Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 4699186" data-attributes="member: 3285">Brothers: ConclusionWhen they returned to the Widow’s Stone, their guide was waiting for them.“Paulo!” Sebastian said with false enthusiasm.  “You seem to have lost track of us.”“Yes,” Paulo looked embarrassed.  “The gentlemen ordered the carriage away with such venom that I went for a wild ride.”“Not a very good guide,” muttered Beldin.Paulo cleared his throat.  “The dwarf is right, being a guide is just one of my duties, and I’m not very good at it.  In truth, I am here to relay a request on behalf of Domina Gracchi.”“You mean spy on us,” added Sebastian.Paulo didn’t contradict him. “I represent certain Imperial interests that are concerned with the machinations of the Arch Prelate. A certain friend of yours was assigned to translate an ancient text from the time of the First Imperium detailing an obscure Nierite legion called the Pride of Chendo. For some reason, this legion has some tenuous link to Enpebyn’s past.”“What friends?” asked Beldin.“Quintus Aurelius Ignatius,” Paulo responded.Vlad slapped his forehead.  “I never thought what the changes in the Church meant for Quintus!  He was both a priest and a legionnaire.”“A political shift like that can be perilous to a man’s career,” said Beldin. “It’s likely the Emperor didn’t trust Quintus, but not enough to brand him a traitor.  So he sent him far away from the Empire.”Paulo continued. “Quintus set out with a team recently, scouring the Blessed Lands for some proof of this legion’s existence. A few weeks ago, he sent back a message by way of a traveling Ansharan that he had made a significant discovery near the northeastern peaks of the Corlathian Mountains. As you well know, winter has come, and no word from Quintus or his team has surfaced.”“That doesn’t bode well” said Sebastian.“Domina Gracchi believes that the Arch Prelate desires the artifacts that Quintus was searching for.  She believes that the Arch Prelate is working against the Emperor and the Empire as a whole and is consolidating a power base from which to launch a concerted effort to overthrow the Emperor. These artifacts may hold some key information or power that may allow him to do just that.”“Quintus would never knowingly betray a trust,” said Vlad.  “And if it was in service to the Emperor, he would die before he would let an artifact of that magnitude fall into the wrong hands.”“Do you even know what these artifacts do?” asked Beldin.  “You’re being very vague.”“Domina Gracchi did not see fit to share that information with me. Should these artifacts be found to be inconsequential and only valuable in a historical context, they will be immediately returned to their rightful owner.”“Sure they will,” said Sebastian. “Domina Gracchi wishes to convey that your reputation as resourceful people has been spreading throughout the Empire and that it would be beneficial to have the friendship of a powerful family.”“I wonder what Kham has to say about all this?”Paulo looked over his shoulder at the exit from the taverna.  “Kham left for Altheria.  War is brewing there, and he has left with his mother’s blessing to spread his cousin’s ashes in New Althre.”Vlad nodded.  “Dril mentioned to me that he was leaving for Altheria.  Every Altherian citizen has been called back.  They’re on the brink of war with the Ssethregorans.”“We have in place an agent in the Ansharan Shrine,” continued Paulo. “The agent will instruct the Ansharan priest to open a gate directly to Grand Coryan, rather than back here. Upon your arrival with the artifacts, my patron will offer each of you the sum of two thousand Imperials… as well as her favor, whose value is far higher than can be measured in mere coin, I assure you. Can she count on your help?”“The pursuit of Livius will have to wait.” Beldin put his hand out.  “For Quintus.”Sebastian put his hand on Beldin’s. “For Quintus.”“For Quintus.” Vlad placed his open palm on both of his companions’. “And two thousand imperials.”</blockquote>

Verification