View source for 13A:Play/25 Grading on a Curve

{{13A|play=Play}}{{Starring
|pc={{Elistheren}}, {{Kaelon}}, {{Annalana}}, {{Qistis}}
|npc=Grayban; Elviro; Triple P (Prince Princess Princesson); Mr Eschew; 
|location=Glitterhagen
|foe=So many visitors
|date=2018 Jan 17
|prev=[[13A:Play/24 As the Moral Compass of the Party…]]
|next=[[13A:Play/26 My Moral Compass Has Been Arrested]]
}}

{{Annalana}}: We hop on our ship, ''The Peacock'', and sail back to Shadowport. Uneventful and short trip.

We examine the items to attempt to divine what they are. 
* Labyrinthine Grimoire, p7 
* Dwarflaw Ring, p20 
* Staff of Prophecy, p49

== Chateau Pieu Pieu ==

{{Annalana}}: We agree to meet Grayban at Chateau Pieu Pieu, where gnomes put on an illusory display. We arrive before Grayban does. We decide to return the book and staff. Grayban says that he has to go somewhere for 20 minutes but Annalana has concerns. We tell him that we’ll meet him at the ship but we actually stay at the restaurant. Qistis goes to the boat to meet with Grayban.

Grayban arrives at the boat, where he has updated the contract for us. It wasn’t a trap. We all arrive and sign the updated contract.

{{Elistheren}}: As there was a bit of a counting-error with lifting items, we return the excess. We are now legitimate bank-robbers, an that we have legitimately robbed a bank with permission of the underwriters of said bank.

{{Qistis}}: My companions are more concerned with Grayban's motives than I really think they should. When we meet he thankfully does not mind that we stole three items rather than just the two he requested, but I think returning two of the three likely helped with that. He writes up a secondary contract where we are to retrieve the items we just stole.

== Triple P ==

{{Annalana}}: The lot has been modified, with fortifications all around, including a wrought iron gate. The guard won’t let us in, demanding that we leave and send a note to get the password.

{{Qistis}}: We try to inform...our benefactor (? honestly I have no idea what to call them at this moment) of our return but the compound, unsurprisingly, has once again been completely redone. The style is distinctively more traditional and has a bit of a old fashioned castle like set up to it, all the way down to the new armor for the guards. Speaking of the guards, they are as obstinate as ever and won't let us in despite my best efforts. We leave a letter and hope to be contacted soon.

== Returning to our Home and Elviro is There ==

{{Annalana}}: Elviro has returned from vacation. Qistis finds a duplicate invitation to the Elf Queen’s court. Annalana has an invite that says “Whenever you care to, visit us in Drakkenhall. Regarding your memory problems.” (Light blue paper with dark blue ink.) We also have a letter from Charlize, “We’re going toward the abyss to find out more about the Great Gold Wyrm.” Elis replies that the GGW sucks, LOL.

We also have our appointments for next semester. Kaelon, greenhouse care; Qistis teaching academic writing and formatting; Annalana is requested to be a co-teacher for the mind charmer class (persuasion, focus on nonviolence); Elis has been hidden in the archive.

{{Elistheren}}: Apparently, the Cult of Escala- founded by my students- has been… spreading, and there's an offshoot of said cult that operates a Trial of the Stair: they push someone down a long flight of stairs and if they survive, they are protected by Escala. I'm not teaching this semester.

Instead, I've been given the chance to organize the archives and make space. I'm quite able to build and compile a concordance across a dozen books, which in retrospect, isn't exactly what they were looking for. I produced a few more volumes.

{{Qistis}}: Elviro, useless as ever, has returned from his vacation (though what such a boring man as he would do with his time off I can barely imagine). He's sorted out mail (for what little use that serves) and has arranged for our next classes for the coming term. At the very least he managed to get something right by giving me a class that did not involve children.  I will be teaching a writing class this time around, which should prove interesting and hopefully a good use of my skills.

== There is a letter, waxed with a P ==

{{Annalana}}: Invitation to come to Triple P’s place. We get to his place and the guard lets us in. The insides are austere, fairly spartan, with cloth tapestries hanging on the walls. Triple P is now going by Lord Peerage.

