(Read the first 2 posts)
A place of Adventurers and Heroes.
There are several entrances from outside. The main door has a shield with the coat of arms of the guild, and a sign above it. A message board by the entrance has various jobs or ideas listed, as well as a list of members. Centered along one wall is a plaque with members who have passed.
The main hall is a meeting and gathering place for adventurers. A large U shaped meeting table dominates the hall, with chairs for every member and guests. There is a small kitchen, storage area, two bunk rooms to the left for guild staff. The kitchen door is clearly labelled as "STAFF ONLY," and there is a coin box for payment for meals next to it. At the back of the hall are stairs leading up to a balcony where the member bunk rooms are located. There are seperate bunkrooms for both male and female members.
To the right, entrances to the training area take you into a large room with walls lined with weapon and armor racks. The area is full of padded armors, padded practice weapons, wooden practice weapons only. The central area has a raised practice platform, with plenty of room to watch or spar around. A smithy is located at the back of the training hall.
Finally, on the far side of the training area is a door to a stable. There is one large stall in the back with 4 horses, three regular stalls, and a small stall for 2 riding dogs.
The guild training area is only open between dusk and dawn. The guild is locked at night.
Membership:
* Members are called Silver Swords.
* Applicants for memberships require a proof of service (ex. guard record, noble writ, etc.). Furthermore, they must succeed at an exceptional task performed for the guild. A majority vote of the Guild Council can over-ride this requirement.
* Fees: (25 gold) per season (3 months), and 10% of treasure recovered. (But see benefits as it regards magic items.) Next Payment Due May 1st.
Benefits:
* Membership Pin: A silver cloak pin, shaped like a sword. This identifies members to each other and to those from whom the guild receives discounts or other benefits.
* Adventure: A list of jobs or potential opportunities is displayed by the entrance. Other members may be available to assist with research and/or participate in such adventures.
* Free Training: and access the training area within the guild.
* Natala: provides mundane and magical healing at no charge. She is qualified and may be willing to teach basic (non-magical) healing techniques to those interested. Other mystical services and magical items are not discounted and subject to cost. (Offer temporarily void.)
* Iron Wolf Armory: provides members a 10% discount on purchases made. The armory offers 75% of value for weapons or armor brought in for trade (not for cash). This credit may be banked with the Iron Wolf.
* Dame Mirielle Dyer: may be available to provide magical support on assignments, at costs that must be arranged with her. She is capable of determining the magical properties of items for those who provide her with a suitable pearl, and she may accept commissions on scrolls and enchanted weaponry.
* Aria Amberhawk and Aramil Dunskar: provide a 10% discount on weapon and armor repair.
* Meet: A place to meet other adventurers (close to a city gate), to swap stories, and recruit allies for various tasks.
* Rest: 5 silver per day. Guild members are discouraged from viewing the guild building as their permanent place residence. Those specifically employed by the guild (e.g. Volos, Aria the smith, or Donnavin the hunter) are exceptions to this policy, and are not charged the listed fee.
* Meals: consist of water and whatever has been prepared. This is not an inn, and the kitchen is closed to the general membership. (Cost: free to members, 3 sp per meal to non-members)
* Stabling: costs 5 silver per day for horses or dogs, and includes feed.
* Treasure: Members who recover items (magical or mundane worth more than 1 gp) may take them as their own in exchange for 10% of the item's book value. Those members who were not on the adventure where the item was recovered get second option on items, but must pay half of book value, which will be divided equally among the adventurers who returned with it and the Guild proper.
Non-Members:
* Training: costs 4gp per day, or 12gp per six-day week (If the trainer is a council member, half of this fee belongs to the trainer.)
* Facilities: Use of the training room without the benefit of a trainer is available at the cost of 1 gp per day.
* Meals: cost 5 sp each. As noted above, you may have whatever you like, as long as it's whatever is being served, and you may have whatever you want to drink, as long as you want water.
NPC Staff: (and tips on how to RP them)
* Volos - head of staff/butler/cook (the latter only on occasion now). Think Alfred from the Batman comic /movies. Volos is educated, polite, and proper.
* Ham - cook/housekeeper. A portly, robust man.
* Tavin and Shan - guards (2nd level warriors, armed with shortsword, club, and dagger). Tavin is friendly and quite personable. Shan is quiet and serious. They take turns at the door at night. During the day, when they aren't sleeping, either may be quite eager to train with members.
* Tiv - stable hand. This young, half-elf boy hired on to tend the horses, and also to learn a bit about adventuring.
* Codo and Podo - pages/errand runners/twins (virtually identical). This pair will accept messages left at the guild building or deliver them to (reasonable) assigned destinations within the city. Be warned that Hermy has some influence on them, and that their imagination may rival his.
The Council members can recruit, organize adventures, and help make decisions on the direction of the guild. Also, if they take it upon them selves to train non-members, they receive 50% of the fee.
Elected by the Guild members every 6 months, they then elect a single Guild Chairman (1st vote, June)
Goals:
Adventuring Job List:
First off, just do it. Gather some people, go out, and adventure. That's what this place is about. If you have something you want to try on your own (solo adventure) or with others, let the DMs know. They can't do all of this for you. Remember you won't get to go out on adventures by not posting or asking.
Escorting a wagon or caravan from a farms, mines or traders (DM's would set the rate just ask in one of their threads).
Taking assignments from the city guard. (A DM will determine the pay rate on a case by case basis.)
Exploring (Unless hired for this task, you won't draw pay, but who knows what you may find.)
Patrolling in and around the city.
Preparing long term ideas: This will take some work. Demonstrate that you have performed research in relation to some task, seeking rumours of lost cities, fabled communities, or the presence of a specific. Let the DMs know what you want to try, show them you've done the work IC to set it up, and, if they indicate readiness to be of assistance, cooperate with them to set matters up.
Rules for training:
One on One Training
Padded training weapons use the next lower die in subdual damage, relative to the damage normally listed for the weapon in question. (A padded long sword does d6 hp of subdual damage and a padded club does d4)Attacks with these weapons are at -2 on the roll, and they score a critical threat only a roll of 20, with x2 for critical damage.
Wooden training weapons damage as a club, when training, normal feats apply. In real combat, they are effectively clubs.
Heavy padded suits for training give a +1 AC (armor) and DR of -/3 vs. the padded and wooden training weapons.
Practice Dummy Training
The dummy has 2 arms. One a target to attack, one to dodge, as it spins around.
Players always win initiative against the dummy. The target has AC 10 +1d6.
Once the target is hit, the dummy has 5+1d20 to beat your AC, causing 1d6 subdual damage when it strikes.
Critical on a 20 x2 damage.
If it criticals, or beats your AC by more than 4, it knocks you down. Reflex save DC 10 to avoid falling.
If it equals your AC or higher you take damage as normal.
All other rolls miss.
Target Practice (bow or dagger)
The target is a round straw target with painted circles. There are lines on the floor for those to throw from, and extend out in spaces of 10' for ranges. Roll a normal attack roll, and determine the results according to what your attack roll would hit:
make good use of that dagger, I'm going. I have to inform Darkar of this latest news.
Take care of yourself.
Cassius hands the knife back to Hermy, then leaves the guild to visit Natala's place
"Hi! My names Treetrip and I'm looking for a man named Volos? He said this is where I could find him."
Guard: The human looks down at the gnome and nods. "Yep, thats here." He pushes the door open. "Just in time too, doors locked to non-members after dark. Try and be out by then if you don't mind."
Treetrip: "Okay."
. o O (That club in his hand is a pretty good persuader itself!)
Walks into the guild building and looks around for the man he met at the market. Another burly human sits quietly at a table and peers at Treetrip from under his hair.
Man: "Can I help you little guy. Or are you part of the horde?"
Treetrip: "The horde? But the Kahn was driven out of the area!"
. o O (I've heard stories about Kahn, but if they're not just stories and he's still around!)
Man: Stifles a chuckle. "Nevermind. What do you need?"
Treetrip: "Oh, I'm looking for a man named, Volos? He said he lived here and that I should stop by and talk to him."
Man: "Wait right here, I can go get him for you then. Whats your name?"
Treetrip: "Treetrip, Treetrip Dangleroot. The one who's fixing up the slums."
The light brown one-piece soft cloth is sowmewhat loose-fitting and bound at the joints by darker brown cloth strips. A black sash holds two larger brown pouches and a tighly woven hemp case a caster may know as a material pouch.
The one thing that stands out to those that know him is his hair. Gone is the waist-length braid he once bore. Cut short the brown hair raises more than two inches up and out from his head.
He gives a warm smile to a few that he knows and heads straight for the counter. As his back is reveled a crossbow is seen slung, and tied to his sack are the bolt-cases. This is new as well, the youth who refused to shed blood.
After a short conversation Tynk hands a money pouch to Volos and makes his way to the practice room to try out the new weapon. He begins to unsling it and retrieve a bolt while Zap pokes about for mice.
His first shot flies wide and misses the target completely. His second even worse. It has been a while...
His next shot sticks to the edge, the outter ring, the edge again, and finally a bullseye. He doesn't stop practicing for some time, glancing at Zap occasionally to see what she is about.
The halfling glances at Tynk, and gives him a brief smile before sitting in a corner and starting to write. His eyes leave the paaper every few seconds to watch as Tynk practises. He occasionlly mutters to himself.
"Interesting... It does seem more... reliable."
He jots down some more notes.
And then spots the shocker lizard.
[color=purple]"My goodness! Is... that... it can't be. Not inside the city.."[/color]
Zap:"Another looker?"
Slinging his crossbow aqwardly he turns and makes his way over to the man.
"Fully licensed, I assure you. Meet Zap."
The lizard lets a spark snap between her two horns.
"Ah, now I understand."
"A shocker lizard. Interesting. I've never seen one of those in person either."
He puts down his writing instruments and slowly approaches Zap.
"Does it bite?"
"I wouldn't suggest you touch her though, you never know if she may be running a current."
Zap: "What he want?"
"He wants to look, knows what you are."
Tynk waits politely for the elder to finish, then asks...
"I have not seen you around here. My name is Tynk."
Extends his hand low for the halfling.
"I'm Hermy Woodhome."
"Where did you get this specimen? I did not think there were any around these parts?"
"Then again, I did not think there were dragons either."
He reaches up towards his head to grab his quill, and then realizes he left it with his parchment.
"Hermy?! Nobody told me you got out of the mine! This is wonderful!"
"Your son is quite a hero, you know. I have seen his stout heart and ability. He is someone a father can take pride in."
"Yes, my son and a few of his friends came to buy my freedom. Not from the mines exactly, my contract had been sold to Mister Mooney several years before. I was his personal scribe. You know taking notes for him and sending out letters to his buisness associates, keeping his records sorted properly. It's hard work running a walnet plantation. Theres more..." He blushes. "Please forgive me. I was rambling again."
He smiles at Tynk.
"So you are another of my sons friends? He certainly has made a lot of them."
"I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of them at the party. I thought just about everyone who wasn't locked away in a tower somewhere made it there."
"Yet, I've meet several more since."
"And all of them have had nothing but good things to say."
"I am indeed proud."
He stares off a moment, remembering.
"Scribe, you say? I had helped in a small portion of the perliminary investigation...spoke to father Camron. He spoke of your skills as a scribe."
"Minto has more then a few songs about that."
"As do all of Hermy's students. All of which vary wildly in detail."
Hermy Sr. shakes Tynks hand again.
"Well then my thanks and gratitude to you then."
"Life wasn't exactly unpleasant back in Walnut Valley... but there is a certain feeling to being a free man that no amount of comforts can overcome."
His smile fades a bit.
"I wouldn't mind a bit of scribe work though."
"I've been helping Volos out here around the guild, but there isn't as much work as I would like. Volos runs a very well ordered place here."
"Volos is very good about that. I sometimes wonder what he gets out of it."
The young man thinks on what he says next.
"You know of shocker lizards? That is indeed an obscure peace of knowlege. You are the first to take notice of her in such a...learned...appreciation. More than just a scibe, I'd wager? Most scribes are learned...but I'd also wager that you are versed well."
"I... I read a lot."
"Even before I ... before I had to leave."
"I even wrote a few."
And there wasn't much to do in my off time at Mister Moneys. And he had a fairly extensive library."
He casts another glance at Zap.
"I actually thought your lizard was a young dragon when I first saw it."
He blushes more.
"I actually came in here to study your archer techniques."
"I thought perhaps it might be useful to have the proper way of doing it written down to make it easier to teach to others. I tried with Hermy and his students, but their technique is a bit... unorthodox."
"If a good example of archery is what you seek I fear you are mistaken. I may be a little co-ordinated, but skill is not mine to claim such."
"I am mage, of the hightower. Cooped up during a party I sadly didn't allow myself to be aware of. This also contributes to my lack of practice in shooting one of these."
Zap spots a mouse, and darts her fastest to catch the rodent. Tynk is still surprised at the little one's speed. He focuses on the conversation.
"My membership here at the guild is somewhat contradictory, and that is why you write of a mage studying martial practices...not a thing very heard of among such people."
Tynk blushes a bit.
"I, myself, ramble. I really don't practice martial matters too often. I find them...necessary, however."
His mood darkens for a short moment. He remains relaxed though, and takes a deep breath.
"It's your lack ok skill that makes you such a good study. You are sticking to the basics."
"No quick draw shots, or behind the back aiming, or between the legs."
"Just taking a decent stance and firing."
"The kind of thing to show someone who is just learning."
He winks.
[color=purple]"A wizard weilding weapons doesn't seem all that strange to me. Most that I have met have."
"Cassius with his thin sword, and Kywyn and you with your crossbows."
"And though she wasn't weilding one at the party, I suspect Dame Mirrielle knows her way around them as well."
"And those are just the ones I've met."
"The stories are filled with tales of wizards weilding weapons."
"Coldwyne of Grazneiv and his harpoon that could be thrown for miles. Thandranis the Green and his magic longbow. Whajaman Spearman, the warrior-wizard. Zavekek-Ohler of the Vermillian Order and his life draing sword. Fergus Firefingers, had that sword that burst into flames when drawn... Oh, and plenty more."
"I'd say you are in rather good company."
"Or will be if you keep up at it."[/color]
"I take your compliment kindly, and wont let it get to my head."
He winks to the elder.
"Wow, you know many people here already...in just a few short months. Say, have you met Donnavin? I think Hermy calls him Dumbovin. He is a great big ox with a huge axe...but really a teddy-bear underneath."
"I have met his cat though.... No wait. That was someone named Private Arc."
He shrugs.
"Just how many bog ox like axe weilders do you have here in the guild... Private Arc, Donnavin, Sir Gamis. Am I missing any others?"
"I've met Sir Gamis. Teddy bear isn't a word I'd use to describe him."
"I haven't actually seen his axe. I'm curios too though. From the description of it, it sounds like it might be mithril. I've never actually seen mithril."
"And as I mentioned, I've met Private Arcs cat. Much better behaved then my sons beasts."
"But I haven't heard of this Donnavin fellow."
"Is there some reason you mentioned him?"
"That man is quite a warrior...I would think he would be a good write."
"I haven't seen him in quite some time, been so busy with my studies at the tower and my lab."
"Perhaps he's off adventuring. I'm sure my son can't be involved in all of them."
"Regardless of what Minto says."
Hermy Sr. nods.
"It seems this place has a lot of folk who would make good characters in a story."
"I'm sure you have a few stories of your own."
. o O (That hatchling nearly killed us...)
"I...we killed a young dragon in defense, a small group of us. The fact that I am alive I am greatful for."
"I fear the repercussions of my actions, though...in the grand-sceme. I am a mere mortal and slew a creature of the gods...and know deep in my heart I am forever marked."
"There was an evil druid enslaving locals from a small town and turning them into plant-zombies. The dragon happened by not too long after we were forced to execute the lost-cause in defense."
"Come to think of it Zap happened by and saw me strike at the dragon with a lightning spell."
"...A wherewolf who dominated a ville. I did little more than fight for my life and knock a few wolves out with a spell."
"...Before that though a halfling stabbed me twice while we chased him. Man was he fast. I was lucky for the healing arts of my comrads."
"...and then the blood troll, simply a beast of a witch. I pondered which I feared more, her magic or her prowess in combat."
"Oh my! Another dragon in the area? In addition to the one my son slew, and the ones that were part of the disaster at Hent Manvelin. This is certainly not a good omen."
"I wouldn't worry about being marked by the gods for it though. If it was not the Mother's will for that dragon to be slain, then it would not have been. She won't mark someone for revenge. Her sons perhaps, but even they bow before Her."
"Though I'm not saying she didn't have a hand in it. Shocker lizards are not common to this area. At least no more then dragons are. Perhaps it was the Mothers will that lead you there to slay the dragon."
"And certainly it was her will that the druid be dealt with."
He blinks.
"A werewolf? Even surviving being in the area one hunts in seems plenty brave to me."
"My son, Hermy Jr., mentioned something about a wererat around here too. Something to do with Private Arc, but whatever that was it appears they dealt with it."
"Still, the city doesn't seem as safe as when I was here before. If I had known it was this dangerous I might have packed up my boys an.... and left."
"I should have done that anyhow."
Any trace of good cheer drains from his face as he wipes away some tears. He takes a few minutes to regain his compusure.
"I'm sorry about that. It's just that I... It's hard knowing that your sons grew up without you. Would things have been different had I been here? Hermy certainly turned out well, but would Kirby have?"
"I would never have believed a son of mine, any halfling, actually capable of the things I've heard about him."
"Twenty years ago, I'd probably thought you a loon with your tale of being stabbed by a halfling, well unless it was a halftuck, but even then, I would not have thought one capable of murder."
"Now..."
He wipes away a few more tears
"Please go on.. Ah yes. The Bloodtroll."
"She certainly must have been frightening. Even Minto hasn't turned that tale into a rousing epic of my sons success."
"And to think... She's still out there."
He shudders.
He hides the surprise well and thinks better of saying anything.
"Most halfling I have met are joys to those around them, I assure you."
He also thinks better of mentioning the two halflings that had robbed him in the market square as well.
"She certainly was a demon. Her orcs waded through our mud trap in the pass and she didn't hesitate to fly (she had wings) into our midsts of most of the silver sword at the time and tear into us. We held the pass for a few days and escaped with our lives, though we all had feared the worst for Mirielle."
He shudders as well at the mentioning of her still being alive.
"The only reason I would ever want to meet her again is to stop her from hurting more people and causing more chaos."
"I don't think I would be capable of that feat..."
"If push came to shove I think you would find yourself more then capable."
"I think anyone that can find the power to shoot lightening out of their fingers should not have a problem conquerering his fears."
"I pray you are correct, though, but more that you never have to be proven right or wrong."
A silence is shared between the two and Tynk wonders to himself. Eventually, he goes back to his crossbow...nails a perfect bullseye to his own surprise as he continues their conversation.
"I am comming to a time in my life where things aren't so easy. No matter how hard things get there always seems to be someone with it worse, though."
"I guess I kinda cling to that, that things could always be worse...Blood Trolls or no."
"It's thoughts like that, that helped me make it through the last few years."
"I may have been a slave of sorts, but my life was certainly better then many of the people who live here in the city."
"At least I never had to worry where my next meal was coming from."
"I am grateful, overall."
"And I have plenty of friends. In fact, the list grows."
He turns his head for the last remark to meet eyes, then turns back. He takes careful aim and fires, shotting a clean shot near the bullseye.
"I hope we can be friends, Hermy. If ever you need anything, ask. Do me the honor and allow me to help however I may."
"I don't have need of much now, though the book collection here is lseverly lacking."
"Dragons, demons, and aimless grudges are numerous it seems. But for some reason I feel..." shoots, "...ever safer. Seeing the heros around me whom I draw such examples to fallow."
"Ran, master of a calm fury."
"Hermy Jr. ...Minto...et. all. A boon to those about for the joy they bring."
"Mirielle and Gamis, who have love enough each to bless so many about them with."
"Natala, whos wisdom has yet to hint at having bounds."
"Aria's courage..." he pauses.
. o O (...a foolish youth I was. I hope she is well.)
His latest bolt sticks fully in the center by a little.
"So many new faces about, whom I pray Agathalos protect them. I hope they weigh their risks well too, and for the just causes. Only this will truly protect us from the dark things of this world."
Calmly he practices holstering the weapon on his back, managing quite well.
. o O (Don't let it get to your head, Tynk. And stop talking to yourself!)
He calms himself almost to a standing meditation, retrieving the bolts in silence not even broken by the halfling's soft scribbles.
"Ah, you are a follower of the Lightbringer then? It does seem to fit with a hero's lifestyle more."
"Honestly, I'm surprised Hermy prefers the Mother."
"From what I've seen, his views tend to be more black and white, then the greyness of the Mothers philosophy."
Ponders the last thought a moment.
"My full name is Tynk Waverstone. You can find me at the Hightower. 'Mr. Waverstone' they call me, ha! I am not even 18 years of age yet."
"I am grateful for your time and wisdom, but I should be getting to my lab now. Natala tells me she has a house-call tonight and needs me to watch things at the shop."
"It was very good to meet you, Hero's father."
. o O (Where are all the people I am used to seeing about?)
Decidedly he walks over to come up a short distance behind the seated gnome, then politely anounces himself by lightly clearing his throat.
Zap bounces off to peak about.
"Huh! What! Sunnyduck what are you... Oh."
Looks sheepishly at the young man and forces a chuckle.
"Sorry, I guess I dozed off."
Extends his hand low for the Gnome, despite his own short hieght.
"My name is Tynk Waverstone. Are you a member or just doing buisiness here?"
His tone is polite.
"I am indeed doing business here. Actually I'm doing business in the slums, but I hope to find some business to do here. You see I'm trying to find people that can teach easily learnable skills and I ran into a man named, Valos? No, no, Volo? Volos who said I could find like-minded people here at the Silver Spoon Adventurer's Guild. Is that right?"
. o O (Whoo, got to calm down. Still, I hadn't expected to doze off like that.)
Moves his hands dramatically as he talks.
"I am not certain Volos knows how to teach, but I think I know what you are asking."
"..."
