Age of Mortals - Knights of Solamnia (1st Summer)

[Brother Shatterstone]

Aurnia Shatterstone: Human/Female (Gestalt:Knight of Solamnia/Divine Bard)

Still perplexed Aurnia flushes slightly at the greeting before turning serious, “Likewise Lord Bethanus, and yes this is my step-brother, Tristram uth Rhys, and I’m sure he will be most willing to join us.”

Not wanting to give a final answer Aurnia turns her head slightly towards Tris as she waits his answer.

 

[Creamsteak]

Thom will ask if anyone inside is still unaccounted for; if someone's missing, he will use his Protection from Fire spell and enter to look for them. If not, he will simply assist in containing the fire until there is no more threat of it spreading, then return to the castle.

Things seem attended to here, though the building is in shambles. The people seem in a panic, some because of the fire itself, others because of the loss of there prized bakery. The Boulangier of the shop seems absolutely shaken by what happened... it takes a while before he can cognate his thoughts coherently (see next section of this post) and speak.

"I think I got the last two." Merritt coughs. "Is everyone okay?"

Merritt helps tend the victims* and keep the fire at bay. He also asks Mother Reed what happened.



*OOC: I've got a Cure Light and a Cure Moderate prepped for the day. I can also spont a half a dozen more if necessary.

You use your cure light wounds spell on the halfling, who is the more seriously injured of the two. The woman seems to have been suffocated, and your cure minor wounds is able to bring her back to conciousness.

The Boulangier (head baker) of the establishment tries to explain to the city constable about what happened. He claims, "Well, I'm not sure how it happened. Everything was going fine, then about two minutes ago, all three of the ovens just... burst. They burst open, completely aflame. I'm... I'm not sure how it happened..."

He clasps tightly a strange silver triangle shaped symbol that wraps around his neck.

"Oh... what will I ever do... what will the lord say! I'm in such trouble now..."

Still perplexed Aurnia flushes slightly at the greeting before turning serious, “Likewise Lord Bethanus, and yes this is my step-brother, Tristram uth Rhys, and I’m sure he will be most willing to join us.”

Not wanting to give a final answer Aurnia turns her head slightly towards Tris as she waits his answer.

Bethanus seems delighted. "Most excellent. You know, I've heard of your father. Heard many many times. He was a good person, I believe. That's most excellent. Yes... most excellent..."

He grimaces for a second before he continues, "I have a gift that was intended for you two. It is from a third party which I cannot legitimately disclose. This is to be kept most secret. Can I trust you to keep this secret to yourselves? Those outside the Knighthood must never know, and since not every knight is completely trustworthy, we must not even tell our brothers. Yes?"

He heads towards his desk, which is adorned with many dusty tomes and strange pens. A small wooden box with a small key used to wind it sits at the epicenter of the mess. Atop it is something tall and rounded, covered with a thin blanket. Bethanus gathers up both of these items, and then goes to the blade situated atop the mantle of his bed, and pulls it down (with sheeth, and sets it with the other two items.

"So... can I trust you to? Can I trust you to do this for me, and accept these gifts?"

 

[Ferrix]

At this point, it is less than two hours from the evening ball.

When you reach the "White Ravens Loft", you see that it is isolated into one of the most cramped hallways in the fortress. You can tell that this is meant to be a fortified wall, the stone is nearly three times as thick here as it is in the interior keep. This causes the hall to be only three feet wide throughout. When you reach the 9th room in this corridor, you find a door made of a sturdy wood and apparently latched shut from the inside. You can hear the faint sounds of discussion going on within, but you can't seem to identify the words.

Aerion approaches quietly, a rare occasion for him to give a respect for privacy, but for Matelda it is natural of him. He raps upon the door with his knuckle, once, then twice, and waits for a response. I am hoping I am not interrupting her.

 

[Paxus Asclepius]

OOC: Does Thom recognize the symbol, as religious, arcane, or some obscure national emblem?

 

[Lichtenhart]

Tristram nods to step-sister and follows her into the room. As she introduces him, he offers his hand to the peculiar man.

He quietly listens to the offer, looking inquisitively both at the man and at the gifts.
"I can't say to be fond of secrets and suspicions towards our fellow Knights, Lord Bethanus. Can you at least tell us how this is related to Lord Cadman? What is so dangerous in this secret to put a knight's loyalty to test?"
He makes no move toward the items until he receives an answer.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Aurnia Shatterstone: Human/Female (Gestalt:Knight of Solamnia/Divine Bard)

Aurnia raises a fair eyebrow at Lord Bethanus' open distrust of his fellow knights but Tristram’s words come first but they also mimic perfectly the sentiments of her own thoughts.

“Lord Bethanus, You’ll have to beg my forgiveness too as I also dislike the idea of withholding information from my fellow knights.”

 

[Creamsteak]

Aerion approaches quietly, a rare occasion for him to give a respect for privacy, but for Matelda it is natural of him. He raps upon the door with his knuckle, once, then twice, and waits for a response. I am hoping I am not interrupting her.

The door is answered by a young woman, most certainly not Matelda. She is shorter, and stockier for one. With dark black hair wrapped in a bun, she has a matronly appearance. Her clothes are those of a maid of sorts. Her first words to you are the question, "Pardon, sir, whom do I speak to?"

 

[Creamsteak]

OOC: Does Thom recognize the symbol, as religious, arcane, or some obscure national emblem?

Knowledge Religion: You don't recognize it.
Knowledge Arcana: You don't recognize it.
Knowledge Nobility: You recognize it as being an elven symbol, of some high position, but nothing else.

 

[Creamsteak]

Damnit... I just lost my post because of enworlds slowness... hold on...

 

[Creamsteak]

(The original post was vastly better, but now I'm in a hurry, this is for LH and BS)

Bethanus goes on to explain his reasons, "A number of men, good men, died trying to get these items to Palanthas. Most of them died, and all because of a traitor in their midst. I can explain the origins of each item, that should help you make your decision."

"This box, it is called the key of Quanari. I know little of it's true origin, except that it is as old as the age of dreams. I was told that it is not a key, in the sense of the word. It simply 'has' a key. This item came to me by a woman named Shaylin, who came out of a town called Pashin. Pashin is one of the few permanent settlements in Khur, and is currently ruled by the dark knights."

Bethanus unfurls a piece of paper. "These were her exact words, as my men scribed them down so they could not be forgotten. There is a pattern, you cannot see. Instead you must set your spirit free. Take the key to the shattered ruins, through the sands and over the dunes. Seek the answers in the sands of time, search your souls and find the sign."

Explaining further, "We believe that the shattered ruins referns to the ruins of Hurim. There was once a temple built to honor Paladine and the Gods of Light. Legend speaks of a great betrayal by one of the temple's high priests, who betrayed his people to a ruthless ogre warlord. The temple fell and the valley in which it was built was deemed cursed and avoided by the Khur tribes. When the Cataclysm struck, the valley was believed to have been forever sealed. We now believe that what happened to the 'shattered temple' was an omen of the Cataclysm. However, now there are portents that the valley has opened once again."

"Shaylin was killed while traveling to Palanthas. Two traitors killed most of there allies once they found the significance of the key. Traitors disguised as knights, perhaps Draconian morphs we suspect. One knight escaped, and returned this key to us here. But that would not be the only betrayal. There was another instance when we acquired these other two items."

Bethanus pauses so that any questions of the first story can be asked.