He hands a writ to Qistis after commenting about needing to halt the Elf Queen. The writ is concerning Qistis but not for her.

Flashback to Elis deciphering Greydove’s journal.

Qistis is told that Triple P will address it if she doesn’t open it. Elis surmises, correctly, that this is a letter for a member of Qistis’ family. Qistis then tears it open and it is a divorce decree for her father from any and all people. Elis mentions that her father’s book was his “Fuck Journal”.

Qistis learns that all the invites were for her father’s wedding, which seems like it will be to the Elf Queen. Annalana is SO EXCITED for the chance to KILL THE ELF QUEEN.

{{Elistheren}}: Our Protean benefactor wants to ensure Qistis goes to her fathers wedding- and a wedding it is, indeed. His Royal P-Ness has authorized a ''divorce'' for Qistis's father, and said father is marrying the Elf Queen. This whole thing jogs my memory: I translated a substantial portion of his encoded journals, and… they're fuck journals. Peers. Students. Strangers.

Annalana concludes that this is an opportunity to kill the elf queen. I… well, it's not ''prudent''.

{{Qistis}}: My father...marrying the Elf Queen....If I never had reason to want to actually murder my father now, it certainly has become quite the prominent thought in my mind now. And with Elistherin's deciphering of the journal I ''really'' want to see my father brought to ruin now. I knew he was never truly "committed" to anyone (my mother included) but to write her in this glorified '''fuck''' journal...it makes my blood boil. Even if I didn't want to go I must now, as if I managed to not kill my father myself I'm sure Annalana would find a way to do it for me.

== Mysterious Streak Outside ==

{{Annalana}}: Annalana sees a streak outside the window and when she investigates finds nothing. Kaelon sees the streak and goes outside, finding a dagger at his throat and is told that it is poisoned.

They want us to sneak them, all 6, into the Elf Queen’s wedding but they refuse to reveal themselves. They whisper a location to Kaelon, where lots of poisonous mushrooms grow.

When they leave Annalana rushes out of the door, catching a glimpse of a lithe humanoid with spikes coming out of all of their joints.

== The next morning, a knock on the door ==

{{Annalana}}: A carnivorous yak (life support system for teeth), being ridden an Imp so fat that it can no longer fly. Escorting this on either side are two humanoids with bright red cloaks, and they have orange skin and lots of claws. Trailing behind them are 6 piles of humanoid flesh “disguised” as children.

The fat Imp speaks in a high pitched and squeaky voice, “Good morning. You are the one known as Elistheren? We’d like to have a word with you.” (When speaking among themselves they are speaking Pure Demon.)

The Imp’s name is Mr. Eschew and he wants to talk about the visitors that we got the previous night. He wants directions on where to meet the Briarlings to kills them. Kaelon gives directions not to them, but nearby.

{{Elistheren}}: Everyone is extremely upset about demons visiting, but I say: demons are creatures too, and until they engage in overt hostility, we should hear them out. Never ''trust'' them, but hear them out. Kaelon sends them on their way with intentionally misleading directions.

== Another Knock on the Door ==

{{Annalana}}: Elis opens the door to find a squadron of GGW soldiers. Elis gives them directions near to where they were going.

{{Elistheren}}: And thus warriors of the Great Gold Worm come by, whinging about "harboring demons".  I send them on their way with unintentionally misleading directions.

== Outhouse Druid ==

{{Annalana}}: Kaelon is in the outhouse and is visited by a Druid lady, who talks with him about our latest visitors and the green dragon scale. She is interested in getting the scale before it gets to Drakkenhall “or else we lose our leverage”.

Briarlings claim that they are a lost race of elves, and they are the closest to the Elf Queen. They sometimes go by the name “Shadow Elves”. They are not to be trusted.

== Commotion in the Morning ==

{{Annalana}}: Annalana is woken up by a commotion outside and she rushes into the fray. Outside is a basilisk that was sent to kill us.

{{Elistheren}}: So, Briarlings, Demons, Wormheads, and Druids. None of them are pleased with us. There is now a basilisk at our door. This may all be connected.