pneumatik's WotBS 1 - The Scouring of Gate Pass

[Jemal]

"The apple.." Rashelle sighed as her mind went back to that night when the order had come down, the raid on the Poison Apple. The barkeep had been one of the few friends she'd made since coming to town, and the council had ordered him and most of his staff rounded up.

Rashelle had been there that night relaxing, and had almost drawn steel defending him against the guards sent to do the council's dirty work. If Davyth hadn't been there to stop her, she'd probly be sitting right beside the poor man in jail.

"A suitable start point for a journey like this, I suppose." She looked back to him, her mind returning to the present "It will be a pleasure and an honour, Sir. Wether my path lies in glorious battle or protecting a messenger, I will do all I can to help stop the madness of the Inquisitor."

 

[pneumatik]

Prelude: Plavin

Prelude

Plavin

Othric pulled his heavy robes tight around him and huddled back around the building corner. Winter was no time to hanging around outside in Gate Pass, so it was difficult for him to stay inconspicuous for long. Othric's plan was to use the weather to his advantage. It was ingenious, if he did say so himself. As a cleric of Boccob and general academic, he prided himself on solving problems with his brains, and not with his brawn like all the thickheaded brutes in the city. He realized that with all the cold weather, no one else would be spending a lot of time outside to observe him. Every window was tightly shuttered, and doors were kept shut, so no one inside could see him, either. He used a map work out a route he could walk that would always keep him in sight of the door to Plavin's place.

You see, he had a message for Plavin. As a priest, Othric knew a lot of people. A number of them were students at Gabal's school. Some of those students were also in the resistance. From them, he heard about plans to fight the Scourge when it arrived. Part of those plans involved getting help from the Lyceum. Planer travel was being blocked, so they couldn't send a message or teleport there. Othric's research led him to suspect that Leska's Inqusitors were behind it. He couldn't figure out exactly how they were doing it.

Othric's ruminating over the nature of the planer blockage was interrupted by Plaving walking out of his home. Othric stepped back out into the wind and quickly closed with Plavin. “Walk with me. Quickly,” he said. “Gate Pass needs your help. I know you're not truly a magic user, but the Scourge won't be so astute in either their observations or categorization. If you are still here when the Scourge arrives, I suspect you will not survive.”

“The gates at either end of the city are closed,” Othric said as he walked, “But with the help of others, you may be able to escape. The resistance is assembling a team to escort a courier into the Shining Lands. I understand you're an affiliate of the resistance. If all of you collaborate, you may be able to escape. Meet them at the Poison Apple shortly before the bells ring in the new year. Use the door in the alley. It will not be a, um, 'cakewalk', but I implore you to act on this opportunity.” Othric turned and started walking back to the temple of Boccob.

 

[concerro]

Prelude

ignore

 

[concerro]

Plavin, Male Elan Psion

Plavin just stands there for a moment and watches Othric walk away before collecting his thoughts.
He begins to think to himself-Great, just great, I barely escaped with my life the last time I was here, and now I have to deal with an entire army. What ever gave him the idea I was in some resistance? Pauses for a few seconds so he can calm down-As much as I don't like it, he was right I do have to do something. Most people don't know or even care about the difference between a psion, and a caster. Magic is magic, even when it's not magic. With the small amount of time he has left he begins to make a list of items he may need so that he may gather them quickly. He decides it is about time for him to go knocking on fate's door instead of it always visiting him.

 

[pneumatik]

Prelude: Sir Reginald Talingard III

Prelude

Sir Reginald Talingard III

“Squire Reginald!” staret Vilina Lea shouted across the chapel.

“I hope you didn't have plans for tonight,” she said after hustling over to Reginald. “I have a mission for you that will put your particular skills to good use. The Resistance needs to get a courier out of Gate Pass tonight. With the gates closed to all non-military traffic, they need all the help they can get.

“The courier is a woman named Torrent,” staret Vilina said. “She knows about some intelligence about the Ragesions that needs to get to potential allies to the south. Meet her at the Poison Apple Pub a little before midnight tonight. Hopefully the New Years celebrations will make your escape easier.

