The Gray King

[EvolutionKB]

Oliver locks and shutters his window, and then his door. When Vatrax knocks, he hesitantly cracks the door, then ushers her in. "I knew you'd show up sooner or later. Nice pajamas," he says with a wink and grin. He sits on the bed, taking off his sword and laying it beside his bed. His shield already lay discarded, leaning against the chest. He removes his boots, and the dagger within, placing the blade within easy reach.

"So, Oliver, who was talking so gallently down there? Was it truly you? Or is someone else talking?"

"That," he says with the same half smile he portrayed downstairs, "is for me to know and you to find out." He scoots further back on the bed and leans against the wall. He gestures for her to have a seat next to him. "Now what of you? You and Andoran old friends...Or lovers? Did he save your life...Or do you owe him something more than a life?"

Once she has answered his beginning questions, he poses a few other questions. "You traveled far further than I have. Tell me what to expect on this journey. Barbarians in the wastes, and demons as well? How do they fight and what could they do to me?"

Diplomacy +10

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Originally Posted by FreeXenon

Knowing that Andoran is expecting this Arrgha'n approaches and extends his hand. Whether he accepts the shake or not, he leans in and whispers "The time will come when I will have to kill you. Nothing personal, but part of it is orders and the other part it is self preservation. I do, however look forward to working with and for you. This reminds me somewhat of my time with the Project. Thank you for this opportunity."

Following his response (assuming I do not respond) I nod good bye and make my way out into the city for some info-gathering and then back to my room for the night.

Andoran's raised eyebrow disappears into his hairline at Arrgha'n's comment, but accepts the handshake anyway.

"Somehow, that seems entirely expected," is all he says in return.

[OOC: Tempting. Very Tempting.

I will spend some time info-gathering about: what is currently happening in the Demon Wastes (current dangers and activity) and on the way to it; current enemies or competitors to Andoran and his current works (in case they wish to thwart us); Andoran, his people and motives; aberrant activity in the area. I look for info in this order of preference. If I can't get all the info that is fine. I will want to have enough sleep to not be affected by its lack. Being a little tired is OK.]

OOC: Dude, seriously, those wantons are good, I don't blame you for being tempted. Anyways, in asking around for information about the Demon Wastes, you find the people of New Cyre are more or less ignorant of such things. Of Andoran, you learn that no one knows of that particular name, but when you describe him, an off-duty guard (whom you had to get fairly drunk) comments he saw a fellow of that general look going into and out of the Prince's home a few times. Not surprisingly, after that auspicious start, you can't find anything about his "staff" or motives. But, as for aberrant activity,

Spoiler:

you do hear one interesting rumor. There have been a series of maulings and thievings in the past several months in several of the small villages and hamlets around New Cyre, starting from the northeast and going towards the southwest. The mauled victim is always robbed, almost always in a locked house, and is usually someone with a fair amount of money. The string of crimes skipped over New Cyre, which makes your informant, a merchant of spices, think that whoever's behind this knew New Cyre had too many soldiers and inquisitives to make it worth his time. You, on the other hand, remember hearing about these "locked room" mysteries before. Sometimes it was a shapeshifting creature, sometimes just a clever thief, sometimes a magician, and sometimes it was a creature that could pop in and out of the Ethereal Plane as easily as you would walk into a room. An ethereal filcher or maurader perhaps. Or both. The string of crimes is moving away from New Cyre, but in the general direction of the Orien trade road, the road you'll be following in the morning...

Kurst can spend the evening carefully scribing himself a new scroll, knowing protection from extremes of temperature will be very useful in his upcoming trials.

Valerian finds there is indeed magic on the wall, and of the illusion type as well. However, poking his hand at the wall he feels only a rough wall, not the emptiness he had been expecting. Lips pursed, he considers that perhaps this is a different type of illusion. Shadow illusion perhaps? It may very well be, which might give it substance except for those with certain talismans or those that were designated by the caster.

At any rate, he can gather the fine food and drink and retire to a quite night of note-taking in his room.

Maavnod passes a mildly uncomfortable evening in the small bed, but at least it is quiet within the inn. Once the door is shut, he can't even hear the conversation in the common room.

Irthos leaves, departing from the inn and soon the town altogether. A quick survey of the land finds him a tree on a small rise, a place he can sleep that still gives him a good view of his surroundings. The night passes fairly quietly, though he awakes with his scales slicked with dew.

