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Aphonion Tales (New posts 6/13, 6/15, 6/19)
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<blockquote data-quote="Cerebral Paladin" data-source="post: 2155275" data-attributes="member: 3448"><p>Reyn's pretty well. He went through some rough stuff last fall relating to a close friend, and it has taken him a while to recover, but he's mostly doing okay now.</p><p></p><p>I'll have to ask Reyn about your questions about the game the next time I see him, Baron-- those aren't parts of the gameworld that I've dealt with.</p><p></p><p>And on to the next post:</p><p>The small group carefully and quietly made their way from the wereboar's house to the castle. The Count's castle perched atop a large cliff overlooking the road. The fortress was impressive in its gothic grandeur but also had a somewhat comic aspect. While the castle was little more than a small keep with a curtain wall, the buttresses and supports arrayed around it were heavy enough for a much larger fortress. To peasants and simple merchants, the flying buttresses may have made the castle more impressive. But to the members of the group who had seen truly great castles, they simply served to emphasize the minuscule size of this one. The Count's banner flew from the keep, indicating that he was within, and a separate banner with the downward black arrow of Paranswarm proclaimed his faith.</p><p></p><p>Goodwife Amelie rapped quietly on the scullery door. A comely young woman, dressed in the simple clothes of a cook, opened the door and smiled to greet her. "Mother! I'm surprised to see you here."</p><p></p><p>"Please, we should come in. These strangers may be able to help us."</p><p></p><p>The group hurried into the kitchen area. Delbon quickly set about befriending the cook, while the rest of the group quickly quizzed her on the state of the household. She informed them that the Count was, as always, in his library, while the chaplain was out hunting with the dogs. The Count had never had any real knights in his service, and of late had stopped even bothering to make sure that the walls were guarded by villagers. </p><p>While Delbon and the cook slipped off to sample the wine cellar and talk more privately, the rest of the group planned.</p><p></p><p>"This is the perfect time to handle the Count, while his chaplain is still out," Alistair said.</p><p></p><p>Kit opened a small door in the kitchen. "Does this dumbwaiter go up to the library? I bet I could fit inside, and pull myself up with the rope to see what the Count is doing. Maybe we can catch him asleep."</p><p></p><p>Stithis nodded enthusiastically. "And I can go with her. I don't weigh anything, so it won't make her work harder, and I can scout the room invisibly."</p><p></p><p>"Be careful, both of you. We'll tug on the rope from below if the chaplain comes back while you're up there."</p><p></p><p>Kit climbed onto the tray in the dumbwaiter and carefully pulled on the rope that lifted the tray up two stories to the library. Stithis floated upwards with her, turning invisible as they reached the library. Kit carefully pushed the ornate double door to the dumbwaiter open a crack and looked around the room.</p><p></p><p>The library was a good sized room, with furnishings to fit a nobleman's home. Several tall bookshelves contained the Count's large library of dozens of books. A heavy wooden desk dominated the center of the room. Kit and Stithis could see the back of the Count's head over the back of a large, ornate chair. He appeared to be reading a heavy book open on the desk in front of him. As they quietly watched, however, he did not move at all, not even to turn a page.</p><p></p><p>"Do you think he's asleep?" Kit whispered to Stithis.</p><p></p><p>"I don't know. I'll find out," he whispered back. The doors to the dumbwaiter fluttered a fraction of an inch further open as Stithis squeezed out into the room. Kit bit her lip nervously, knowing that the djinni was gliding across the room but unable to see him. After a few moments, Stithis appeared directly in front of the Count, who still did not react or move. The djinni waved for Kit to come forward, and she slid out of the dumbwaiter.</p><p></p><p>A thin layer of dust lay on the book, clearly undisturbed for days or weeks. Kit could see that the Count was breathing, but only barely. His jaw hung slack as he quietly drooled on the desk, eyes staring blankly forward. Kit reached out and gently tugged on his shoulder. The Count still showed no response to their presence.</p><p></p><p>Kit and Stithis gracefully stepped out of the dumbwaiter and back into the kitchen. "I don't think the problem here is the Count. He's under some sort of spell."</p><p></p><p>Dame Brionna turned to Goodwife Amelie. "Did the priest arrive shortly before the troubles with the werewolves began?"</p><p></p><p>"Aye, perhaps six months ago. There had been occasional werewolves before, but they grew worse starting perhaps a month after he arrived."</p><p></p><p>Alistair shook his head. "We should've known to suspect the priest as soon as we heard he was Paranswarmian. Stithis, you'd better fly up and search around the chapel to make sure the priest doesn't have any surprises prepared. We'll let you know through your telepathic link if the priest makes it back before you do."