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<blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 3402977" data-attributes="member: 11"><p><strong>Session #3 – “Into the Bog” (Part 2 of 3)</strong></p><p></p><p>They waited for a while and Bleys called out again, but there was still no answer.</p><p></p><p>“Okay, but where to now?” Markos asked. The boy looked around confusedly, so everyone looked to Tavius, who shrugged his shoulders.</p><p></p><p>“Well, we never really go very far past this point,” The guide said. “This length of the track is old, but if I was going to search anywhere around here for a place to hole up with a captive, I’d guess the old <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Sunra+Kingdom" target="_blank">Sunra</a> fort at the foot of the north face of the hill over yonder…” Tavius raised his lantern and pointed to the shadow of the bluff ahead of them.</p><p></p><p>“What can you tell us about this fort?” Timotheus asked.</p><p></p><p>“Not much,” Tavius replied. “Locals avoid it. It is mostly fallen apart and not very safe and all sorts of different creatures are said to have laired there at one time or another…”</p><p></p><p>“While I do not know of this one specifically,” Bleys added. “There are countless ruins like it in this part of Thricia. The <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Sunrads" target="_blank">Sunrads</a> were prodigious builders and saw ‘civilizing the world’ as a mandate of Ra.”</p><p></p><p>There seemed no other choice but to make for the fort, even though they were all exhausted from the day’s long ride on the Beach Road, and their poor horses were beginning to show their weariness as well. </p><p></p><p>“The way gets tougher from here, and rather round-about,” Tavius explained. “There is no track this far out, so stay alert and lead your horse where I go… No where else…”</p><p></p><p>Bleys the Aubergine lit a second gnomish torch as they left, however, their progress was delayed by a sudden stubbornness in Telémahkos’ horse. The blond son of Briareus dismounted and with the squire’s help began looking for a stone stuck in the animal’s shoe.</p><p></p><p>“If this keeps up someone is going to have to put that old nag out its misery,” Victoria Ostrander commented, clearly disgusted with Telie’s inability to manage with his horse.</p><p></p><p>“One thing’s for sure, some nag needs to be put out of her misery…” Telémahkos muttered, and Valerius was aghast when he overheard. Telie shot him a wink.</p><p></p><p>Their horses whinnied dolefully as they followed Tavius through shallow water and muck filled gullies and around and over rocky islands. They noticed the path they followed led away from the north face of the great hill, and while occasionally it would turn towards it, Tavius would lead them away again. Finally, when they were a few hundred yards from the hill, he had them walk their mounts across a shallow pool of green water, and then take a more direct path around the hill towards the keep.</p><p></p><p>The moon had sunk beneath the horizon and nearly three hours had gone by before they reached the muddy plain that led to the ruined walls of the keep. The old fortress itself was naught but a few dark shapes against the night sky, before them was a pool of black water that surrounded the keep’s foundations. Streams and eddies churned about the mass.</p><p></p><p>“Lizardfolk of the bog!” Bleys called out to the keep. “We have come seeking Sir Quintus Gosprey! We wish to parley!” An echo was the only response he got. </p><p></p><p>Timotheus borrowed Victoria’s spear and tapped the water ahead. The ground was uneven and the deepness varied.</p><p></p><p>“Can you lead us across this?” Timotheus asked Tavius.</p><p></p><p>The guide was crouched and looking out across the water. “Perhaps with some daylight,” he replied sarcastically.</p><p></p><p>Laarus Raymer of Ra called his god and caused <em>daylight</em> to shine from the guide’s lantern. (1)</p><p></p><p>“There. Now you have your daylight,” Laarus said, flatly.</p><p></p><p>”Yeah, and everyone for miles around knows we’re here,” Tavius shielded his eyes from his over-bright lantern, frowning. “Okay. Let’s go…”</p><p></p><p>They followed in a close straight line as they made their way across the mud, alert for any movement among the ruin or atop it. The daylight of Tavius’ lantern made certain that anyone for miles around would have a chance of spotting them, so they did not worry to try to hide their approach. The keep’s gatehouse towers were still standing, though the one on the left had nearly half of it torn away, and no roof. There was no gate either. Not that it mattered, there were huge sections of wall missing on the left and right and the taller square towers at the corners were mostly collapsed, with bulging brick walls reinforced with mud. Vines were growing on everything, and the sheen of swamp water and muck reflected off of everything in the light.