Originally Posted by EvolutionKB

Oliver locks and shutters his window, and then his door. When Vatrax knocks, he hesitantly cracks the door, then ushers her in. "I knew you'd show up sooner or later. Nice pajamas," he says with a wink and grin. He sits on the bed, taking off his sword and laying it beside his bed. His shield already lay discarded, leaning against the chest. He removes his boots, and the dagger within, placing the blade within easy reach.

"They're not pajamas darling. Some of us just don't feel the need to truss ourselves up in armor," she says with a small smile, stepping into the room and closing the door.

""So, Oliver, who was talking so gallently down there? Was it truly you? Or is someone else talking?"

"That," he says with the same half smile he portrayed downstairs, "is for me to know and you to find out." He scoots further back on the bed and leans against the wall. He gestures for her to have a seat next to him. "Now what of you? You and Andoran old friends...Or lovers? Did he save your life...Or do you owe him something more than a life?"

Yatrax doesn't take a seat quite yet, but leans agains the wall next to the bed. "No, not lovers. He's not old enough to be my father, but certainly an older brother, and that would feel terribly awkward. No, he is my employer, after a fashion, as he now is yours. He found me, doing what I do best, and offered me an opportunity I could not refuse. This surely will be dangerous, but the rewards..." she trails off, raising an eyebrow.

Once she has answered his beginning questions, he poses a few other questions. "You traveled far further than I have. Tell me what to expect on this journey. Barbarians in the wastes, and demons as well? How do they fight and what could they do to me?"

"You think you know where I'm from?" she gives a small silvery laugh. "But yes, the barbarians. They know this Labyrinth like the backs of their hands. They know every spot of ambush, every deadfall and pit, every trap and fall corridor, every roaming monster and where their territory is. When they have let the Labyrinth itself soften us up, they will attack without mercy. The demons can attack cleverly or vicioiusly, depending on what kind they are. Most are brutes, but some are intelligent. Most have tough hides, are resistant to magic, and are terribly cruel. All what you would expect from a demon," she tells him, brushing her hair back from her face. In the shadows of the lantern, her own shadow is a breath behind her own motions.

[EvolutionKB]

"You think you know where I'm from?"

"No my dear," Oliver says leaning forward once more, "I merely know you have traveled to the Wastes, that is further than I have traveled in my lifetime."

"Oh and I don't need my armor," he says standing and removing the fine links of his mithral shirt.

"He found me, doing what I do best..."

"Let me show you what I do best," he said pulling her towards him, and leaning in for a kiss.

Bow chica wow wow.

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Originally Posted by EvolutionKB

"No my dear," Oliver says leaning forward once more, "I merely know you have traveled to the Wastes, that is further than I have traveled in my lifetime."

"Oh and I don't need my armor," he says standing and removing the fine links of his mithral shirt.

Yatrax gives Oliver a crooked grin as he tosses the shirt aside, and removes something from an inner pocket of her robes; a small empty ink vial.

"Let me show you what I do best," he said pulling her towards him, and leaning in for a kiss.

Yatrax leans forward to meet him, her eyes dark in the dim light, and grabs his collar, pulling him close to seal their lips together for a long moment. Pulling apart to breathe, she makes a simple gesture, and something blacker and deeper than darkness pulls free of the shadows and fills the vial. Then the light goes out.

The vial glows a dull red in the darkness, and Yatrax dips her fingers in it, tracing on both of your faces, so strange patterns mark your places in the blackness.

"Show me," she whispers...

And we'll fade to black, literally and figuratively.


In the morning, the Cloak and Dagger has light sweet and savory little cakes with various sauces and jams, along with ale and cider for those interested.

By mid-morning, ten sturdy little donkeys are arrayed in the stableyard of the inn, along with a note from Andoran.

There is a House Orien carvan leaving at eleven in the morning. The first part of your path lies with them, and the caravan master has all of your provisioning needs, along with the alchemical aid I promised. The note, not surprisingly, is signed with a gray crown.

OOC: EvolutionKB, we're on a slightly different timeline than the others for right now, so if you want to roleplay waking up, we can do that without holding up the others. For everyone else, if you need to grab any other supplies or inform your collegues of anything, now'd be the time. And can I get a general marching order? The roads would allow for at least two or three abreast riding either way, or one wagon each direction, because you're on an Orien trade road. Once I have that, we'll be off!

