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Gears of Revolution: Notes on my campaign
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<blockquote data-quote="Colmarr" data-source="post: 5728921" data-attributes="member: 59182"><p><strong>Session 6b: Tok's Reconnaissance</strong></p><p></p><p>At the end of session 6, there was some heated debate between Tok's player and Erik's player about whether the PCs should press on in search of Nathan. Erik's player maintained that their mission was to keep the lighthouse until the fort was secured. Tok's player wanted to push on and fulfil their promise to Lya.</p><p></p><p>The other players ultimately sided with Erik (we had long-sinced established that Erik was RT3's sergeant), but Tok's player - never one to accept someone else's decision <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /> - decided his PC would sneak off.</p><p> </p><p>This is the result, which we played out via play-by-post over the last fortnight (warning, it's in full narrative so it's long):</p><p> </p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The sea wall connecting the lighthouse to the outer fort is deserted, the rebels having retreated to the outer fort. As Tok moves, cannon emplacements on the wall exchange fire with the Risuri naval ships breaching the harbour. The night fills with smoke and fire and thunder, and no one notices the sole figure moving along the wall.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">When Tok reaches the far end of the wall however, he encounters an obstacle. The iron portcullis connecting the outer fort wall to the sea wall causeway has been lowered, and three wary-looking rebel soldiers stand just beyond it, craning their necks to watch the incoming ships.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">From his position in the darkness on the sea wall, Tok can see that the main gates to the Fort have likewise been closed. The rebels are battening down for the coming storm.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The wall rises 15 feet above the walkway upon which Tok stands, tilted slightly backward to strengthen it against cannon fire. A faint aura lingers on the wall, and Tok can sense that it has been ensorcelled with a faint repulsion effect to make climbing difficult.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">A battered Risuri rebel limps up to the portcullis. He also looks out to the sea, and spits in disgust at the distant warships. "Let me back in. Those iron-lovers have almost killed me twice tonight and failed. Might as well get patched up and try for a lucky third.".</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Seeing the wary looks from his fellows inside, the Risuri glances back up the sea-wall. "No, they're not behind me. Must be hiding in the gate tower - I hope it falls on the pack of them!". He spits again, this time back up the sea-wall.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">One of the rebels hastily moves to the nearby winch and raises the portcullis just enough to allow Tok to scramble under. The other two cover the causeway with crossbows lest the infiltrators in the lighthouse come back. </span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Anyone else still out there?", one asks grimly and the portcullis drops back into place with an echoing clang when Tok shakes his head.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The nearest rebel, wearing the markings of a sergeant, points toward the inner fort. "You better report in and let them know what you learned out there". Then the three of them turn their attention back toward the Risuri naval ships in the harbour, allowing Tok to slip away.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The streets of the outer fort are empty but for the occasional passage of troops of soldiers rushing to emplacements on the walls or pushing wagons of supplies towards the inner fort. No one spares a thought for the bedraggled soldier moving through the streets, and Tok soon finds himself back in the ruined building opposite the warehouse.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">At first, it appears that the two guards previously stationed on the front door are gone, but then they come into view around the side of the building. A few minutes' observation reveals that they are patrolling the perimeter of the building, appearing and disappearing every few minutes. The warehouse behind them is dark.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Tok watches for a short while, trying to figure out whether anything is happening inside. Eventually, he decides the only way to find out is to look. When the guards are out of sight on their rounds, he approaches the front door and attempts to open it.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Tok is surprised to find the door unlocked, and quickly pushes it open and slips inside. He carefully swings the door shut behind him.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The warehouse is cluttered with crates and pallets, stacked in haphazard piles throughout the single large room. Some are open, revealing weapons, armour and preserved supplies, but by far the majority are firmly nailed shut.