</p><p></p><p>Tavius and Telémahkos remained behind with the horses, while Valerius accompanied the others.</p><p></p><p>“We may need your sword,” Bleys said to him.</p><p></p><p>They stood about twenty-five feet from the gate, and the light of the lantern endowed with divine energy showed the remains of some wooden barrier long ago erected to take the place of a gate. Now its warped planks were half buried in muck.</p><p></p><p>“Should we go in?” Victoria asked no one in particular.</p><p></p><p>“Lizardfolk of the bog!” Bleys called out for a third time. “We have come seeking Sir Quintus Gosprey! We wish to parley!” </p><p></p><p>“We should not go into a dark and ruined keep against possible enemies unless we feel we absolutely have to,” Markos said.</p><p></p><p>“Halt humanssss!” There came a sibilant voice from twenty feet atop the right-hand gatehouse tower. They looked up to see a green and brown mottled lizardman. They thought of him as a man, but truth be told there was no way to tell gender with his kind. He had brown comb atop his head, and similar hard ridges on his shoulders. He wore a leather smock tied with a snakeskin belt. On his back was a quiver of javelins. They could not make out the weapons at his belt; swords of some kind. “You are forbizzen here!” He hissed. “Go awaysss and zoo not zome bazk!”</p><p></p><p>Bleys the Aubergine looked at each of his companions as if to give opportunity to stop him from speaking for them, but no one said a word. “I am Bleys the Aubergine, watch-mage, and Alumnus of the Academy of Wizardry. My companions and I come seeking Sir Quintus Gosprey. We heard word that some of your kind may have taken him captive. Do you hold him?”</p><p></p><p>“No…” the lizardman hissed. “Uh… No… No…”</p><p></p><p>“Well, that wasn’t very convincing,” Tim smirked.</p><p></p><p>“That is certainly one of the creatures that took my master!” Valerius cried out and pointed his sword up at the tower. Bleys cuffed the boy without a second thought, and Valerius reached for his mouth and turn away. </p><p></p><p>“Shut up, boy.” Markos said to add insult to injury.</p><p></p><p>“That boy claims it was your people who took him,” Bleys called up.</p><p></p><p>“Who are you?” the lizardman asked.</p><p></p><p>“I already said, I am Bleys the Aubergine, and we are representatives of the Margrave,” replied Bleys. “And what might we call you.”</p><p></p><p>“Am called Chok’tem,” the lizardfolk said. “Now humans go. Danger there isss for you heres…”</p><p></p><p>There issued from within the darkness of the ruined keep a murmur like the voice of a man. The companions looked to each other, and Laarus put his hand on the pommel of his flail.</p><p></p><p>“Are you sure there are no humans in there?” Bleys asked. “We thought we heard a voice…”</p><p></p><p>“Many soundssss ssswampsss many soundsss,” Chok’tem replied. The lizardman looked back over his shoulder, and then down at the group.</p><p></p><p>“Perhaps you should call on the Covenant,” Victoria said, moving her horse over to be near the watch-mage. </p><p></p><p>“We have no desire to violate the Thrician Racial Covenant, and seek only the abducted knight,” Bleys said. “We do not want to violate your laws… Perhaps you might allow us to look around the keep under your watchful eye, and see for ourselves that no man is held within it.”</p><p></p><p>“We hassss sssssigned no Covenant,” Chok’tem replied. He seemed voice seemed dismissive.</p><p></p><p>“Well that settles that then,” Laarus commented.</p><p></p><p>“We can hear him inside, Chok’tem,” Markos called up. “Can we not reach an agreement for his return? What is it you seek? Perhaps we can help you get it…?”</p><p></p><p>“No more promisessss,” Chok’tem replied. “The humansss lie and did not keep words given. He must be kept until the time passes…”</p><p></p><p>“So you <em>do</em> have him…” Markos said.</p><p></p><p>”Is someone there?” came the voice of a man from within the keep. “Hello?” The voice was abruptly cut-off.</p><p></p><p>“No… Uh, yessss…” Chok’tem said, confused as to what to say. “Here he must stay until the time is over, Go now. There is danger here for humanss…”</p><p></p><p>“Danger here? Are you the danger?” Bleys asked. “Do you plan to harm Sir Quintus?”</p><p></p><p>“What is this ‘time’ you speak of? Markos asked.</p><p></p><p>“Issss our businessssss,” Chok’tem hissed. “Issss bezween ussss and the humanssss knight… We will not harm him. He mussssst sssstay here until the time issss passssst.”</p><p></p><p>“And then you will let him go?” Bleys asked.