[FreeXenon]

Arrgha'n wakes up from a night of talking and info-gathering basically rested and very much looking forward to the mission at hand. The route ahead may reveal minions of Xoriat that need to be disposed of. Arrgha'n smiles to himself at the thought of this and relishes in the thought of a hunt.

The Half-Daelkyr stretches, gets, his equipment ready to go, and then makes his way down stairs to meet the rest of his new found companions for their first foray together under the banner of their new mutual benefactor, the "Gray King".

He walks downstairs to greet the rest and once everyone has arrived he says "Last night I did a little wandering around New Cyre to... hear what I could hear. The only thing I was able to find out about our benefactor is that a man of that description has been seen entering and leaving the Prince's home.

And more importantly there seems to be a string of robbery/maulings that have happened over the last week or so that whose pattern leads up to New Cyre from the North East and then skips it, then continues South West along the Orien trade route that we are about to embark on. These have happened in buildings that have been secured and there should have been no real way in.

My thoughts are that this string or crimes could be related to creatures such as.... they are sometimes called 'Ethereal Filchers' or possibly 'Ethereal Marauders' or the like. We will want to be wary of ourselves and anything strange happening. I would like the opportunity to try to hunt these thing(s) down for a few days if we encounter them seeming as we are not under a tight schedule.

This will also give us a chance to see how we will all work together - our abilities and how best to complement each other's arts so as to make the journey to the Demon Wastes a little safer and more productive for everyone."

[OOC: I will ride to the front of the caravan keeping my eyes and ears open trying to always be within charging distance of the nearest party member.

If the crimes have a pattern that I can kind of predict or have a good idea where the next one might be happening I will try to take some time to do some In-gathering there to see if I can find their activity. ]

Arrgha'n awaits their response.

[Zurai]

Valerian lingers in his room for a short while, taking a final few notes on the golem drawing and on his discoveries over the last few days, then prepares his spells for the day and comes downstairs.

He walks downstairs to greet the rest and once everyone has arrived he says "Last night I did a little wandering around New Cyre to... hear what I could hear. The only thing I was able to find out about our benefactor is that a man of that description has been seen entering and leaving the Prince's home.

"Not surprising. He is obviously not a simple junior minister, no matter what he may have been at one time."

I would like the opportunity to try to hunt these thing(s) down for a few days if we encounter them seeming as we are not under a tight schedule.

This will also give us a chance to see how we will all work together - our abilities and how best to complement each other's arts so as to make the journey to the Demon Wastes a little safer and more productive for everyone."

Valerian shakes his head. "I don't see how that involves us at all. I certainly won't dictate your decisions to you, but unless whatever or whoever it is attempts to attack us, I plan to stay with the mission. Still, information is always worth having, and we can at least keep our eyes out for it now."



OOC: Knowledge: Planes +12, Arcana +10, or Dungeoneering +10 for Ethereal Filchers and Ethereal Marauders.
I re-checked the spell description, and Amanuensis only copies text. Le suck. I'm changing his spell list for today as a result.
As for marching order, Valerian would prefer to stay on/in a wagon if possible (more time for note taking/reading). If not, he'd be somewhere in the middle to the end of the group.

[stonegod]

Shaking out the dew, Irthos nimbly climbs down the tree and walks back to town so as not to attract attention. It eats its rations before returning, eschewing any proffered food. As the others talk about their plans, it says nothing. There was no need. It waited.

OOC: Irthos will try to stay on a high place (top of a coach, etc.) in order to use his mobility if needbe. Middle front.

[EvolutionKB]

Oliver awakens with a start, the room was light now unlike last night. He looks down at Yatrax, still dozing, steps off the bed and begins to dress. Oh Paimon, you are always so much fun. His movement awaken Yatrax. Oliver smiles, "Not too early for you is it? We'd best get up and get ready for the road ahead," he says gently stroking her long dark hair. "Would you be a dear and go fetch us some breakfast? I didn't really have time to clean my weapons and armor last night, I'll start on that then."