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">In the middle of the darkened room, visible only by virtue of Tok's Icon-augmented vision, stands a jumbled mass of metal. Only by moving closer does Tok make out what it is; more than fifty swords, arrows and spikes of rough metal occupying a space less than ten feet across. Some stand blade-upright on a low wide dais, their hilts secured in gaps in the stone floor. Others rest on nearby crates, their points dangerously overreaching the edges. Some even hang from the rafters above, positioned at head and neck height. </span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Intrigued, Tok carefully moves closer, and it is only then that he realises that each of the items is inlaid with gold. Underneath the jumble, inscribed into the stone of the dais, lies an intricate pattern of inlaid residuum, gold and silver - a teleportation circle.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Finding a secure nook, Tok sits down to gaze at the circle. He sniffs the air, and tries some minor incantations, trying to discern the answers to the two questions in the forefront of his mind: "How long has this been here?" and "Has it been recently used?".</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The stone around and within the teleportation circle is smooth, worn down by the passage of feet over the years. Cleary the circle has been there for some time. The blades, on the other hand, appear new. None of them are rusted or bear the patina of use, and the ropes suspending them from the ceiling are fresh. He recognises the blades as Risuri in origin. Then he notices that there is no path through them large enough to permit a humanoid passage, and that they all point inward toward the centre of the circle. Clearly the Duchess' troops have trapped the teleportation circle to wound or kill inbound travellers.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">As near as Tok can tell, the runic inscription creating the circle is complete. It should be glowing with power and the air should be humming with energy. Instead the circle is dull and almost-lifeless, and the air in the warehouse is still.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Tok is growing impatient. He expected Nathan to be imprisoned here, but instead has found a quite different mystery. He scans the room, looking for any more mundane signs of recent activity.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Tok turns to search the rest of the room. The torches resting in sconces on the wall are blackened from use, but they are not warm to the touch. The lids of some of the opened crates lie haphazardly nearby, as though thrown aside in a hurry, but there is little to conclusively indicate whether the warehouse has seen recent use.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Abandoning his search, Tok returns to the teleportation circle. He freezes for a few minutes when the voices of the patrolling rebels pause outside the door to the warehouse, but then they move on. Taking the Icon of Nem from around his neck, Tok carefully reaches through the tangle of blades and touches the golden coin to the circle. Nothing happens. Frowning, Tok withdraws his hand and touches the Icon instead to one of the inlaid blades. Again, nothing happens. Tok touches the Icon to a few more blades, just to be sure, but the result is the same. There doesn't seem to be a connection between the Icon and either the circle or the blades.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Figuring there's not a lot more to be gleaned from here and not having access to a travelling circle ritual, Tok decides to leave. But first, he quickly un-fortifies the circle, and for good measure sets up a hasty trap facing the door. It's not much, but anyone entering in a hurry who does not swing their shield and step just so must either pause and pick their way carefully or get jabbed.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">After listening for the guards, Tok then lets himself back out and hurries away. He can hear the sounds of invasion proceeding apace, but still wonders what became of Nathan. Disguising himself as a very green rebel soldier - almost too young to be in a battle - he approaches a pair of busy looking soldiers. Hastily but hesitantly, the youth confesses that he is under orders to reinforce the guard on the prisoners but in the confusion and dark has lost his way. </span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">A grizzled veteran laughs companionably. "You're clear on the wrong side of town boy. The stables is on the other side of the inner fort, over to the east." Then he and his men move off toward the outer wall.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Tok hurriedly makes his way across town, careful to avoid coming with sight of the inner fort walls. Tok can easily make out guards patrolling it, and no doubt they were be curious about the lone figure moving across town rather than towards the invaders.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Eventually, he finds the stables to which the veteran had referred. The shutters on the windows have been nailed and reinforced to form a makeshift prison. Even under siege, the building is guarded by 10 rebels, stationed at the main door and doing patrols of surrounding streets.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Tok swears under his breath. "Too many!", he mutters, "Don't they know there's a battle going on?".</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Tok is about to use a direct approach, when he remembers the amulet. Swiftly, he makes his way around to the rear of the stables. Waiting for a break in the guards' patrols, Tok triggers the amulet, crosses the lane, and passes through the wall. He shivers as he walks through the rear wall of the stable, his mind struggling to process the fact that his body is passing effortlessly through a wall he knows should be solid. Then he emerges inside the stable and the feeling passes.