Mri'Thas: "Useless primates... " Sheng Zim: "Your existence brings the world out of balance. The chaos I bring shall revert it; unfortunately, your soul will be destroyed in the process."
-------------------------------------- Tuk Heavy Hands Apeldan: "Trolls are afraid to cats. Good to know" (Yttermayn's "Saga of the Dragon Cult") Cnosos: "I bet there's plenty of wonderful devices in that ship. Let's scavenge them at once!" (Blackrat's "After Earth") Metliz: Sounds like fun! (Arkandus's "The First") Thok: "Thok eats a lot, Thok big. Thok not good at first impressions." (MnL's "Valley of the Dead")
The acolytes of the temple frown, and one offers "If you can show me where, I can heal the fellow." The other nods and looks like he'd go along too, but reconsiders and stays in the temple. The first acolyte follows Storn out of the building and down the street, once Storn is ready to run back.
West Gate Plaza
The injured man mutters "I....I don't know....three or four maybe? Or was it five? I-I was so frightened, they j-just jumped outta nowhere and p-pounced on the horse, then...." He groans and shakes his head.
"I don't know why they let me run away....but they didn't seem to care. M-maybe the horse and my s-son were enough for those m-monsters...... Torm help me, I have to get my son back! Before they k-kill him! If they haven't a-already....." he continues. After a moment, he adds "I've been running all d-day, and night... Th-they can't eat a horse in one day, c-can they?"
Guard Barracks
The elven woman glares at Evanar for a moment longer, then says "Alright, take me there first. The Calishite's problem will have to wait just a bit longer." Turning back to the trio, Ellaria says "Follow me and we'll check out your story after this other matter is taken care of."
She glances back and barks out "Tarven! Merrick!" The two guards who had addressed Evanar a minute ago snap to attention, and hurry to finish donning their armor and collecting their gear. They follow as Ellaria Dawnhorn steps out and gestures for Evanar to lead the way.
Selua flinches at the harshness of this elven woman. It was rare that she heard a raised voice in her home among the wood elves. This elf seemed to have adapted to life among humans a bit too well. Still, Selua followed, trusting that it was Sehanine's will that she was where she was at the moment.
"This is outrageous, things like this would never had happened in Calisham. Barbarians and savages is what you are. You hurry to know who injured a man, when half dozen have been killed at the very doorstep of you pitiful town. This shows your lack priorities. Nevertheless I have no choice but to follow you on your foul errand, in the distant hope that you can make something about my mother and my employees deaths." The calishite barks at the elf, but keeps following her as she walks out of the barracks.
__________________ English is NOT my native language!
Mri'Thas: "Useless primates... " Sheng Zim: "Your existence brings the world out of balance. The chaos I bring shall revert it; unfortunately, your soul will be destroyed in the process."
-------------------------------------- Tuk Heavy Hands Apeldan: "Trolls are afraid to cats. Good to know" (Yttermayn's "Saga of the Dragon Cult") Cnosos: "I bet there's plenty of wonderful devices in that ship. Let's scavenge them at once!" (Blackrat's "After Earth") Metliz: Sounds like fun! (Arkandus's "The First") Thok: "Thok eats a lot, Thok big. Thok not good at first impressions." (MnL's "Valley of the Dead")
The stern elven woman glares at Abde'ragman and replies "Calimshan has its own problems with monsters and bandits, I'm sure. You would do well not to insult and harass Harrowdarrans just because you had the good fortune of avoiding those monsters in Calimshan and the misfortune of running into common bandits out here."
She admonishes "Clearly your Calishite money was not good enough to afford decent guards, or you would not be in this situation. Don't insult my guards and Harrowdale just for your own failure to ensure the safety of your group. I'm sure cutting corners is a handy way for Calishites to turn a bigger profit, but Harrowdarrans are never so naive."
Following after Evanar again, the elven constable adds "Despite your crass insults, I'll still mobilize a force to hunt whatever bandits have caused you such grief, and *I* won't send too-few just to save a few gold. Maybe we will even be lucky and retrieve your stolen goods for you, if the bandits still have them by the time we catch up. It has obviously been some time since you were attacked, given the dried stains on your clothing and the scabs you sport. The young man's account seems more recent, therefore it is more likely to be resolved quickly. And for all we know, it may be connected."
