the Heart of Darkness
Some Shady Back Alley
Drefast ~Positive Tide is normal
~Negative Tide is rising
The door had been opened, and a request to enter had been made by Miran. Percifeer added her own persuasive charisma, but the man, if he would qualify as one, did not budge. In fact, for a few seconds he did not reply at all. He simply stared at them from the doorway.

Then a strange noise rose up from his belly, and he started to shake. It took the companions a moment to realize that this was actually laughter rumbling around the man’s body. Strangely enough, he did not open his mouth or show any other expression on his face besides an even glare.

“Fine sir… “ He finally said, mockingly. “You may talk fancy and stuff, but you, your mates and your hooker here,” he indicated Perci, “will not enter until one of you has proven himself worthy. A test is required. Which one d’you chose: Strength, Stealth or the Dark Powers? And which one of you Slimes will take it?”

Ocyari pouts slightly as Miran makes her stop her fun, but her ears perk up (if they could) when the big man mentions stealth.

"Stealth? That's like hide and seek right? Well, the hiding part anyway..." Ocyari pips up before trailing off.

She remembers just the other day, when the small group of children that included her decided to play hide and seek. Needless to say, they weren't able to find her as she was skillfully hidden in a dark corner under the kitchen sink, playing and whispering with the spider that had taken up residence there.

She looks at the others, "I can do that." Ocyari says simply.

" ... Strength?   Stealth?   Dark Powers? "
Hearing this challenge from the two-legged behemoth in the doorway made Pao smile, but even he didn't know quite why. Maybe it was because of the mocking tone the man -- or whatever he was -- used to the request for entry.

His smile disappeared briefly when Ocyari, piped up with her own nearly-immediate "... I can do that ...", but returned just as quickly when he assumed that the group wouldn't dare let the youngster step into danger as quickly as she would like to.

For his own part, Pao kept silent. If asked, he would accept. If volunteered, he would accept. If neither he would stay quiet, nearby, and helpful ..

Miran felt somewhat insulted at the mocking tone in which his words were relayed back to him. Though insulted as me may be, his sense of self-preservation won out and he agreed with himself to proceed with an amiable outlook. A test of Strength, Stealth, or Dark Powers? Miran quickly considered the challenge. Who would be best for a challenge of Strength? Pio no doubt. Stealth? That would be Llammoth. Brilliant. He glanced back at Ocyari to hush her when she put forth the possibility of meeting the stealth challenge. Miran wouldn't even consider such a notion.

But Dark Powers, there was quite likely their ticket in the door. "To what type of manifestation do you refer to when you speak of 'Dark Powers'?" Miran asked with a good measure of confidence. If the brute meant what Miran believed him to mean, this would be no problem. Surely any one of them could summon up the appropriate display if he guessed correctly. How could he deny a summoned stampeding horse entrance afterall?

Percifeer would play his game...At least, for the moment. She tugged at her cloak, loosening it a bit from her neck-region. "You're the test, right?" She said, winking.

The door-man eyed Ocyari for a moment, but dismissed her accepting call. He didn't say anything to her, because the others seemed hesitant to let the child participate anyway. Instead, he turned his attention to Miran, who remained courteous. A very smart move.

"So you're interested in the Dark Powers test, right? I'm afraid I can't say much until you've made the choice, but I can give you a hint. You won't need your weapons, or even come close to your target with that one."

And with a wide grin he added: "And no, I won't be that target, or the test. I'll be your judge for tonight.
Now... what do you choose. If you're just going to stand here I'm going to close the door again. I'm hearing complaints that there is too much smoke escaping the building."

Ocyari raises an eyebrow with the immediate shushing of her.

"You're all just ignoring me aren't you?" She says accusingly, "Do you think I'm just some little pip squeak who can't do anything besides tag along like someone's dog? There's a reason I'm such a good cookie snatcher, as well as why I'm here you know!"

Angry, Ocyari stomps over to the wall and sits down with her arms crossed, pouting.

"I should just do the stupid test anyway," Ocyari grumbles.

Pao listened to the conversation at the doorway as he moved slowly and quietly to stand near Ocyari. He speaks softly to her, but without looking directly at her, so he can keep his eyes on the door.

"Li'l Lady, for what it's worth, I trust you as much as anyone here. And I instinctively trust all of you. But you and I must still prove to them that they can rely on us. So we're both on equal footing in that respect. Looks like we're both gonna have to show a little patience. I really don't like it any more than you do, but there it is ..."

To the others, he says, "For my part, I think Miran has a point. Hopefully, the contest would be non-lethal, and I would think he could handle it. If Miran wants to go for it, I say let him try."

Angry, Ocyari stomps over to the wall and sits down with her arms crossed, pouting.
Miran mentally sighed. Be another member of the party as she may, places such as the Heart of Darkness were no places for children, and even less so for childish act. Paomallen knelt down to talk her out of her mood. Miran decided that he would take it upon himself to talk with her also, but later.

