Dark Days in Sion - Act 2: Scene 4

[narayan]

Alic, Bax, Kryslogious, Malic, Ordechai, Wrenwil

"My Lord be Pentos great and true,
my offering small and in night blew.
Our friend says stay I shall not budge,
the skies now may bring wing born grudge.
For half one hour if we stay,
grant me knowledge of price to pay."

[Casting Augury, DM to roll secret 74% chance of success. An augury can tell you whether a particular action will bring good or bad results for you in the immediate future. Wrenwil wants to know if remaining at this campsite is safe in the short-term.]

Wrenwil sees a vision of a small fleet of Chivalan ships beneath the stars upon the seas at this very moment. Their banners bear the standard of the province of Ateria, yet above them where the flag of Pentos should wave you glimpse the evil sigil of Herod instead!

From your birds-eye vantage point you glimpse their intended port of landing is a blackened city of ancient ruins, long since abandoned, with evidence of crumbling skeletons half-buried in ash littering the streets. (Fate Pool Knowledge Check, Geography: = 10, Fail) The style of architecture and layout of its streets is unfamiliar to you, yet vaguely Akhenaten in design. It is a port city somewhere on the coast of Akhenaten. That is all you can guess at this time.

In the distance you glimpse belching volcano's within a wasteland where nothing grows and nothing natural can survive, much like some horrid plane of hell itself. Strangely yet, there are people moving on the docks to throw ropes and secure the ships to mooring. Other figures stir in the ruins before evil humanoids of all types emerge and assemble into military formations on the outskirts of the city.

Suddenly you feel a deep dread as an evil power atop an unfamiliar mountain far in the distance senses your clairvoyance. You feel tendrils of darkness probing at the edges of your consciousness, seeking thoughts they can use to draw themselves into your mind. Your heart starts to race with fear as your skull throbs with great pain. Yet Pentos' divine might intervenes, there is a flash of light, and the vision ends as suddenly as it began.

[The result of your Augury spell itself is: Nothing]

[Wrenwil: What do you do?]

Ordechai observes your offering and chant with interest, though since it is spoken in old Chivalan he cannot understand its meaning exactly. He also notices how your eyes suddenly grow wide.

Ordechai: "Whats the matter Wrenwil?"

set out too drag the Vul corpse to the river. While the camp set to chaos deciding to flee forwards or backwards Kryslogious heeded his task first. After which he returned to the camp with the rest of his companions.

After dumping the body of your feathered foe intto the river (It is lighter than you expected) you return to camp to see the dwarves seated by their fire with their heads together in intense discussion. They call you over with a wave.

Alic: "That obstinate oaf Ordechai refuses to move camp. We are considering dragging him behind our ponies in chains, leaving his hogs and goods behind to teach him a lesson."

Malic: Nods "A Prisoner should know his place. We have been too lenient with him."

Alic: Shrugs "I'm not sure that's a good idea. We have yet to interrogate him thanks to that Vul. If we drag him away now, he's far less likely to tell us what we need to know."

Malic: "He'll talk one way or the other. It's his own damn fault if we have to torture him."

Alic: Stares at his father with surprise. "You would do that?"

Malic: "His information may save the lives of many clansman. It isn't much of a debate in my mind. He's selfish to keep such knowledge to himself. We cannot allow a single half-dwarf to jeopardize the safety of our clan. Especially one who's already admitted he's a criminal who'll be punished anyway."

Alic: Looks back to you Kryslogious. "What is your input on this Kryslogious? I saw you kneel before Ordechai earlier, I hope you wouldn't choose loyalty to him over us?"

[Kryslogious: What do you do?]

 

[narayan]

Avar, Billanverthorne, Jabbar

As part of a move action, Bill draws his bow, and readies an arrow. He takes a full move back up the tunnel whence he came. (20 feet behind his current position.) For his standard action, he readies a shot (readied action). In true sniper fashion, no tension on the bowstring.The first person to come around the corner with a weapon drawn will possibly be fired upon, unless Bill can think of a good reason not to. [Bill won't shoot a kid, or a town guard. Nor will he fire upon anyone who is unarmed. Otherwise, he'll consider them to be hostile.]

(Initiative roll: 18)

Avar: Asks with concern. "What was that racket?!"

You reply it was a trap.