If Yatrax leaves without trouble, I lock the door behind her, then begin to summon and bind Paimon once more. I ignore the door if she tries to come in, making a suitable bluff, "hold on, my mail is tighter than I remember."If she doesn't, I'll then volunteer to go downstairs. Once I am in the clear, I jump inside an unlocked empty room, bind Paimon and go get us breakfast. If she questions I attempt a bluff, something along the lines of "they had to make more, Arrgha'n eats a lot." Bluff +8/Diplomacy +10

[EvolutionKB]

I'd be towards the middle front, closer to the front.

[Eidalac]

The young artificer hadn't slept well, and it showed. Of course, he hadn't slept well in quite some time. At least he got the scroll done, but he wondered if a single one would do any real good...

With some of the others talking about hunting down some creatures on the way, Kurst was even more ill at ease. The last thing he wanted to do was go looking for extra trouble. However, primary on his mind was getting out of the city. Uncomfortable with the group as he already was, he was less than ken to raise his voice on the matter, opting instead to move his horse as near the center of the caravan as he could.

OOC: Kurst will try to stay as near to the middle of the group as possible, the less visible the spot, the better in his mind.

[stonegod]

So our group has everyone in the middle, eh?

[Eidalac]

Kurst, noting that some of the others were already congregating towards the middle of the caravan, pulled back some, seeking to stay in the shadow of one of the wagons further back.

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Originally Posted by EvolutionKB

Oliver awakens with a start, the room was light now unlike last night. He looks down at Yatrax, still dozing, steps off the bed and begins to dress. Oh Paimon, you are always so much fun. His movement awaken Yatrax. Oliver smiles, "Not too early for you is it? We'd best get up and get ready for the road ahead," he says gently stroking her long dark hair. "Would you be a dear and go fetch us some breakfast? I didn't really have time to clean my weapons and armor last night, I'll start on that then."

When you wake Yatrax up, she simply sits up and pulls on her clothes and leaves, ignoring your comment. Not ignoring in the "How dare you speak to me, peasant!" kind of way, nor the, "How drunk was I last night that I ended up in bed with you?" but more along the lines of she didn't even acknowledge your existance.

Strange.

You take a moment to use the rest of the ink Yatrax left behind (you'll have to pick up some chalk or something if you keep binding indoors) to mark out Paimon's symbol on the floor, after shoving all the furniture out of the way. Paimon appears as you entreat for his presence, whirling on his bladed limbs, speaking his garbled voice, as you ask for his power in exchange for the experience in the real world.

Paimon gives a very crooked grin as he agrees, and you feel your face twisting slightly, once side of your mouth becoming bigger than the other. You feel Paimon lodge in your soul, and you know that today, Paimon has the better of you.

OOC: You only get an 11 on your binding check, so poor pact today I'm afraid

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the party slowly comes together and discusses their options, a burly and weathered man in neat traveling clothes comes up to speak to you, at the head of a dozen wagons. He bears the badge of the Transportation Guild prominently embroidered in fine threads on the breast of his tunic, so chances are he is the caravan master, something that's borne out a moment later.

"I understand you're our passengers," he says without preamble. "I'm Caravan Master Vorj Toppe... He trails off a little when Irthos and Maavnod come into view. Irthos literally by chosing the highest wagon in the caravan and perching.

"Ah, you aren't expected to fight if there's trouble, we have our own defenders for that," he continues after a second, gesturing at the men and women that are mounted at the sides of the wagons, all of them bearing the yellow and green badges of the Blademark's Guild. "But I wouldn't say no if you happen to pitch in against any bandits or beasts we encounter. We'll be making major stops at Starilaskur, Hatheril, and Xandrar before we get out of Breland, then Niern and Greenheart in the Reaches. After that, you'll be on your own, unless you want to strike out before then. It'll take us a couple of months to complete our rounds."

His expression is somewhat tight and drawn, a little closed and impassive. Both Irthos and Valerian get the impression that he's rather reluctant to have you along, but has been forced into the situation. Probably this man owes Andoran a favor, and this is how he's repaying it.

The timeframe for the carvan isn't outrageous. It's a trading caravan, after all, and stops in each village to unload goods and pick up others. This isn't the fastest way to get from place to place certainly, but perhaps Andoran couldn't spring for the lightning rail. For one reason or another.