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The changeling finds himself in what was obviously once a horse stall, although iron bars have been installed in the entrance to create an impromptu cell, which Tok now shares with at least 10 other people. Stone and mortar walls form either side of the stall. Tok can see another similar stall directly opposite, and other stalls either side of that one. Each is full of captives; mostly human.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The inhabitants of Tok's stall are alert and staring toward the wall closest to the harbour. The sounds of battle are clearly audible over the nervous braying of animals elsewhere in the building. As Tok emerges, a human woman says excitedly to a tiefling companion, "Rescue! Our people come for us!" The tiefling smiles hopefully and nods, then turns with a start as she catches sight of Tok at the rear of the cell. Her mouth forms a stunned 'O'.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Having only a few seconds left to respond, Tok's insubstantial form dashes through the small crowd and into the main hall of the stable, just making it through the bars before the magic fades. Looking hurriedly up and down the aisle between the stalls, Tok is relieved to note that there don't appear to be any guards inside the building. He dashes away from the door in search of a hiding place, leaving the surprised captives in his wake murmuring in surprise. At the far end of the aisle, he finds an open stall occupied by a number of sheep and a horse. The stall is crowded, and it is lit by a nearby lantern, but it is out of sight of the cells and the door. Tok slips inside. </span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The horse looks at the young risuri soldier that has suddenly appeared in its stall and snorts disdainfully. The sheep crowd into the far corner, bleating plaintively. Tok extends a hand to placate them, which only increases their volume. Fortunately, the sound of cannon, musket and spell coming from the harbour seems to drown their cries. No one comes to investigate, and after Tok spends a minute anxiously expecting to be discovered at any moment, the cowardly creatures cease their bleating.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">In the new silence, Tok hears a voice speaking in Danoran from a nearby cell. "Who are you?"</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Tok responds in kind, calmly and quietly, but just loud enough to carry to the nearby speaker: "At this moment, I am an agent of Lya. I'm also armed, and quite possibly dangerous. Whether that is to your advantage or not depends on who you are, what you want to do, and whether you have the sense to talk quietly. Raise a fuss, and it will be as if I were never here."</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The figure in the next cell laughs. "Tough talk from someone foolish enough to sneak into a prison."</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Who is this Lya you are supposedly an agent of, and why should I care?"</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"I'm tasked to find Nathan. If you've a mind to help me, you might gain your freedom at the same time. If I'm wasting my time, I'll just leave now."</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"A fine promise, indeed," the figure replies. "Alright, I'll help... once you tell me who in the Bleak Gate you're talking about. Are you magically prevented from using surnames or something?"</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Jierre. Nathan Jierre."</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"The rich kid? Not sure why you'd bother. All he ever does is look through his telescope. He once ran through town hollering about some yellow frog. A frog!"</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The figure falls silent for a second. "He's not here, but if you get me and my people out safely, I'll tell you where to find him".</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Tok surveys the room, then turns to the spokesman, "Any warriors in here?" Several Danorans look to one of their number, but there is no further response. He turns again to the spokesman, "Well, I'll get your cells open, but there are about a dozen soldiers out there. If we do this the hard way, not everyone is going to make it. On the up side, this town will be overrun by legitimate Risuri guardsman within a couple of hours, at which point you'll hopefully be free to go."</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Tok looks around the room again. "To get you out sooner, we'll need a distraction; a big one". He moves out of the stall and begins to survey the tools at his disposal.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The man in the next cell has the face and build of a soldier, but the ugly bandage wound around his head and over one eye tells Tok that he was on the losing end of the Duchess' invasion. </span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"You plan to sneak one hundred of us past the guards? You are mad", he says. "Give me a weapon and unlock these doors, then get out of here and bring your forces to free us." He pauses. "I have no idea why one lot of Risuri wishes to battle another, but I guess I choose to prefer dirt-worshippers who will free us to those who won't".</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Tok unlocks the makeshift gates, then tosses the Danoran a pair of daggers. "All that I have to spare." He glances around the room, "though you might find some decent cudgels scattered about".