</p><p></p><p>“Yessssss…”</p><p></p><p>“Why?” Victoria called up. “Why must this time go by?”</p><p></p><p>“Issss our businessssss,” Chok’tem said again.</p><p></p><p>“And how long is this ‘time’?” Markos asked.</p><p></p><p>“Variesssss,” Chok’tem replied. “Three rissssingsssss, four, five, maybe six rissssingss and settingsss of the sun…”</p><p></p><p>The party discussed the situation quietly among themselves, coming to the general agreement that the lizardfolk must feel betrayed by the humans for some reason, and this was their attempt to remedy it. Nearly everyone also seemed to feel that the knight was in no immediate danger of being killed, however, Laarus was unsure as he felt Chok’tem’s attitude was one of evasion and lies.</p><p></p><p>“He said they did not hold him, and even after we heard his voice the first time the greenback denied it,” the priest said. “Suddenly he admits it so we forget the lie? They hold the knight and are not under the jurisdiction of the Thrician Racial Covenant… We would be in our rights to go in and free the knight by force if we have to…”</p><p></p><p>“He has said repeatedly that they plan him no harm,” Markos replied.</p><p></p><p>“They lied once, why not again?” Laarus said.</p><p></p><p>“And you plan him no harm, correct?” Markos called up to the lizardman again.</p><p></p><p>“No harm. No harm. We know the men will come from the fortress… Many men… if he is killed… We have no zesire to see him harmed…”</p><p></p><p>“Hmmmm, that’s a good point,” Timotheus murmured scratching his chin. “Valerius, how many men does Sir Quintus’ father have at Gullmoor?”</p><p></p><p>“Um… maybe two dozen that can be readied quickly…” The squire replied.</p><p></p><p>“Chok’tem!” Timotheus called up. “If we cannot see Sir Quintus for ourselves, we will be forced to go to the keep and return with soldiers…”</p><p></p><p>“No!” Chok’tem nearly growled. “Thissss isss our busssinesss… He wasssss to speak for usssss to Lord Swann… He gave empzy words… The wordssss of men are empzy…”</p><p></p><p>“But how can he speak to Lord Swann for you if you hold him?” Markos said. “What if one of us were to take his place here, and we could escort him back to his keep and make sure he talks with Lord Swann on your behalf…”</p><p></p><p>“Lord Swann would not be at Gullmoor…” Timotheus whispered.</p><p></p><p>“Shush!” Markos admonished.</p><p></p><p>“We should leave the squire in his place,” Laarus suggested quietly, leaning over to Bleys. </p><p></p><p>The watch-mage frowned.</p><p></p><p>“Is it not the duty of a squire to help his master in all ways?” Laarus asked the watch-mage. “Sir Quintus’ presence unharmed will help in our negotiation with House Swann in figuring out how to deal with this whole situation, and we can hear his side of the story…”</p><p></p><p>“We shall leave his squire in his place!” Bleys called up to Chok’tem. “He is as valuable a captive…”</p><p></p><p>“Bleys! We will do no such thing!” Timotheus protested.</p><p></p><p>“Imzzoszzsible…” Chok’tem replied. “No more worzs may be spoken until the time has passed… You must not go and tell them. You must let the time pass…”</p><p></p><p>“If you cannot tell us what this ‘time’ is and what purpose it serves we cannot help you…” Markos changed his tact.</p><p></p><p>“Issss not my place to sssay…” the lizardman said. “Isssss our business… And ourssss alone… Bezween ussss and the knight…”</p><p></p><p>“So, Sir Gosprey promised them something and then did not follow through and now they are holding him for some amount of time…” Markos pondered the question aloud, turning to the group. “Perhaps they need for him to witness something? The consequences of his betrayal…?”</p><p></p><p>“You are grasping at straws,” Victoria said.</p><p></p><p>“When straws are all you have to grasp on to…” Markos turned away again.</p><p></p><p>Telémahkos began to approach the fort as well, impatient for news of the discussion, as he could hear nothing from where he stood with Tavius.</p><p></p><p>“May we at least camp here and rest our horses?” Telemahkos called up. “We have ridden them all night and they are near exhaustion.”</p><p></p><p>“Yes, in the day time we may talk again and come to some compromise…” Markos added. “We will leave when the sun rises again.”</p><p></p><p>”Wait!” Chok’tem disappeared from the top of the derelict tower, but another lizardfolk in a leather smock and similarly armed took his place, but stood further back from the edge, not acknowledging the party.</p><p></p><p>“You think he’s not the leader?” Timotheus asked. “Is he going to get permission?”</p><p></p><p>Markos shrugged.</p><p></p><p>“So we came this far only to wait?” Victoria asked.</p><p></p><p>“Let whatever will happen happen under the light of Ra’s Glory in the morning, when we and our mounts are rested and ready for the challenge,” Laarus said.