"Like-minded people? I must say you have been a little vague on exactly what you are going about. Buisiness in the slums? People who can teach?"
. o O (Oh! I must have been talking so so so fast.)
:D "I'm sorry, I'll start over. My names Treetrip Dangleroot sheriff to be of Gullyban here in Garic's city working on a really big project in the slums to train the inhabitants easy to learn and low cost trade skills that we can then use to sell less expensive goods inside and outside the city so as to raise living style and reduce crime rates in the slums as well as provide cheaper goods for the people in Garic's City and I'm looking for people that have a teachable knowledge of simple trade skills like stitching, sewing, and brick laying to help me teach the slum inhabitants said trade skills and Volos said I could find "like-minded" people, although I'm not sure in what sense he means like minded, here are adept in such skills."
Inhale.
"So I'm here!" :D
"Um...well. That is a noble cause, and I am certain there are many people from this guild that would be willing to help. I myself would love to see some of Thalos' wisdom reach the slums."
"And skills are a gift that goes a long way. You seems to have the right idea. There are others you could seek help from too, or in the least some sound advise."
"Gullyban...Gullyban. I know that name."
"Ah! Small hamlet of gnomes some fifty miles from here, if I am not mistaken. Sheriff you say?"
"But I'm learning!" In a burst of enthusiasm. "I've already dealt with a mugging and a pick pocketing." :D
"That is good."
Still, already he liked the gnome.
"Say, after all that practice I am famished. Care to join me for lunch?"
Zap bounds up from the shadows she hunts the mice and rats from, snapping a shock once.
"We eat?!"
"I'd enjoy that, but one of the guards has gone to get Volos. And, well, it would be pretty rude of me not to be here when he arrives." shrugs.
"Of course if he gets here first that wouldn't be a problem at all. I guess it just depends on where he is." shrugs again.
Starts unexpectedly as the tiny lizard begins shocking and popping with electricity.
. o O (Whoa... Probably shouldn't touch him. I wonder if he could be used to help with the project... No, better not dwell on it. I don't see how electricity could ever be a big business.)
"Very well, we shall wait for him together then."
Tynk takes a seat in front of Treetips makeshift chair-bed and makes himself at home, pulling some dried fruit and bred out of a rolled cloth from his sack. He leans his crossbow and staff against the table next to him.
"Cleaning up the slums is a very big job, and you are wise to seek help."
"Have you tried the churches or the city palace for what programs currently exist for such things?"
. o O (I'll probably have tp think of a different way to address the issue to churches. They're not the same as people in the market square.)
Looks at the little lizard.
"So, Zap? Does she like to do things like other pets? You know, fetch, or roll over? Or hide in your sister's bed and move around so you can tell her its 'a really big bedbug' and laugh?
Although with such a little charged fellow I don't think it would be very funny if she got in bed without noticing her. So probably not. But still, it'd be a really good trick."
. o O (Whatever a bed bug is...I'll have to look that up.)
Chews on some dried fruit and relaxes in silence to slow things down a little. He also tosses some dried meat to Zap, who skillfully snatches it from the air with a quick bounce and wanders off.
"Five days, wow..."
The young man turns in his chair to face the gnome.
"Welcome to Garics, Treetrip!"
"So, what does she eat? I've never seen a tiny electric lizard before."
As Zap looks to him he tosses her another chunk of venison, the poor throw she deftly makes up. Tynk leans back comfortably, in no hurry.
"What brought you to take on such a task, sheriff danglefoot? Teaching the less fortunate is noble, but what skills will you teach them and why will they want to learn?"
The poor mouse didn't have a chance. Once she sprang with an amazing burst she lept across the room. Although the mouse was smart enough to react quickly and scuttle a lateral direction to the hungry monster, he only made it three feet from his place before the lizard came to stop with a few quick bounces were the mouse once stood and changed direction to come up behind her kill. A spark marked her stop and crossed her horns to strike at the rodent as she tilted her head slightly.
The rodent lay and Tynk could see it breathing. Zap scoops the kill in her mouth and bounces out an open window. The young man shakes his head.
"Excuse me, the question is rude. I am sure there are many persons to be found who would take the help kindly, and with this they could improve things around them. It is the best idea I have heard suggested yet to accomplish such a goal.
"I cannot speak for the 'Silver Sword', but I most certainly will offer my help in any way I can be useful. I am busy, but find myself with more spare time as of late and find this endevour to be most promising.
"And I am certain there are other members of the guild who would find this idea attractive as well, and there is much wisdom to be found in it's people. I encourage you not to stop visiting the guild to meet them.
As for me, I will see what I can squander in the ways of help and knowledge. We should colaborate in the neer future, no?"
Watches the lizard with rapt attention.
. o O (Woooooow. Shes so fast!)
"Actually, in the very beginning we'd probably see alot of work with no pay. But I guess thats how most things are in life. I don't think Hermy the Hero got paid before he took on the dragon. But when he'd finished it it was worthwhile."
"Is there a guild member name list? I'm just so new that I don't really know who to be looking for at all, or even if I'd be wasting someone's time. After all, I don't think we're going to start up a gem-cutting business with newly trained individuals." ;)
"I don't know how many people can learn such a trade. It is a series of temperature, pressure, and time sensetive calculations, not to mention the vast number of ways any given material can be broke down and re-worked. There has to be something else I can do to help..."
"I got it! I'll help in classes. I do a lot of studying and in tutalage, and would make a great mentor's aid."
"I would not expect pay for this. I have been trying to find a way to better serve the wise son."
His hand unconsciously goes to his chest and presses on something hard beneath his shirt as he continues.
"What better way than to stregthen our weakest link. It's perfect, and may Thalos grant us wisdom in approaching such a bold move."
In a short silence that follows he thinks, munching on a leftover dried fruit. He swallows and speaks up.
"Volos knows most of the people here at the guild, but I think you'd be better off making a good post on the wanted board. Many members here aren't necesarily after pay...in fact most are here to find ways to be useful to those in need."
"A post on the wanted board? That sounds like a place where you put criminal's pictures! I'm trying to help those slums individuals with few other choices leave criminality."
Sits aback quite shocked.
. o O (Suprise!)
Points to a board with a few posts on it...mostly guard duty requests and payment for pairs of goblin ears.
"I am sure if a post is placed there the members will at least consider the notion."
Listens closely and hears the barely audible footsteps of an older man.
Volos: "Ah, good afternoon Master Waverstone. I see you have met this interesting young gnome. Master... Dangleroot?"
Treetrip: "Danglefoot."
Volos: "Yes, of course. I assume you've come to enlist the aid of the silver sword adventurers' guild then?"
Treetrip: Looks at Tynk. "Mm-hm! Tynk suggested I post a note on the help wanted board."
Volos: [i]Gives Tynk an astute eye, "That is excellent advice Master Waverstone. Thank you for sharing it with our friend. I do apologize however, Master Danglefoot, but a large portion of the guild is currently out on business right now. It will take a while for you to get a response."
Treetrip: Sigh. "Well, late is better than never, right!?"
"In the meantime, I have a suggestion. How about you and I go for a walk through the slums and you can point out what you have noticed so far. I have never seen them to know exactly how bad it is there."
"In fact, sadly I have forgotten about them in my busy schedual, it is do time. What do you say Treetrip?"
"That'd be a great way to get a second opinion on a course of action! Hmm, do either of you have a piece of paper and an ink bottle? I didn't really expect to be making a sign to advertise."
. o O (...ding ding ding! Signs! That could be going somewhere.)
"And thank you so much for directing me here Mr. Volos. I think this will be an excellent place to recruit help!" :D
Volos: "Certainly, and you are welcome Master Dangleroot. I only hope we can be of better assistance when more of our members become availible."
Volos retrieves first the paper and quill, then a meal of beef stew as the Gnome and the youth write. Tynk folds his own when finished and burns some wax to seal. With a few wiggles of his finger and inch away a seal is imprinted and colored of a small dark blue shield with a blue tear inside. He hands this to Volos at the desk.
"Nothing priority, but see that Gamis gets this when he returns please."
Volos nods slightly and Tynk returns to the table where Treetrip still writes, stops, then writes again.
"Need any help? My writing has been known to either look good...or get me in trouble."
And Zap returns through the same window, a silent, blue-blurr. Tynk sends her a message.
. o O (Your meal is apparent, clean yourself please.)
The blood that lines the lower left jaw quickly sizzles, smokes, and turns to ash that she shakes her head to loose it. She bounces lightly over near Tynk and lays beside him for rest and digestion, emmiting a single slight spark that snaps subtly.
"Yum."
Writes
Wanted: Persons trained in easily taught skills for assistance in the training of Slums inhabitants so as to improve their level of living and the economic strength of Garic's City and its exports. Contact Treetrip Danglefoot, currently stay at Nobody's Inn
Looks at the note and smiles, then realizes he wrote everything in gnomish and turns the paper over, rewriting it in Common.
"There." Plops out of his seat and scurrys over tot he message board, hanging it as high as his little gnomish body allows him to.
"Wow, lunch? Thanks alot Mr. Tynk. I really appreciate it. And thank you very much as well Mr. Volos, I hope that we'll get replies as soon as your Guildsmen get back from wherever they are!" :D
Walks over to Tynk's chair and smiles, collecting the lunch fixed for them by Volos and heading over to the door.
Writes
Wanted: Persons trained in easily taught skills for assistance in the training of Slums inhabitants so as to improve their level of living and the economic strength of Garic's City and its exports. Contact Treetrip Danglefoot, currently stay at Nobody's Inn
Looks at the note and smiles, then realizes he wrote everything in gnomish and turns the paper over, rewriting it in Common.
"There." Plops out of his seat and scurrys over tot he message board, hanging it as high as his little gnomish body allows him to.
"Wow, lunch? Thanks alot Mr. Tynk. I really appreciate it. And thank you very much as well Mr. Volos, I hope that we'll get replies as soon as your Guildsmen get back from wherever they are!" :D
Walks over to Tynk's chair and smiles, collecting the lunch fixed for them by Volos and heading over to the door.
His crossbow slung, he grabs his pack and staff and checks to be certain his saphire and platnum headband is secure and hidden beneath his dark-brown cloth one.
. o O (Can't be flashing that around now.)
"I am ready."
Zap jumps to and bounces past Tynk to the door, and Tynk stops to pick up a chair she managed to relocate. Then the three of them exit and head directly east.
To Elsewhere
From what I gather you two have been very busy keeping things sane and safe for us...I hope all is well.
I have taken upon myself to become familiar with the inquiry of client to the Silver Sword, future-appointed Sheriff Treetrip Danglefoot of Gullyban.
He means to dedicate his efforts to improving the conditions of the lower housing districts, particularly by teaching valuable and productive skills to the needy. Our weakest link could do well to be strengthened, and I see this as worth some efforts.
We will asses the current topical state of the slums and make a report. Currently we seek persons with valuable skills to train willing individuals and help in bolstering the economy in these areas. We plan to tour them, check with the city and churches, and gather every resource we can muster in this effort.
I don't know why, but it feels such an effort is essential to our survival. Perhaps this gnome is on to something in our war for peace, and I ask either of you for advise or help should you review the reports I make. I will leave them with Volos.
My prayers with you both and wisdom light your ways.
*Oskar does not find sleep as fast as his brother does, when he lays down he says a quiet prayer to Agathalos, his diety. Then he stays awake for an hour before he finally falls asleep from exhaustion. During his time awake his thoughts drift back to the time when he almost died in the sewer, he begins to shake with fear, then something deep inside of him tells him to stop. His body relaxes and a feeling burst out of him, something that he has not felt since his days as a fighter in his family's clans. He wonders what this feeling is that he is just able to shrug away the fear of death, when it dawns on him. Courage.
OoC: Oskar takes 3 points of Dex and 1 point of Con damage.
"Ye stay here Oskar, rest as much as possible, I'm gonna go get a cleric of Agathalos, I'm sure he'll know what ter do. In the mean time, I'll get Volos up here ter check up on ye periodically, then I'll get Ham ter cook up some warm soup and some honey tea, I'm sure it'll make ye feel better, I'll be back soon fer ye me brudder."
*Oskar hears his brother talk to him, yet it seems faint, he doesn't try to get it, he lays down and closes his eyes, hoping that this will just pass away. He nods his head to his brother as he leaves then he rests and prays to Agathalos.
"Volos, if ye can do me a favor, me brudder is sick, if ye don't mind could ye just check in on him whenever ye get the chance? I hope it's not something serious, but I'd just like fer ye ter make sure he's resting."
*Volos looks at Aramil with a hint of compassion in his eyes.
"Why of course Master Aramil, I shall look in on him whenever I get the chance, I would never forgive myself if the cold spreads around here to all of us."
*Aramil smiles and bows to Volos, who mearly nods his head in return. Then Aramil turns and heads to the kitchen, where Ham is there cooking up some breakfast. Aramil quickly speaks to him.
"Ham if ye don't mind, would ye be willin ter make be brudder some soup and some tea? He's sick right now, and I'm hoping this might make him feel a little better, though I'm sure it won't cure him. Would ye be willin ter make it?"
*Ham wips his hands on his apron while he is thinking, then he nods his head. Aramil smiles and bows to him in return. Ham turns around and goes back to making breakfast, and an idea for what kinda of soup to make pops in his mind. He gathers the ingredients and begins making the soup. Aramil sees this and smiles, then he turns around again and starts to make his way to the church to get a cleric to check up on his brother.
*To the Church of Agathalos*
"Oh I can't wait to meet this brother of yours, I meam I thought it was grand that I finally met another dwarf, but two, my oh my!"
*Aramil finally manages to get her hand off him and stand up straight. He stops and speaks to her."
"I know ye are all excited about this, but ye need ter calm down, I don't want ye ter be screwin up er anythin like that. Please calm down, afterwards I'll spend some time with ye while me brudder is restin up."
*Aramil looks to Gottrsidottir to see if she will calm down and he sighs when she nods her head. Aramil nods his head back and slowly leads her to his room. When he gets there he opens the door and escourts her in.
"Oh my oh my, he really does look bad. Let me take a look at him."
*She quickly walks over to Oskar's bed and looks over him a couple times, using her extensive knowledge of injuries to see how to treat him. After some time of examining Oskar she reaches down to grab her stuff when she notices it's not there.
"Oh dear!"
"What is Oskar hurt badly?"
"Well no he's not that badly injured but I'll be able to cure him, however I don't have my stuff with me. So I'll have to go back to the temple to get it. Sorry, I was too excited to realize that we left without gathering my things."
*Aramil rolls his eyes and sighs, then an idea comes to him.
"Wait a second, me brudder is a cleric just like ye, I'm sure he has some scrolls er somethin in his pack."
*Gottrsidottir's expression changes from a sad one to a happy one in the blink of an eye. She nods her head and waits for Aramil to rummage through his brothers stuff. Aramil finds some scrolls, but he can't tell the difference between them, so he brings all of them to her. Gottrsidottir takes a couple of minute discerning which one's she can use and lets out a cry of joy when she finds a couple of scrolls that she can use. She quickly grabs two of them and goes over to Aramil's brother. Then she recites the words on the paper and flows into her motions for the spell. Within moments the spells take effect on Oskar and he feels better, though slowly. He opens his eyes and with a groan of pain looks around to see his brother and another dwarf cleric.
"Agathalos bless me, another dwarf cleric...."
*That's all that he gets out before he falls into a deep slumber from the exhaustion of the disease. Gottrsidottir sighs and thanks Agathalos for the spells that worked. She looks over Oskar again to make sure that he seems fine, then turns to Aramil.
"Your brother is fine now, albeit he is just resting. I'm sure if you let him sleep the day off he'll be fine tomorrow morning. Now, where would you like to go?"
"Go, go where? I want ter stay here and look over me brudder."
"Your brother is fine, I can assure you that Aramil. You said that you would spend some time with me after I healed him didn't you?"
*She looks to Aramil with a sad expression on her face, pouting almost. Aramil sighs, remembering all to well his words. He nods his head and leads her out of his room, after a couple shouts of joy from her. He takes Volos aside and explains to him that Oskar is fine, and he will be out talking with the cleric. Volos nods his head, and with that Aramil leads Gottrsidottir outside to walk around Garics street's. They talk while they walk and not long after Aramil and Gottrsidottir become friends, something Aramil finds out later that he doesn't mind.
((ooc: Gottrsidottir used 2 of Oskar's Lesser Restoration scrolls to heal him. He's also going to be sleeping the rest of the day, so that should be enough to remove the disease.))
*Oskar looks very odd at his brother, he feels much better now, though he is still a little weak. He shakes his head and lays back down in his bed, falling fast asleep.
.oO(If I didn't say so meself, it seems to me that Aramil is in love....)
Volos? Volos!
The unflappable major domo appears as if by magic, "Yes, Dame Dyer? You seem in a bit of a rush, I do hope there is nothing untoward going on..."
I'm afraid there is, Volos. Is Aramil available? Or any of the others? Kywyn is in need of rescue -- or, more probably recovery. He went into the sewers and didn't come out again!
Volos pauses, his eyes widening. "Oh, dear. I'm so sorry, but Master Aramil and his brother were with that group. They haven't been back today, and... Oh dear."
Mirielle pales, closes her eyes, and whispers, Oh... no.
Coming to Miri's side, he catches her color and expression. "What's wrong?"
Volos says that Aramil was with Kywyn, and the cleric too. Apparently the cleric was Aramil's brother, Oskar. They haven't come back...
They must have found something terribly dangerous down there, Gamis.
"No Aramil, no Darkar or Silmarwen, or Hermy or Minto, no Ran, no Aric..."
.oO(What are we going to do?)
"I'm anxious to talk to NaShae's witness now."
.oO(How have we been so weakened?)
"I practice often enough now, and come to do so today. Take care you two, and the Wise be with you."
Turns and makes his way to the practice room.
"Hold on, Tynk... I think we're going to need your help."
"Is it a study, or a hunt?"
A look of concern crosses his face.
"Does Nashae know?"
A look is all he needs for an answer to that. Although he didn't know the two too well, having last seen them at Alissa's resurection, he is certain Nashae must be most stressed.
"Look, let me gather some things from Natala's. I have a store of alchemy creations there that may prove useful, and I left my staff at the hightower. Where and when can we meet?"
"The sewers..." He says with controlled distaste.
A simple nod and a look at Volos, he exits the guild and heads accross the street through the warehouse alley, walking quickly and planing to cut through the large buildings to the river and south to cross the bridge.
[b]To Hightower[/b]
"Nashae seems resolute. She bought a lot of curative potions in preparation and will join us here, as will Boirin after Natala accompanies him to the temple for healing.”
Volos brings a quite a few sandwiches on a platter and Tynk eats one, more out of preparation to necessity than flavor and drinking it down with a healthy swig of water. He finishes two sandwiches rather quickly that way.
Boirin walks into the Guild hall, and sees Miri, Gamis, and Tynk. He also sees the sandwiches. Oh well here we go.
"Well, hello everyone. Lady Mirrielle, Sir Gamis, Master Tynk, I wish that I wouldn't have to use such a poor cercumstance to go adventuring with you all, but the thing down there was just too strong."
"We snagged Tynk; he was at the right place at the right time. I suppose we're just waiting on NaShae and anyone she managed to muster, and Cousin Natala, too, if she'll be joining us."
He offers his hand to shake. "Have a seat for now. Tynk said you needed healing?"
She pushes all her grief and fear away, knowing she needs to be strong to get Kywyn back.
He is thankful when he notices Boirin's improved color and energy, and gives him an encouraging nod.
"Yeah I did, Natala healed me, and I got healing at the Temple of Ordemetretrix, but I don't need it so much now. There is still some damage from the sickness I caught, but I can function with it. I am no longer short of breath or slowed by a curse."
"So, my question to all you big long term adventurers is, what is a lich?"
A lich?
A lich is the most powerful goal of a necromancer...
She blushes, embarassed, I mean, of an evil necromancer, of course. I'm a necromancer, and of course I would never... certainly not...
Well, a lich is a necromancer that has transformed herself into a deathless state.
Looking to Miri, she frowns, speaking quietly, "Do you think Volos would make me some tea?"
Placing her hand briefly on the elf's shoulder in reassurance, Miri goes to the kitchen door and peeks in, requesting tea.
A few minutes later, Codo delivers a tray to the meeting room, managing to set it on the table with no spills.
"Hmmm, death magic. Not suprising since there were the undead things down there as well, but we killed them at any rate. Or at least I assume that if it could control more undead than the ones we killed it would have brought them to bear against us. Then again it made fine work of our party without any aid at all."
He finishes his statement taking a bite of the sandwich. He pulls out his silver flask, looks at it, and puts back away on his belt.
.oO(Not now...)
He looks at the pot of tea and pours himself a cup, drinking it slowly thinking in between bites of his meal. He viscously tries to repress some memories from this morning that keep coming to mind.
"Old friend of ours wanted to continue searching the sewers for them. He was killed before we could go. This thing may have been the source."
Gamis looks to his fiancé. "Do you remember the name of that necromancer, dear? The one Jaeger wanted to look for?"
Her eyes take on a distant look as she adds, Just imagine what we could learn from it, though, if we find it...
"The wizard, his name is Eldorash, or some such thing like that. He was apparently banned from the Hightower for digging into "Dark secrets not meant to be known by the likes of man." Ulerian had dug up some dirt on him back at the Hightower."
Her eyes narrow as she thinks.
For example, I could cast a spell that would make me virtually immune to ordinary arrows, for a while at least, while a lich is immune to electricity, body-changing (what we call 'polymorphing) spells, and mind-affecting effects. Also, they can paralyze with their touch, so try to stay out of its reach, if you would.
"Ulerian was a wizard, from the hightower, I've adventured with him before. He never mentioned the fact that this bugger down there was tough as a ogre and as mean as a demon as well as being a powerful spell slinger. He also just rubbed me the wrong way, I didn't like him too much."
"That thing down their burnt him to a crisp, but its not like Ulerian hasn't died before."
At Mirielles comment Boirin darkens visibly and he seems to be far away when he answers.
"Yeah those abilities describe it pretty well, except for the bit where it would touch you and you just died. Like what he did to Aramil, and Kywyn and Oskar. He just touched them. He didn't give me the touch, though."