</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Tok clambers up the stalls and after about 5 minutes of work manages to dislodge a small patch of roof sufficiently to squeeze out. On a quiet night the noise may have carried, but there's more than enough racket outside to cover a few creaks and pops. "Stay safe; I'll see who I can find", and with that Tok scrambles up and finds himself on the stable roof, with the sounds and smells of battle wafting toward him on the night air. He watches for a little while until the guards are not watching, then nimbly jumps down and saunters away into the streets, keeping a wary eye out as he makes his way back towards the gates guarding the eastern sea-wall.</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></em></p><p></p><p><span style="color: DarkOrange">It's all Good</span></p><p></p><p>Tok's little escapade has proven extremely useful, revealing the teleportation circle (and clearing the trap away so Asrabey doesn't have to) and getting the Danoran prisoners on side. Depending on their choices during the invasion, that may allow the PCs to avoid meeting Ghillie Dhu. They can't really afford to fight both the fey and Asrabey in their current state, so the events of the play-by-post could prove crucial. </p><p></p><p>The Axis Icons have proven extremely useful so far, and I will be absolutely astounded if the players don't requisition them back as soon as they have enough stipend to do so (which won't be until toward the end of Dying Skyseer I believe).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Colmarr, post: 5728921, member: 59182"] [b]Session 6b: Tok's Reconnaissance[/b] At the end of session 6, there was some heated debate between Tok's player and Erik's player about whether the PCs should press on in search of Nathan. Erik's player maintained that their mission was to keep the lighthouse until the fort was secured. Tok's player wanted to push on and fulfil their promise to Lya. The other players ultimately sided with Erik (we had long-sinced established that Erik was RT3's sergeant), but Tok's player - never one to accept someone else's decision ;) - decided his PC would sneak off. This is the result, which we played out via play-by-post over the last fortnight (warning, it's in full narrative so it's long): [I][FONT="Verdana"][SIZE="2"]The sea wall connecting the lighthouse to the outer fort is deserted, the rebels having retreated to the outer fort. As Tok moves, cannon emplacements on the wall exchange fire with the Risuri naval ships breaching the harbour. The night fills with smoke and fire and thunder, and no one notices the sole figure moving along the wall. When Tok reaches the far end of the wall however, he encounters an obstacle. The iron portcullis connecting the outer fort wall to the sea wall causeway has been lowered, and three wary-looking rebel soldiers stand just beyond it, craning their necks to watch the incoming ships. From his position in the darkness on the sea wall, Tok can see that the main gates to the Fort have likewise been closed. The rebels are battening down for the coming storm. The wall rises 15 feet above the walkway upon which Tok stands, tilted slightly backward to strengthen it against cannon fire. A faint aura lingers on the wall, and Tok can sense that it has been ensorcelled with a faint repulsion effect to make climbing difficult. A battered Risuri rebel limps up to the portcullis. He also looks out to the sea, and spits in disgust at the distant warships. "Let me back in. Those iron-lovers have almost killed me twice tonight and failed. Might as well get patched up and try for a lucky third.". Seeing the wary looks from his fellows inside, the Risuri glances back up the sea-wall. "No, they're not behind me. Must be hiding in the gate tower - I hope it falls on the pack of them!". He spits again, this time back up the sea-wall. One of the rebels hastily moves to the nearby winch and raises the portcullis just enough to allow Tok to scramble under. The other two cover the causeway with crossbows lest the infiltrators in the lighthouse come back. "Anyone else still out there?", one asks grimly and the portcullis drops back into place with an echoing clang when Tok shakes his head. The nearest rebel, wearing the markings of a sergeant, points toward the inner fort. "You better report in and let them know what you learned out there". Then the three of them turn their attention back toward the Risuri naval ships in the harbour, allowing Tok to slip away. The streets of the outer fort are empty but for the occasional passage of troops of soldiers rushing to emplacements on the walls or pushing wagons of supplies towards the inner fort. No one spares a thought for the bedraggled soldier moving through the streets, and Tok soon finds himself back in the ruined building opposite the warehouse. At first, it appears that the two guards previously stationed on the front door are gone, but then they come into view around the side of the building. A few minutes' observation reveals that they are patrolling the perimeter of the building, appearing and disappearing every few minutes. The warehouse behind them is dark. Tok watches for a short while, trying to figure out whether anything is happening inside. Eventually, he decides the only way to find out is to look. When the guards are out of sight on their rounds, he approaches the front door and attempts to open it. Tok is surprised to find the door unlocked, and quickly pushes it open and slips inside. He carefully swings the door shut behind him. The warehouse is cluttered with crates and pallets, stacked in haphazard piles throughout the single large room. Some are open, revealing weapons, armour and preserved supplies, but by far the majority are firmly nailed