</p><p></p><p>Chok’tem returned more than twenty minutes later. “You may campsss on the muzz plain,” he told them, pointing back the way they came. “We will sssspeak again in the next rissssing… And you plan to leave zen, or the rissssing afzer the one to zome?”</p><p></p><p>“After the next,” Markos replied. “The next rising is too soon to make a difference…”</p><p></p><p>“Yessss…”</p><p></p><p>Markos, Victoria, Timotheus, Bleys, Laarus, Telémahkos and Valerius rode back to where Tavius waited and then back out to the muddy plain where they made a camp the best they could and gave the last of the feed to the horses.</p><p></p><p>“Well… I’ll be heading back then…” said Tavius as the others settled down. “I’ll be taking those two silvers ya owe me on being led to the greenbacks…”</p><p></p><p>“How much?” Markos asked.</p><p></p><p>“Uh… Two silvers…We agreed that you’d pay me one up front and another two when I led you,” Tavius said. “Well, you’ve been led.”</p><p></p><p>“The agreement was for one piece of silver upfront and another when you had led us to the lizardfolk,” Markos said, and Bleys nodded. “Who said it was two?”</p><p></p><p>“Uh… Are you sure it wasn’t two?” Tavius looked nervously from Markos to Bleys and then to Telémahkos. “Maybe it was Master Telémahkos that said it…”</p><p></p><p>“Oh! It is only two silvers! He did a good job! Give it to him,” Telémahkos said, covering his subterfuge.</p><p></p><p>Markos nodded and handed over the coins, but then said again. “How much? How much more to have you stay and lead us back when we are done here?”</p><p></p><p>“Well, it is really not an issue of coin…” Tavius began, rubbing the back of his neck, picking at a cake of dirt that was building there. “It is coming on dawn and my son will be waiting for me to take the boats into the deep bog… And then in then afternoon I have to help the old lady gather the peat…”</p><p></p><p>“How much? How much to compensate you for another day’s work?” Markos continued to ask.</p><p></p><p>“Well, not less than uh… another two silvers…” Markos gave him one coin now, and would give him the other when they returned to Bog End.</p><p></p><p>“This is turning into an expensive guide,” Timotheus commented.</p><p></p><p>They set a watch, Laarus taking part in the first shift so he could prepare spells at dawn. It was mid-afternoon before they were all awake once again.</p><p></p><p><em>to be continued. . .</em></p><p>-----------------------------------------------------</p><p><strong>Notes:</strong></p><p></p><p>(1) <strong>Glory of Ra:</strong> A Priest of Ra may expend a turning attempt to cast <em>daylight</em> with a range of 60 feet. This may be cast on a willing target, or else centered on any inanimate object or point in space. For purposes of duration, make a turning check to determine the caster's effective level. Note that a <em>daylight</em>spell centered on the caster is also always the additional result of a successful turning attempt; this lasts ten rounds.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="el-remmen, post: 3402977, member: 11"] [b]Session #3 – “Into the Bog” (Part 2 of 3)[/b] They waited for a while and Bleys called out again, but there was still no answer. “Okay, but where to now?” Markos asked. The boy looked around confusedly, so everyone looked to Tavius, who shrugged his shoulders. “Well, we never really go very far past this point,” The guide said. “This length of the track is old, but if I was going to search anywhere around here for a place to hole up with a captive, I’d guess the old [url=http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Sunra+Kingdom]Sunra[/url] fort at the foot of the north face of the hill over yonder…” Tavius raised his lantern and pointed to the shadow of the bluff ahead of them. “What can you tell us about this fort?” Timotheus asked. “Not much,” Tavius replied. “Locals avoid it. It is mostly fallen apart and not very safe and all sorts of different creatures are said to have laired there at one time or another…” “While I do not know of this one specifically,” Bleys added. “There are countless ruins like it in this part of Thricia. The [url=http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Sunrads]Sunrads[/url] were prodigious builders and saw ‘civilizing the world’ as a mandate of Ra.” There seemed no other choice but to make for the fort, even though they were all exhausted from the day’s long ride on the Beach Road, and their poor horses were beginning to show their weariness as well. “The way gets tougher from here, and rather round-about,” Tavius explained. “There is no track this far out, so stay alert and lead your horse where I go… No where else…” Bleys the Aubergine lit a