"If you insult the worth of other Dalesfolk's lives again, when you cared too little to invest in proper protection for your own family, and even now continue to blame others for your mistake, I will not let it go unanswered," Ellaria threatens.
"You speak without knowing the circumstances of the events that happened to my caravan, or the way my establishment manages the goods and resources. But I could not care less about it, as long as you get to the bottom of this matter, for such is your work, that is what you are good at, and it's my right to be protected by the guards and officers of the Daelands. I apologize if my comments were unfounded, but you more than anyone should know the dire situation in which I saw myself involved; strike you as calm and coldly logical, but I assure you, I'm not at this moment, thinking rationally, I only wish to see the responsible of this hanged." The strange man offers.
__________________ English is NOT my native language!
Mri'Thas: "Useless primates... " Sheng Zim: "Your existence brings the world out of balance. The chaos I bring shall revert it; unfortunately, your soul will be destroyed in the process."
-------------------------------------- Tuk Heavy Hands Apeldan: "Trolls are afraid to cats. Good to know" (Yttermayn's "Saga of the Dragon Cult") Cnosos: "I bet there's plenty of wonderful devices in that ship. Let's scavenge them at once!" (Blackrat's "After Earth") Metliz: Sounds like fun! (Arkandus's "The First") Thok: "Thok eats a lot, Thok big. Thok not good at first impressions." (MnL's "Valley of the Dead")
Fayne shakes his head and shrugs as he speak to the man. "I don't know, but I would think a horse should keep a half-dozen gnolls well fed for a few days." He doesn't mention that the few the man apparently saw could be part of a larger group. Although he knew little of gnolls, he continued to try to comfort the man. "Gnolls are savage, but not stupid. They will probably hold your son for ransom. It may well be why they let you go."
__________________ -Rhun
"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge - myth is more potent than history - dreams are more powerful than facts - hope always triumphs over experience - laughter is the cure for grief - love is stronger than death." -Robert Fulghum
"Mistress Elaria seems quite tense. Maybe it has been too long since she has known the touch of a man... Or a woman if that is what she fancies. I heard she is an accomplished spellcaster and a decent warrior, maybe she scares men away with her position of power?"
Abrielle decided to follow the group for now, as adventure has always been something she has been longing to experience. And if she could, she would like nothing more than to make a name for herself. Constable Dawnhorn could also make a good ally and even bedfellow, if things turned for the young Bard's fortune. Just then, Abrielle remembered she had no gear with her at all - she was not in the habbit of taking her fiddle and backpack when she went to have lunch.
"I must go and gather my belongings if i am to be of any use to your efforts. Mistress Dawnhorn thank you for the swift action, I will hurry to meet you at the spot lad described."
OOC: You really need to change this line. Also because it needs to make sense.... O_o
OOC: I think Voda was going for "I might strike you as calm and coldly logical..."
Selua watches the exchange between the elven constable and the calishite unfold. Finally, she interjects in her quiet voice, "If I may, bickering does not further either investigation. We should concentrate on the task at hand. Perhaps the two events are connected."
Mri'Thas: "Useless primates... " Sheng Zim: "Your existence brings the world out of balance. The chaos I bring shall revert it; unfortunately, your soul will be destroyed in the process."
-------------------------------------- Tuk Heavy Hands Apeldan: "Trolls are afraid to cats. Good to know" (Yttermayn's "Saga of the Dragon Cult") Cnosos: "I bet there's plenty of wonderful devices in that ship. Let's scavenge them at once!" (Blackrat's "After Earth") Metliz: Sounds like fun! (Arkandus's "The First") Thok: "Thok eats a lot, Thok big. Thok not good at first impressions." (MnL's "Valley of the Dead")
OOC: You have different words meaning different things according to the context. For example "I'll strike you down" means that I'll ... hit you hard or something. But "I might strike you as..." means "I might seem to you like...". "Hit" for me, is like the same, but is used differently as I just learned.
You should see my first posts here. Shameful.
__________________ English is NOT my native language!
Mri'Thas: "Useless primates... " Sheng Zim: "Your existence brings the world out of balance. The chaos I bring shall revert it; unfortunately, your soul will be destroyed in the process."