shut. In the middle of the darkened room, visible only by virtue of Tok's Icon-augmented vision, stands a jumbled mass of metal. Only by moving closer does Tok make out what it is; more than fifty swords, arrows and spikes of rough metal occupying a space less than ten feet across. Some stand blade-upright on a low wide dais, their hilts secured in gaps in the stone floor. Others rest on nearby crates, their points dangerously overreaching the edges. Some even hang from the rafters above, positioned at head and neck height. Intrigued, Tok carefully moves closer, and it is only then that he realises that each of the items is inlaid with gold. Underneath the jumble, inscribed into the stone of the dais, lies an intricate pattern of inlaid residuum, gold and silver - a teleportation circle. Finding a secure nook, Tok sits down to gaze at the circle. He sniffs the air, and tries some minor incantations, trying to discern the answers to the two questions in the forefront of his mind: "How long has this been here?" and "Has it been recently used?". The stone around and within the teleportation circle is smooth, worn down by the passage of feet over the years. Cleary the circle has been there for some time. The blades, on the other hand, appear new. None of them are rusted or bear the patina of use, and the ropes suspending them from the ceiling are fresh. He recognises the blades as Risuri in origin. Then he notices that there is no path through them large enough to permit a humanoid passage, and that they all point inward toward the centre of the circle. Clearly the Duchess' troops have trapped the teleportation circle to wound or kill inbound travellers. As near as Tok can tell, the runic inscription creating the circle is complete. It should be glowing with power and the air should be humming with energy. Instead the circle is dull and almost-lifeless, and the air in the warehouse is still. Tok is growing impatient. He expected Nathan to be imprisoned here, but instead has found a quite different mystery. He scans the room, looking for any more mundane signs of recent activity. Tok turns to search the rest of the room. The torches resting in sconces on the wall are blackened from use, but they are not warm to the touch. The lids of some of the opened crates lie haphazardly nearby, as though thrown aside in a hurry, but there is little to conclusively indicate whether the warehouse has seen recent use. Abandoning his search, Tok returns to the teleportation circle. He freezes for a few minutes when the voices of the patrolling rebels pause outside the door to the warehouse, but then they move on. Taking the Icon of Nem from around his neck, Tok carefully reaches through the tangle of blades and touches the golden coin to the circle. Nothing happens. Frowning, Tok withdraws his hand and touches the Icon instead to one of the inlaid blades. Again, nothing happens. Tok touches the Icon to a few more blades, just to be sure, but the result is the same. There doesn't seem to be a connection between the Icon and either the circle or the blades. Figuring there's not a lot more to be gleaned from here and not having access to a travelling circle ritual, Tok decides to leave. But first, he quickly un-fortifies the circle, and for good measure sets up a hasty trap facing the door. It's not much, but anyone entering in a hurry who does not swing their shield and step just so must either pause and pick their way carefully or get jabbed. After listening for the guards, Tok then lets himself back out and hurries away. He can hear the sounds of invasion proceeding apace, but still wonders what became of Nathan. Disguising himself as a very green rebel soldier - almost too young to be in a battle - he approaches a pair of busy looking soldiers. Hastily but hesitantly, the youth confesses that he is under orders to reinforce the guard on the prisoners but in the confusion and dark has lost his way. A grizzled veteran laughs companionably. "You're clear on the wrong side of town boy. The stables is on the other side of the inner fort, over to the east." Then he and his men move off toward the outer wall. Tok hurriedly makes his way across town, careful to avoid coming with sight of the inner fort walls. Tok can easily make out guards patrolling it, and no doubt they were be curious about the lone figure moving across town rather than towards the invaders. Eventually, he finds the stables to which the veteran had referred. The shutters on the windows have been nailed and reinforced to form a makeshift prison. Even under siege, the building is guarded by 10 rebels, stationed at the main door and doing patrols of surrounding streets. Tok swears under his breath. "Too many!", he mutters, "Don't they know there's a battle going on?". Tok is about to use a direct approach, when he remembers the amulet. Swiftly, he makes his way around to the rear of the stables. Waiting for a break in the guards' patrols, Tok triggers the amulet, crosses the lane, and passes through the wall. He shivers as he walks through the rear wall of the stable, his mind struggling to process the fact that his body is passing effortlessly through a wall he knows should be solid. Then he emerges inside the stable and the feeling passes. The changeling finds himself in what was obviously once a horse stall, although iron bars have been installed in the entrance to create an impromptu cell, which Tok now shares with at least 10 other people. Stone and mortar walls form either side of the stall. Tok can see another similar stall directly opposite, and other stalls either side of that one. Each is full of captives; mostly human. The inhabitants of Tok's