“Now go and get packed! Once you get outside the city, who knows when you'll be back.”

 

[pneumatik]

Prelude: Hollister Avendri

Prelude

Hollister Avendri

Diogenes shut the door to his room after letting Hollister in. Students at Gabal's School of War usually had their own rooms, dormitory-style. “Thanks for stopping by,” he said to Hollister. “I was hoping I could pick your brain about fire-related magic. I'm working on a different way of charming] people, and I think you might be able to help. Here, have a seat.” Diogenes gestured to one of two chairs at a small table before sitting down himself.

“Here, let me show you ...” Diogenes grabbed a slate and a piece of chalk from the tabletop and started writing. He showed his writing to Hollister. “I don't want anyone to overhear us,” it said. “Interesting, right,” he said? “So ...”

“The Resistance needs help,” he wrote on the slate, erasing when he needed more room. His handwriting was angular and hasty-looking. “The Scourge will kill everyone here. The city council will not protect us.” As he wrote, Diogenes explained how charm spells worked. “We need to contact the Lyceum and ask for help. The Lyceum is a magic school in the city of Seaquen in Dassen. They want to help fight the Scourge. Magic-users unite!” Diogenes winked.

“Meet the Resistance at the Poison Apple Pub,” Diogenes wrote. “Meet before midnight tonight.” “Tonight” was underlined twice. “Contact is a woman named Torrent. She is going to Lyceum to get help. Others will go with you.”

“So,” Diogenes said aloud, “what do you think? Do you think you can help me work this out?”

 

[renau1g]

“I hope you didn't have plans for tonight,” she said after hustling over to Reginald. “I have a mission for you that will put your particular skills to good use. The Resistance needs to get a courier out of Gate Pass tonight. With the gates closed to all non-military traffic, they need all the help they can get.

“The courier is a woman named Torrent,” staret Vilina said. “She knows about some intelligence about the Ragesions that needs to get to potential allies to the south. Meet her at the Poison Apple Pub a little before midnight tonight. Hopefully the New Years celebrations will make your escape easier.

“Now go and get packed! Once you get outside the city, who knows when you'll be back.”

"Of course I haven't plans for this evening when there's knightly business to attend to m'lady" Reginald will reply,
"Is Torrent a codename I'm assuming? I will endaevour to meet this woman and assist in any way I am able. If there's anything else you require I will be at the pub until this evening."

With that he'll ensure he's got all his gear, the well made sword from his father's exotic weapon collection, as well as the chain shirt he'd commissioned. Reginald will kill time in the pub while he awaits his charge, doing his best to remain low-key.

 

[Rhun]

Hollister considered Diogenes' request. As he did so, the fire mage waved his hand back and forth in the air in a figure-eight, small flames dancing over his fingers, tracing the pattern in the air. It was something of a nervous habit that he had developed. With the other hand, he removed the ornate meerschaum pipe from his mouth and exhaled smoke rings into the air. After a few seconds, Hollister locked his smoke grey eyes on his companion.

"I think that I can probably help you with this," he finally answered, his voice low. "But isn't there some inherent risks associated with this type of...magic?"

 

[pneumatik]

"Of course I haven't plans for this evening when there's knightly business to attend to m'lady" Reginald will reply,
"Is Torrent a codename I'm assuming? I will endaevour to meet this woman and assist in any way I am able. If there's anything else you require I will be at the pub until this evening."

"As far as I know, Torrent is her real name," Staret Lea says.

With that he'll ensure he's got all his gear, the well made sword from his father's exotic weapon collection, as well as the chain shirt he'd commissioned. Reginald will kill time in the pub while he awaits his charge, doing his best to remain low-key.

When Reginald arrives at the Poison Apple, he sees that it's boarded up. Posted to the door is the following sign:

 

[pneumatik]

"I think that I can probably help you with this," he finally answered, his voice low. "But isn't there some inherent risks associated with this type of...magic?"

"Sure, it's a little dangerous," Diogenes said. "But it's nothing compared to the danger we're both facing being wizards in Gate Pass with the Scourge right outside. If we're stuck here, we may as well put the time to good use."