off of him and did her best to not let it overwhelm her. The hardest part of being an illithid, for Dahlia at least, was controlling her emotions and blocking out the thoughts and feelings of others.

Her mind brushed against Jaheira’s, silently getting her attention. The leader of the Harpers let her in, and she asked, ‘Do you think I should try Speak with Dead?’

Jaheira paused, then said in a whisper, “No. I doubt you’ll learn anything you don’t already know.”

Dahlia sighed with frustration, agreeing with her. None of the other victims knew their attacker. The only information she’d gotten was that their murderer was a githyanki, and he was after Dahlia. She suspected the gith was one of Vlaakith’s—she had defied the gith Queen at every turn and she knew that Vlaakith must have hated her.

Still, why kill innocent people if he wanted Dahlia? Why not just confront her? It seemed strange to her—and absolutely infuriated the normally sweet-natured mind flayer. She was angry, both at the killer and at herself for not having caught him yet.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ she said to Jaheira. ‘I just wish there was something more I could do!’ How many more times would she have to tell a victim’s family that she would bring the killer to justice while having no real leads to follow?

Jaheira seemed to sense Dahlia’s frustration. She put a hand on her shoulder and said, “You won’t get anywhere by getting angry about it. Focus; we’ll solve this, and find the killer.”

Dahlia took a deep breath and nodded. I hope you’re right about that, she thought.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

@tunes-and-tentacles

(warning : murder & torture)

The man pleaded and screamed, as Helios cut apart his wife in front of him. Still, this human didn't say anything about the illithid who was living in this city. Perhaps he truly didn't know anything about it, like he had repeatedly told Helios. Useless istiks. They didn't seem to know anything. At least, if they had fought back skillfully, it would have been entertaining. But they seemed unable to, weaklings that they were. As soon as he stepped on them, breaking their ribs under his boots, they broke down, screaming and wailing, incoherent pleads on their lips. That's why he disliked human slaves - they couldn't endure anything and died quickly.

This mission was starting to get extremely frustrating. He had been tracking this illithid for weeks - and he still knew nothing new. The city was big, unfamiliar, filled with annoying *locals*. The thought of staying longer was torturous - and yet, to let go of this opportunity to impress the Queen, to climb in the hierarchy... Unthinkable. He gutted the man, quickly and efficiently, and winced when blood splattered on his boots -crafted for him by a renowned mlar. He wiped it on the corpse's clothes. Tasteless bland clothes. Everything was tasteless and boring in this house - except, perhaps, the beautiful silver earrings that the woman was wearing. He tore them apart from the corpse, admiring the way her blood completed the delicate pieces of jewelry. At least, this had not been a complete waste of his time.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched with sadness as the man left with his daughter’s body to lay her to rest. There had been no more information to glean from the scene, but she had yet again made a promise of justice that she wanted more than anything to keep. The man had looked at her and said, “I hope you keep your promise.”

Dahlia had been surprised by how steady his gaze and eyes were when he said that, considering how distraught he was. Just a moment ago, he had seemed incoherent with grief.

‘I will,’ she insisted, her words full of resolve. She kept her doubts to herself, pushed away in her mind so they didn’t come through to the man. He had just looked at her and nodded, then turned his attention to his daughter’s body.

Jaheira put a hand on Dahlia’s shoulder. “Let’s go. There’s nothing more we can do here,” she said.

‘It seems like there’s nothing we can do anywhere at the moment,’ said Dahlia bitterly, before she could stop herself.

She didn’t normally get angry, could normally bring optimism to her problems. This time, though, she was furious.

“That kind of thinking will go you nowhere,” Jaheira replied sternly.

Dahlia appreciated the older woman’s unwavering attitude, and the fact that she never coddled her. Dahlia hated being coddled, and knew she could count on Jaheira to be both honest and realistic. If she thought they could do this, Dahlia would as well.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ said Dahlia, pushing the anger away. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, willing her emotions to calm. ‘Let’s go!’

Jahiera nodded in approval and the two of them set off, toward the Harper’s base. Dahlia kept her mind open while they walked, trying to catch any stray thoughts or feelings that might give them a clue as to where the murderer was.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

(Warning : more torture and murder) A new victim, already - a passer-by, who had taken the unwise decision to wander through secluded streets, alone. And the even more unwise decision to not answer satisfyingly to Helios's questions. The feeble human was running away, trying to reach the main street. He was probably trying to call for help -not that anyone there would be able to stop a proper githyanki warrior, but it would be entertaining at least. The man kept holding his stomach as he ran, probably trying to stop his organs from slipping out. His calls for help were barely audible - weak gurgling sounds. Helios caught up to him and tripped him. The man fell to the ground with a mix of dry and wet noises -nose cracking and blood tainting the stones. Carelessly, Helios pressed his boot on the man back, until the man organs started to spill, until the man attempts to form words ceased - weak screams and heavy breathing the only sounds left.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia was suddenly hit by a wave of terror and agony, so overwhelming she fell from her hover beside Jaheira to her feet. She stumbled back a few steps, frantically looking around her.