</p><p></p><p>Stithis flew up the stairs in the tower that rose above one corner of the keep. The chapel itself seemed to have nothing amiss. Across from the door to the priest's chambers, however, a strange cabinet had been built into the wall. Stithis opened the door and saw a red crystal that throbbed with an inner light set behind several protective bars of metal. As Stithis reported this through his mental link, a loud knocking resounded from the scullery door.</p><p></p><p>Dame Brionna quickly roused the cook from her bed and, spotting the halfling sleeping beside the cook, urged Delbon to get ready as well. The rest of the group hastily hid in the wine cellar.</p><p></p><p>The cook opened the door to the Count's chaplain, curtsying deeply as a blood-stained figure in black leather vestments strode in imperiously. The priest was a tall, dark haired man, with a somewhat wild look in his eye and some blood drying around his mouth. He leaned a bloody boar-spear against a wall and flung two fresh bear skins onto the floor. "Have those furs cleaned and treated. I'll want them as additional rugs." The chaplain stared curiously at the cook, while the two great mastiffs that he had been hunting with ran up the stairs. After a moment, he sniffed at the air with a strangely animalian attitude. "Has your mother been here? I thought I made it clear that she wasn't welcome here."</p><p></p><p>"No, your reverence. I went and visited her while you were out-- to see my daughter, you know. That must be what you're noticing."</p><p></p><p>The priest nodded. "Very well. You should make sure she doesn't travel here. It would be a pity if the wolves got her... Do not disturb me until the morning." He stalked up the stairs towards his chambers. From her hiding place, Dame Brionna called on Glordiadel to sense evil and found that the priest radiated strong evil, but not as strong as the evil from a large gold amulet that he wore around his neck.</p><p></p><p>The group emerged from their hiding places. "This is as good an opportunity as we'll get." Alistair looked around the kitchen. "He may be weakened from hunting, especially if those were werebears. We need to quickly lay an ambush."</p><p></p><p>The group quickly found hiding places around the kitchen. Alistair applied some silversheen that Mahler had loaned him to his spiked chain, while Delbon enlarged him and created a large grease patch just waiting for when the priest returned to the room. Alistair handed his silver dagger-- the only other silver weapon they had-- to Kit, so that even if the priest was a werewolf they would have some hope of hurting it. Stithis decided to remain where he was, hoping that destroying the psicrystal would distract the priest. When all was ready, Alistair cast an illusion and shouted at the top of his lungs, "I've come for you. How dare you betray Paranswarm by attacking your own lord?"</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Cerebral Paladin, post: 2155275, member: 3448"] Reyn's pretty well. He went through some rough stuff last fall relating to a close friend, and it has taken him a while to recover, but he's mostly doing okay now. I'll have to ask Reyn about your questions about the game the next time I see him, Baron-- those aren't parts of the gameworld that I've dealt with. And on to the next post: The small group carefully and quietly made their way from the wereboar's house to the castle. The Count's castle perched atop a large cliff overlooking the road. The fortress was impressive in its gothic grandeur but also had a somewhat comic aspect. While the castle was little more than a small keep with a curtain wall, the buttresses and supports arrayed around it were heavy enough for a much larger fortress. To peasants and simple merchants, the flying buttresses may have made the castle more impressive. But to the members of the group who had seen truly great castles, they simply served to emphasize the minuscule size of this one. The Count's banner flew from the keep, indicating that he was within, and a separate banner with the downward black arrow of Paranswarm proclaimed his faith. Goodwife Amelie rapped quietly on the scullery door. A comely young woman, dressed in the simple clothes of a cook, opened the door and smiled to greet her. "Mother! I'm surprised to see you here." "Please, we should come in. These strangers may be able to help us." The group hurried into the kitchen area. Delbon quickly set about befriending the cook, while the rest of the group quickly quizzed her on the state of the household. She informed them that the Count was, as always, in his library, while the chaplain was out hunting with the dogs. The Count had never had any real knights in his service, and of late had stopped even bothering to make sure that the walls were guarded by villagers. While Delbon and the cook slipped off to sample the wine cellar and talk more privately, the rest of the group planned. "This is the perfect time to handle the Count, while his chaplain is still out," Alistair said. Kit opened a small door in the kitchen. "Does this dumbwaiter go up to the library? I bet I could fit inside, and pull myself up with the rope to see what the Count is doing. Maybe we can catch him asleep." Stithis nodded enthusiastically. "And I can go with her. I don't weigh anything, so it won't make her work