"You're right about the paralyzing thing, he did that to Kywyn before he killed him."
Shaking off the thousand furlong stare, Boirin pulls himself back to the table and the Heros around him.
"Paralysis, eh? Like a ghoul. I know a good spell for removing its effect, but it's not ready today."
Gamis looks over the three scrolls NaShae brought and explained. He sets aside the cure critical wounds and remove disease ones. "This spell's beyond me but probably not Natala, and I can duplicate this one's effect a few times a week." He pats the lesser restoration scroll. "This one I know I can use, and it may come in handy if it can drain energy or strength from us."
"So, there something else that bothered me about the Lich, my sword was ineffective against it, even before it cursed me. The only thing that really did damage was Oskar's spells. Do you know why?"
Then he chills at the mentioning of a werewolf and he recalls a time. Having kept silent he decides to take his mind off of it by speaking his more important thoughts.
"I don't know much of necromancy and liches, more or less than the next mage at least. I do know that this thing can cast spells and we cannot let it do that. We need to locate it before it is aware and give it everything we've got."
"Bolted lightning may not be able harm it, but if he has had enough time to replenish his undead soldiers or summons a monster, I may be able to bring havok to them thus."
"But expect a significant burst of celerity at some point, only to last...oh, forgive me."
He blushes.
"I have a handful of useful spells at my disposal. I carry my own health potions, so count me out of the divy. These items" waves to the alchemy creations quickly a little excited and scared. "are for whoever thinks they can use them well."
"I think that's all of us, now. Boirin, would you please tell us what happened?"
"Well, it started when Ulerian, the wizard from the Hightower, approaced us about an advenutre. It would be dangerous and secret, we were to tell no one of it. I have now broken this vow since secrecy has only brought us death and pain."
"We were to track down a mage, Eldorash, a dark man, who dabbled in necromancery and went too far. He was expelled from the hightower and dissappeared without ever leaving town. Ulerian had tracked him down his possition in the sewers and he had had a map made."
"So we went down there, at first we were caught up with more minor undead, at first some undead snakes, then something more powerful, very very dry. Its touch got Aramil very sick, and we were just able to kill it."
"We had to take Aramil up to Natala to get healed, we rested two days, and went back down. Then we were attacked by a big zombie, it almost killed me before Aramil hacked it into peices. I lost three toes that day."
"Then after resting another two days we went down, and thats when we found it. The lich. First he summoned a cloud of stinking, virilent fumes which caused me and Ulerian to loose control and break down vomiting. Then the lich burnt Ulerian to a crisp, I didn't see how. The fumes dispelled he walked up into the chamber, and I remeber his worlds exactly.'Oh there is a whole band of you, how quaint.'"
"Then it proceeded to kill everyone but me. First it touched Aramil and he died. Then it paralyzed Kywyn. It cursed me, took away my speed and agility. Then it walked over to Kywyn and punched him, playfully. Oskar and I tryed to stop it but then it touched Kywyn and he fell to the ground, dead."
"Then it was just Oskar and I, I tryed to light it on fire with my oil and my lantern, I eventually got that to work, but the Lich seemed unfased by that. Then Oskar cast a bunch of spells on it. Burning beams of light and then, his hands would glow bright white and he would touch it, like healing spells, but it burnt the flesh of the Lich. By this point it had blinded Oskar and I was using Aramil's axe."
He gestures to the axe strapped to his back.
"Since my sword wasn't doing too much. Then it gave Oskar the touch and he died. I ran, as fast as I could but he made me sick. Then I went to Natala's for healing, and you know the rest of the story from there."
"That is the whole of my tale."
Boirin carefully omits that, had Natala not been at the shop, he'd be dead. He looks at the Heroes, waiting for questions.
"How many spells did it cast, then?" he asks with a glance at Miri, hoping she can learn something from the answer.
"First it summoned up the stinking cloud, then it cast a fire spell on Ulerian, then it cursed me, it sucked out Oskar's strength, it blinded him, and then it made me sick. Yeah thats all of them I think, at least that day, it also summoned the cloud on us when we first went down there."
"I remember reading that the forebidden rituals to becomming one are very difficult to master. Thus the beast is made of a person who is capable of such a feat. Who knows what power it may have amassed since his death beyond that."
A thought occures.
"Did Ulerian say of how long ago Eldorash performed the ritual?"
He strains his brain, coming up empty handed for more details other than the name.
Considers a moment then gets up to open the window. In bounces his familiar.
"Meet Zap, she can make a good, fast pair of eyes and ears. She is my familiar."
Zap approaches Mirielle, curiously eyeing the ferrit in her lap as the mage reclaims his seat. Her head perks up and a shock of electricity shoots between the two horns jutting from her bullet-shaped head.
"No, Zap. You cannot eat the ferrit. In fact, that one has a feirce bite so be careful."
"One of these days I will have to have someone explain to me what exactly a familiar is. I'm guessing mage's pet is a bit simplistic and doesn't ellaborate on the powers they develop."
To the group at large, she continues:
"I assume all here intend to join this... expedition. Forgive me, please, for steering this conversation in a new direction, and I don't wish to interrupt the productive flow of information; but when do we expect to start out, and what is our aim? Will we be taking time to gather information and resources? And do we seek a mere... retrieval..."
.oO(Forgive me, NaShae, but it had to be said.)
"...or are we intent on retribution?"
Boirin looks around at those present. A dagger falls from inside his sleeve. He cleans his nails with it.
Shakes his head, speaking a little slower. He chooses his words carefuly.
"Problem is we don't have much time. The idea of one or more survivors, or in a ressurection, may lie in our immediate action."
"However if we act too hastely, we may end up relying on a rescue or worse."
Looks at Mirielle.
"Would the Hightower offer aid in this, to hunt down one of thier renegade mages? I am afraid I know little of the politics."
"Give it time to recover, and it could bring us down just as easily. If we delay, let's not make it for long."
He watches NaShae in his peripheral for a moment but keeps his thought to himself: .oO(Delay may give it time to make use of its new... materials, and we could do without that.)
"Nashae is right, we should avoid conflict if optional."
"Gamis speaks sound advise as well. I have a feeling there is little more to benifit from study and less we can do to prepare. We are ready now as much as we may be, and I say let's go."
"If we are to not re-slay this thing, this Lich, then I ask something of you. If we don't all die horrible painful deaths, and we get the bodies of our comrades out of the sewer without having to fight the lich, I ask that when it is said and done we launch a major expedition into the sewers to find and kill the lich, after we have had time to bring back the fallen and gather more companions."
"I know it sound foolish since I ran away, but I feel that vengance is something my honor demands of me."
He looks down at his cup of tea, and then takes a sip.
"However, someday, this thing will have to go. Given the chance, I'd take Silmarwen with us, and see if we can't find a way to counter some of its magic.
"So, if there's no more short-term preparations we can do--stopping by the Hightower, for instance--we go down there, recover the fallen, and fight if necessary?"
"Cousin Mirielle," Natala says, remembering the wizard's request that she not use a more formal title just in time, "do you know anything of this Eldorash? Could you find anything out from the tower?"
I'm sure I could find something out, but I don't think there's time. If we are not to... she takes a deep breath, Consign the dead to a worse fate, or consign those who might still be alive to death, we must act with all haste.
She glances at NaShae, and bites her lower lip. I don't want to suggest false hopes. It just seems that in the dark and confusion... well, Boirin, are you quite certain they died? You saw them fall, but could any have been taken captive?
Looks at Mirielle.
"Would the Hightower offer aid in this, to hunt down one of thier renegade mages? I am afraid I know little of the politics."
Mirielle smiles wryly. I know that I'm offering my services at no charge.
"Mind where your thirst for vengeance takes you, Boirin. I've seen firsthand what it can do to people, and it's not pretty or productive.
"However, someday, this thing will have to go. Given the chance, I'd take Silmarwen with us, and see if we can't find a way to counter some of its magic.
"So, if there's no more short-term preparations we can do--stopping by the Hightower, for instance--we go down there, recover the fallen, and fight if necessary?"
Mirielle nods. Considering the severity of the danger... I'd like to ask that should I fall, measures be taken to ensure that I do not join the ranks of the undead. I do not personally care for the idea of resurrection, however.
She lets her gaze travel across those assembled, apologetic for the uncomfortable topic.
Having worked on pushing all her emotions down, she listens to the conversation blankly, until they get to going to the tower first. Standing, her eyes narrow and a frown crosses her face, "Go tot the Tower? I thought the idea in meeting here was that we were ready to go. What is this trip to the Tower for? I've spent all but 10 gold in my and Kywyn's money, or at least all I could find, for the potions and scrolls.
I want my life-mate back, now! What could we possibly be waiting for?
"Four flasks is good," he answers Miri's question. "That may be all we have the chance to throw before distance gets closed."
Mirielle stands, helping Ixchal to her place on her shoulder, and glances over at Tynk.
Er, Tynk, while quarterstaff is my favorite weapon as well, I must warn you the sewers are a bit narrow for swinging that...
"My crossbow will be the only weapon I use, with a clear shot if at all, but it is not enchanted."
"Lady Mirrielle, I know to the best of my ability. No one can truly be possitive of death untill you put a bult in their brain case, but this is as good as I know. Anyway, if they weren't dead before I fled he killed them while they were down. I'm sorry for my cowardice, but I could survive or I could die. And my death seemed to mean little more than a sessation of breathing."
"I am ready to go, unfortunately the only magic gear I carry is on my back now and some potions in my bandoleer. However I am as ready as I will ever be."
The paladin gets to his feet as well, picking his axe back up and putting it into his belt. He looks over at Boirin. "Aramil's axe--is it enchanted?" he asks.
"My sword might not work so well either... If the axe was mundane, then I thought maybe magical weapons would work better. Sounds like a mace job, then."
Miri flashes a quick smile at Gamis.
He looks over his pile while the others talk…mostly listening and moving quickly. Having considered much what would be useful, he was still uncertain. Finally he passes two sunrods and two tindertwigs out to each of the force, then places two tanglefoots and one more holy water next to the antitoxins. Three of the acid vials he places in the building pile. To Boirin he responds…
"Although it is only minor, I can place an enchantment on a weapon as well if you plan to wield one against this thing. I also have a spell that can grant every one of us a burst of celerity, to move and act very fast for under a minute.”
He gets a little carried away a moment.
“And I can mask someone in a potent invisibility, allowing she or he to take severe action of combat and casting without disrupting. I cannot say weather this thing can see through it or not, and despite it’s strength it only lasts under a minute. Oh…”
The young man looks down at his pile of alchemy, remembering the time he placed into their being for just such an occasion.
“The antitoxins may be useful to someone planning to directly confront the abomination.”
The last word is said simply, as if he expected no contest to the depiction.
“I pray, however, a confrontation can be avoided for now.”
Boirin reaches out and grabs the vial of holy water. He shoves it into the potion holders on his bandoleer, nestling it next to his two vials of scorpion venom.
"In case it does come to a battle." he shivers a little despite the warm moist air.
He slides one of the small corked bottles to Gamis, then hesitates before handing the other antitoxin to Natala.
"I owe for how long I took to make the first one." he winks to her, and odd mixture with the serious expression on his face.
Then he passes on of the tanglefoots to Boirin without looking up, seeing the bow he carries from his periphial. That and his leathe, muscled frame.
"You look like you may know something of lobbing a tanglefoot to break it over your enemy? He guesses as he absent-mindedly sets a vial of acid next to the tanglefoot for Boirin.
"If we time the tanglefoots together in an attack, we may bring him to a favorable degree of prone. Boirin, how large is this dead thing? Do you remember how fast it is?"
The last tanglefoot he offers to Natala, and passes the last holy water to Nashae and keeping the two final flasks of acid for himself.
"He was man sized. Not gigantic, not terribly small. Maybe a little shorter than me. I can probably toss this thing pretty well. What does it do?"
Boirin takes the tanglefoot bag, stashing it in his kit.
"If we can hit with even two of the three, he would not be able to perform the somatics of his spells very well." he says, hopeful.
"I want my life-mate back, now! What could we possibly be waiting for?
"For me," Natala says, and the pain she feels at saying that shows on her face. "For me to be ready. I've done my best to prepare, if we don't wait a day... but I don't have as much power at my command now as I would tomorrow, and it was selected expecting a day at home, in my own shop. Not... not fighting undead in the sewers."
Her voice grows rough on the last sentence, and she stops to compose herself.
"My arts are not as flexible as yours, Miss NaShae, and I'll be better able to help with a day's notice. Our foe will also be stronger with a day's notice, of course; and I'll come with you regardless. On the other hand, I may be able to help us find out more that will help us if we wait; whereas if we are to leave immediately, it may be best not to waste what could soon be put to more immediate use.
"I leave this decision in your hands," she says, addressing the group at large. "Unless you would prefer that I pray about this decision, for guidance for us all."
"I have the same problem, Cousin--worse, in fact; I'm even less flexible. But it's down six spells, and I think this is an opportunity that shouldn't be wasted."
.oO(But there's always something to be said for deferring to the Mother.)
"How long would you take in prayer?" he asks.
.oO(I guess that settles it, then.)
"Gamis was right before when he said that we should strike quickly. Let us go, speed, I beleive is our greatest friend. And if you speak right about the lich going to use my fallen comrades as 'materials' it is even more pertenant that we move quickly. I know what these men were in life, I don't want to have to fight them in death."
. o O(I cannot believe this Lich's selfish desire for power has brought this upon these good people. This ends tonight!)
He declares his readiness, and knowing there is little time left for debate, sets himself down alone on the floor to pray for the strength of the gathered heros to be enough to set things right until the others are ready as well.
Shae begins to pace at the suggestions of delays. Her eyes narrowing, she looks at each of them, "What help is praying? There are people left there with a necromancer and you want to wait to pray." Grabbing her things, she shakes her head, "I don't want to take the chance of having to kill my own life-mate because we waited. I got scrolls, we're as ready as we will be." She heads to the door of the guild, not looking back to the others, "Take your time, pray. I'm not leaving him there til tomorrow."
Leaping to her feet, Miri darts across and gently puts her arms around NaShae.
NaShae, please! You won't be able to help Kywyn if you aren't in control of yourself.
Everyone here has pledged to help you, but we're going to have to work cooperatively to be effective. I think we're agreed to head out immediately -- I'm sorry, Natala -- so could we please designate a leader and do this properly?
A bow is no use if it isn't strung and aimed, no matter if it's the finest bow around...
"Before Ulerian was giving the orders, but he got everyone but me killed, I agree that a leader is important. I know not who though. Sir Gamis, Lady Mirrielle, and Mistress Natala are all good choices. I know where we're going exactly, but the guide need not give orders."
"You will not leave without the rest of us," she says fiercely. "We will be coming with you, and I have no objections to leaving right away, and I doubt anyone else does; but it had to be discussed. We all need to know what we're going into, we need to know we can depend on each other, and I want everyone going down now to come back alive. Enough temper tantrums. If we're to go right away, I must pray first, or I will be nearly useless to you.
"And you. Will. Wait."
She holds the young elf's eyes in her own stubborn gaze.
I think we're agreed to head out immediately -- I'm sorry, Natala -- so could we please designate a leader and do this properly?
"That's fine," Natala says, though a cold anger still shows on her face. "While you all decide that, I will be in one of the bunk rooms. I'll be ready to go before the candle burns half a band.
"Make sure no one does anything foolish."
With hardly a glance at anyone, she strides into another room and closes the door.
[i]
"That's fine," Natala says, though a cold anger still shows on her face. "While you all decide that, I will be in one of the bunk rooms. I'll be ready to go before the candle burns half a band.
"Make sure no one does anything foolish."
With hardly a glance at anyone, she strides into another room and closes the door.
Yes, Natala.
Mirielle nods towards the half-elf cleric, but keeps her gaze on NaShae.
After a very short time, she begins pacing, her anger wearing away quickly and the hurt coming back. She brushes anyone away if they even try to talk to her.
That would be best, she says simply.
"Good, when everyone is ready I can show you all where the attack happened."
Literally shoving a sandwich down his throat, Sinn passed a few glances around the room. He had been wandering about the streets for a while now and to spot the guild was a sight for sore eyes. Sinn notes the tension in the air, but did give too hoots about what was taking place. He was simply interested in finding some work.Rolling back in the chair and brushes the crumbs from his chin Sinn pauses for a moment to rubbing the hams of his legs.
"Um, who are you?"
"Gamis, is this one of the Jackels? I've never seen him in the guild before?"
Shaking his head he looks to where Natala was. Then he looks at the gnome again saying,
"You ought to talk to Volos if you want to join the Guild. We're rather buissy right now."
Smiling weakly Kal’thas pulls himself to the edge of the seat to meet the gaze of the biggen.
‘Sorry to burst in on ya all, names Kal’thas. Im new to this neck of the woods, I heard that a few of the Silver Sword brought down a gobbo that went by the name Khan a while back.’
‘Yeah I wants to join the guild but really I’m looking for a job, I’ll talk to that Volos like you said.’
"A job will probably depend on what skills you have. A service to the city is required for membership, so not many newcomers can join immediately." He looks over his shoulder with a clink of metal, wondering where Volos is at the moment.
. o O(Age is only a paragraph of the soul, relevant only in this chapter.)
The short fellow gains his interest with his request to join, although he wonders how much 'chef' Volos can stand playing. He notes Kalthas' travel-worn trappings, and can see strength and agaility in his movements. Still with the nagging sensatation that he cannot commit his prayer in the noise, he excuses himself to the training room to enjoy a prayer in silence.
"Please retrieve me when it is time to leave or if something is needed."
‘I’ve been trained in tracken and scoutin, and basically spent most of my life knocken off gobbos.’
‘I’ll earn my keep, I’m not here for the ride and I aint in it for the money. Like I said I’m here for da work, what ya call service. If im not a member its not gonna kill me, as long as I’m given something to do I’ll be all good.’
Slithering his hand towards the sangers Kal looks back to the biggen that mentioned Volos. Feeling a bit out of place amongst the biggens
‘Like you said lad your busy, so I’ll get out of ya hair. You know where I can find this Volos?’
.oO(I was new once too, my mistake was even bigger than this buggers, if it weren't for Marroc I would probably be dead. Or in prison.)
Shaking his head at the thought he says,
"Hes probably over in the kitchens, just call out his name. One moment."
"HAY Volos!"
When the man comes tottering in Boirin smiles at Volos.
"Kalthas, this is Volos. He is looking to join the guild."
Boirin looks back at the group. Inclining his head towards Gamis.
"So, when Natala and Tynk now get back from praying we go?"
'Names Kalthas'
Extending a hand toward volos, Kal'thas smiles warmly
Kal’thas: 'Im fresh around here an looking for work.'
Volos: " Have you come here looking for a service master Kal’thas or have come to enroll for a position in the Silver Sword Adventurers' Guild?"
Kal’thas: "I fewer words sir, I’m lookin to enroll for a poszish. But I’m likin for a service too."
Volos: ‘Well Kal’thas it is good to see new faces willing to do a service to the city. But I’m sorry good sir. As you can already see the majority of the guild is currently gathering to peruse a threat as a service to Garic’s City. I’m sure you understand.’
Kal’thas: Nodding silently "I…dis is a city I’m sure theres something out there from me.”
Volos: ‘I’m sure there is Master Kal’thas.’
He clanks a bit closer to Kath'las. "The Jackals, however, are probably in need of scouts and guides. That's another possibility, and serving with them could qualify you for joining the Guild."
. o O(...is not every thought a prayer?)
He ponders this a little.
. o O(There is no denying reality, and our trials will face us with choices we may not be ready to make. The truly faithful can always find their way home, as may we find ours if we parish. May we be ever thankful for the moments we are given and make the most of them. Amen.)
He gets up and makes his way accross the training floor, then slows to a stop, looking at the target some thirty feet away. Reaching behind him he draws and unclips the safety, looking to make certain no one is about. Taking only a few seconds to aim and imagine the pressures battles may bring, he fires.
To his own surprise the bolt buries itself deeply and rather centered in the bulls-eye. Once he yanks the bolt and blows the debris off, he practices a reload then holsters the weapon.
This said and done, he moves to rejoin the group, silent in his reflection of his prayer.
"I'm ready," she says softly.
‘Yes its another possibility. Workin for the Jackals sound like somthin I could do. Thanks for the offer…’
Noting the arrival of the guild member. Kal’thas Looks up to Volos and taking in his words, he casting a glance over to the sandwiches the back to him.
. o O(These guys look like there geetin ready to move, might be best to get out of their hair and all. )
‘Taking care of a few skids wont be a hassle. Sure I’ll do it to repay my nible on the sangers. An if its all good I’ll go drop into the stable now.’
Not waiting for a reply Kal'thas giving the biggens a simple guesture and Volos a slight nod, as he moves out the door and into the sables.
Then he clanks back into the meeting hall. "As am I," he adds to Natala's declaration as he tucks his sun disk under his breastplate.
Let's go, then.
She casts a sorrowful, surreptitious glance at NaShae.
.oO(I hope we find him alive...)
Boirin gets up and shows people to the entrance to the sewers.
. o O(To think im baby sitting a pack of children. Baby sitting… Well at least I’m doin something hey. Its not what I expected but it still something.)
Tiv: ‘Hello what’s your business stranger.’
Kal’thas: Turning around from the stall and noticing Tiv, Kal’thas, nods sharply and move in his direction. ‘Oh didn’t see you before names Kal’thas, Volos sent me out here to give you a hand. ’
Tiv: ‘That right, you know much about ?’
Kal’thas: ‘whats there to know?’
Tiv: Grinning cheerfully and moving to the side, Tiv, gestures for Kal’thas to follow ‘Well than we’ll start with something simple. Lets fix you up with a fork so you can get to cleaning the stalls hey.’
Kal’thas: ‘So how do I clean the stalls?
Tiv: ‘Oh it very simple.’ The lad says passing Kal’thas a Fork and moving over to a stall and undoing the latch. Gesturing towards a fresh pile of manure in a wheel barrel he continues. ‘All you do is go about the stalls shoving up the manure. Okay it that simple.’
