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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Old One" data-source="post: 86560" data-attributes="member: 83">Session 14 (Part One)Our intrepid band is holed up in a “safe house” provided by the “Reds” following their capture by the Shadowblades and subsequent rescue by Quintus, Captain Rook and the Crew of the Sea Eagle.  Lady Andrimia and Captain Rook have proposed that they hit one of two known Shadowblade hideouts to obtain information linking Antoinine Sestius and the “Greens” to Maythrax and the Shadowblades.  The debate rages…The CommissionThey had reached an impasse.  In Quintus’ mind, it was simple…Antoinine Sestius and the “Greens” where out to get him, the “Reds” helped save his brother and his friends and now their hosts were asking for a service which could significantly affect the political landscape of Oar.Brother Lew, on the other hand, argued for caution and prudence.  “There is no proof that Antoinine Sestius was behind our abduction,” the cleric reasoned.  “We have the word of Drusilla, Lady Andrimia and Captain Rook – but they have their own agenda.  Besides, what the ‘Greens’ espouse could be very good for Oar.  Law and order and well-regulated trade, what is wrong with that?”Rowan shook his head.  “Look, we have the information we came for.  Drusilla is safe and we have no interest in either the “Reds” or the “Greens”.  I say we leave them to their own devices and head back to Glynden.  Besides, I don’t like it hear…it is smelly, dirty and dangerous!”Rosë grunted his agreement.  The walls and narrow streets of the city were too confining and he longed to return to the open road.  “Let them all rot, I am with Rowan.”Quintus sighed heavily, exasperated with his friends and desperately searching for a counter-point.  Severus, sensing his master’s unease, swept the assembled group with a fierce gaze and flapped his strong wings.  “Well, Rook and Andrimia aren’t asking us to do anything to Antoinine Sestius and the “Greens”…they are asking us to hit a Shadowblade hideout and we know that they are evil.  Right?”The sorcerer paused and looked around the table.  Lew’s eyebrows knotted together as he tried to recall what the Abbot and other church leaders had said about Oar’s underground element.  The barbarian’s face remained impassive as he started on the third carafe of wine.  Rowan sat back in his chair, stroking his stubbled chin deliberately.  Sextus caught his brother’s eye and nodded.The diminutive bard stood and began to slowly pace around the room.  “Word on the street is that the Shadowblades are thugs, extortionists and murders.  Merchants that fail to pay protection money often find themselves with broken fingers…or worse.  The ‘worse’ usually seems to happen to those associated with the ‘Reds’, however.”Rowan straightened in his chair and Quintus felt the scales tipping in his favor.“Let’s put it to a vote.  I say we accept this commission from Lady Andrimia and Captain Rook to hit one of the hideouts whilst they hit the other.  If nothing else, we will be thinning the ranks of a scourge to the honest citizens of Oar and perhaps unraveling the mystery of Antoinine and Acrius Sestius.” Quintus finished and looked around.Sextus stopped pacing behind his brother’s chair and boomed, “Agreed!  Death and confusion to the Shadowblades.”Lew looked at his friend for several grains and slowly shook his head.  “Your reasoning is persuasive, Quintus, but I fear that we will expose our selves even more by doing this.  For all we know, we may actually be fighting for the wrong side in all of this.  There is still too much we don’t know!” Rosë downed the remnants of the wine and shook his head.  “Leave!”All eyes turned to Rowan.  The ranger squirmed uncomfortably as he realized his was the deciding vote.  He yearned to be gone from the city, to feel the fresh North wind in his face and hear the chatter of the forest birds.  Still, they would be marching against a known evil – perhaps to learn more of the other, more shadowy evils they faced.  Casting an apologetic glance towards Lew, the ranger said softly, “I have to agree with Quintus.  The Shadowblades are certainly a threat to the town, regardless of anything else, and we may yet discover more information.”Lew’s shoulders sagged in defeat.  He wished he could discuss the situation with Abbot Patroclian and get some guidance, but time was short.  “Very well.  If we are to do this, let us strike now.  The earlier we are quit with this, the better!”Quintus looked at the Brigante and Rosë, a sour look on his face, nodded his assent.  The sorcerer suppressed a smile as he stood and moved towards the door.  “Very well, since we are all agreed, let’s call our hosts back in and discuss specifics!”If Lew was less-than-thrilled at the prospect of accepting the commission, his irritation doubled when their idea to strike early was vetoed.  “Please understand,” Captain Rook said sympathetically, “we have ‘people’ on the inside, but it will take a day or two to get word to them.  In addition, we have to strike at low tide, otherwise the sewer tunnels may be impassible.  Therefore, we plan to strike at the fourth bell after midnight two days hence.  Is that agreeable?”The sea captain’s revelations left little room for argument and Lew reluctantly agreed.The next two days passed quickly as the party sharpened their blades, practiced their skills and discussed their tactics.  They agreed to hit the hideout, search for the requested information and depart as rapidly as possible.  “Let’s not get bogged down in a slugging match,” Rowan urged to general agreement, “Quickness and stealth are our friends!”Lew slept little before their departure, despite bedding down at an early hour.  He was wide-awake when one of Andrimia’s men came to wake them, doubt still gnawing at him, ‘What if we are wrong?’  The two raiding parties gathered in the under cellar and heartfelt whispers of ‘Good Luck’ passed around the room.  Captain Rook urged them to be cautious, yet speedy and bade them return by the eighth bell.  Lady Andrimia and Drusilla did not join the gathering and the party trooped down the iron-rung ladder into the sewers without getting a chance to bid them farewell.  They found two heavily cloaked men with shuttered lanterns waiting for them.  Once every one was assembled, the cloaked men nodded and set off through the ankle-deep muck.They made several quick turns, but before they had gone 100 paces, Rowan’s sharp ears picked up the sound of faint splashing behind them.  He hissed for everyone to halt and hold in place.  The noise came again, clearer and drawing closer to their position.  Someone…or something…was following them!To Be Continued…Next: Session 14 (Part Two) – Den of Thieves~ Old One</blockquote>

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