-------------------------------------- Tuk Heavy Hands Apeldan: "Trolls are afraid to cats. Good to know" (Yttermayn's "Saga of the Dragon Cult") Cnosos: "I bet there's plenty of wonderful devices in that ship. Let's scavenge them at once!" (Blackrat's "After Earth") Metliz: Sounds like fun! (Arkandus's "The First") Thok: "Thok eats a lot, Thok big. Thok not good at first impressions." (MnL's "Valley of the Dead")
Mri'Thas: "Useless primates... " Sheng Zim: "Your existence brings the world out of balance. The chaos I bring shall revert it; unfortunately, your soul will be destroyed in the process."
-------------------------------------- Tuk Heavy Hands Apeldan: "Trolls are afraid to cats. Good to know" (Yttermayn's "Saga of the Dragon Cult") Cnosos: "I bet there's plenty of wonderful devices in that ship. Let's scavenge them at once!" (Blackrat's "After Earth") Metliz: Sounds like fun! (Arkandus's "The First") Thok: "Thok eats a lot, Thok big. Thok not good at first impressions." (MnL's "Valley of the Dead")
The injured man mutters "I can only hope.... But what would I pay a ransom with? They took everything I have of value!" He moans and sobs a bit more, before finally starting to get ahold of himself. He sits on the ground for a while, brooding.
After several minutes, Evanar runs back into the plaza, huffing and puffing, exhausted from running most of the way both times with little rest. The others arrive a few moments later, similarly winded but not as badly. Ellaria and her guardsmen take a moment to catch their breath before approaching Niles' caravan, Fayne, and the wounded man.
Storn arrives shortly afterward, slowed by his short dwarven legs, with the Mystran acolyte running beside him and much less fatigued. Seeing the gathering collection of people near the caravan, the priest jogs forward and stops near the guards, clearing his throat and asking respectfully "Uh, madame Constable, I was told of an injured man here.....may I treat his wounds, or is he under arrest?"
Ellaria turns to see the priest and the dwarf, then responds "Go ahead. But I need to question him." She faces the injured man again and asks "What's your story then? Who are you? How were you injured, how recently, where did it happen, where were you going, and do you have any idea why it happened?"
The Mystran acolyte walks around the three guards and inspects the injured man, quickly assessing his wounds and deciding what prayers were required to restore him to good health. The priest intones a short prayer to Mystra for merciful magic, and places a hand on the injured man's forehead. Silvery light flickers around his hand and snakes down into the wounds, mending the flesh. The acolyte then steps back and waits off to the side, as the once-wounded man sighs in momentary relief and mutters "Praise Mystra!"
Then his face turns pained and sorrowful again, and he recounts his tale for the guards, overheard by everyone else in the plaza. He stutters and chokes back fresh tears a few times during the retelling, but manages to maintain some dignity this time around. He starts off by introducing himself as Rickard Chandler, a candlemaker from Velarsburg in northern Harrowdale. His wife recently died of illness, and his business was lagging, especially with his current state of mind, so he and his son Eckhart packed up their belongings, sold what they could, and left for Harrowdale Town to find a ship to someplace different, where they could try for a new start.
He describes the gnoll attack, much as he explained to Fayne and Niles several minutes ago. A few gnolls sprang at his horse from the bushes as he followed an old trail through the western edges of the Velarswood, and in the brief chaos that followed, one or two other gnolls tore him and his son out of the cart. They clawed and snapped at the two of them, slobbering and cackling, and maybe there were one or two more digging through his possessions in the cart, but he's not sure, it all happened so fast and was so terrifying.
It was so surprising to be attacked in broad daylight like that, hardly a few hours past dawn, and for whatever reason, they let Rickard scramble away and flee while they continued pillaging his cart, slaughtering the horse as it brayed and shrieked, and beating or mauling his son. He was so consumed with fright, and so certain that they'd catch him if he stopped running to look back, that he just kept running, then jogging, then staggering in exhaustion, until he got here. It was just a few miles out from Harrowdale Town, maybe an hour or two ago, he's not sure, he's just so worn out from running in terror.
Abrielle arrives as the man is finishing his story, catching only the last few sentences. Ellaria is quiet for a few moments as she considers the story.
Selua's thoughts drift to the death of her village. Gnolls were the culprits then as well. She had wanted revenge just as the other survivors did, but instead she begged Sehanine for guidance and found herself here.
Perhaps this was Sehanine's will. Perhaps, with these people, revenge for her village, and for this man's son, could finally be found.
Selua speaks quietly and intensely, "Constable, I believe it is Sehanine's will that we find these gnolls and bring them to justice. I offer my skill and spells to that task."
Linear Mode
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