second gnomish torch as they left, however, their progress was delayed by a sudden stubbornness in Telémahkos’ horse. The blond son of Briareus dismounted and with the squire’s help began looking for a stone stuck in the animal’s shoe. “If this keeps up someone is going to have to put that old nag out its misery,” Victoria Ostrander commented, clearly disgusted with Telie’s inability to manage with his horse. “One thing’s for sure, some nag needs to be put out of her misery…” Telémahkos muttered, and Valerius was aghast when he overheard. Telie shot him a wink. Their horses whinnied dolefully as they followed Tavius through shallow water and muck filled gullies and around and over rocky islands. They noticed the path they followed led away from the north face of the great hill, and while occasionally it would turn towards it, Tavius would lead them away again. Finally, when they were a few hundred yards from the hill, he had them walk their mounts across a shallow pool of green water, and then take a more direct path around the hill towards the keep. The moon had sunk beneath the horizon and nearly three hours had gone by before they reached the muddy plain that led to the ruined walls of the keep. The old fortress itself was naught but a few dark shapes against the night sky, before them was a pool of black water that surrounded the keep’s foundations. Streams and eddies churned about the mass. “Lizardfolk of the bog!” Bleys called out to the keep. “We have come seeking Sir Quintus Gosprey! We wish to parley!” An echo was the only response he got. Timotheus borrowed Victoria’s spear and tapped the water ahead. The ground was uneven and the deepness varied. “Can you lead us across this?” Timotheus asked Tavius. The guide was crouched and looking out across the water. “Perhaps with some daylight,” he replied sarcastically. Laarus Raymer of Ra called his god and caused [I]daylight[/I] to shine from the guide’s lantern. (1) “There. Now you have your daylight,” Laarus said, flatly. ”Yeah, and everyone for miles around knows we’re here,” Tavius shielded his eyes from his over-bright lantern, frowning. “Okay. Let’s go…” They followed in a close straight line as they made their way across the mud, alert for any movement among the ruin or atop it. The daylight of Tavius’ lantern made certain that anyone for miles around would have a chance of spotting them, so they did not worry to try to hide their approach. The keep’s gatehouse towers were still standing, though the one on the left had nearly half of it torn away, and no roof. There was no gate either. Not that it mattered, there were huge sections of wall missing on the left and right and the taller square towers at the corners were mostly collapsed, with bulging brick walls reinforced with mud. Vines were growing on everything, and the sheen of swamp water and muck reflected off of everything in the light. Tavius and Telémahkos remained behind with the horses, while Valerius accompanied the others. “We may need your sword,” Bleys said to him. They stood about twenty-five feet from the gate, and the light of the lantern endowed with divine energy showed the remains of some wooden barrier long ago erected to take the place of a gate. Now its warped planks were half buried in muck. “Should we go in?” Victoria asked no one in particular. “Lizardfolk of the bog!” Bleys called out for a third time. “We have come seeking Sir Quintus Gosprey! We wish to parley!” “We should not go into a dark and ruined keep against possible enemies unless we feel we absolutely have to,” Markos said. “Halt humanssss!” There came a sibilant voice from twenty feet atop the right-hand gatehouse tower. They looked up to see a green and brown mottled lizardman. They thought of him as a man, but truth be told there was no way to tell gender with his kind. He had brown comb atop his head, and similar hard ridges on his shoulders. He wore a leather smock tied with a snakeskin belt. On his back was a quiver of javelins. They could not make out the weapons at his belt; swords of some kind. “You are forbizzen here!” He hissed. “Go awaysss and zoo not zome bazk!” Bleys the Aubergine looked at each of his companions as if to give opportunity to stop him from speaking for them, but no one said a word. “I am Bleys the Aubergine, watch-mage, and Alumnus of the Academy of Wizardry. My companions and I come seeking Sir Quintus Gosprey. We heard word that some of your kind may have taken him captive. Do you hold him?” “No…” the lizardman hissed. “Uh… No… No…” “Well, that wasn’t very convincing,” Tim smirked. “That is certainly one of the creatures that took my master!” Valerius cried out and pointed his sword up at the tower. Bleys cuffed the boy without a second thought, and Valerius reached