Kal’thas: ‘I’ll give ya a yell once I’ve finished here, so you can let out.’
Nodding Tiv moves aside to let Kal’thas into the stall before closing the door behind him and going to his work. Kal’thas moves about the stall going about his business, and silently keeping and eye and an ear on master Tiv.
Kal’thas: ‘You there lad…’
Pulling his fork from the door Kal’thas leans on it, his mind began to drift from work to though.
. o O(I wonder what I got ta do next. Pa! Probably another one of the lad jobs…hmm that bloke Gamis said somethin about the Jackals, I recon there another guild or somethin I wonder if its worth droppin in a checken them out. )
Tiv: ‘Whats this?! Sleeping on the job.’
Kal’thas: Rising his head to meet Tivs gaze, he scowls bitterly ‘Whats bin keeping ya?!’
Tiv: ‘Nothin’ he answers plainly, pauses as he lets Kalthas out of the stall ‘I’ve been doing my bit around here just like you.’
Kal’thas: ‘Right. Well I’ve finish here what’s next on the agenda?’
Tiv: Sweeping a glance about the stalls and back to the gnome Tiv nods ‘Well the troughs need a refilling. Along with some fresh flooring to replace the bedding you’ve ripped up n’ shoveled into the wheel burrows.’
Tiv moves off to the side of the stable and gestures for the gnome to lean the fork against the wall before moving off to grab a bucket. Kal’thas balances the fork against the walk and turns to find that Tiv has return and shoved a bucket in his face.
Kal’thas: snatches the bucket from Tivs hands, ‘tar!’ Kalthas grunts and waits for the lad to move, ‘ n’ hows about you get your ass into gear n’ getting back to work?’
Tiv: Steps back sharply and raise a brow, 'Im getting there, but it would help if I didn’t have to run backward and forward look after you.’
Kal’thas: ‘Really!’ he remarks snidely, ‘Well I’m sure I can find away in and out of the stalls on my own..’
Tiv: ‘Good, because I’ve got better things to do then running back and fourth takin care of you!’
Kal’thas: looks plainly at Tiv letting out sharp a ‘T’ sound, ‘Get to it then. The last thing I want is lip from you.’
Tiv moves back to what he was doing previously leaving Kal’thas to work out how to enter the stalls. In little time at all Kal’thas had found another bucket to aid him reach the latch and was back to work. Taking the other bucket the gnome moves back and fourth, filling the troughs within the stall in a slow fashion. From time to time Kal’thas listening out for the lad as he carries the bucket back in fourth amongst the stalls. Winding up the task the gnome begins to collect small portions of hay to fill the gaps he’d made earlier.
"Tiv, ready to go buy the feed?"
"Ah, Shan, I can't, got that li'l gnome helpin' and he takes a lotta lookin' after, I'm behind now."
Shan grunts, "Well, I could take him instead..."
"Aw, alright, take 'im, but you bring me a nut-brown, right?"
"Sure, will do."
Shan strolls over to the indicated stall.
"Hey, Kalthas, c'mon, we gotta go buy hay."
‘I’m comin’
Kal’thas brushes the hay from his chest and lets out a hollow sight. He had filled some of the troughs and laid fresh hay to replace the bedding he had removed earlier, plus shoveled the manure. Rubbing the side of his neck Kal’thas scampers towards the stall door and pops out to meet the bloke.
‘So where we headin to lads?’
OOC: Sorry I haven't posted in a while I've just been unsure how to get from here to the jackals
"We're going down to Yasgur's farm. It's a ways, you want to get a drink of water, best do it now. Tiv 'n me got to hitch up the wagon anyways."
‘Sure, then I’ll leave you ladz to it.’
With those words Kal’thas paces off towards the trough, taking his time and basking in the moment. Taking a break was good, gave him the time to stretch his legs and get out of the stall. Coming to the trough Kal’thas washes his hands before cupping up water and gulping loudly. Rounding off with a few handfuls the gnome scampers back into the Stables to see how far the lads have go and if there ready to roll.
"Hop in," he gestures to the cart. "We're about ready. You're new to the city? Where ya from?"
Kal’thas pipes as he clambers aboard the cart and takes a seat and notes Shan adjusting the harness and loosening the horse up.
With a pat for the horse, Shan jumps onto the driver's seat, waves to Tiv, and gives the reins a shake. The horse sighs, leans into the harness, and the pair roll down the road to the city gate.
Pausing the gnome raises slightly in his seat ‘Have you every had a bother while traveling along these parts. Has there much trouble around theses parts recently with gobbos, little critters or like issues along the roads?’
to the Beyond the Walls thread
"Hello there, Tiv. It's been a while. Take good care of this one, will you? He took good care of me and my little buddy here too."
[Draconic]"Zeppo, this is Tiv. Tiv is a stablehand, he takes care of the horses. He's a friend, you can trust him."[/Draconic]
"Tiv, this is Zeppo. He's going to be staying with me for a while. He doesn't speak Common and is a little shy, but he's a good lad."
After this introduction, the elf takes little Zeppo inside with him, to find one of the ranking Silver Swords to report to.
Sir Volos? Sir Volos? The ranger was heading towards the kitchen when Volos emerged from the door, cleaning his hands with a rag, smiling as usual.
Ah! Master Tyros! It's been a rather long time, hasn't it? He bowed slightly at the elf's own bow, accustomed to this way of greeting.
Yes, it has. I was on the adventure with Sir Hermy but then I was needed to carry the equipment we got from defeating an army of...
An army?? You defeated an army? I trust Master Hermy is alright...? Volos had jumped from the chair he had sat on.
Ye... well, it was more like a war party of sorts. Filled with ugly monkeys wearing armor. Oddgoblins, I believe. And they were odd... Tyros looked at the ceiling, trying to recall that fateful day.
Odd... I've never heard of such creatures. Were they by any chance Hobgoblins? Volos had returned to his sitting pose, relieved as no one seemed to have died.
No, I'm pretty sure I heard Sir Hermy call them Oddgoblins... They also had big apes with them, and some of them stank like apes, they did. Tyros seemed serious enough about his beliefs.
Ah, I see. And you were all able to pull through that daring task?
Not so much as pushed through, really. The oddities began falling asleep in the middle of the battle...
How rude!
Yes, that made our work a bit easier, though. And you wouldn't believe what dazzling Lady Nashae did! She shouted at the oddapes and they started to bleed from their ears! I was dumb-struck! The ranger nodded viciously, his eyebrows reared up.
Ah yes, Lady Nashae is a very powerful sorcerer. She and her husband, Mister Kywin. What else did you find? Volos kept his casual tone of voice, but still very polite.
We found 4 oddgoblins that called themselves silly names like Bouncing Moose and Hungry Dog. And they could actually stop my arrows in mid-flight! They fought with their bare hands and feet, and from what I understand, were adicted to potions. The elf scratched his chin, thinking if he had gotten the names right. What's a sorcerer?
Volos got up, chuckling at the information, and picked up a broom from the wall, starting to clean the floor with it.
They're pretty much like Wizards, only they don't study their whole lives be able to cast spells. I believe they are innate talents. They say that while the wizards cast spells with their brains, sorcerers cast with their hearts. Volos explained patiently as he slowly dusted the floor with the twig-broom.
Tyros seemed rather interested in the new knowledge. Who are they?
They? He stopped dusting.
The ones who say that saying.
... The people say this. It's a general saying.
Oh. So Lady Nashae is a sorcerer and Lady Dyer is a Wizard. I think I'm favored by the Goddess, Volos. Tyros was looking at his hands when he said that. Yesterday, when I was hunting, I was able to hit a running deer in the neck at about a hundred and fifty miles. And then, when I was facing two lions, a green shield of sorts surrounded me and didn't allow their bites to do any damage. I prayed for protection and I got it. Volos had stopped the sweeping and was listening closely now.
I don't know about Mother's favor, but I do know about magic and that sure looks like a piece of it. Sure as my name being Volos.
Tyros seemed as though hit by something very large and heavy, the usual effect of realization in people who aren't used to it. The elf got up and bowed at Volos. Thank you! I've done magic!!! He chukled with happiness and left the guild running.
Volos shook his head, smiling. The old buttler got up and headed for the kitchen, but Tyros got back at the door again, panting loudly. You wouldn't by any chance have misspelt your name, would you? Tyros was looking rather puzzled, too.
The buttler laughed and shacked his head at the ranger and then returned to the kitchen. Tyros went back to the street, Allerya following him closely.
.oO(This can go in the guild annals and I can answer any questions the senior members have later. Better to write it down while it's still fresh in my memory though.)
Ran hands Volos the report to be put in its proper place, thanks the steward for his time and picks up the little koboldling to put him on his shoulder again.
[Draconic]"Zeppo, this is Volos. Volos looks after the Silver Sword Adventurers' Guild, which I am a member of. Cassius, the human with the big black bird, is a Silver Sword too. Be respectful and listen to what Volos says, he's a good man."[/Draconic]
He introduces Zeppo to the other members of the guild staff as well, hoping that this will make the place and the city around it less intimidating for the little one.
[Draconic]"And now we can go home, to Mrs Weatherby's guesthouse where I rent a room. Are you hungry again? You just had two sandwiches, and they were as big as you are! Mrs Weatherby is going to increase my rent if you have such a good appetite."[/Draconic]
Ran winks, to let Zeppo know he's not mad at him.
[Draconic]"I bet you'll grow to be as big as I am. That'd be nice, wouldn't it?"[/Draconic]
Zeppo falls silent, contemplating such an astounding prospect.
"I..."
He looks at the ground.
"I come with unfortunate tidings, is there somebody in charge I could speak to?"
"Minto Newberry, Bard Extriodinare at your service."
He pushes open the door, and holds it for Lucien to go through. "I'm not sure if Volos is around right now, I'm just getting back from adventure myself. But if it's something important it can be relayed to me. I'm one of the senior members."
The halfling walks to the table in the center of the room, and pours the contents of a bag on top of it. The items keep dropping out.
"So what is this ill-tidings of yours?"
"I accompanied a team lead by Sir Shadowood into the wild in order to help claim some territory."
He runs a hand through his hair and begins pacing slightly.
"While scouting, Jace Cornwall and I were attacked by gnomes and wolves. He was knocked unconcious and dragged to their lair. I was held off by the wolves.
He was killed by a preist of the Dark Son. Kai also fell in the attempt to retrieve him. I dont think he was still a member, but you may have known him."
"Jace was killed? Aramil's not going to be too happy about that."
Minto looks down. "Not that any of us will of course. But he was apprentising under Aramil. And there is a special bond between master and apprentise."
"I'll make sure that he knows. Volos as well."
Minto takes a deep breath and then exhales. "Were you able to retreive the body? Either of them?"
"Kai was apprentised to Gamis at one point. Well, not apprenticed exactly, but they did train together. I'm sure he'll want to know Kai's fate as well."
"Both bodies were retrieved."
He toys with the dagger Aramil forged him.
I was wondering if you knew what Jace had in mind if something like this happened. The church of the Mother..."
His hand trails to his symbol unconciously/
"May be willing to bring back the body of one murdered."
.oO(Probably as uncomfortable about the thought as I am though.)
"And not guaranteed to work either."
Minto glances at the loot on the table. "I didn't know Jace well myself. Kai either. But I do know Jace didn't earn enough from working here to afford that kind of ritual."
"You were out with Darkar, right?"
"Was it on Jackal buisness?"
"Securing an area..."
He stands still, finally.
"He may not be able to, but I have some money saved away...."
.oO(Was hoping to eventually build a school with it...)
"and I was with him when he was captured. If I'd been able to stop them, he wouldn't be dead.
"
.o0(Can't believe I'm quoting something Hermy said without straightening it out first.)
"If he hadn't been captured, you wouldn't have to have tried to stop them."
"He was an adventurer. He knew the risks. And I doubt he'd appreciate you taking credit for his heroic death."
Minto smiles.
"He would appreciate your offer to bring him back though. Even if he'd rather stay were he is."
"Even so, do you have enough? And are you willing to gamble it?"
"If he died on a mission for the Jackals, you might be able to get Lord Malefaeyr to pitch in a bit. He's a generous man for a noble."
"Might be best if you had a way to guarantee Jace wants to come back first though."
"Have you tried talking to the corpse yet?"
"I hadn't considered that. It's something I'm not really entirely comfortable with."
He resumes his pacing tossing his walk stick between his hands.
"Well, I'm not entirely comfortable with calling him back to the living, but if it was his wish... I will ask the brothers at the church to perform the conversation prayer."
His eyes go wide for a minute.
.oO(Well, that's one quick way to identify yourself as a man of faith, Risk)
He shakes his head.
"I will probably be in touch with you soon, if you need to get in contact with me you can reach me at Nobody's. You know the place, right?"
Minto offers his hand to Lucien. "On behalf of the Silver Sword Adventurers Guild, I thank you for the concern you've shown for one of our fallen brethern."
"Anything for a friend..."
He turns to leave.
"Take care, Minto. Hope next time we meet it's under more a more cheerful occasion."
Lucian walks out the door after a brief bow.
Tap-Tap-Tap
He finds him in the office with Hermy Sr, goping over paperwork. Minto clears his throat to get the older mens attention. "We are back. Some of us at least."
"Hermy stayed behind to make sure some loose ends were tied up, NaShae and Tyros should have gotten here a few days ago."
Volos nods. "He reported in."
Minto breathes a sigh of relief. "That's good to know. I'd hate to have to bear even more bad news then I already do."
Volos puts down the paper he was looking at. "Bad news?"
Hermy Sr. lays his quilll down. "Did something happen to Gilgiga?"
Minto shakes his head. "Nothing that did not happen to me either."
"I ran into a man at the door here. Didn't catch his name, but I think he's a cleric of somesort at the Temple."
"Elven blood, short brown hair, uses a walking stick? Sound familiar?"
Minto shrugs. "I'm not sure it matters. If we need to know more, he said he could be reached at Nobodys. Marroc will be able to give me more information on him if we need it, but I think Darkar will be enough."
Hermy Sr. blinks. "Enough for what?"
Volos answers. "Enough to varify this mans bad news."
"If Master Minto ever gets around to telling us what it is."
Minto flexes his fingers. "Right. The news."
"Usually I like to save this kind of thing for the end of a song where it will have more of a dramatic impact on the listener. Of course most the songs
I have about things like this tend to be decades old at least..."\/color]
Volos taps the desk once with his finger. Minto clears his throat again.
"Right, straight and to the point. Rip the bandage off quickily to keep the discomfort at a minimum."
Another finger taps the desk.
"Right. Right."
"Jace is dead. Got killed by a gnome."
Minto blushes.
"I really do wish you'd have let me spice it up a bit. Doesn't sound quite so heroic in the short version, I coul..."
Hermy Sr's jaw drops, Volos merely frowns. [color-purple]"Master Ran already gave his report on that subject. The man you described most likely was Lucien Risk. I know the rest of the people involved. As do you."
"I don't supose you know where Master Jace is... resting at? In the report he was still being held at the palace, but I suspect he may have been moved to the Temple by now."
"I didn't ask."
"Could you find out please? I'll need to know when I send a letter to his family."
"Of course. I'll get right on that."
"Thank you."
Volos returns to the paperwork, the two halflings stare at him for a few moments and then Hermy Sr. picks back up his quill.
Minto shrugs and exits the room.
The halfing bard pulls the feather stub out of the band and places it under his pillow. .o0(Shame too. Brodda gave me that feather. Picked it up at Hermys cousins shop. I wonder if he has another like it? It’s on the way to the palace, I can stop and pick one up on my way to see where they are keeping Jace at.)
.o0(But first, some food. A few more hours of being dead, isn’t going to hurt a corpse much.)
He heads to the kitchen to get a bit of dinner from Ham. A few plates later, the minstrel sets out.
He holds the door open for his dog and then follows her in. "Coulds youse send oe of the boys outs ta gets her a stake or somethins likes that?"
The guilds stablemaster gives the halfling a shrug, and Hermy nods back. "Ifen ya thinks a stakes woulds be healthy fer her of course."
Tiv moves to check the dog over and Hermy starts for the door into the guild house, pausing once to see if Big Ivan is in his stall. "Looks likes Mintos made it home. An aint left yet ta comes finds me fer bein lates."
He enters the building. "Hey Volos! It's me! Hermy!"
"Ise home!"
OoC:
On the day of the the Dunskar's, Ulerian, and Kywyn died.
"... an then a druid turned me into a bat and I ate some of your pie and then I was all healed up. So I came home."
"I even broughts you a present."
Hermy runs into the stables as Volos puts away the dishes and rummages in his saddle bags until he finds the wind chimes. He sprints back towards the kitchen.
"Look. Wind chimes."
He holds them up and blows on them.
"We cin put them up over the door where the bell used to be."
"I bets Minto will be able ta writes a great song abouts how I gots those. It'd be evens better ifen he coulds has chimes in the song. His lutes fine an all, but sometimes ya wants a little ting-ting in yer music too."
"Speakin of which, where is Minto?"
Volos puts the chair Hermy used to hand the chimes back at the table. "Master Minto has been spending his days at the Last Lich I believe. That and seeing to the treasure your adventure brought in."
Hermy nods. "Oh yeah, rights. We gots more then just the windchimes. There was the batgirls stuff, an the wagon full of stuff Tyros an NaShae broughts back. They dids brings it backs right?"
"I have your share here, and that of your companians whop returned after Master TYros and Mistress NaShae did."
Hermy scratches his head. "I'ds think a wagon would be pretty easy to brings back. All ya has ta do is point the horses in the right direction an occasoinally yell giddyup or yah!"
"I believe there is more to it then that. Driving a wagon is harder then riding, and theres more to riding then just that is there not?"
Hermy shrugs. "Depends on the dog. With Major ya didn'ts evens need to do that much. Ashiner on the other hand..."
Volos cuts him off. "I'm sure. But keep in minds that neither Master Tyros nor Mistress NaShae are as accomplished of riders as you are. Nor are they wagon drivers either."
"No, they made the right choice to sell it on the road. I believe they even got more for it then they might have here. I'm not sure if that was because the market here is over saturated or if the merchants they sold to had not seen a woman in some time, but Mistress NaShae got a good deal."
Hermy puts his hand in his pocket. "How goods a deal?"
Volos smiles. "I believe when it was split between the five of you, your share came out to 1125 gold."
"It might be higher then that still. Master Minto still had some potions and a wand from that to price."
Hermy exhales. "Thats a lots of gold. More then Ise seen since we killeds Cone. An more then I gots when I slayed that dragon."
.o0(An this time I don'ts has ta spends it all ta keeps my brother or my wife deads. I coulds buy... a magic somethin or another.)
"I am afraid so," Volos admits.
The dwarves ponder this grimly.
"Steep the cost'll be o' raisin' 'em both," Auben says. "Did they have funds put aside?"
"Indeed they did," Volos answers, "but I doubt it would be enough to-- oh, excuse me. Hello, Miss Anaya."
The dwarves turn to see who it is that Volos addresses. They shift uncomfortably before nodding to the elf woman as she enters the building.
"Miss Anaya, allow me to introduce you to Auben and Artin Straklen. There are here to see--"
"Aramil?" the druid guesses.
Volos nods, his expression downcast.
"That's correct. Sadly, I've just informed the Straklens that Aramil and his brother, Oskar, perished earlier today while fighting some terror that lurks beneath the city. Several members of the guild have gone to retrieve the bodies and hopefully put an end to whatever killed them before it can bring harm to anyone else."
"That's terrible, Volos!" the elf exclaims.
"Indeed."
"'E was s'posed t'be our champion 'ere," Auben says, "someone the dwarves could come teh when in th' worst o' times."
"Good armorer as well," Artin adds.
"Aye," her brother agrees. "We may ne'er see his like agin."
"What if there was a way you could?" Anaya asks.
"Huh?" Auben grunts. "Well, if'n they 'ad the funds, we'd petition the local church t' call 'im and 'is brother back, but it's a mite more expensive than they can afford, I gather."
"Is it now?" Anaya asks. "And what would it cost exactly?"
When the dwarves appear at a loss for an answer, Volos answers for them, "I couldn't tell you the exact amount, Miss Anaya, but I gather it would usually come to between five and six thousand gold each."
"I see. Now what if I told you I could bring them both back for less than a quarter of that amount?"
The dwarves stare at the elf for a moment, then glance to each other uncertainly.
Cautiously, Volos asks, "Are you certain, Miss Anaya? I understand that the majority of the cost stems from the need to provide a suitable offering in exchange for the soul's return."
"Ordemetrex showed the druids another way, Volos" Anaya says enigmatically. "She still requires suitable offerings, but nothing so expensive as you'd expect from the temples. It will take me a day or two to gather the necessary ingredients, but I will need the funds to do so."
"Please give me a few minutes," Volos replies. "Excuse me, everyone. Podo, would you show our visitors to the main hall, so they'll have somewhere to sit? Thank you. I'll be back shortly. Shan, your assistance, please."
The dwarves take the offered seats with thanks. Both glance nervously at the elf, then turn to confer with each other quietly. Anaya seems quite oblivious to this, resting against the table, rather than in a chair. She displays what appears to be an intense interest in her hands, studiously turning them back and forth as if they were somehow unfamiliar or fascinating to her.
This does nothing to put the dwarves at ease. Neither do her attempts at conversation, though they both make polite efforts to respond. The pitcher of water Podo brings soon afterward offers a welcome interruption.
When Volos finally returns, Shan labouring to bring in a heavy sack behind him, the dwarves stand immediately. With a grunt, Shan drops the sack on the table, earning a wince from the head of staff.
"There are exactly two and a half thousand gold coins in the sack," Volos tells her, "funds the Dunskars had been keeping with us. Miss Anaya, will it suffice?"
"More than enough, Volos," she tells him with a smile. "There should be a hundred left over by the time I'm through."
"It's a lot to be carrying, Miss Anaya," Volos warns her. "I'm going to have to ask Shan to accompany you."
In response to Shan's pained look. "The boys will escort you as well, to help distribute the load a bit more."
"Thank you, Volos," Anaya tells him.
"Seeing as we've got little to do but wait now, we may as well come along as well," Artin offers.