stall are alert and staring toward the wall closest to the harbour. The sounds of battle are clearly audible over the nervous braying of animals elsewhere in the building. As Tok emerges, a human woman says excitedly to a tiefling companion, "Rescue! Our people come for us!" The tiefling smiles hopefully and nods, then turns with a start as she catches sight of Tok at the rear of the cell. Her mouth forms a stunned 'O'. Having only a few seconds left to respond, Tok's insubstantial form dashes through the small crowd and into the main hall of the stable, just making it through the bars before the magic fades. Looking hurriedly up and down the aisle between the stalls, Tok is relieved to note that there don't appear to be any guards inside the building. He dashes away from the door in search of a hiding place, leaving the surprised captives in his wake murmuring in surprise. At the far end of the aisle, he finds an open stall occupied by a number of sheep and a horse. The stall is crowded, and it is lit by a nearby lantern, but it is out of sight of the cells and the door. Tok slips inside. The horse looks at the young risuri soldier that has suddenly appeared in its stall and snorts disdainfully. The sheep crowd into the far corner, bleating plaintively. Tok extends a hand to placate them, which only increases their volume. Fortunately, the sound of cannon, musket and spell coming from the harbour seems to drown their cries. No one comes to investigate, and after Tok spends a minute anxiously expecting to be discovered at any moment, the cowardly creatures cease their bleating. In the new silence, Tok hears a voice speaking in Danoran from a nearby cell. "Who are you?" Tok responds in kind, calmly and quietly, but just loud enough to carry to the nearby speaker: "At this moment, I am an agent of Lya. I'm also armed, and quite possibly dangerous. Whether that is to your advantage or not depends on who you are, what you want to do, and whether you have the sense to talk quietly. Raise a fuss, and it will be as if I were never here." The figure in the next cell laughs. "Tough talk from someone foolish enough to sneak into a prison." "Who is this Lya you are supposedly an agent of, and why should I care?" "I'm tasked to find Nathan. If you've a mind to help me, you might gain your freedom at the same time. If I'm wasting my time, I'll just leave now." "A fine promise, indeed," the figure replies. "Alright, I'll help... once you tell me who in the Bleak Gate you're talking about. Are you magically prevented from using surnames or something?" "Jierre. Nathan Jierre." "The rich kid? Not sure why you'd bother. All he ever does is look through his telescope. He once ran through town hollering about some yellow frog. A frog!" The figure falls silent for a second. "He's not here, but if you get me and my people out safely, I'll tell you where to find him". Tok surveys the room, then turns to the spokesman, "Any warriors in here?" Several Danorans look to one of their number, but there is no further response. He turns again to the spokesman, "Well, I'll get your cells open, but there are about a dozen soldiers out there. If we do this the hard way, not everyone is going to make it. On the up side, this town will be overrun by legitimate Risuri guardsman within a couple of hours, at which point you'll hopefully be free to go." Tok looks around the room again. "To get you out sooner, we'll need a distraction; a big one". He moves out of the stall and begins to survey the tools at his disposal. The man in the next cell has the face and build of a soldier, but the ugly bandage wound around his head and over one eye tells Tok that he was on the losing end of the Duchess' invasion. "You plan to sneak one hundred of us past the guards? You are mad", he says. "Give me a weapon and unlock these doors, then get out of here and bring your forces to free us." He pauses. "I have no idea why one lot of Risuri wishes to battle another, but I guess I choose to prefer dirt-worshippers who will free us to those who won't". Tok unlocks the makeshift gates, then tosses the Danoran a pair of daggers. "All that I have to spare." He glances around the room, "though you might find some decent cudgels scattered about". Tok clambers up the stalls and after about 5 minutes of work manages to dislodge a small patch of roof sufficiently to squeeze out. On a quiet night the noise may have carried, but there's more than enough racket outside to cover a few creaks and pops. "Stay safe; I'll see who I can find", and with that Tok scrambles up and finds himself on the stable roof, with the sounds and smells of battle wafting toward him on the night air. He watches for a little while until the guards are not watching, then nimbly jumps down and saunters away into the streets, keeping a wary eye out as he makes his way back towards the gates guarding the eastern sea-wall. [/SIZE][/FONT][/I] [COLOR="DarkOrange"]It's all Good[/COLOR] Tok's little escapade has proven extremely useful, revealing the teleportation circle (and clearing the trap away so Asrabey doesn't have to) and getting the Danoran prisoners on side. Depending on their choices during the invasion, that may allow the PCs to avoid meeting Ghillie Dhu. They can't really afford to fight both the fey and Asrabey in their current state, so the events of the play-by-post could prove crucial. The Axis Icons have proven extremely useful so far, and I will be absolutely astounded if the players don't requisition them back as soon as they have enough stipend to do so (which won't be until toward the end of Dying Skyseer I believe). [/QUOTE]
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