for his mouth and turn away. “Shut up, boy.” Markos said to add insult to injury. “That boy claims it was your people who took him,” Bleys called up. “Who are you?” the lizardman asked. “I already said, I am Bleys the Aubergine, and we are representatives of the Margrave,” replied Bleys. “And what might we call you.” “Am called Chok’tem,” the lizardfolk said. “Now humans go. Danger there isss for you heres…” There issued from within the darkness of the ruined keep a murmur like the voice of a man. The companions looked to each other, and Laarus put his hand on the pommel of his flail. “Are you sure there are no humans in there?” Bleys asked. “We thought we heard a voice…” “Many soundssss ssswampsss many soundsss,” Chok’tem replied. The lizardman looked back over his shoulder, and then down at the group. “Perhaps you should call on the Covenant,” Victoria said, moving her horse over to be near the watch-mage. “We have no desire to violate the Thrician Racial Covenant, and seek only the abducted knight,” Bleys said. “We do not want to violate your laws… Perhaps you might allow us to look around the keep under your watchful eye, and see for ourselves that no man is held within it.” “We hassss sssssigned no Covenant,” Chok’tem replied. He seemed voice seemed dismissive. “Well that settles that then,” Laarus commented. “We can hear him inside, Chok’tem,” Markos called up. “Can we not reach an agreement for his return? What is it you seek? Perhaps we can help you get it…?” “No more promisessss,” Chok’tem replied. “The humansss lie and did not keep words given. He must be kept until the time passes…” “So you [I]do[/I] have him…” Markos said. ”Is someone there?” came the voice of a man from within the keep. “Hello?” The voice was abruptly cut-off. “No… Uh, yessss…” Chok’tem said, confused as to what to say. “Here he must stay until the time is over, Go now. There is danger here for humanss…” “Danger here? Are you the danger?” Bleys asked. “Do you plan to harm Sir Quintus?” “What is this ‘time’ you speak of? Markos asked. “Issss our businessssss,” Chok’tem hissed. “Issss bezween ussss and the humanssss knight… We will not harm him. He mussssst sssstay here until the time issss passssst.” “And then you will let him go?” Bleys asked. “Yessssss…” “Why?” Victoria called up. “Why must this time go by?” “Issss our businessssss,” Chok’tem said again. “And how long is this ‘time’?” Markos asked. “Variesssss,” Chok’tem replied. “Three rissssingsssss, four, five, maybe six rissssingss and settingsss of the sun…” The party discussed the situation quietly among themselves, coming to the general agreement that the lizardfolk must feel betrayed by the humans for some reason, and this was their attempt to remedy it. Nearly everyone also seemed to feel that the knight was in no immediate danger of being killed, however, Laarus was unsure as he felt Chok’tem’s attitude was one of evasion and lies. “He said they did not hold him, and even after we heard his voice the first time the greenback denied it,” the priest said. “Suddenly he admits it so we forget the lie? They hold the knight and are not under the jurisdiction of the Thrician Racial Covenant… We would be in our rights to go in and free the knight by force if we have to…” “He has said repeatedly that they plan him no harm,” Markos replied. “They lied once, why not again?” Laarus said. “And you plan him no harm, correct?” Markos called up to the lizardman again. “No harm. No harm. We know the men will come from the fortress… Many men… if he is killed… We have no zesire to see him harmed…” “Hmmmm, that’s a good point,” Timotheus murmured scratching his chin. “Valerius, how many men does Sir Quintus’ father have at Gullmoor?” “Um… maybe two dozen that can be readied quickly…” The squire replied. “Chok’tem!” Timotheus called up. “If we cannot see Sir Quintus for ourselves, we will be forced to go to the keep and return with soldiers…” “No!” Chok’tem nearly growled. “Thissss isss our busssinesss… He wasssss to speak for usssss to Lord Swann… He gave empzy words… The wordssss of men are empzy…” “But how can he speak to Lord Swann for you if you hold him?” Markos said. “What if one of us were to take his place here, and we could escort him back to his keep and make sure he talks with Lord Swann on your behalf…” “Lord Swann would not be at Gullmoor…” Timotheus whispered. “Shush!” Markos admonished. “We should leave the squire in his place,” Laarus suggested quietly, leaning over to Bleys. The watch-mage frowned. “Is it not the duty of a squire to help his master in all ways?” Laarus asked the watch-mage. “Sir Quintus’ presence unharmed will help in our negotiation with House Swann in figuring out how to deal with this whole situation, and we can hear his side of the story…” “We