Auben reacts with a start, but says nothing. Artin shoots him a warning glance, which he responds to with a guilty shrug.
"All right," Anaya says, accepting the extra help. "Things might go a lot more quickly this way. Let's go, everyone."
She heads to the door, not even waiting for the others to catch up until she's outside. The dwarves trudge along, with the others following as soon as they've divided the coins into three sacks. Shan takes the heaviest, while the boys each struggle to sling the lighter pair over their shoulders before leaving for the market.
"Volos? The dwarf guy died? When did that happen?"
The guilds steward answers. "Yesterday. He fell fighting in the sewers along with his brother, Master Kywyn, and another man."
"Hes gots the money ta gets broughts back an Anayas gunna do it? Dids I hears that right? When dids she.... Waits! Dids you say Kywyn died too?"
Volos nods.
"That aints good. That aints goods at all."
"Is NaShae gunna has him broughts back? Minto went ta sells the rest of the stuff. I think somes of it shoulds has been fer her."
"I'm sure she will appreciate it."
"I doubts it. At least I wouldn'ts ifen I was her. Its hards ta appreciates anything in times like this."
Volos nods, and Hermy returns to the bunkroom to wait for his bard to return. It is about an hour later before Minto returns.
The two halflings set out dividing things up. They make six piles.
"I got a good price for the wand. Splitting it six ways, it nets us each 350 gold.
"That aint gunna be much fer bringing Kywyn back."
"Don't forget what she got from selling the wagons and whatnot. That was a decent amount. 1125 gold."
"Still aint gunna be enough."
"They are smart people. I'm sure they've got a lot stored away."
"Still..."
"You can give them your share if you want. Which by the way," He pushes 100 platnium coins into Hermys pile. "I sold that horn. I didn't think you'd have much use for it."
He puts the amulet in Gilgigas pile as well as the potion with the better healing properties. He puts the lenses in Tenseks.
"I'm keeping the ring. It gives me a touch of class don't you think?" He holds up his hand to let the gold band catch the light.
Hermy shrugs. "Wasn't there some more potions too?"
Minto nods. "Yes. I think they should go into the guilds pantry. Both of those could be useful."
"Yeah they coulds." Hermy gathers up NaShaes share. "I'ds better go takes this to her an see hows much more she needs. Has Volos puts my stuff somewheres safe."
The hero heads out the door.
$$$
Gilgiga nets himself 1475 in gold. He also gets a Potion of Cure Moderate (CL3) and an Amulet of Natural Armor +1.
Tensek gets 1475 in gold and Eyes of the Eagle.
Minto gets 1475 in gold and Ring of Protection +1
Hermy gets 2475 in gold.
NaShae gets 350 in gold. (She should already have claimed 1125 in gold)
TYros gets 350 in gold. (He should already have claimed 1125 in gold)
The guild gets 2x Potion of Cure Light (CL1), Potion of Invisibility (CL3), antitoxin x2 , and a tanglefoot bag.
Gilgiga nets himself 1475 in gold. He also gets a Potion of Cure Moderate (CL3) and an Amulet of Natural Armor +1.
Tensek gets 1475 in gold and Eyes of the Eagle.
Minto gets 1475 in gold and Ring of Protection +1
Hermy gets 2475 in gold.
NaShae gets 350 in gold. (She should already have claimed 1125 in gold)
TYros gets 350 in gold. (He should already have claimed 1125 in gold)
The guild gets 2x Potion of Cure Light (CL1), Potion of Invisibility (CL3), antitoxin x2 , and a tanglefoot bag.
"Tell him that his share of the loot is here waiting for him."
As soon as they have left, Minto shrugs. "I suppose I could send some of Hermy's boys to Nobodys to leave a message for Tensek, but I'd still like to be allowed back in. Better go myself."
Minto puts the treasure in the storage area and leaves some instructions with Volos and then heads out.
"Volos! Volos where are ye! We're back, we're back Volos!"
*Volos lifts his head up from his work with some papers, and heads out of his room, he calls out.
"Who's back? Oh my god... It cannot be, is that really you Oskar? My dear you've changed, and is that Aramil? A bear my word, this is really a change, yet somehow both of these new forms fit you, I can't explain it, but they fit. It is good to see both of you again."
*Both Oskar and Aramil smile, and in reply then both bow low to Volos, who mearly inclines his head in approval. Then like Volos he gets straight to business.
"Well I guess that you won't be needing both the beds in your room hmmm? I'm sure that we would be able to make some slight accomadations in the back of the stables for Aramil to be comfortable in. Would you like that Aramil?"
"Yes Volos, that would be wonderful. And as ye can tell, I won't be able ter run the forge any more, however me brudder will be doin that. I will be willing ter do somethin else fer ye ter earn a wage if ye can find somethin."
"Thank you for the offer, at the moment I cannot think of something, however if something in the future comes up, then I will be sure to contact you. For now, just oversee your brother and help him set up the forge for him."
"Thank you again Volos, and it's good seeing you again."
*Volos nods his head, then he leaves to set up Aramil's new accomodations in the stables, in the rear so the horses won't be scarred. Meanwhile, both the Dunskar brothers head up to there old room to see it once again. They enter and a warm feeling there hearts spread over there bodies and they both feel relaxed and happy to be home once again. Aramil goes over to his things that have been laid out on his bed, and looks at them. While Oskar goes over to his things and picks them up and puts them over near his clothes stand, then he looks over and sees Aramil staring at this favorite armor, weapon, and shield. Realizing what he is thinking he goes over and puts his hand on his back, petting him, soothing him.
"I won't be able ter use any of these me brudder. I loved these things as if they were me own children, and now I can't use em' what will I do!"
Oskar bends down and looks his brother straight in the eye.
"You will sell them me friend, and then we will build you new armor! You will be a fierce bear indead to be fully clad in mithril armor! Think of the possibilities my brother, think of what the other dwarves will say now that you've come back twice as strong and twice as feirce!"
"Yer right me brudder! They will be greatful now that I've come back as a bear, and they will want me to protect them again! Thank ye!"
*Aramil gives Oskar a good bear hug, then he goes over next to his bed, and lays down, going to sleep quickly. Oskar smiles then he goes over to his bed, kneels next to it and prays to Thalos. Then he too gets into his bed and falls fast asleep.
"Did I hear that right? Those were the Dunskar brothers?"
Volos nods. "It appears so Master Minto. I, for one, am not going to accuse a bear of being a liar."
"Me either." Minto looks around. "What are we going to do about the smith position? I don't think a bear would do so well at the forge. Can you imagine the smell if he were to get to close to the fire? He's nothing but hair now. The beard was dangerous enough?"
Volos moves towards the kitchen. "That's Master Aramils concern. He is, unless he chooses otherwise, still the Guilds Smith.I believe Master Oskar will be taking over the primary duties though."
Minto follows after. "Can he handle that by himself? I didn't think he was near the smith Aramil was?"
Minto smiles, "Well maybe Jace will come back as a giant squid or something else with multiple arms. He was Aramils apprentice was he not?"
"I doubt a squid would be any more effective then a bear."
"Probably not. All the water he would need to stay from drying up would put the fire out. Might make a good song for children though."
"Bearamil and the Squid."
"It has a nice ring to it. I should try it out on the boys, don't you think?"
Volos starts boiling water for tea.
"Perhaps."
Minto shrugs. "Probably a better idea would be to warn the boys that until we get the smith situation sorted out, if they break something, they have to fix it themselves."
Volos nods. "Indeed it would Master Minto."
Minto exhales. "I'll go try to track them down then."
The bard heads towards the stables.
"Master's Aramil and Oskar, I am glad that both of you have returned, but I have a couple matters to discuss with you. The first of which will be, who will become the primary smith now that Aramil has some minor problems with crafting items?"
"Oskar will become teh primary smith, he's been around me long enough ter know how I make me weapons and armor, besides he's trained under me dad longer then I have, and me dads the best smith in the family, or rather the kingdom fer that matter. So now I bequeth Oskar all the rights and benefits of the head smith for the SSAG."
*Aramil bows low to Oskar, who returns the bow, and they both turn to Volos, who seems somewhat pleased at this fact.
"Well congradulations Oskar, I wil lhave to change the pay now for you according to how well you work and create the items needed. Now the next item of business is that the space that Aramil will be able to sleep in is ready out in the stable. I think it is rather suitable for you Aramil and I hope that you will enjoy it."
"Thank ye Volos."
*The brothers bow low, and with that they head out to the Market.
He grumbles as he fills the guilds magic bag with the combined wealth of Hermy and himself. .o0(Ok, I can understand why Hermy would want to help out Nashae with this. Its a personal issue for him and all. But why for the love of the Mother does he have to help out so early in the morning. I don't think Kywyns going to be concerned about missing breakfast once hes brought back. I daresay he won't be worried about lunch either.)
The bard heads out the door.
"Yes I am, thank you."
"Please sit while I go get your things."
Tensek does as he's bid taking a seat at the table whiel Volos heads out and shortly returns with Tensek's earnings.
"Would you care to count it before you leave?"
"No that's fine," Tensek says as he takes the bag from Volos, "Have a good day sir."
"And you as well Mister Vicar."
With a nod of the head Tensek sets off out of the guild and towards the Church of Metrex.
"Volos."
"How may I help you Master Elf?"
"I assume that you have heard that Jace Cornwall has recently died."
"Yes I had. Did you know him?"
"In a way yes. I am Jace. I was resurrected just a few hours ago. I came to let you know that I am back." And to let Aramil know that things are going to be a little different."
"Well I have some more new for you. Arimil has also recently died and been brought back to life...But he will no longer be able to teach you. He has been brought back as a bear."
"A bear?"
"Yes, but I am sure you will be able to learn from his brother, who also was killed, and brought back. He has been brought back as a human."
*Jace shakes his head slowly in surprise.*
.oO(This has been a very deadly time recently)
"Ok, but first I need to rest, I will return to Mrs. Weatherbys and let her know the changes and I will continue apprenticing to Aramils brother if he will take me."
"So be it Mr. Cornwall."
*Jace leaves to Mrs. Weatherby’s. He returns the next morning to begin his apprenticeship with Oskar. After a while with the dwarf, Jace begins to get used to his body in some sparing with other members and by himself.*
ooc: Jace will continue to do this until he gets to current time.
"I replaced the bell we used ta haves with those. I founds them in a beehive. I thinks they was suppose ta calms the bees." Hermy rubs his arm. "It didn'ts work so well."
Hermy leads Kywyn to the tables and pulls out a chair for him. "Waits right here. I'll gets Volos."
Hermy takes a step back and yells.
"Hey Volos! Has we gots any pie! Kywyn an Ise hungry!"
When he looks down, Kywyn takes in the entrance area and the training rooms. This place was familiar, not that strongly, but he had been here before. Pulling apart dream from memory, Kywyn walks into the guild house.
Kywyn turns his head when he thinks he hears a cat meow somewhere.
""E's just a guy, ya know? Nuthin wirth worryin about."
The door to the kitchen opens and the gulilds steward, Volos enters the room. It the look on his face seems to be relief.
"Master Liew. It is good to see you again."
Hermy points at Kywyn. "He can'ts understands ya. At least I don'ts think so. I'm gunna try an see if food will helps him feel more likes his old self. He's changed ya know. Death cin sometimes do that to a person."
Volos glances towards the door to the smith and nods. "That it does Master Hermy."
Hermy smiles. "So hows about we try pie ta start with, an then maybe a few doses of eggs."
"I am not sure how well that will work Master Hermy. I think his issue might be more sever then just hunger. When..."
"It's worth a try. If nothin else it'll gives me the energy to keep watchin him. He was tryin ta fight invisable stuff in the market."
Volos pauses and then heads towards the kitchen. "Is apple acceptable"?"
"Yup"
Volos enters the kitchen, and Hermy turns to Kywyn. "Hey! Maybe whiles wese here ya cin talks ta Airmail an his brother. You dieds with them right? I hear theys back alive too."
"'e's a bear now." Another young halfling head pokes around a corner. Nige walks towards Kywyn, his eyes focused on the frog traveling with the sorceror. "An 'is brothers a 'uman. An Jace, 'e's an elf."
Hermy blinks at the news, Nige points at Hex"'oo ''e used ta be?"
Kywyn looks down at the youth as well. The man walks toward the training area where they are more little people, the armor plates of his greaves clinking lightly.
He walks a circle around the perimeter of the room, gazing along the worn walls, pratice equipment, and windows.
The young halfling continues trying to figure out the frogs identity while Hermy follows after Kywyn in the practise room. The rest of the horde watches carefully from their spots around the practise dummy.
"This is where we practise fightin. It's better ta do its in here then outs in the middle of the market. Less likely ta accidently hits someone who can'ts takes a hit."
Hermy motions for Mick to spin the dummy. "We evens gots a dummy ya cin beats on when there aint no one else ta spar with. Go aheads an try it. Maybe Run 'll show up an ya cin fight him. He fights likes you does. You know, without weapons."
Davvo whispers to Hermy. "Ran ain't 'ere. "e left town with that kobold.
It's Hermy's turn to scratch his head. "Who'd the kobold used to be? The other guy that died with Kywyn?"
Davvo shrugs, as he and the rest of the horde move away from the dummy to give Kywyn room. "Oi donna know. Oi think 'e moight just be a kobold."
Hermy points the dummy to Kywyn again. "Go aheads. Hits it."
Nige claps his hands and points at t he frog. "Oi know 'oo it is!
It's Minto! "e's short! An 'e didna coime hoime last noight."
He tilts his head as he scrutinizes the wooden and padded training aid. Kywyn pushes on the two arms and frowns slightly. Shaking his head, Kywyn pulls out a piece of white chalk from his pouch and draws on the blank head of the dummy. Two points and a line later, the dummy has a smiling face. Kywyn steps back to observe.
"That aint right. It's too friendly." He scrunches up his face and shows his teeth with a frown.
"Cin ya gives it poined teeth? Makes it somethin scary."
Something seems off.
Kywyn raises his chalk once again and touches the dummy’s wooden forehead. He adds a rune above the eyes, some bent lines to form a small scribble while speaking darkness to the deaf dummy. The wood seems to darken a shade.
Suddenly, the chalk face and rune waver and float off the dummy’s surface. After looking more carefully, Hermy and his crew can see the chalk now appears painted on a shadow image of the dummy stepping out of the wood like a spirit leaving its body.
The dark from conglomerates into something more humanoid, condensing to slightly larger than halfling-sized, with spidery long limbs and uneven proportions. A wide row of grinning teeth opens up under the chalk smile. The shadow wearing the happy face mask steps onto the training room floor.
Hex chirps and Kywyn takes a quick switch-step back into a right-handed fighting stance. His feet point at almost perpendicular angles and are more that a shoulder width apart; his right fist is near his jaw while his left hand is a vertical palm aimed at the shadow creature.
"En'o berrews vo wholo?" Kywyn mutters grimly.
The shadow mirrors a combative pose but in a more feral style, see-through clawed hands poised. It does not move forward, the chalk smile and eyes seeming sinister.
---
[OoC: summoned shadow dretch]
"That's certainly scarier Kywyn. An it betters just be somethin fer ya ta practisce with." He spares the sorceror a quick glance. "Cause ifen it goes after my boys I aint gunna has no choice but ta takes it out."
"An you."
"Pewn," Kywyn rebukes the creature, sending it back a step.
The deformed shadow steps back into the dummy and vanishes, returning the chalk face to the wood. Kywyn steps forward and wipes away the rune on the forehead and then the rest of the face. He puts both hands on the shoulders of the dummy and drops his gaze downward as he leans.
"Zoupp axalo wholo... semowholo... dinsido."
The whispers drift downward as the hooded man talks to himself.
"Good works Kywyn. I knew you hads it all under control. You just came backs wrong not evils."
He turns towards his students. "Did ya see that? That's the kinda thing a wizard cin do. It aint all fireballs and turning people into toads... No Nige, that toad didn'ts use to be Minto... they cin summon things too."
"So cin druids. Seems like they summon different types of things though."
"Why don'ts use guys all go gets some paper an draw what ya just saw. An then takes it ta my dad to finds out what it was. Ok?"
There is some grumbling from the horde that Hermy ignores.
"Come with me Kywyn. Volos shoulds has somethin' ready by now."
Kywyn watches the young ones leave without moving. Once they are gone, he drops back his hood, showing a sheen of sweat on his brow that he wipes away. The black-haired man stands and follows Hermy.
"Da ya hears funny too, or is it just talkin?"
Hermy pulls out a chair for Kywyn. "If ya cin understand me, don'ts sit down."
He quickily adds. "An raise yer hands above yer head."
Hermy smiles.
"Ise gunna assume ya understood what I said, an now Ise gunna try ta understand what yer sayin." Hermy looks towards the training room and points at one of the faces peering from it.
"Go try an finds Minto an my dad. Theys better at talkin in other laungages then I is. Dads probably at the Temple. An Brodda's back in town so see if her an Minto gots a room at the Lost Lich or Nobodys."
"An don'ts forgets to knock before you storm in."
As the horde scatters away, Hermy turns his attention back to Kywyn.
"Let's start with somethin easy. Cin ya say, 'I likes pie.'?"
One gauntleted hand shifts to hold his left shoulder. Kywyn's frog familiar climbs onto the back of the hand.
On the far side of the room, Kywyn's attention is drawn to another object. He stares transfixed at a simple mirror while Hermy asks his questions.
A stranger looks back at Kywyn; there are still shadows lurking, he knows it. How long would it be before he could greet himself again and recall the desperate notes and loving pictures that cloud his mind? The lucid thought passes back into the haze.
The halfling moves next to the mirror and points at the relections in it.
"That's you. Kywyn" He points at the man. "Can you say Kywyn?"
He mutters as he walks.
"...Dit nud oaxasupp..."
"...T'soo zleugh...."
Reaching the wall, the pale man carefully flips the mirror around as if it is a window in need of closing. He places it so the back faces them.
After staring a bit longer, Kywyn moves back toward the table to sit across from Hermy. Kywyn pulls out something from his shoulder bag. He drops the trinket on the table for Hermy to see. It is a dirt-encrusted badge recovered from the sewers during the first trek down before they encountered the insidious undead master below.
The halfling take the trinket and starts to wipe it off on his shirt.
"Whatevers it is, it's dirty. Ise suprised NaShae let's ya bring it in the house. It smells like the sewer... So where'd ya get this?"
Once it is cleaned up a bit, Hermy gives it a closer look.
Kywyn watches Hermy examine the badge.
"Haxat?" the human breathes quietly.
"It's a guards badge. Is that who killed you the... nah, they wouldn'ts do that. Not no more... Ifen they ever woulds."
Hermy puts the badge down on the table between Kywyn and himself.
"Where'd ya find this exactly? Ise sure Lt. Goodrag woulds want to know that ya has one... Hmmm, maybe we cin wait on tellin Goodrag fer a bit. You know, just in case it was..." His eyes dart up to look into Kywyns eyes before returning back to the object on the table, "Just until we know where this came from."
"It shoulds be pretty easy ta finds out who Inspector One is. Minto probably knows without havin ta even go to a bar to find out."
Hermy takes hold of the badge again, and then points to himself.
"Cin I keep it fer a bit?"
"What else has ya gots in there?"
He takes his black rock out of his pocket and rolls it towards Kywyn.
"That's my lucky rock. My dad probably gave it to me."
"I'll have ta ask him sometime."
"Ya membrs my dad don't ya? You helped me get him back. Member?"
Kywyn pushes at the lucky rock with his gloved finger, rolling it carefully.
He looks for any pictures of people or places he knows to show to Kywyn and then repeats the names of them very slowly trying to get Kywyn to recognize the words.
It takes a moment to get Kywyn to focus on the paper. The man continues to look around the room as if expecting an attack.
When prompted with the drawing, Kywyn says, "Daxak."
Even when Hermy corrects the pronounciation, Kywyn seems incapable of altering his speech. Kywyn starts gathering the papers back into his bag, leaning over the table like an animal raking in food.
"Why don'ts you draw me another picture?" Hermy pantomines the movements of drawing something on the table. "Nots somethin scary that'll come outs on try to eats me though."
"Just a happy picture. Ya know what happy is right?"
Hermy grins to give Kywyn an example.
When Hermy mimes the action, Kywyn pulls out a blacklead pencil and lets the tip rest on a clear sheet of paper.
He starts outlining a figure, a man in a standing pose. Adding a tattered, hooded cloak identical to the one he wears. Pushing stray bangs of black hair back, Kywyn continues by adding a carapace or breastplate over the stomach. He draws spikes on a ridge across the chest and a ring of spikes protuding from the shoulder. He touches the drawing, touches the tips of the spikes with his gloved finger as he mutters dark gibberish.
He taps the design and stares...
"No tellin how longs you coulds be dead for, might as well be comfy while yer there. It looks likes it woulds be hard ta takes a nap like that."
When Kywyn taps the design and starts his own mutterings, Hermy's hand goes to his sword.
He watches his friend.
"What're we lookin fer?"
"Skeurd kot zeso fax-ang... ஜநತ೯..." the sounds grow odder as the voice sinks.
Kywyn looks up to meet Hermy's gaze, eyes betraying an intensity struggling under the icy glaze. The artisan hangs a gauntleted hand on his shoulder. With his other hand, he scribbles spirals on the paper. The line eventually takes on a narrative, abstractly sketching what might be a unarmored turtle or lizard walking toward an empty shell.
"ಭyњ?"
He glances at the picture, and then points at the reptile. "Is that suppose ta be you? Gamis taught me about figures of speech, an drawins a kind of speech... Hey. Drawings a figure of speech. An ya cin still do that."
He points at the reptile and then a Kywyn. "Is that you? Ya wants some armor?"
He points towards another sheet of paper and a pencil. "Cin I borrow those?"
His black frog crawls out from the underside of the table and sits next to the paper.
"Let's see. What're we tryin ta talks about?" Hermy draws a crude stick figure with a hooded cloak on. He points at it and then Kywyn. "That's you."
He draws a smaller stick figure weilding a sword next to it and then indicates himself. "Thats me."