She barely heard Jaheira ask her what was wrong, focusing entirely on the dying mind she felt. She bore the pain as best she could and honed in on the mind she felt. He was nearly dead, and his attacker was still there, slowly killing him.

‘I know where he is!’ Dahlia said, returning to herself. She was shaking from the pain she had felt from the man.

Without waiting for a response, she took off running, ignoring Jaheira’s calls to wait. She used the dying man’s mind as a beacon, readying her trident as she ran.

Dahlia quickly made her way to the location of the man and saw a githyanki warrior standing on him, slowly crushing the man under his boot.

‘YOU!’ She bellowed, pouring all of her anger and frustration into the single word. She swiftly aimed and threw Nyrulna at the gith.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

"YOU !" The scream was full of rage and frustration. A relative of his soon-to-be-dead victim, perhaps...?

Or a hero-wanna-be who was seeming at the thought of injustice ? A wicked grin stretched across Helios's face, but before he could turn toward his opponent, he felt something coming toward him. Fast.

He leaned backward, just in time. Electric sparks burnt him as the trident passed close to him. The weapon hit the ground instead, and exploded. Helios tried to protect himself from the blast with his non-wielding sword arm - a mistake. His arm got burnt and torn, twisted and cracked. His chest-plate as well got greatly damaged - but at least, protected him from more harm No matter what others might say, he was still a githyanki, though, and could fight through pain, even when it became excruciating. He faced his opponent, his sword hold tight in his healthy hand, a mocking remark on his lips when he realized what was facing him. Could it be...? Was he really so lucky ? After searching in vain for weeks, his prey, facing him of its own accord...? He would have to make sure. "What a surprise... ! Are you the hero of the city ?" he asked, with the light tone one would use to speak of the weather, as he played with his sword, making it turn around with a flick of his wrist "Coming to rescue your little citizens from the evil bad githyanki ?"

[tunes-and-tentacles]

@tea-and-magic

Dahlia knelt beside the corpse of the young woman, observing the grisly sight before her. This was the latest victim of the killer that she was trying to catch, and they always had a gruesome, clearly agonizing death. She glanced at the sobbing man standing nearby, the girl’s father. He had been the one to discover the body. She could feel the distress coming off of him and did her best to not let it overwhelm her. The hardest part of being an illithid, for Dahlia at least, was controlling her emotions and blocking out the thoughts and feelings of others.

Her mind brushed against Jaheira’s, silently getting her attention. The leader of the Harpers let her in, and she asked, ‘Do you think I should try Speak with Dead?’

Jaheira paused, then said in a whisper, “No. I doubt you’ll learn anything you don’t already know.”

Dahlia sighed with frustration, agreeing with her. None of the other victims knew their attacker. The only information she’d gotten was that their murderer was a githyanki, and he was after Dahlia. She suspected the gith was one of Vlaakith’s—she had defied the gith Queen at every turn and she knew that Vlaakith must have hated her.

Still, why kill innocent people if he wanted Dahlia? Why not just confront her? It seemed strange to her—and absolutely infuriated the normally sweet-natured mind flayer. She was angry, both at the killer and at herself for not having caught him yet.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ she said to Jaheira. ‘I just wish there was something more I could do!’ How many more times would she have to tell a victim’s family that she would bring the killer to justice while having no real leads to follow?

Jaheira seemed to sense Dahlia’s frustration. She put a hand on her shoulder and said, “You won’t get anywhere by getting angry about it. Focus; we’ll solve this, and find the killer.”

Dahlia took a deep breath and nodded. I hope you’re right about that, she thought.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

@tunes-and-tentacles

(warning : murder & torture)

The man pleaded and screamed, as Helios cut apart his wife in front of him. Still, this human didn't say anything about the illithid who was living in this city. Perhaps he truly didn't know anything about it, like he had repeatedly told Helios. Useless istiks. They didn't seem to know anything. At least, if they had fought back skillfully, it would have been entertaining. But they seemed unable to, weaklings that they were. As soon as he stepped on them, breaking their ribs under his boots, they broke down, screaming and wailing, incoherent pleads on their lips. That's why he disliked human slaves - they couldn't endure anything and died quickly.

This mission was starting to get extremely frustrating. He had been tracking this illithid for weeks - and he still knew nothing new. The city was big, unfamiliar, filled with annoying *locals*. The thought of staying longer was torturous - and yet, to let go of this opportunity to impress the Queen, to climb in the hierarchy... Unthinkable. He gutted the man, quickly and efficiently, and winced when blood splattered on his boots -crafted for him by a renowned mlar. He wiped it on the corpse's clothes. Tasteless bland clothes. Everything was tasteless and boring in this house - except, perhaps, the beautiful silver earrings that the woman was wearing. He tore them apart from the corpse, admiring the way her blood completed the delicate pieces of jewelry. At least, this had not been a complete waste of his time.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

Dahlia watched with sadness as the man left with his daughter’s body to lay her to rest. There had been no more information to glean from the scene, but she had yet again made a promise of justice that she wanted more than anything to keep. The man had looked at her and said, “I hope you keep your promise.”