shall leave his squire in his place!” Bleys called up to Chok’tem. “He is as valuable a captive…” “Bleys! We will do no such thing!” Timotheus protested. “Imzzoszzsible…” Chok’tem replied. “No more worzs may be spoken until the time has passed… You must not go and tell them. You must let the time pass…” “If you cannot tell us what this ‘time’ is and what purpose it serves we cannot help you…” Markos changed his tact. “Issss not my place to sssay…” the lizardman said. “Isssss our business… And ourssss alone… Bezween ussss and the knight…” “So, Sir Gosprey promised them something and then did not follow through and now they are holding him for some amount of time…” Markos pondered the question aloud, turning to the group. “Perhaps they need for him to witness something? The consequences of his betrayal…?” “You are grasping at straws,” Victoria said. “When straws are all you have to grasp on to…” Markos turned away again. Telémahkos began to approach the fort as well, impatient for news of the discussion, as he could hear nothing from where he stood with Tavius. “May we at least camp here and rest our horses?” Telemahkos called up. “We have ridden them all night and they are near exhaustion.” “Yes, in the day time we may talk again and come to some compromise…” Markos added. “We will leave when the sun rises again.” ”Wait!” Chok’tem disappeared from the top of the derelict tower, but another lizardfolk in a leather smock and similarly armed took his place, but stood further back from the edge, not acknowledging the party. “You think he’s not the leader?” Timotheus asked. “Is he going to get permission?” Markos shrugged. “So we came this far only to wait?” Victoria asked. “Let whatever will happen happen under the light of Ra’s Glory in the morning, when we and our mounts are rested and ready for the challenge,” Laarus said. Chok’tem returned more than twenty minutes later. “You may campsss on the muzz plain,” he told them, pointing back the way they came. “We will sssspeak again in the next rissssing… And you plan to leave zen, or the rissssing afzer the one to zome?” “After the next,” Markos replied. “The next rising is too soon to make a difference…” “Yessss…” Markos, Victoria, Timotheus, Bleys, Laarus, Telémahkos and Valerius rode back to where Tavius waited and then back out to the muddy plain where they made a camp the best they could and gave the last of the feed to the horses. “Well… I’ll be heading back then…” said Tavius as the others settled down. “I’ll be taking those two silvers ya owe me on being led to the greenbacks…” “How much?” Markos asked. “Uh… Two silvers…We agreed that you’d pay me one up front and another two when I led you,” Tavius said. “Well, you’ve been led.” “The agreement was for one piece of silver upfront and another when you had led us to the lizardfolk,” Markos said, and Bleys nodded. “Who said it was two?” “Uh… Are you sure it wasn’t two?” Tavius looked nervously from Markos to Bleys and then to Telémahkos. “Maybe it was Master Telémahkos that said it…” “Oh! It is only two silvers! He did a good job! Give it to him,” Telémahkos said, covering his subterfuge. Markos nodded and handed over the coins, but then said again. “How much? How much more to have you stay and lead us back when we are done here?” “Well, it is really not an issue of coin…” Tavius began, rubbing the back of his neck, picking at a cake of dirt that was building there. “It is coming on dawn and my son will be waiting for me to take the boats into the deep bog… And then in then afternoon I have to help the old lady gather the peat…” “How much? How much to compensate you for another day’s work?” Markos continued to ask. “Well, not less than uh… another two silvers…” Markos gave him one coin now, and would give him the other when they returned to Bog End. “This is turning into an expensive guide,” Timotheus commented. They set a watch, Laarus taking part in the first shift so he could prepare spells at dawn. It was mid-afternoon before they were all awake once again. [i]to be continued. . .[/i] ----------------------------------------------------- [b]Notes:[/b] (1) [b]Glory of Ra:[/b] A Priest of Ra may expend a turning attempt to cast [I]daylight[/I] with a range of 60 feet. This may be cast on a willing target, or else centered on any inanimate object or point in space. For purposes of duration, make a turning check to determine the caster's effective level. Note that a [I]daylight[/I]spell centered on the caster is also always the additional result of a successful turning attempt; this lasts ten rounds. [/QUOTE]
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"Second Son of a Second Son" - An Aquerra Story Hour (*finally* Updated 04/19)
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