He draws the hooded figure again, this time carrying a big box. He points at Kywyn again, and then at himself as he draws the smaller figure under the box, helping to hold it up.
"What cin I do to help you?"
With the eraser, Kywyn removes pieces of the Kywyn figure, with the smudging strap, he blurs some lines away from the figure's hooded head.
He scratches his head. "I aint so sure abouts the hood though."
"Eithers you don'ts thinks you looks likes that, or ya don't likes lookin likes that."
"I coulds really use Mintos help here. He's the expert on clothing related stuff."
Hermy sighs and takes the eraser and starts rubbing off the hood.
"But he aint here, so I'll try ta do what he would."
The halfling starts to draw a hat, similiar to that of his bard on the stick figure. He looks at
kywyn and shrugs.
"Is that better?"
The dark-haired limner takes the pencil again and draws in some lines to fill some of the gaps on the torso and shoulder, replacing them with more shards and spikes.
He hatches in the hat, leaving two angled areas white for eyes. The fanciful chapeau becomes a bulbous shadow monster chewing on the man's head. The long feather becomes a barbed tail.
With an active pencil line, Kywyn keeps moving to a clean area of the page. The lead carries his thoughts to random places and times as it winds like a snake. Kywyn sketches a fluffy sheep walking up the page.
Hermy takes the pencil again and draws a gravestone. He points an arrow from it to the figure. "That was when you was dead. Here's now."
On a clean section of the page, he draws the hooded stick figure again. Standing next to him is a stick figure in a dress with pointed ears. On the otherside of the hooded figure, Hermy draws a smaller hoded figure.
"Thats yer family. They won't try and eat you."
He taps his fingers on the tables. Taking the pencil, he draws a circle around the three new figures Hermy has drawn.
He lays the pencil down carefully as if it is an unearthed relic of some sort. Kywyn pulls his legs up under him on the chair, not seeming to want to add more to this discourse, as if it would be dangerous.
He puts one hand up to his head, feeling the pulse at his temple. By his satchel, the other hand fingers the green fishing lure he purchased.
"Let's see what the fishin thing is for."
Hermy starts to draw a fish. He then points at the lure and shrugs.
"Whater ya a lure for then?'
Hermy starts to draw again. When he puts the pencil down, there a several badly drawn monsters. One almost resembles a dragon. Another could be a small giant, or maybe a big goblin. The last looks like a spider with claws.
Hermy points at them and then at himsself. "I foughts those.What are you fighting?"
He points at Kywyn, then at a blank spot on the paper and shrugs. He rolls the pencil towards Kywyn.
Kywyn taps the lure toward the smaller figure in the circle again, the one he guesses represents his son.
Looking at the motley crew of characters Hermy has added to the page, Kywyn narrows his eyes in confusion. He looks at the progression of monsters and picks up the pencils. He draws a humanoid shape at the end of the line, shaded in black.
"There's a guy after you. Or after yer son. Yer the lure."
A frown embeds itself in the halflings face.
"That aint right. An it aint gunna happen."
Hermy takes the pencil again, and flips the paper over. He makes a few basic pictures of houses, and one of a castle. He puts a dotted line through it, leading from the first house to the castle. He makes a big "X" under it.
"Yer a better artist then me, maybe you cin makes a better map."
He points at his rough map, shrugs and points at the figure Kywyn drew.
"Where is he?"
Kywyn shakes his head, and looks at the cartography attempt.
He flips the paper over again to the family of stick figures and places the lure nearby. Kywyn draws a small shape next to the lead-drawn Kywyn's hand, it looks like the fishing lure. He draws a line from the trinket to the smaller figure's hand.
He draws a smile on the face of the penciled Dakarai.
"Quich pit teupp." he says sotto voce.
"You. Catch. Him?"
Hermy sighs and then starts to draw again. "It can'ts be that. Yer his dad.
Ya wouldn'ts try to catch him. It's gots ta be the other guy"
Hermy makes a circle, and adds a pair of eyes, a slash for a nose, and a smile. He scribbles a pair of googles on the forehead, and makes a scale pattern on what hopefully looks like his helmet. He points at himself. "Me."
He draws another circle and then points at the shadowy figure Kywyn drew earlier. He holds the pencil out to Kywyn. "Who is he?"
On the side of the paper with the shadowy silhouette, Kywyn traces a line from the figure's feet outward. At the end of this line, the artist sketches a linked small portrait of himself in a fighting stance. Below this, Kywyn draws a small Hermy with a sword and another line from Hermy's feet out horizontally. At the end of this line, he draws a smaller shadow outline.
The end result is Kywyn and Hermy facing off against their own shadows which are tethered to their feet.
He starts another picture. This one has a stick figure in a patched skirt with a spear through her side.
Hermy points at it. "Is it them shadows that are after yer son? The ones that invade3d the town?"
He then shakes his head and points at himself. "Or is it ous shadows?"
"Are we fightin ourselves?" Hermy punches himself in the face, and then shrugs.
"Which one?"
He stacks the papers neatly and slides them back into his satchel.
"Zo welds pen'et vaxako sonso... ೞಕ..."
The man stands. He points to various shadows around the room: the ceiling corner, behind the shelf, and next to the turned away mirror. He points to Hermy and he points to his own head.
"ಊಷೇಕದ"
"Yep, theys shadows, but they aint dangerous. Most of them ones aint even big ernough for me to hide in."
"They really are just in yer head."
Hermy points at his head and then shakes it. "Nothin in here."
He points at Kywyns head. "Nothin in there either ceptin yer imagination."
Hermy shrugs. "I guess that coulds be a problem ifen ya cin do that thing ya did with the training dummy oftens."
"Is that it? Yer afraid you'll magic up something dangerous ta Doctari?"
Hermy exhales. "Maybe Minto knows a spell ta stops you from castin spells? Or Natala maybe?"
"I really don'ts knows how ta explains it to ya better then that."
He regards the halfling who genuinely seems to be trying to help him or at least tell him something. Maybe in time.
Kywyn pats Hermy on the shoulder and moves a few steps on three or four limbs like an agile animal out of the kitchen. The man stands in the training room again, looking at the dummy as if to make sure it is dormant. It isn't him who's doing this. Was it? Though if everyone else seems crazy, some part of him knew, even now, that he is mostly likely the one who's insane.
.o0(He aint gettin it. Ise gunna need more help with this then just me.)
He watches as Kywyn stares at the training dummy.
"It's just a dummy. Nothin ta be afraid of."
Hermy moves towards it and starts it spinning again. He grabs a training sword off the floor where his students left it, and gives the dummy a whack.
"Nothin to be afraid of."
From his shoulder, the black frog that was hiding leaps onto the dummy's head a chirps lightly.
He motions for kywyn to draw a face on it again.
"The students is gone. Try that spell thingy again."
Hermy touches the hilt of his sword, and then motions for Kywyn to draw again.
"I'll shows you that shadows aint nothing to be afraids of."
Could he still do it by design? Open the gate, release the shadow.
Kywyn reaches for the dummy, he raises his pencil to the wooden face. He feels invisible doors opening, a cool breeze on the back of his neck like a stalking demon, a subtle twisting of proportions; all indicators that magic is occuring.
Kywyn didn't believe in magic before he died. He still didn't, not in the superstitious or ignorant usage of the word. But now he knows there is something there for certain where it was only a whisper before.
The man in black mutters his thoughts. As the tip of his pencil touches the dummy, Kywyn sees the ripples in the air. He steps back as the shadow figure comes forward. He didn't even draw the doorway this time...
As soon as the humanoid silhouette breaks free of the wooden construct, it starts to decompose. It falls apart into crawling components. A shadow swarm of legs spreads forward. With a hiss, Kywyn backtracks quickly from the spider shades, a childish fear tweaked. The green lure jingles in Kywyn's off-hand.
---
[OoC: shadow conjuration (summon swarm (spiders)), Will DC 18]
Hermy moves his hands away from his weapons and steps into the path of the coming swarm.
"You mades them shows ups here. You cin makes them go away."
He spreads out his arms and waits.
"No needs to be afraids of yer magic. See. I aint worried. An them spiders are a lot bigger to me then they are ta you."
ooc
Will roll is 17
The man's eyes stare deadpan toward the scene. Why doesn't the halfling move away?
He looks back at Kywyn and swallows as the first bites sink in. "Please."
ooc
Failed will again (9). Takes 3 in bite damage.
24 Fort save for the distraction save. 19 for the poison.
24 Fort save for the distraction save. 19 for the poison.
Crouching down, he half-crawls to the side of the swarm while muttering to himself. The shadows part as he approaches.
Kywyn sweeps his arm across, driving the shadow spiders back away, back into a humanoid outline. With a final point of his pencil, Kywyn dismisses the conjuration, letting the shapes fade back into normal shades against the wall.
Kywyn remains down on his haunches, hands on the floor as he stares ahead.
"Spiders are even worse then bees."
The halfling takes in a few deep breaths to let the quesy sensatition roll past him, and then smiles at Kywyn.
"See, I told ya. Nothin ta be afraids of."
He gives the human a thumbs up gesture.
Kywyn rolls back to a sitting position and tilts his head. Slowly, Kywyn raises his hand. Even more slowly, he uncertainly adjusts it to mirror Hermy's thumbs up as if it were a foreign gesture. He lets his gauntleted hand drop back down with a clink.
"Dad's don't do that. Ask my dad once ya learns how ta talks again. He'll tell ta." No spiders tumble out. "An Doctari is a good son."
Hermy stretches his toes.
"Ya ain't no lure." He points at the green object and shakes his head.
Kywyn stands up and backbedals to the wall to look around the training room one more time. He turns to red-capped hero and watches him for a second before turning for the door. Time to get the new toy back to the little one.
He turns towards Kywyn as he walks backwards to the kitchen. "I don'ts know where yer plannin on goin, but I does know we aint eaten yet."
The halfling pushes the door open with his foot, still keping his eyes on his friend. "Just packs up what evere ya gots ready."
A basket of food is handed through the door, Hermy glances at it and frowns. "No boiled eggs?"
He shrugs and then moves to catch up with Kywyn again.
"Wheres we goin?"
---
[To Elsewhere]
.oO(Oskar must be out...)
*Jace comes into the room and casts his gaze around at the changed room. Silently he moves towards the forge and finds it almost cold. Odd because it is not far past noon, Jace looks about and finds that not everything has been finished and frowns. He reheats the forge and fixes the practice weapons and retempers them. After several hours of work Jace cleans up the room and replaces all the tools. He leaves the guild and towards the Iron wolf behind the guild not expecting it to be open.*
"It would be easier if you had that paper he drew on. Your description of itisn't much to go on."
The halfling in the red pants shrugs. "Sorry dad. But I doubts he woulds has understoods me ifen asked ta keep it."
Another of the halflings straightens the feather in his hat and taps a finger on the desk to get attention. "That's what I'm not getting. He doesn't speak common anymore, but you don't think what he is saying is jibberish?"
"If 'e were toikin jibberish, we could just 'ave Nige translate."
Six of the younger halflings and the gnome laugh. The seventh young halfling smiles. The red panted halfling ignores them.
"Yeah that's right Minto. It weren't common, but he used the same words for the same things every time."
"That doesn't make it a real langage. You use the wrong name for people all the time. And consitantly. Are you speaking another language?"
"I do not. An this aint about me. It's about Kywyn. An NaShae. An Doctari."
Minto points. [color =blue]"There! You just did it. Kywyn's son is named Dakari."[/color]
Hermy rolls his eyes. "That's what I said."
"An I also said it aint about me. Can ya figure out what language he's speakin or not?"
Minto shrugs. "I'd have to hear him myself. But I should at least be able to tell if it is a laungage or not."
"Good. You cin follow him tomorrow ta try an figure that out." Hermy turns towards his dad. "An you cin keep tryin ta find anythings out abouts fishin lures an shadows. An spikes. He was really focused on spikes fer some reason."
Hermy Sr. nods. "I can try. The temple will have better books on that kind of subject then I do."
"Okay, studies there. Take Will an Phil with ya ta acts as messangers. They won'ts cause as much problems explainin things ta that woman at the desk. She don't speak regular as well as mosts people do."
"The rest you guys will takes shifts guardin Kywyns place. If ya hears anything happenin in there, runs an gets me. Don'ts try ta be heroes. That's my job."
The horde sighs but doesn't complain. Minto looks at Hermy and tilts his head. [color =blue]"This is a lot of resources to put into on..."[/color]
Hermy cuts him off. "Ifen we hads more, we puts more into it. But we don'ts."
"I'm just saying..."
"I knows what you was going to say. An I knows why."
"Ifen ya wants ta spends more time with Brodda, gets her to help."
"That's not it at all. I'm sure it would help morale though if we knew why you are so worried about this."
Hermy starts walking towards the door, and holds it open. "I don'ts thinks it would."
"I'm going to put the armor in the smithy and I will start on finishing it tommorow. I will probebly get some help with the master smith as well but I will do the majority of it."
Nodding slightly, the dark-dressed human lingers a moment longer for any parting words from the elf, not that Kywyn could understand but just to be listening.
"It shouldn't take very long to finihs it. A couple of days"
When out of the way, the cloaked man turns and disappears down the street.
.oO(Poor fellow still can't believe that he is apprenticing an elf...or that he has no hair.)
"What’s with the half finished armor over there? It wasn't over there last night."
*Jace looks over at where he put the Kywyns armor.*
"I came in after you left yesterday and did some work. I left around night fall and went past the Iron Wolf. There was a shadowed man standing outside of it and the shop keeper was a bit confused about him. I hung about to make sure nothing happened. The shadowed man went inside and wandered about inside for a minute and eventually pulled out that armor from the Iron Wolf's stock."
*Jace walks over to the armor and pickes up the sketch of the finished product.*
"The shadowed man produced this and began to gesture that he wanted the armor to look like it. When I was his face I recognized it as a man that I meat in the Market Square and he drew a portrait of me when I was human."
*Oskar shifts about a little about the human comment, and Jace smiles and pulls out the portrait and shows Oskar.*
"I remember vaguely seeing you at Hermys fathers party."
"Yea I know I lost much of my memory as well."
*Oskar nods slightly.*
"Go on."
"After a bit of wandering around inside I decided to make the armor for him because the Wolf is pretty backed up at the moment. And the shadowed man doesn't seem to be able to speak or understand what I say...something happened to him but I don't know what...Well I brought his back here and stored the armor here for the night. I think I can get it done in about three days."
*With that Oskar wanders back to look at the armor. He picks it up and turns it about. He fiddles with some different parts and sets in back down with a nod.*
"Yea I think three days should do it."
*Jace sets the portrait down on one side of the bench and begins to clear a working area for himself. He pulls the armor over and examines it for a bit and sets to work. He starts by trimming down certain parts to make it make similar to the picture. After he finishes with the trimming he moves onto making some attachment holes to add on more parts. Oskar comes over and looks over what Jace is doing. He leaves with a frown and fetches some twine. He sets in on the table next to Jace.*
"Use this to attach everything temporarily. When it is all together then use the rivets. It will make things much easier to change as you go."
*Jace nods and follows the directions and finds that everything is much easier then it would have been. Later on Jace begins to cut and form the leather. He gets most of the pieces finished when Oskar lets him know that he will need to let the pieces harden over night. He nods and moves onto making a inner layer to protect the wearer from the rivits that will be used to attatch the spikes. He picks out some soft leather to use and begins to cut it out to fit the inside of the armor. Oskar comes over again and looks around at the progress.*
"I'm glad I don't have to tell you to not cut towards yourself."
*Oskar goes back to knocking out some dents in a breast plate. Jace fits the whole thing inside and check the fit. Nodding with satisfaction Jace pulls it out and sets it to the side waiting to put it in after he fits the spikes. Jace then goes about making the hardening solution for the leather. After he finishes with that he makes sure that all the pieces are still formed correctly and that it is taking form of the sketch. Nodding his approval he removes the pieces from the temporarily assembled armor and sets them in the solution. Happy with his day of work and what he got done Jace leaves back to the Weatherby boarding house and gets some supper.*
"Nice and black."
*Jace raps his knuckles against a particularly large piece and is reqarded by a clear knocking sound.*
"Perfect."
*Oskar simply grunts and returns to his work. Jace pulls out the rest of the pieces and begins placing them into their formation next to the already finished portion of the armor, so they dry. Jace begins to start making holes to connect the whole thing with rivits, when Oskar comes over.*
"You are going to heat those right...They will harden more and dry faster."
"But I don't want then to be too hard to I?"
"You will have enough joints in the lower part of the armor to keep any problems from arising. As long as you do the rivits right. Here let me show you how you heat them."
*Oskat picks up one of the smaller pieces and carries it over to the forge. He strings a wire through one of the holes and positions it just off of the fire.*
"Move your hand towards the fire until it becomes uncomfortable to hold it there and that is where the leather needs to be. It will not burn but it will get a slight scalding on the surface."
"Good morning Volos."
"Oh Mr. Cornwall what can I do for you?"
"I have been working on some armor for a strange man. I do not remember the mans name. I belive it was lost with the rest of my memory."
*Volos nods as Jace continues.*
"He was wearing a gray and tattered cloak. He didn't speak any language that I know, nor did he seem to understand me. But he should be arriving today to retrive his finished armor. I belive that it will be in the evening. For some reason i do not belive that he will be out in the day much."
"Mmm I know who you are speaking of. His name is Kywyn Liew. He is a spell caster, but he was recently revived like yourself, from what I understand. Sir Woodholm has been around him reciently and hs been trying to aid him in what ever way he can."
*Jace nods at this bit of information. Thanking Volos Jace moves back into the forge and begins to put the finishing pieces on the armor. With not much left to do Jace dives into it and gets all of the spikes attatched by early afternoon. With not much else to do Jace begins to oil and waterproof the leather awaiting Kywyn.*
Once on guild property, Kywyn pauses and hunches down, scanning the yard. He slowly moves up to the doorway where he last met the elf.
Someone is comming
*Shifting slighty Jace smiles.*
.oO(finally.)
*Still unable to hear foot steps or see beyond the lit room Jace waits for a few moments before he speaks to the darkness.*
"I have been waiting for you Kywyn. It is finished."
Kywyn walks slowly toward the elf and looks around the tables of the forge.
"But first I would like to show you something."
*Jace stands up and retrives the porterait from beside the armor and hands it to Kywyn, and points to himself.*
"Me."
Kywyn looks between the sketch and the elf, they clearly did not match. The grey-cloaked man shrugs his shoulders slightly and tilts his head. He stares at the picture's face.
With a sweeping motion, Kywyn brushes back his hood to get a better look at Jace and makes a small sound that is difficult to decipher, something between a 'hmm' and a sharp breath.
Kywyn moves around the table so the armor is between them. Running a hand along the leather surface, Kywyn narrows his eyes at the cuirass. He nods slowly and glances up to Jace.
"The picture was me. I was killed recently and I was brought back as an elf. Lets see how it fits."
*Jace offers to help don the armor.*
"You drew the picture of me in the market square before I was killed. I understand the shadows that you face. For a short time after I was revived all I knew was fear and pain. But a kind man helped me see again."
I dream my second skin is dark and treacherous. It reminds me of... being one of creatures in the darkness. You wear a costume not only to hide your form but to conceal your thoughts and fears. But this is different. I am showing more of what I was, am, will be as I put it on.
As Kywyn lets Jace help him hoist the breastplate and fasten the buckles over the front of his cloak, the human feels relieved almost in the new shell. The row of spikes along his chest and the thorned loop around his shoulder do not bother him, it's what he wanted. With a final shift, Kywyn becomes the him of the future... or the one he remembers.
This was the first time I saw myself...
He pulls up his hood and bows his head slightly to Jace in a sign of appreciation.
.oO(Well I'm glad I could help.)
"You do not understand at all do you."
*Jace moves around the room putting out all but one torch casting the whole room in shadow. Leaving the last torch Jace picks up the sketch of the armor and retrives his sword straps it around his waist. Picking up his old portrait, Jace moves to the door way and the last torch. Motioning for Kywyn to go first Jace waits.*
"It was my pleasure friend. When you get yourself right, or if you need help. come to me and we will talk."
*With that Jace leaves Kywyn with the scent and the look of brand new armor made with loving care. Now in the clear and crisp night, free of the smell of the oils of the armor and the dusty feel of the forge, Jace feels restless. Jace ventures towards the gates looking for some solitude and peace, free of the city for a time.*
[Beyond the walls]
Some distance ahead the glow of fire clearly defines a break between two wharehouses, rounding the corner one would find an alley between the two buildings leading to a small square. On the opposite side two lanterns flank a heavy wooden door. Above the door hangs an old battered sign, indentifying the building as the guildhall of the Silver Swords.
The door opens easily, a sliver bell chimes as the door is pushed open. From a sidedoor a young man enters the hallway. Sword in hand, a suspicious look in his eyes. His tone is polite if curt
Good evening messers, what brings you to our hall on this ungodly hour?
Arvindur wasn't quite sure how these things worked(he normally camped out of town when he needed lodging), but it never hurt to just tell them.
"Come on in then, but be quiet. Master Volos needs his sleep, and he'll insist on getting up to greet guests no matter the hour if he's woken up."
info!
You read it right, Volos is still around. He's now part of the Cadre of Five, the elected leaders of the Silver Swords, and acts as liaison between the guild and the city officials who are now its main employers (which is why he stays in the old guildhouse almost all the time, save for matters the entire Cadre must vote on). A very respected and beloved guild member, many of the younger Swords are very protective of him at his advanced age.
Background info on the Guild and the Guards will be up this week.
Background info on the Guild and the Guards will be up this week.
"it might pay to have a talk with this master Volos tomorow, perhaps he's heard something that might help us"
/country bumpkin
"If you wish to speak to master Volos, the best time is at breakfast. During the day he often has a lot of appointments."
With that advice, the doorman leaves the Silver Swords to get some rest.
"Oh hello Dorian, wasn't sure if anyone else would be up this early. So any idea where we can get some breakfast before we head out to continue our investigation?"
An elderly man in a robe comes in and goes over to what turns out to be the pantry to fetch bread, cheese, eggs and a number of other delectable morsels.