Jabbar: "A trap?! What sort of cur would trap these caves?" He asks with great annoyance. "Ah, there is light approaching. Let us see who is responsible? If they are Vulfear, be ready to make a break for it to avoid the death penalty..." He says before laying a hand on the elven archers arm. "Billanverthorne, do not fire unless I say."

Several moments pass while figures holding lanterns make their way into the cave at the end of the tunnel. You glimpse a head peek down the tunnel which asks. "Who goes there?!"

Jabbar: Answers. "A smuggler and his guards. Who are you who traps these caves?"

Bandit: "We are outlaws. These caves belong to us now! You shall not pass without paying a toll!"

Jabbar: -Curses and mutters under his breath- "Bah... I suppose it was only a matter of time before some fool had the bright idea to occupy the caves." -Whispers to the pair of you- "We shall oblige them this time, keep your eyes peeled and assess their strength so we can drive them out later." -Raises his voice a little- "Very well, we shall pay!"

Avar grabs a torch mounted by the hidden door, shutting it behind you before he lights it.

Bandit: "Come forward! No tricks and no weapons!"

[Billanverthorne: What do you do?]

 

[97mg]

Wrenwil

Ordechai: "Whats the matter Wrenwil?"

It took a few moments to return to reality, or at least the least worse of the two. Wrenwil took a seat in front of the fire, letting its heat warm his back as he stared off into the night.

"The matter?" He turned to his half-dwarven chum with an anxious gaze and furrowed brow.

"I need a holiday Ordechai. This journey isn't exactly what I had in mind. I believe we are safe here, perhaps for a short time, but we must make haste come dawn. Tell me, I've been thinking, I'd like to reach Tabba, preferably in one piece, and avoid whatever kafuffle is going on upstream. I wish you to be by my side, yet the dwarves have other plans. It seems we need to ensure your innocence or perhaps... expose the futility in delivering you for trial... My little trick earlier, to make the Barossan speak the truth... will such a thing be of benefit to you when the time comes for this "questioning"? We are like light and shade my friend, so different in every way, and for this reason I feel best to work as one, if of course, Tabba is of interest to you?

[sblock=Wrenwil Stats]

WRENWIL - a tough old boot on a terrible holiday Sheet: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=209300 Level 4, Init 2, HP 20/27, Speed 30 AC 15, Touch 13, Flat-footed 13, Fort 6, Ref 3, Will 10, Base Attack Bonus 3 Masterwork Staff +7 to hit (d6+3) Spells: 5/5/3

[/sblock]

 

[narayan]

Ersun, Izel

Ersun carefully takes the book and inspects it. As he listens to the explanation of it he tries out how to lock and unlock it as well. He can’t help but appreciate the usefulness of such a tool. On the other hand, should the book change hands, they would be oblivious to it, which is a disadvantage compared to some other means.
He wonders how much mayhem he could cause by informing Izel of what has happend to him after their meeting once he left for Vulkh. He wonders if he should. Also, if anything he writes stays in the book, then that’s actually a surprisingly sincere way for Izel to communicate with him, as Ersun’s opinion will remain for sure. Unless he can alter the letters with some kind of spell... that is a possibility. He sighs. It will be better if he also keeps a mundane copy of the journal that is his own.

“So I am logging a travel journal. I like the idea.” he responds after he ponders on in a bit. “A question, are there any other ways are there for me to contact home other than this journal, or come home other than by Thiara?”
Further that, he has no more questions and is curious to meet this surface woman.

Izel: "Thiara has the capability with spells to communicate with me directly if need be. If something were to happen to the journal however, you would have to rely on this..." He says handing you a Sending Stone. "A Sending Stone would be a poor substitute for the journal of course, so I expect you to guard it like its your most prized possession!"

[sblock=Sending Stone]
Price: 2,200 gp
Body Slot: — (held)
Caster Level: 7th
Aura: Moderate; evocation
Activation: Standard action
Weight: 1 lb.

These fist-sized chunks of unworked stone are mirror images of one another.

These unremarkable-looking stones come in pairs. Once per day, the bearer of each stone can send a message (as the sending spell) to the bearer of the other stone. If a stone’s mate is not in a creature’s possession, no message is sent and you know the communication has failed. If either stone of the pair is destroyed, the other becomes useless.

Sending: You contact a particular creature with which you are familiar and send a short message of 25 words or less to the subject. The subject recognizes you if it knows you. It can answer in like manner immediately. A creature with an Intelligence score as low as 1 can understand the sending, though the subject’s ability to react is limited as normal by its Intelligence. Even if the sending is received, the subject is not obligated to act upon it in any manner.