Dahlia had been surprised by how steady his gaze and eyes were when he said that, considering how distraught he was. Just a moment ago, he had seemed incoherent with grief.

‘I will,’ she insisted, her words full of resolve. She kept her doubts to herself, pushed away in her mind so they didn’t come through to the man. He had just looked at her and nodded, then turned his attention to his daughter’s body.

Jaheira put a hand on Dahlia’s shoulder. “Let’s go. There’s nothing more we can do here,” she said.

‘It seems like there’s nothing we can do anywhere at the moment,’ said Dahlia bitterly, before she could stop herself.

She didn’t normally get angry, could normally bring optimism to her problems. This time, though, she was furious.

“That kind of thinking will go you nowhere,” Jaheira replied sternly.

Dahlia appreciated the older woman’s unwavering attitude, and the fact that she never coddled her. Dahlia hated being coddled, and knew she could count on Jaheira to be both honest and realistic. If she thought they could do this, Dahlia would as well.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ said Dahlia, pushing the anger away. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, willing her emotions to calm. ‘Let’s go!’

Jahiera nodded in approval and the two of them set off, toward the Harper’s base. Dahlia kept her mind open while they walked, trying to catch any stray thoughts or feelings that might give them a clue as to where the murderer was.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

(Warning : more torture and murder) A new victim, already - a passer-by, who had taken the unwise decision to wander through secluded streets, alone. And the even more unwise decision to not answer satisfyingly to Helios's questions. The feeble human was running away, trying to reach the main street. He was probably trying to call for help -not that anyone there would be able to stop a proper githyanki warrior, but it would be entertaining at least. The man kept holding his stomach as he ran, probably trying to stop his organs from slipping out. His calls for help were barely audible - weak gurgling sounds. Helios caught up to him and tripped him. The man fell to the ground with a mix of dry and wet noises -nose cracking and blood tainting the stones. Carelessly, Helios pressed his boot on the man back, until the man organs started to spill, until the man attempts to form words ceased - weak screams and heavy breathing the only sounds left.

[tunes-and-tentacles]

@tea-and-magic

Dahlia knelt beside the corpse of the young woman, observing the grisly sight before her. This was the latest victim of the killer that she was trying to catch, and they always had a gruesome, clearly agonizing death. She glanced at the sobbing man standing nearby, the girl’s father. He had been the one to discover the body. She could feel the distress coming off of him and did her best to not let it overwhelm her. The hardest part of being an illithid, for Dahlia at least, was controlling her emotions and blocking out the thoughts and feelings of others.

Her mind brushed against Jaheira’s, silently getting her attention. The leader of the Harpers let her in, and she asked, ‘Do you think I should try Speak with Dead?’

Jaheira paused, then said in a whisper, “No. I doubt you’ll learn anything you don’t already know.”

Dahlia sighed with frustration, agreeing with her. None of the other victims knew their attacker. The only information she’d gotten was that their murderer was a githyanki, and he was after Dahlia. She suspected the gith was one of Vlaakith’s—she had defied the gith Queen at every turn and she knew that Vlaakith must have hated her.

Still, why kill innocent people if he wanted Dahlia? Why not just confront her? It seemed strange to her—and absolutely infuriated the normally sweet-natured mind flayer. She was angry, both at the killer and at herself for not having caught him yet.

‘Yes, you’re right,’ she said to Jaheira. ‘I just wish there was something more I could do!’ How many more times would she have to tell a victim’s family that she would bring the killer to justice while having no real leads to follow?

Jaheira seemed to sense Dahlia’s frustration. She put a hand on her shoulder and said, “You won’t get anywhere by getting angry about it. Focus; we’ll solve this, and find the killer.”

Dahlia took a deep breath and nodded. I hope you’re right about that, she thought.

[rp-tea-and-magic]

@tunes-and-tentacles

(warning : murder & torture)

The man pleaded and screamed, as Helios cut apart his wife in front of him. Still, this human didn't say anything about the illithid who was living in this city. Perhaps he truly didn't know anything about it, like he had repeatedly told Helios. Useless istiks. They didn't seem to know anything. At least, if they had fought back skillfully, it would have been entertaining. But they seemed unable to, weaklings that they were. As soon as he stepped on them, breaking their ribs under his boots, they broke down, screaming and wailing, incoherent pleads on their lips. That's why he disliked human slaves - they couldn't endure anything and died quickly.

This mission was starting to get extremely frustrating. He had been tracking this illithid for weeks - and he still knew nothing new. The city was big, unfamiliar, filled with annoying *locals*. The thought of staying longer was torturous - and yet, to let go of this opportunity to impress the Queen, to climb in the hierarchy... Unthinkable. He gutted the man, quickly and efficiently, and winced when blood splattered on his boots -crafted for him by a renowned mlar. He wiped it on the corpse's clothes. Tasteless bland clothes. Everything was tasteless and boring in this house - except, perhaps, the beautiful silver earrings that the woman was wearing. He tore them apart from the corpse, admiring the way her blood completed the delicate pieces of jewelry. At least, this had not been a complete waste of his time.