As the group loads their luggage and mounts up, Master Vorj begins the caravan, knowing it'll take a while to get it going. Thosing chosing to ride on wagons can find space in the kitchen wagon, and the group can string themselves out as they see fit. The apprentice caravaners and merchants, servants and guards generally all look at you strangely, but no one seems to want to talk to you. At all.

Oliver notices something when Yatrax rejoins the party. She seems pleased to see him even with his mouth all skewed and slanted, perhaps even more so than last night.

"I'm glad to see I didn't scare you," is her only comment.

The caravan moves out under the warm Brelish sky, heading westward. The day is overcast and the weather is slightly rainy, and most people plod along under their raincapes with the typical resignation of people who travel for a living.

Outside of New Cyre, farms and small villages dot the landscape, plants already growing profusely in the wet weather. There are still scars of war in some places, as evidenced by fenced-in graveyards of prodigous size, the occasional place where obviously some battle spell took affect, and the fact that the population of some of the towns is more dominated by the old and the young than those of fighting age.

The caravan stops at several small villages to deliver crates of various goods, picking up fresh foods and other agrarian products. Though you keep your ears peeled, so far no hints of the mysterious locked-room murders. Not until the end of the week anyway. You're within a day of Starilaskur, and the travel on the road has gotten thicker and thicker with other caravans, travelers, soldiers, and farmers. The large village of Ulman was to be your final stop before the large city, and when you had arrived, Master Vorj had conducted his business like normal, trading his set goods and then bedding the caravan down for the night. In the morning, the caravan was to finish up a transaction with one of the Guildmasters and then continue onward.

Instead you're awaked by shrieking in the dim light of dawn.

"Host's mercy! Host's mercy on all of us!" someone howls. The screaming is enough to wake everyone, and Vorj (and any of the party who so desire) go to find out the source of the wracket. A young man is backing away from the door of the Tanner's Guildhouse, keys in one hand and the other pressed to his face. The open door shows blood spatter on the inside, and those crowding around can see the mauled body of Master Tanner lying in the middle of the floor, clawed as if by some beast.

The young man's shrieks have roused much of the town, and it won't be long before the guards arrive.

Master Vorj stares at the body with a combination of shock and faint anger.

"Keeper's breath, it only needed that to make my trip complete!"

OOC: Valerian, while Arrgha'n's description certainly could be the work of an ethereal filcher and/or maurader, why they'd suddenly pop in and kill and rob with no reason or rhyme is odd. It would be more likely that someone is tempting or inducing them to come, or might be in league with them.

[Zurai]

"Host's mercy! Host's mercy on all of us!" someone howls. The screaming is enough to wake everyone, and Vorj (and any of the party who so desire) go to find out the source of the wracket.

Valerian sighs with exasperation, but goes with Master Vorj to investigate. He was already up and prepared for the day, and there would obviously be no getting the caravan moving until the excitable peasant was calmed down and trade could take place.

Master Vorj stares at the body with a combination of shock and faint anger.

"Keeper's breath, it only needed that to make my trip complete!"

Well, it seems Arrgha'n's ethereal bugaboos have found him anyway. I suppose there'll be no stopping him now.

Valerian moves quickly about, first checking to make sure the corpse was actually a corpse, then checking to see if the wounds were consistent with Ethereal Filchers or Ethereal Marauders. After this cursory examination of the body, Valerian will cast Detect Magic and search the room the Master Tanner was found in for any clues, physical or arcane.

Valerian chants, in Draconic (spellcasting)

"Great Ones, guide my eyes to visions of your glory."

OOC: Heal +2 (taking 10 for a total of 12), Search +6. Knowledges as appropriate to any clues that might surface (mostly +10; K: The Planes is +12).
If the Master Tanner is still alive, Valerian will cast a Cure Minor Wounds on him to stabilize him before searching the room.

Valerian chants, in Elven (spellcasting) (only if Master Tanner is alive)

"May the grace of the Undying fill you for the slightest moment."

[FreeXenon]

Arrgha'n strides through the gathering crowd to the crime scene, nods to Valerian, and takes a close look at the wounds on the body. He will look closely around to try to get a good idea as to which type of Spawn may have done this, and will search for any clues as to what they were looking for or what exactly may have transpired here. Perhaps for the tracks or evidence as to how many and what breeds were involved.

[OOC: Survival +7/9/11; Know (Dung) +7; Search +7
I really need the Investigate feat. Uggghhh! ]