If the creature in question is not on the same plane of existence as you are, there is a 5% chance that the sending does not arrive. (Local conditions on other planes may worsen this chance considerably.)[/sblock]

 

[Shun001]

Kryslogious of Anasteria

After dumping the body of your feathered foe intto the river (It is lighter than you expected) you return to camp to see the dwarves seated by their fire with their heads together in intense discussion. They call you over with a wave.

Alic: "That obstinate oaf Ordechai refuses to move camp. We are considering dragging him behind our ponies in chains, leaving his hogs and goods behind to teach him a lesson."

Malic: Nods "A Prisoner should know his place. We have been too lenient with him."

Alic: Shrugs "I'm not sure that's a good idea. We have yet to interrogate him thanks to that Vul. If we drag him away now, he's far less likely to tell us what we need to know."

Malic: "He'll talk one way or the other. It's his own damn fault if we have to torture him."

Alic: Stares at his father with surprise. "You would do that?"

Malic: "His information may save the lives of many clansman. It isn't much of a debate in my mind. He's selfish to keep such knowledge to himself. We cannot allow a single half-dwarf to jeopardize the safety of our clan. Especially one who's already admitted he's a criminal who'll be punished anyway."

Alic: Looks back to you Kryslogious. "What is your input on this Kryslogious? I saw you kneel before Ordechai earlier, I hope you wouldn't choose loyalty to him over us?"

[Kryslogious: What do you do?][/I]

Kryslogious takes the bag containing the crossbow and lays it open before the dwarves

"I will tell you only what is true on my honor as a knight and your honor as law men." he took this time to pause and undo the fasteners of his helm and remove it. his long hair drenched in sweat from a long days march and a battle with a Vul.

"I thanked him for this gift and his continued friendship towards my lord, I recognize him with a title and vowed to protect him from evil... that being said he still has outstanding crimes and I will not interfere with the upholding of justice." he took a moment to seat himself next to the dwarves, he pulls a water skin from his pack and takes a refreshing drink.

"I have no doubt what information he may hold could save many lives, but before that information could save lives we need to protect our own right now. I dislike mages but I am no fool to understand that their power is a strong weapon in our arsenal to survive." He rubs his left shoulder which the bleeding had slowed but was still quite sore.

"We need all the able bodies we can get right now. If you are correct about these Vul we are on borrowed time and until we can secure our own safety. The law and the detained have a common goal, and that is to survive." he looks to Alic checking him over for his wounds in concern.

"Right now should we press on I can not guarantee I will not quickly become a burden. I have marched all day in this sun and have been injured twice without proper triage, and I am built to do such a trek. I fear Ordechai and my Lord will not fare as well should we press on and encounter more hostilities."

They all sat briefly while Kryslogious pondered. "The two foreign warriors. I would like to start a dialogue with them, see what their traveling outfit looks like. If we can persuade them to stay with us for the night seven is safer then five."

 

[narayan]

Burrai

Uthal was still there, finishing yet another plate of stew when Burrai entered. "Has Kadar returned?"

Uthal: Nods. "He is in his office."

Kadar speaks "Enter!" as you knock, straightening his back behind his desk taken-aback somewhat by the dwarf that fills his doorway. Kadar is dressed in a plain tunic, trousers and bracers. His armor hangs from a rack beside his personal armory, behind which is a single shuttered window looking out to the training ground outside.

The Devils commander is in his mid-thirties with short-cropped hair and a goatee. His eyes lack some of his fathers pride and confidence. His are more cautious and discerning, more accustomed to assessing danger than seeking it out. There is some of Omar in his looks and build at least, but not as much as you might imagine from someone touted so often as his son. Most notably his skin tone is different since Omar was not actually an Akhenaten but a Gallian who took an Akhenaten wife after he won his freedom.

Kadar: "Have a seat Burrai Steelborn" He says without much warmth, gesturing to a pair of chairs before his desk. Meanwhile his eyes follow your every move with a question ~Why are you here?~ But it seems he expects you to explain yourself.

A trio of small metal chests line along the top edge of his desk with a large candle beside them that illuminates the stacks of papers he currently shuffles through. The rest of his office is cluttered with battered Gallian relics of the battlefield and personal trophies of conquest. Several maps and cubby-holes full of scrolls and contracts cover one wall. A low side-cabinet has a wash-basin, a pitcher of water and cups for drinking. The lower part of that is where he might keep wine or other spirits.