harder, and I can scout the room invisibly." "Be careful, both of you. We'll tug on the rope from below if the chaplain comes back while you're up there." Kit climbed onto the tray in the dumbwaiter and carefully pulled on the rope that lifted the tray up two stories to the library. Stithis floated upwards with her, turning invisible as they reached the library. Kit carefully pushed the ornate double door to the dumbwaiter open a crack and looked around the room. The library was a good sized room, with furnishings to fit a nobleman's home. Several tall bookshelves contained the Count's large library of dozens of books. A heavy wooden desk dominated the center of the room. Kit and Stithis could see the back of the Count's head over the back of a large, ornate chair. He appeared to be reading a heavy book open on the desk in front of him. As they quietly watched, however, he did not move at all, not even to turn a page. "Do you think he's asleep?" Kit whispered to Stithis. "I don't know. I'll find out," he whispered back. The doors to the dumbwaiter fluttered a fraction of an inch further open as Stithis squeezed out into the room. Kit bit her lip nervously, knowing that the djinni was gliding across the room but unable to see him. After a few moments, Stithis appeared directly in front of the Count, who still did not react or move. The djinni waved for Kit to come forward, and she slid out of the dumbwaiter. A thin layer of dust lay on the book, clearly undisturbed for days or weeks. Kit could see that the Count was breathing, but only barely. His jaw hung slack as he quietly drooled on the desk, eyes staring blankly forward. Kit reached out and gently tugged on his shoulder. The Count still showed no response to their presence. Kit and Stithis gracefully stepped out of the dumbwaiter and back into the kitchen. "I don't think the problem here is the Count. He's under some sort of spell." Dame Brionna turned to Goodwife Amelie. "Did the priest arrive shortly before the troubles with the werewolves began?" "Aye, perhaps six months ago. There had been occasional werewolves before, but they grew worse starting perhaps a month after he arrived." Alistair shook his head. "We should've known to suspect the priest as soon as we heard he was Paranswarmian. Stithis, you'd better fly up and search around the chapel to make sure the priest doesn't have any surprises prepared. We'll let you know through your telepathic link if the priest makes it back before you do." Stithis flew up the stairs in the tower that rose above one corner of the keep. The chapel itself seemed to have nothing amiss. Across from the door to the priest's chambers, however, a strange cabinet had been built into the wall. Stithis opened the door and saw a red crystal that throbbed with an inner light set behind several protective bars of metal. As Stithis reported this through his mental link, a loud knocking resounded from the scullery door. Dame Brionna quickly roused the cook from her bed and, spotting the halfling sleeping beside the cook, urged Delbon to get ready as well. The rest of the group hastily hid in the wine cellar. The cook opened the door to the Count's chaplain, curtsying deeply as a blood-stained figure in black leather vestments strode in imperiously. The priest was a tall, dark haired man, with a somewhat wild look in his eye and some blood drying around his mouth. He leaned a bloody boar-spear against a wall and flung two fresh bear skins onto the floor. "Have those furs cleaned and treated. I'll want them as additional rugs." The chaplain stared curiously at the cook, while the two great mastiffs that he had been hunting with ran up the stairs. After a moment, he sniffed at the air with a strangely animalian attitude. "Has your mother been here? I thought I made it clear that she wasn't welcome here." "No, your reverence. I went and visited her while you were out-- to see my daughter, you know. That must be what you're noticing." The priest nodded. "Very well. You should make sure she doesn't travel here. It would be a pity if the wolves got her... Do not disturb me until the morning." He stalked up the stairs towards his chambers. From her hiding place, Dame Brionna called on Glordiadel to sense evil and found that the priest radiated strong evil, but not as strong as the evil from a large gold amulet that he wore around his neck. The group emerged from their hiding places. "This is as good an opportunity as we'll get." Alistair looked around the kitchen. "He may be weakened from hunting, especially if those were werebears. We need to quickly lay an ambush." The group quickly found hiding places around the kitchen. Alistair applied some silversheen that Mahler had loaned him to his spiked chain, while Delbon enlarged him and created a large grease patch just waiting for when the priest returned to the room. Alistair handed his silver dagger-- the only other silver weapon they had-- to Kit, so that even if the priest was a werewolf they would have some hope of hurting it. Stithis decided to remain where he was, hoping that destroying the psicrystal would distract the priest. When all was ready, Alistair cast an illusion and shouted at the top of his lungs, "I've come for you. How dare you betray Paranswarm by attacking your own lord?" [/QUOTE]
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