"Excuse my presumption of familiarity, another of those advantages. My name is Volos. I like to rise early to make breakfast for everyone. I've done so ever since becoming part of the guild and it's one of the few chores I'm still allowed to do - probably because no-one else wishes to get out of bed before me."
Dorian D'Grey and Zade Deftfingers, we're here to assist the sity guard in an investigation"
While he's talking, Volos' hands are busy cutting bread, slicing cheese and meats and frying up a large omelette, an impressive breakfast spread quickly taking form on the table.
"There's oatmeal too, for those that want some, and if the others managed to leave it alone there should be a pie I baked yesterday in the back of the pantry as well.
So what is it the guard wants Silver Swords to help investigate?"
The guard has no one to spare to look into this so they asked the guild for help"
Dorian offers his thanks for the meal and helps himself to some bread and cheese
"We're supposed to pick up a list of locations at the chapterhouse later on but maybe you could give us a few pointers as to where we could put our ear to the ground so to speak"
Volos doesn't look happy as he gets up to put a kettle on.
"Tea, anyone?
Regardless, you should obviously focus on the matter at hand. If you've been to the Hightower and found the information to be had there somewhat sparse, you could try the Guild's own: perhaps mistress Finnisvale can shed additional light on the matter. She can also give you a list of alchemists and other shops that deal in magical necessities, it could be one of the owners noticed somthing peculiar about his clientèle recently. And even if the ritual was supposedly arcane in nature, it wouldn't hurt to consult with the clergy. Priests don't always keep themselves uninformed of matters of this world."
Arvindur, master Volos was so kind to give us a few more pointers where to start looking for leads"
"I used to make a point of getting to know all the members personally, but since our numbers started swelling so much, I'm afraid that's no longer possible for me. Especially out here, I do regret losing touch with the heart of the guild."
He proceeded to pile his plate high, feeding the famed halfling appetite.
Volos nods, sipping his tea, satisfied this would be a good way to proceed.
"Even though I'm no longer aware of every bit of news regarding the guild lately, I assume you are somewhat recent new members? How is life as a Silver Sword agreeing with you, does it live up to your expectations?"
"It goes well thus far, sir, though I spend a great deal of my time outside the city and don't know many people yet. The woods are more kin to me than the city. Too many people in one place perhaps."
"It goes well thus far, sir, though I spend a great deal of my time outside the city and don't know many people yet. The woods are more kin to me than the city. Too many people in one place perhaps."
"It's good to hear the guild suits you, master Leafchaser. I'm not surprised by your misgivings about life in the city either, many of our members feel out of place in what are deemed more civilized places - no offense meant, of course, you understand the irony. Civilization has as many downsides as benefits, I sometimes feel.
I hope our new military structure doesn't grate too much though. I wonder that the usual kind of adventurous spirit we used to attract isn't put off by what we've become."
"From what I've seen from the membership I think you should not worry too much about that. Knowing the dangers of the pass firsthand I think a more military structure is a good thing. Because of it we were able to beat back an orc attack on the guildhall not three nights ago. A less organised group would have had a much harder time with them. The orcs coming from the pass are better organised and smarter than the native tribes"
"That is a fair point, master D'Grey," Volos agrees, but he doesn't look altogether convinced.
"Still, this is a difficult issue we won't be hashing out over breakfast. Is there anything else we could provide to help out with your investigation?"
While the early risers eat and talk, Volos' aides trickle in one by one and join the group at the table.
Volos is happy to be able to help out, and immediately gets up to go to the rooms that serve as his office.
"If you come with me, we'll take care of that right away. It's the early birds' privilege not to have to do the washing up after breakfast, after all."
"Thank you very much for loaning us the map master Volos, hopefully we'll be able to find a pattern or something to help us"
"This should be of some help, I think. I will need your promise to return it soon - I had been planning to commission some maps from both the city and its wide surroundings, but it'll be a while yet before they'll be delivered."
Arvindur set to work tracing the map over to a new sheet of paper, starting with the major divisions and their labels before copying detail. Not too different from woodworking, and hes had plenty of practice at that. A steady hand is the key.
"Guess we better head down there now, eh?"
*Zade says this with a bit of a grin and turns to head down to the kitchen to see who it is that requests them.
"My da sent me to tell you 'they found another one'. He's a sergeant in the watch, he is!" the boy continues, face beaming with pride.
"I'm to take you there so you can have a looksee for yourselves."
Arvindur was in a hurry to get this resolved, having made a crude, but workable sketch earlier. He paused for a moment, remembering, and turns to the aide, "Could you help us get the other incident locations from the Watch if they come by before we return?"
The junior Flint resigns himself to not getting a second piece of pie, but he does remember his manners.
"Thanks mister!" he says cheerfully to the aide who cut him a slice.
"Not to worry, if something's delivered for you we'll keep it here. Are you expecting to be working from here out for the next couple of days?" the aide replies while cleaning the last of the dishes.
map
Just in case we continue when I'm not at home and I don't have ready access to it - look for the red dot just south of the government district.
He turns to Zade and Dorian, while getting a slice of pie.
"Anything else? If not.." Arvindur hands the kid the slice with a grin, "..lets be off then, you can eat while we walk."
Throwing his cloak around his shoulders and grabbing his belt with his axe and dirk Dorian walks after the young Flint
"My da said not to dawdle," he explains. "I've got lessons today and Father Davvon really doesn't like it when someone's late."
Frome the expressions on his face it seems these lessons are not something the boy enjoys, but his dad's or Father Davvon's displeasure are apparently worse.
The foursome goes from one of the poorest parts of town to one of the richest, halting at a luxurious villa on Founder's Avenue, across from the governmental quarter. They don't go to the main entrance but are instead lead to a small servants' door in the side of the wall where a Watchman is waiting.
"Young Socrates," he says, much to the boy's dismay, "you're back faster than I thought. That's them? Go on through, your father is in the garden."
"It's jus' Rat, Edvard," Socrates replies, "you know I don't like it when you use my whole name."
It's an old argument though and Edvard winks at the three deputies as he shows them through.
"Mind your manners around Lord Ravendale or his family, okay? They're not very happy about the affair..."
Sergeant Flint is alone in the garden though, standing about twoscore feet from the small door. It looks like he's waiting for the summoned trio to arrive.
The sergeant points a few feet away. A large rook lies spread-eagled on the ground, head, wings and feet cut off but displayed as close as possible to their natural position without being reattached.
"One of the servants notified us: she'd heard some rumours and didn't want to hush things up. Good for us, since the Ravendale's definitely would. They're not happy about us being here, but they don't know who clued us in."
Arvindur led Wolfkin around the site, letting him get the scents, though a firm hand kept the dog from any thoughts of eating the 'sacrifice'.
Flint pulls his coat closer around him when he sees his son still lingering close by.
"Socrates! You should be on your way to your lessons already! I swear, if Father Davvon tells me you were late even one more time this term, you'll be in very hot water alright! Now scoot!"
The lad grins apologetically (though clearly not very sincerely) and hurries off.
"See you around, misters! Bye da!"
Wolfkin shows no inclination at all to eat the grisly remnants of the bird. They don't look appetizing either, dessicated and almost fleshless. He does obediently sniff around, reluctantly even taking a whiff at the rook, whining briefly and then circling it slowly, taking in scents. About 10 ft. away, on a path circling the garden the sergeant is standing on as well where it's closest to the remains, the hound sits down and huffs and growls, shaking his head about.
Zade and Dorian take a closer look at the bird, but are careful not to get too close right away.
OoC
I'm sorry for the slow pace, Arvindur. I was hoping the others would have weighed in by now - it's a bit dicey for the DM to NPC characters during the investigation of a scene, I don't want to give anything away and spoil your satisfaction for figuring things out on your own. You're doing well so far though, if necessary I'll find a happy medium.
"So... how exactly do you want to go from here?"
"Hopefully, the scent is not too faint for Wolfkin to track yet. Mind giving me a hand in searching for clues, Zade?"
OOC
Survival +10 to find tracks. My Search is useless, so I'll just take 10 and Aid Another Zade for that.
*Zade adds a sly wink when he is done talking, although in the back of his mind he hopes that it is indeed not the only reason why he was brought along on this adventure. He shrugs his shoulders and tries to breath through his mouth to lessen the stench of the bird as he searches around trying to find something of use.
OoC
Search +7, Listen +7, Spot +4, not really sure which one you wanted, so I gave you all 3 :P
Wolfkin follows Arvindur around the garden obediently, but keeps shaking his head and doesn't stop anywhere until they return to where they started, a few yards from the corpse. There he whines and lies down, nose flat to the ground, and doesn't budge. It looks like the scent trail the hound is focused on disappears in thin air.
Looking back from there to the bird's husk, Arvindur can make out very shallow footprints leading to his dog's head. Zade notices them too, as well as a few deeper prints of just the toes and front third of the feet which Arvindur recognizes as left by someone squatting down.
OOC
What about the backtrail? I know where it went poof now, but where did it come from?
"Well I couldn't find any clues from how this happened from the bird, of course I am not well versed in the arcane area so perhaps there is something I could be missing. However, I don't believe that we need this any further unless you can think of something else Arvindur?"
A thought occured to Arvindur, and he grabbed a scrap of paper, sketching the print, "Just in case."
"Arivindur, do you mind giving me a hand putting this thing in the box so we can do it as quickly as possible?"
*After Zade asks Arivindur, he takes off some of this things so the stench won't get on them and also so he doesn't get blood all over this possessions then he carefully starts to put the bird in the box.
When picking up the husk of the body though, Zade feels something shifting inside, as if there's a small item lodged in it. It makes a rustling sound as he moves the dried-out husk, but doesn't otherwise budge.
The rangers sensitive ears pick up the sound as the object moves inside the carcas
[whispered]
"Better box that thing swiftly, we'll investigate further after we've left here. No need to alert anyone to this, the master of the house might want to claim it for his own if it turns out interesting"
Arvindur assists Zade in packaging the creature, as he asks the Sergeant.
"Do what you want with those. Is there anything else you want to do here, or can we go? Lord Ravendale will be giving the commander hell as it is."
.oO(I wonder what exactly is inside that bird, and perhaps this will lead us to where we need to go, I'm starting to get anxious about finding the source of this problem...)
OOC
Checking the prints size and depth, with a comparison to Dorian and my own.
Working out the print maker's size and approximate weight.
Checking the prints size and depth, with a comparison to Dorian and my own.
Working out the print maker's size and approximate weight.
Sarge, could you have the list delivered to the Swords guildhall? We've got a map set up there so we can plot the spots an see if there's a pattern"
"Sarge, could you have the list delivered to the Swords guildhall? We've got a map set up there so we can plot the spots an see if there's a pattern"
"Sure, gents. One of our clerks is copying my notes, everything should be delivered by mid-morning."
Seeing the deputies are done, Flint waves them out and goes to see lord Ravendale to try and smooth out any resentment private Colmar hasn't been able to deal with.
Looking at the prints, Arvindur judges them to be fairly large but also shallow, made by boots with relatively light soles and no distinguishing marks. Length of the strides is indicative of a person of average humanoid height. All things considered, they were likely left by a male weighing about 75 pounds and standing between 5 ft. 8' and 6 ft, either human, elf or half-elf.
"Hmmm... that's an interesting question, and I'm not entirely sure where the best place to do that would be. Probably someplace rather private so we don't have to many eyes looking at the evidence."
Flint's notes
The locations are listed in chronological order of finding the sacrifices.
Location 1: garden shed on the premisses of trader Overhill.
Sacrifice: a sparrow; decapitated.
Timeline: found 26 days ago
Found by: Old Shep, gardener in Overhill's service
Remains not recovered, significance of find only realized 18 days ago, carcass disposed of along with refuse
Location 2: warehouse next to the river; owner unknown, building in serious disrepair
Sacrifice: a rat; quartered
Timeline: found 21 days ago
Found by: Sam Harding, city official working on the docks bordering the river
Remains recovered and in keeping of the Hightower
Location 3: basement of tenement on Elm avenue; owned by Vargas Theophelos
Sacrifice: a rat; quartered
Timeline: found 18 days ago
Found by: Vargas Theophelos when inspecting the flooded basement (a regular occurrence)
Remains recovered and in keeping of the Hightower
Location 4: base of oak on Eastgate road
sacrifice: a cat; decapitated and dismembered forelegs
Timeline: found 13 days ago
Found by: Socrates Flint, while skipping his lessons
Remains recovered and in keeping of the Hightower
Location 5: Tea alley, under a pile of refuse
sacrifice: a cat, quartered
Timeline: found 6 days ago
Found by: “Perennial” Alf Coopersmith, while scrounging for thrown-away items still useful
Remains recovered and in keeping of the Hightower
Location 6: garden of Lord Ravendale's estate
Sacrifice: a rook, quartered and decapitated
Timeline: found today
Found by: miss Rosalind Merriwinkle, house servant of Lord Ravendale's, while going out to go to the market
Remains in keeping of the Silver Sword
MAP
Location 1: garden shed on the premisses of trader Overhill.
Sacrifice: a sparrow; decapitated.
Timeline: found 26 days ago
Found by: Old Shep, gardener in Overhill's service
Remains not recovered, significance of find only realized 18 days ago, carcass disposed of along with refuse
Location 2: warehouse next to the river; owner unknown, building in serious disrepair
Sacrifice: a rat; quartered
Timeline: found 21 days ago
Found by: Sam Harding, city official working on the docks bordering the river
Remains recovered and in keeping of the Hightower
Location 3: basement of tenement on Elm avenue; owned by Vargas Theophelos
Sacrifice: a rat; quartered
Timeline: found 18 days ago
Found by: Vargas Theophelos when inspecting the flooded basement (a regular occurrence)
Remains recovered and in keeping of the Hightower
Location 4: base of oak on Eastgate road
sacrifice: a cat; decapitated and dismembered forelegs
Timeline: found 13 days ago
Found by: Socrates Flint, while skipping his lessons
Remains recovered and in keeping of the Hightower
Location 5: Tea alley, under a pile of refuse
sacrifice: a cat, quartered
Timeline: found 6 days ago
Found by: “Perennial” Alf Coopersmith, while scrounging for thrown-away items still useful
Remains recovered and in keeping of the Hightower
Location 6: garden of Lord Ravendale's estate
Sacrifice: a rook, quartered and decapitated
Timeline: found today
Found by: miss Rosalind Merriwinkle, house servant of Lord Ravendale's, while going out to go to the market
Remains in keeping of the Silver Sword
MAP
"Does anyone recognise any of these constellations?"
Musing over the notes -there was nothing that immediately sprang to mind- Arvindur sought out somewhere private to examine the gruesome evidence.
Despite being distracted by the conundrum, Arvindur suddenly notices the group is being followed as they make their way through the streets of Garic's. There's no way to tell, but it's well possible someone has been on their trail ever since leaving Lord Ravendale's estate.
Arvindur can't tell how many people are trailing them but there's definitely more than one, possibly even as many as five or six. The ones he spots look ordinary, cheap clothing but nothing too shabby and no visible weapons other than a dagger or two - all kept scabbarded, not drawn and ready.
"We may be officially deputized, but if they start a riot or something it might still go bad for us. "
Show
Using Push function of Handle Animal to get Wolfkin to look for a spot with less people. Can't really fail at it, since I'm not exactly pressed for time.:P
"So, what are nice people like you following us?"
Show
Ready Entangle to cast if they look like doing anything besides chatting amiably with us.
Before anyone can make a real move, three others show up from the other side, further down the alley, with swords drawn as well. Their intent must have been to ambush the group all along. The area is probably not quite what they hoped for since busier streets are only a few corners away, but it doesn't look good for the deputies nonetheless.
Show
Of the original 5, 3 are 20 ft. away with the other two 10 ft. behind them. The 3 that are joining them are 35 ft away on the other side. The alley is 15 ft. wide and there are a number of doors giving access to the houses bordering the street, wooden doors that are all closed. Windows too, but those at street level are all barred. The alley has no distinguishing features: it was paved at some point, but most of that has been removed over the years and now it's basically just hard-packed dirt.
Arvindur, I've held off on your readied spell so you can position it to your liking.
Init:
Arvindur
Zade
original 5 unknown followers
Dorian
3 extra mystery attackers
Wolfkin
Arvindur, I've held off on your readied spell so you can position it to your liking.
Init:
Arvindur
Zade
original 5 unknown followers
Dorian
3 extra mystery attackers
Wolfkin
Tiny rootlets in the dirt, even the weeds in the cracks of the walls explode into sudden vigor and wind about the five initial followers. Arvindur draws his club and nudges Wolfkin around to face the newly arrived trio.
Zade pulls out his shortbow and readies it for use, Dorian prefers to draw his axe: "Hold," he says and takes up a ready stance to attack the first opponent that draws near enough, "let them come to us. We're better protected if we stick close together."
"Good job, Arvindur," Zade says nervously, "but one of them has some tricks up his sleeve too. I think it's a wizard."
The three remaining ambushers halt when they see more than half their force has been temporarily put out of commission. They mutter angrily, but refuse to come closer.
Show
Arvindur, I expect you're riding Wolfkin? All positions stay the same, the 5 in the Entangle area are all effectively entangled. The caster is the one in the back on the right.
Show
Yep, mounted unless stated otherwise.
Yep, mounted unless stated otherwise.
Even before the trio make up their minds to attack, the wizard digs into his purse for a few items and finishes another incantation. Zade had anticipated this and aims an arrow his way, but the grazing wound doesn't break the caster's focus and his shot is returned with a speeding flash of vile green, splattering all over his chest and burning away armour and flesh alike.
The trio now make their move, charging in together. Dorian's axe connects with the one coming at him, but he also is wounded in return as the other manages to stick him with his shortword. The one in the middle fortunately misses his wild stab, his blade missing Zade's shoulder by mere inches, and the last one is too preoccupied by Wolfkin sinking his fangs in calf to do anything truly dangerous.
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I thought being Entangled hindered spellcasting, turns out that's not the case. My mistake. It's nothing big, just clarifying in case anyone was wondering.
Ok, same positions, except the unentangled attackers have moved up to be adjacent to our trio of heroes. Zade takes a painful 6 points of acid damage (ouch), nothing subdual, Dorian gets away with 3 (1 subdual). That leaves them with 10 and 17 respectively.
Ok, same positions, except the unentangled attackers have moved up to be adjacent to our trio of heroes. Zade takes a painful 6 points of acid damage (ouch), nothing subdual, Dorian gets away with 3 (1 subdual). That leaves them with 10 and 17 respectively.
A thin mist rose before the wizard, the silhouette of a large canine within it.
Show
5ft step and a free action dismount.
Converting my Produce Flame to Summon Nature's Ally I(wolf), placing it adjacent to the wizard(whichever one he is), preferably where it's only threatened by 2 thugs, at most.
Wolfkin would be using the Trip ability that war trained riding dogs have on the thug though. As would the summoned wolf, when it shows up.
Converting my Produce Flame to Summon Nature's Ally I(wolf), placing it adjacent to the wizard(whichever one he is), preferably where it's only threatened by 2 thugs, at most.
Wolfkin would be using the Trip ability that war trained riding dogs have on the thug though. As would the summoned wolf, when it shows up.
Zade slips away towards the entangled area to avoid his attacker's blade while he takes another quick potshot at the wizard. He doesn't want to risk hitting the wolf though, and his arrow goes wide. Even so, the wizard aims another spell at him and two bolts of energy unerringly strike the unfortunate halfling while the acid from the previous spell takes another toll. Zade drops immediately and incredibly, the wizard manages to avoid the wolf's fangs even while getting that spell off.
One of the attacker's caught in Arvindur's spell finally manages to untangle himself and struggles through the wriggling growth towards the druid, yelling unintelligibly, but his angrily swung cudgel doesn't even come close.
Dorian's axe takes care of one of the attackers at least, dropping him in a growing pool of his own blood. The one closest to Zade's immobile body pushes forward and manages to slip his sword past the ranger's defenses, dragging an ugly cut across his upper leg.
Wolfkin does even better than last time, jaws crunching down on bone again and this time dragging his unfortunate victim to the ground, but the man is not ready to give up yet. His weapon caught the dog on its flank as he went down, leaving an angry slash.
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Wolfkin did get his Trip attempt last round, no success though. He did better this time.
Zade takes another 9 points of damage, 4 of which acid and none of them subdual. This drops him to 1 and he chooses to play dead and hope for the best.
Dorian takes 5 points of damage, 1 of which subdual. He's down to 12.
Wolfkin did get his Trip attempt last round, no success though. He did better this time.
Zade takes another 9 points of damage, 4 of which acid and none of them subdual. This drops him to 1 and he chooses to play dead and hope for the best.
Dorian takes 5 points of damage, 1 of which subdual. He's down to 12.
Show
+3 club 1d4+1
Zade still plays it safe, pretending to be dead. His eyes slit open every few seconds to gage the best moment to rise up and make the most of this sudden surprise if it becomes necessary.
Arvindur's wolf manages to sink its fangs into the wizard's lower left arm and drag him to the ground, his victim however pulls of another moment of supreme concentration and twin orbs of energy strike the druid.
Dorian's axe strikes true and another ambusher falls to it, eliciting a fierce "take that, scum!" from the ranger. The body drops and Dorian turns to the nearest opponent standing, ready to take the heat off Arvindur or Wolfkin.
The riding dog's still harrassing one of the ambushers, but the tussle doesn't go just one way. Wolfkin is still clamping down on the man's leg, but suffers nasty cuts in return.
Show
Forgot Wolfkin's damage last turn, he took 3 points then and another 4 now (1 subdual each). Current standings: 6.
Arvindur takes 6 points from the wizard's Magic Missile and 3 from his direct opponent (1 of which subdual). Current standings: 7.
Dorian and Zade stay at 12 and 1 respectively.
Forgot Wolfkin's damage last turn, he took 3 points then and another 4 now (1 subdual each). Current standings: 6.
Arvindur takes 6 points from the wizard's Magic Missile and 3 from his direct opponent (1 of which subdual). Current standings: 7.
Dorian and Zade stay at 12 and 1 respectively.
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Attack the one next to Zade, not sure if I get flanking.