[Burrai: What do you do?]

 

[narayan]

Svexyn

Svexyn: Svexyn heads back into the inn, finding Tylia and Gedeon. "Tylia, it seems that it's time for that drink for Drasus. He's expecting me by now, and I always settle up my debts."

Turning to Gedeon, he adds, "I am told that an audience with Drasus requires your permission and escort..." as he awaits Gedeon's answer.

Gedeons eyes slide over to you in a bored, slightly condescending way. He gestures for you to follow him over to the stairwell that leads upstairs. He then points to where you stand as if to say ~stay here~ before he goes up. After a few moments he looks back down and gestures for you to follow.

Upstairs you see a smaller seating area with a few windows, two tables and a hearth. Drasus is seated by the table closest to the hearth with his back to the window where he can see all who approach. At the other table a Quresh and a Hill Dwarf trader are arguing about something, though they lower their voices when you appear.

Gedeon: "This is the guest you wished to see?" He asks Drasus.

Drasus: Smiles and speaks to you Svexyn. "It is! Hello my young friend, please sit with me." -Speaks to Gedeon- "Send up Tylia I am getting thirsty again."

Glancing around you note several rooms upstairs. You even glimpse another stairwell at the far end of the hall the merchant Khuzay mentioned led up to the parapet.

[Svexyn: What do you do?]

 

[thisthingcantbedeleted]

Ersun

He nods and puts his stone away. “I will be most careful with it.”

He can’t help but wonder how long he will be away, and what will exactly this new place will bring him. It is a nostalgic feeling, ironically, leaving so many things behind, even if he did not put them much weight beforehand. It is both exciting and somewhat scary to think about, as it is a rather large leap from the world he has known so far. He wishes it would be just a moderate field trip, but if he would deduce from the events of today... he does not really expect a merry story. In the end, he supposes at this point he can only hope for the best while expecting the worst.

“Anything else I should know before leaving?”

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Billanverthorne: Ready For Anything!

-Raises his voice a little- "Very well, we shall pay!"

Avar grabs a torch mounted by the hidden door, shutting it behind you before he lights it.

Bandit: "Come forward! No tricks and no weapons!"

[Billanverthorne: What do you do?]

To Jabbar: -Whispering- "Stay behind me until we're sure it's not an ambush. If they want you, they'll have to pass Avar and I first. If there's trouble, I will engage with my sword, since we're in tight quarters."

Bill puts the arrow back into the quiver, and slings his bow back over his shoulder. "Okay, we're coming. Our hands are empty and raised." He says, loud enough to be heard by the bandit, but not loud enough to carry outside.

Bill will stand, and calmly walk toward the end of the tunnel, showing Avar and Jabbar the location of the trap trigger as he approaches it, by pointing to it, and saying "Don't step here."

Basically, Bill is going to show good faith, and proceed as the bandits ask, i.e., approach with weapons sheathed / put away, with his hands empty, and raised to chest level ("truce hands.") If they try to disarm him, he will warn them that he is a man of patience, but not unending. He will say that on his word of honor, he shall not attack, and will agree to parlay, but that his weapons are special (sentimental value) to him, and he's not going to hand them over to anyone; not the bandits, not the Vul, not to Herod himself. He will NOT permit himself to be disarmed.

 

[Fangor the Fierce]

Svexyn, Mogan and Folg

Svexyn:

Looking around, Svexyn's eyes take in the hallway and the table where he is asked to be seated. The words ring in his ears, as he has been warned repeatedly about this man. He has also seen him in action, and does not fancy upsetting him. Deciding on making this as short as possible, but not rude, he answers honestly.

"Tylia is already bringing you a drink, I made sure to have it on its way."

He sits at the table, bowing slightly to Drasus, showing some form of decency. He still has his drink, having decided to drink slowly, and keep his wits about him.

"I apologize, but I cannot stay for much long, as Tamas is holding my gear for me until I return to deliver what is needed to help bury the half-orc that so recently met the wrong end of your sword. Best to get that job done with quickly, before the body starts stinking up my camp, if you know what I mean. Well, at least MORE than what he already does..."

Svexyn hopes that Drasus is a man of some measure of decency, but doubts it. "But of course, I settle all my debts in full, when I can. So, here I am, at your disposal to talk about settling up. I just hope I don't say something that would make me end up needing to tell my men to make a bigger hole for me to join the half-orc."