"For my part, I think Miran has a point. Hopefully, the contest would be non-lethal, and I would think he could handle it. If Miran wants to go for it, I say let him try."
Miran was pleased that he had some support in the manner, and so bouyed he stepped up to the challenge, "I think we shall meet to the challenge of Dark Powers. What do we have to do to gain entrance with this contest?" He touched briefly with his mind each of the spells he had left for the day. No doubt the Silent Image spell he had used not so long ago would have cleared the bar, but such was no longer an option. Another simple illusion such as Ghost Sound should suffice. He hoped the test would require of him nothing more than a simple cantrip. He only had so much ability to memorize spells, and the night could hold many more suprises.

Percifeer could only play along for so long. This man had deliberately insulted her, and she wasn't going to let him off the hook for it unless he retracted it later.

She played along, still tugging at her cloak. "Yes! Dark Powers! Sounds exciting!" Worst case scenario, if Miran failed, she could back him up. After all, she had summoned a shark not long ago this very day. That was dark, yes?

She giggled a bit more, and waited for the contest rules to be revealed.

"Very well then." the man stated evenly. For the first time since the door had opened he shifted his weight. A big arm came up and pointed at the group of people that was standing a few yards away from the entrance. There were three Humans, one Khordaldrum (dwarf), one Sylvari and one Half-Orc standing, conversing among each other or hanging against the walls listening.

"See them? One of them is a vampire. If you can tell me which one, without approaching or talking to them, you can enter. But you get only one chance, and only one of you can answer."

"Is it going to be you?" He asked Miran.

"Is it going to be you?" He asked Miran.
Miran didn't answer immediately as he gazed at the crowd contemplatively. It was clear to him that no spell of his could be put to use determining identity. He glanced at the man for a moment, still remaining quiet, then turned to Percy, "O mighty sorceress Percifeer, do you have any wisdom or magic to share?"

A spell like Detect Magic, keyed instead to vampires would provide a very immediate answer. "Paomallen? Beinsel? Can you identify undead from sight?"

Percifeer sighed, stepping forward and smacking Miran upside the head. It's not to say she wasn't ready. As soon as she heard the task, she had been communicating with her owl to find the one with the (mental image) vampiric teeth.

((+17 move silently, +16 spot--in this lighting))

She turned to the bouncer and demonstrated a very sober expression. "I'll answer." There were no giggles, no smiles, just a steady reply.

If the owl has difficulty, her first attempt will be to mix what knowledge the owl has with a detect magic. If both fail, she'll take the much simpler route ((summon monster II -- celestial riding dog)) and see how they fight. The vampire's tactics would make him/her very obvious. That would abide by all the rules and prove herself more than capable of 'dark powers'. She had thought this through, to say the least.

((assuming they are let in))

She turned to the bodyguard as she entered the building. "Oh, and don't ever call me a whore again."

Ocyari scuffs the ground with her foot. It just wasn't fair. No one ever took her seriously. Oh, they can seem to be nice and say nice things, but in the end, it was always the same. 'No, you're too young.' Ocyari grits her teeth; she could just see that happening with this group. Well, it basically already has.

Well, next time she wouldn't merely volunteer; she'd go right ahead anyway without permission. Heh, I've done it already. Ocyari thinks, Then maybe they'll actually look at and consider me.
Ocyari's mouth curls slightly in distaste, Nah, unlikely; they'll just think I'm being stupid. I'll just have to keep doing it until they realize I actually can do something.
Ocyari bites her lip; just thinking about it ticks her off.

the Heart of Darkness
Some Shady Back Alley
Drefast ~Positive Tide is normal
~Negative Tide is rising
Miran did not answer the man immediately. Instead, he turned to his companions and sought their consult before making up his mind. Percifeer, however, was already trying to solve the test as it was. Her owl had been resting atop one of the gutters attached to the roofs overhead. Now it flew up, and descended just enough to get a clear picture of the group that stood talking a few yards away from the orphans. But it did not recognize any of the traits its master was asking for, and it sent a negative answer back before halting on a chimney.
But the companions could’ve gotten this answer for themselves. Although the other group was talking, the only one showing prolonged teeth was the Half-Orc, but they were tusks, not the blood-eager canines of a vampire.

Not responding to Miran’s indications, Percy continued with a detect magic spell. She concentrated, then opened her eyes.
There was definitely magic being used, though only faint or moderate in strength. There was a total of seven different magical aura’s among the group, and another, stronger aura came from the doorman, who was taking everything in with an understanding look. Each of the ‘occasional bystanders’ had a magical weapon, and there was one more item in the pocket of one of the humans. The doorman’s clothes seemed to be magical, and a strong aura came from a ring on his right hand, and from something behind his back which Percy could not see.

All in all interesting information, but it did not help them very much. It was Pao who came with another idea, and though it did not include arcane magic, it was one that could possibly bring them into the tavern. He prayed to Lysora, the Sacred Mother, for her aid in this. Surely the patron of Healing would understand the reasons one of her Children wanted to enter a tavern as shady as the Heart of Darkness?

And indeed, when Pao completed his casting he perceived the notion of an undead’s presence. After a bit more concentration he focus his feeling and perceived a strong aura of unlife around the Khordaldrum. This was not a foe to underestimate, and as Pao concentrated more, he realized the Khord wasn’t the only undead in the area. Although the only one in the group, several other aura’s reached the Cleric’s perception from within the tavern, and from the houses surrounding it. They were too faint to locate precisely, but the notification was enough to tell Pao that a follower of Lysora better watch his step.