Attempt a Quick Mount with a Ride +8, DC 20, if it succeeds, I drop the club, draw the lance. Get Wolfkin to delay till my initiative so I can charge the wizard with the lance next.
If I'm lucky, I drop the guy I attack within range of a sneak attack from Zade, so Zade finishes him and Dorian deals with the one threatening Wolfkin right now.
Attack the one next to Zade, not sure if I get flanking.
Attempt a Quick Mount with a Ride +8, DC 20, if it succeeds, I drop the club, draw the lance. Get Wolfkin to delay till my initiative so I can charge the wizard with the lance next.
If I'm lucky, I drop the guy I attack within range of a sneak attack from Zade, so Zade finishes him and Dorian deals with the one threatening Wolfkin right now.
The wolf he summoned disappears again in a swirl of fog, leaving the wizard free to cast unhindered again: he sends another arrow of greenish acid, this time at Dorian. The stench of scorched flesh becomes stronger as the caustic stuff eats through the ranger's skin. The attacker Arvindur ignored to clobber the one Zade then took out of commission wants to come after the druid and curses loudly when he finds himself rooted firmly in place again. The others still haven't been able to free themselves.
Dorian turns on the last remaining attacker of the three that came from further down the alley, making good use of the fact that the man is prone and has a very large dog latched firmly onto his leg. His hard swing leaves the unknown man in very bad shape, but he continues to struggle feebly. Wolfkin reluctantly lets go, ready to do his master's bidding. The man takes another swipe, but it barely leaves a scratch.
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There's also the matter of there being bodies, alive or not, in the way. I'll handle everything to maximize the chance of pulling it off without getting hindered by the Entanglement though, including jumping where possible. There's going to be quite a few checks involved, but nothing with unfavourable odds. Still, if you want to change your mind that option is still open (in which case Wolfkin still has his actions for this round). Please edit post 396 with next rounds actions instead of making a new one, it's cleaner that way.
No flanking, since Zade was playing dead: that doesn't count as threatening. I delayed your move equivalent so Zade could sneak attack though, which paid off big (really big, as in doing maximum possible damage and just dropping the attacker to 0 hp - after you softened him up, of course ;) ).
Dorian takes 6 points of acid damage, dropping him to 6. Wolfkin takes one more (subdual), he's at 5.
Figured Wolfkin could just jump over the mess(since hes got a +12 to Jump, clearing the 10-15ft of entangled ground to touch down with me in range of the wizard isn't too hard...I think), but if not, doesn't matter if it's a charge or not, so long as it placed me in lance reach of the wizard. Only difference is the level of painage.;)
There's also the matter of there being bodies, alive or not, in the way. I'll handle everything to maximize the chance of pulling it off without getting hindered by the Entanglement though, including jumping where possible. There's going to be quite a few checks involved, but nothing with unfavourable odds. Still, if you want to change your mind that option is still open (in which case Wolfkin still has his actions for this round). Please edit post 396 with next rounds actions instead of making a new one, it's cleaner that way.
No flanking, since Zade was playing dead: that doesn't count as threatening. I delayed your move equivalent so Zade could sneak attack though, which paid off big (really big, as in doing maximum possible damage and just dropping the attacker to 0 hp - after you softened him up, of course ;) ).
Dorian takes 6 points of acid damage, dropping him to 6. Wolfkin takes one more (subdual), he's at 5.
Show
Figured Wolfkin could just jump over the mess(since hes got a +12 to Jump, clearing the 10-15ft of entangled ground to touch down with me in range of the wizard isn't too hard...I think), but if not, doesn't matter if it's a charge or not, so long as it placed me in lance reach of the wizard. Only difference is the level of painage.;)
The result ends thereabouts, where Wolfkin will maul the adjacent @ while I poke the C.
The result ends thereabouts, where Wolfkin will maul the adjacent @ while I poke the C.
Zade rolls past the corpse of his victim to take a stab at another one. It's not a lethal blow in itself, but the man was already suffering from several serious wounds and finally succumbs. His fierce satisfaction is cut short: Dorian's face contorts in a painful grimace and he falls first to his knees, then all the way to the ground. The sizzling acid leaves ugly marks on his chest and shoulders, but thankfully the ranger is no longer aware of the pain.
To make matters worse, the last of the attackers not in Arvindur's area of grasping roots steps up past Dorian's unconscious body and bashes the halfling rogue in the head, dropping him as well.
Thing's are looking worse than ever for the Silver Swords, but at least none of the other scoundrels manages to do anything useful. The wizard tries another spell, but the effort of evading Arvindur's lance defeats him and the energies are lost. What's more, a dagger suddenly sprouts from his neck, blood spurting freely out of the wound. His comrade, already besieged by Wolfkin, suffers a similar fate. The wizard staggers, clearly heavily wounded, the other man goes down with a cry of pain.
In the heat of battle, nobody had noticed a slender figure slipping through the writhing tendrils of Arvindur's spell. The unknown person, face hidden by a dark scarf and deep hood, snuck up and struck with a magnificent double throw.
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Dorian takes another 6 points of acid damage, dropping him to 0. Ouch. He's only unconscious though, not dying (part of the lost hp are nonlethal). Zade's even worse off: another -4 (2 subdual), which leaves him at -1 after factoring in the subdual damage. Zade's dying.
Arvindur nor Wolfkin take any damage this round.
Updated initiative:
Arvindur
Zade
original 5 unknown followers
Dorian
Unknown knife-chucker
3 extra mystery attackers
Wolfkin
Arvindur nor Wolfkin take any damage this round.
Updated initiative:
Arvindur
Zade
original 5 unknown followers
Dorian
Unknown knife-chucker
3 extra mystery attackers
Wolfkin
If his friends were to live, the wizard must go DOWN. And the remaining thug behind with him.
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Getting Wolfkin to close with the wizard with a strength check, if hes entangled like I think he is. If Wolfkin's not entangled, we'd probably have a dead wizard on our hands.
His companion next to him escapes the plants at least, but doesn't have the stomach to continue the fight anymore. He struggles forward, hoping to slip by Arvindur on his ferocious hound, but can't avoid being stabbed by the druid. Wolfkin's snarling bite can only just get evaded.
The other remaining ambusher has seen enough as well. He doesn't even pick up Zade's bow to try a few potshots from outside the enspelled zone but hightails it out at full speed.
Several doors and windows are being cautiously opened by now. Local residents, alarmed by the sounds of fighting, are trying to see what's going on without risking to get caught up in anything.
The mysterious person that came to Arvindur's rescue notices this and starts to move away as well, in the opposite direction.
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The wizard's dead. That leaves two ambushers: one's halfway out of the alley already, the other's bleeding some from Arvindur's lance but not entangled and trying to get out as well.
Dorian's still out but stable, Zade goes to -2 and is still dying.
Wolfkin is indeed entangled.
Initiative:
Arvindur
Zade
original 5 unknown followers
Dorian
Unknown knife-chucker
3 extra mystery attackers
Wolfkin
Dorian's still out but stable, Zade goes to -2 and is still dying.
Wolfkin is indeed entangled.
Initiative:
Arvindur
Zade
original 5 unknown followers
Dorian
Unknown knife-chucker
3 extra mystery attackers
Wolfkin
"Stop right there, or you WILL find this in your gut. I have questions and I don't care if I have to bring your corpse to the temples to find out who hurt my friends. You might yet come out of this alive, if you're smart. You'd be lucky to come out with a whole corpse otherwise. I will personally heal you and then feed you to crows. Alive."
Arvindur directed the bloody lance at the fleeing man nearest to him, even as he nudged Wolfkin to continue advancing out of the mess towards Zade and Dorian, the lance never stops pointing at the man. Whoever helped, is a matter for another time, Zade didn't look good.
In a louder voice, "Get the Watch! They assaulted officers of the Watch! We have wounded!"
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Ready an action to stab him with the lance if he tries to flee(which will then be followed by an AoO, which will suck for him). Wolfkin attempts to move to the square between Zade and Dorian.
That ought to keep him in reach of the lance still.
Intimidate probably applied there somewhere, hopefully with a nice bonus from having massacred his buddies and about to send him to meet them, what with my bonus being a -5 between size and charisma.
I have some....6 points of healing left in me, with the 4 goodberries from morning, and 2 cure minors. Well, I THINK it was 4 berries.
That ought to keep him in reach of the lance still.
Intimidate probably applied there somewhere, hopefully with a nice bonus from having massacred his buddies and about to send him to meet them, what with my bonus being a -5 between size and charisma.
I have some....6 points of healing left in me, with the 4 goodberries from morning, and 2 cure minors. Well, I THINK it was 4 berries.
"Stop right there, or you WILL find this in your gut. I have questions and I don't care if I have to bring your corpse to the temples to find out who hurt my friends. You might yet come out of this alive, if you're smart. You'd be lucky to come out with a whole corpse otherwise. I will personally heal you and then feed you to crows. Alive."
The man whimpers, but his fear of Arvindur is less than of what might happen to him if he stays. He tries to get away, but Wolfkin tears into him even before Arvindur can and the man curls up on the ground, mangled by the dog's mighty jaws and bleeding to death.
Wolfkin pulls free of the spell as well and carries his master to their fallen comrades. Their unknown rescuer, in the meantime, gets away safely on the other end of the alley.
"Get the Watch! They assaulted officers of the Watch! We have wounded!"
At the mention of the Watch, the few windows and doors people were peeping out of slam shut. Nobody here wants to get involved in the matter.
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we can wave init from here, since Zade just stabilized on his own at -2. Some of the ambushers might still get saved, should you want to try.
He then surveyed the dead and unconscious for anyone still within help. At least one of them could be brought back for investigation, preferably the wizard.
The wizard can still be saved, as well as the last two others to fall. They're all in very bad shape though and none look like they might live without immediate intervention.
Muttering,"Wasted on scum." under his breath, Arvindur touched the wizard with the barest hair of healing energy, then took a spare club and jammed it between the unconcious wizard's teeth as a makeshift gag before turning to the other, staunching the bleeding hole from the lance as best as he could without magic.
Then he waited for his spell to die off, wondering how one human and two halflings were to haul a captive wizard to shelter as he finished tying the wizard's fingers up with the mage's own clothing.
"Guys? Haul this sorry lot to the Watchhouse and report the assault or backtrack where they came from? A trail wouldn't last very long in the city, I'd think, what with this many people, so we can't wait on that."
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Bum my last Cure on the wizard, autostablising him.
The other guy has to make do with untrained Heal checks at +3
The other guy has to make do with untrained Heal checks at +3
"Guys? Haul this sorry lot to the Watchhouse and report the assault or backtrack where they came from? A trail wouldn't last very long in the city, I'd think, what with this many people, so we can't wait on that."
"I don't know about you, but if we run into more of them I'm not going to be much use. Zade here's not much better."
Dorian's unsure about taking the most risky option.
"I'd love to take a crack at finding out where these idiots liked to hang out, no doubt about that, but I want to be able to tell the tale afterwards as well. Besides, you kept one or two of them alive. We'll get our chance with them.
Maybe we should be asking ourselves if there isn't a better option than taking them in right away?"
"I could set Wolfkin out to track it back to where they were, or wait for them to wake and question them. We'll need a quiet spot. Know any good ways to haul them out of town? Or..." Arvindur seems to remember something, "How about the sewers? It'd stink, but I doubt they'd think to look for us there before we're done questioning."
The wizard starts to groan and wriggle but it doesn't look like'll be able to get free, especially since he's still lying in the entangled area and firmly overgrown by the writhing weeds.
"How long until that spell of yours wears off, Arvindur? Because we certainly can't drag him out of there now. If it's going to take much longer, that choice will be out of our hands. The sewers sounds good to me, especially if there's a chance that bastard that got away comes back with others. There is only one that got away, right?"
One thing does stand out though: most of them have similar tattoos, somewhere on their wrists or arms, representing an elaborately drawn 'S', with a snake or a scorpion or, in the case of the wizard, a large hairy spider worked into the design. The two on which Arvindur can't immediately see one might have them in a more conspicuous place, requiring a more thorough search.
By the time he's done, the grasping weeds have pulled back into the ground and walls. They've left pitted marks on all surfaces, something the owners of the residences will likely not be pleased with. Still, they're staying inside so that's hardly a worry. They'll probably only come out when the survivors have left, to loot the bodies for their last meager possessions.
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If theres no paper, well, just hack the skin off the dead.
If theres no paper, well, just hack the skin off the dead.
The sewer is damp, filthy, crawling with rats and other assorted vermin - not to mention the stench that hits like a poke in the eye - but other than as a hazard to a body's health it doesn't seem too dangerous. It's quite dark however, the only illumination coming from the grate about 15 ft up, leaving everything more than 10. ft away hidden.
"Think this is as good a spot as any. They awake yet?"
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Zap my Light spell
Well and truly depleted at this point.
Well and truly depleted at this point.
The grate opens up over a T-junction, water flowing in a 5-ft wide stream coming from both top ends of the T and flowing away parallel to the alley above. On either side of the stream are slightly raised walkways two, maybe two and a half feet wide. Arvindur's spell improves visibility drastically, extending the clearly visible area 20 ft. out in all directions, with another 20 ft. beyond that where the darkness isn't deep enough to hide more than small, indistinct features. A few rats scurry away, scared off by the sudden brightness, but other than that and the many cobwebs there are no signs of life in this gloomy environment.
"You think they'd know or care what happens to you here? Who are they?"
"It's my hide if I tell you that. They'll do me like they did Agger. He should've known better than tangle with the Watch for a bit of fun. But he paid the price. Won't happen to me if I can help it, halfling."
The man looks both resigned and defiant. He's willing to let you know enough to realize he's in a serious bind, but no more than that.
With some obvious reluctance, especially to a known, fairly skilled mage who attacked the party before, Arvindur makes an offer, with the man's obvious care for his family in mind, "You can vanish off the face of the city here, until it all dies down. Whoever is in charge would know no more than that you died with the others. Take up residence in the wilds for a time, one of your skills should have no trouble staying alive for the week or two, and we can see about arranging protection or evacuation for your family in the mean time. If you worry about spies within the authorities, we can do all that without involving them. Or you"
"Besides, I'm pretty sure making you this offer is illegal in it's own right.
The wizard shakes his head dejectedly.
"Just get it over with already."
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Sorry, Arvindur, the social skill rolls just don't cut it. The longer you keep talking, the more he'll start hoping you won't go through with your threats.
"I regret having to do this to you, but it seems we'll have to provoke their retaliatory efforts to gain a lead to pursue."
"I regret having to do this to you, but it seems we'll have to provoke their retaliatory efforts to gain a lead to pursue."[/i]
The wizard first starts to get up to go after Arvindur, but almost immediately slumps down again, forlorn look in his eyes.
"Whatever. I'm not talking anymore."
"The Watch first," Zade says. "Best to get rid of these two as soon as possible. We can leave them here and fetch a patrol to help us get them above ground again, because I don't think Dorian's up to dragging them up the chute again on his own."
"I don't have any wounds that might fester in this foulness."
"Thanks for reminding me."
Dorian's too beat to bother getting up from sitting against the wall though, dripping moisture and covered in lichen and fungus as it might be.
"If someone's going to go, it'd better be you. We can get Wolfkin up if you want, but trying to get one of the prisoners up is liable to kill me.
Which reminds me: I haven't had a chance to thank you yet. Looks like you saved our bacon up there. Good job, Arvindur."
"Arvindur Leafchaser, temporary deputy for the Watch. These men assaulted me and my friends earlier, we have injured and two captives."
The lieutenant shakes his head, but doesn't press the issue.
"At least that'll make my report easier. You have wounded? Captives? Where?"
Arvindur leads the way to the sewer entrance.
"Desperate measures, yes?
Deeds, Beefy - get down there and help everyone up."
With the help of the two guardsmen, everyone's topside again soon.
"Are you coming to the chapter house with us? I'll need your statements for my report sometime today."
Sniffing the air, "...and probably a thorough wash. "
As for a wash, I'd suggest sluicing you off with a couple of buckets before being allowed inside, but maybe that's a bit harsh for your two friends. Twas a close shave that fight, I guess."
The corpses are being hauled off on a small cart while sand is being raked over the pools of drying blood. If it weren't for Arvindur's spell and the tracks it left on walls and ground, , in a few minutes the street would look as if nothing special had happened.
[move to the chapterhouse please]
"Volos? Might we have a moment of your time?"
"Volos? Might we have a moment of your time?"
"Yes? Who is it? Come in, please."
Volos looks up from the letters on his desk and smiles expectantly at his visitors.
"Can I help with anything?"
"Master Volo, sorry to disturb you. We need some help with finding a skilled scribe to repair some of the damaged evidence. It's a damaged scroll, but we can't use repair magic on it for fear of destroying the evidence."
Volos looks quite surprised.
"You can't use magic for fear of destroying it? Usually when you want to be really careful, magic is exactly the thing to use."
"I'm no expert, but I may be able to help you out. Do you mind if I take a look?"
While waiting for permission, the elderly scribe starts gathering an impressive collection of inks, quills, small knives, powders and assorted tools of the trade. For someone who professes to not being an expert, Volos certainly seems well-equipped.
"Oh good, I see you are prepared." he says with a grin.
It takes the scribe the better part of two hours and several muttered imprecations when it looked like he made a mistake that might ruin the work altogether, but when he stretches his back and rubs his eyes to relieve the strain, the text has become much clearer. It consists of sigils and glyphs no-one in the group can readily recognize though, let alone read - angular, intricate, each almost a word in itself judging by the complexity. Maybe a wizard would know what to make of it, or perhaps a priest?
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Say, what time is it outside anyway?
I'm just uncomfortably aware of having not a single spell left in the bank.:P
Say, what time is it outside anyway?
I'm just uncomfortably aware of having not a single spell left in the bank.:P
"This is incredible Master Volos, I've never seen work as good before. Can anyone make anything out of this?"
"It's no language I know," Volos must admit. None of the others recognize it either.
"It could be a name, a sentence, or even several verses. Or nothing of the sort. The Bluebird, our silver sword mistress of sorcery, might know. Or one of the wizards at the Hightower."
Time
That's a bit fuzzy, with Satyre having joined you at a somewhat different time than you were at in my estimation. I'd have pegged it at fairly late in the evening, but let's make it well past midnight. Turning in at the guildhouse wouldn't be a bad idea, unless you want to bank on the wizards' legendary nocturnalness. ;)
That's a bit fuzzy, with Satyre having joined you at a somewhat different time than you were at in my estimation. I'd have pegged it at fairly late in the evening, but let's make it well past midnight. Turning in at the guildhouse wouldn't be a bad idea, unless you want to bank on the wizards' legendary nocturnalness. ;)
Satyre turns his head to hide a yawn.
"We'd be happy to see some fresh faces at the table. And with our more adventurous enterprises having moved outside the city walls, it's been more than a little dull here."
"I am confident it won't come to that, master Arvindur. Let's get you all settled in again. I need my sleep as well. You know the way know, I assume."
After a short but quiet night, the old scribe wakes the adventurers up himself.
"I thought you might want to make an early start today. Breakfast's ready, we'll get you underway with a full stomach at least."
Arvindur swiftly dressed as he spoke, intending to head outside for his morning prayers.
Volos leads those that are ready to the kitchen, where a large breakfast is waiting. Zade and Dorian set to it with a will, filling plates and emptying them again just as quickly.
"Yesterday's fight and all that running around afterwards really takes it out of you," Dorian remarks between bites. Zade doesn't even bother replying, just nodding his agreement while chewing away.
"Hope today is less eventful than that, we still haven't worked out who hit us yesterday. Odd tattoos those."
"First things first. We want to put a lid on this Gorza's Folly business sooner rather than later," Dorian replies, most of his hunger sated. He continues eating at a more sedate pace.
"Unless it's all connected, of course. It would be a big coincidence otherwise. But if that's the case, we're bound to bump into something again soon."
"... just a little while longer, grandfather." he mutters.
~~~~
A few moments later Satyre drags his feet to the breakfast table.
"If the world was a sane place, no one would rise until well after midday. So says Satyre of the Silver Sword." The bard says as he slaps his hand down on the table to give his statement authority.
"If the world was a sane place, no one would rise until well after midday. So says Satyre of the Silver Sword." The bard says as he slaps his hand down on the table to give his statement authority.
"You'd fit right in with my assistants, master Satyre," Volos says while sipping on a cup of strong tea. Those assistants are indeed notably absent from the breakfast table.
"Such a shame to waste a good part of the day though. And you'll find that in the adventuring profession, sleep is a precious and frequently unavailabe commodity."
"Any news, master Volos? Did the night pass quietly over the temple?"
Volos is in a good mood.
"Can we expect you all to join us again tonight?"
Volos shakes his head at the halfling's comment, but hides a smile by drinking from his cup again.
Arvindur picks up a slice of bread and some jam, doodled a crude image of one of the tattoos on it, and then took a bite out of an unused corner, waste not, want not.
"Know this one by any chance, Master Volos?"
"Is that a letter or symbol of sorts?"
"Snakes, scorpions and a spider on their wizard, I think. With an 'S'."
"An 'S'? But not the exact same image for each one? I wouldn't know..."
Volos shakes his head.
"It sounds like something people might get to show they're part of a group, or shared an important experience - like soldiers from a special squadron, or after a famous battle. But I can't think of anything that would connect the letter S with various species of crawling vermin."
He brushes off the remaing crumbs, "So, shall we go bother the wizard again guys?"
"That's our best lead. I'm not sure of the magister will be up already, but if not we can always pay another visit to the Temple first."
Zade nods, pocketing an apple just in case.
"Thanks for breakfast, master Volos. The food is a lot better here than at the barracks. Maybe we should put in for a permanent assignment in the city," he winks.
Satyre nods in agreement with Zade.
"Yes, that is a good idea. Mother knows how I've missed the city. So... to the tower of grey beards and aching backs?"
The sky is still lightening when the band arrives at the Hightower, but there's already more activity than the other evening. An elderly lady is sitting behind the desk in the hall, as they can see through the open door.
OoC: Arvindur took it to the Hightower thread, I suggest you do the same. ;)