NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ltclnlbrain" data-source="post: 2461972" data-attributes="member: 12882">Chapter 41 As the others dispersed to various places for the night, Grundar quietly approached Terenon. "I'm in the same boat with you Terenon.. Obviously, Zan has to be dealt with.. For one, we don't know his employer. It could be the dragon, or it could be the gith, as a result of us messing up their plan in the Vale. As long as his employer lives, we will still be in danger. What do you have in mind to deal with Zan?"Terenon relaxed back onto the plush chair in his guild quarters and began to spin his ideas at Grundar. "I know a poet named Helios. He is a scoundrel and a naive with many connections, but I trust him.” Seing the perplexed look on Grundar's face, Terenon continued in more detail. "He's my mother's lover. My parents are very metropolitan. I will ask Helios to aid me to hire Zan for a special job. Of course, Zan will not know it's me he is doing the job for. I will recruit Zan to retrieve a gem for me from a merchant. Which merchant, you are saying to yourself. It doesn't matter. The gem is important. The gem will be magicked to capture Zan body and soul."Once captured, I can safely take possession of his body and infiltrate the dragon’s lair. The will see only Zan because it is his true form. With a mind blank spell up, no divination will show it is really me. At an opportune moment, I can slide the tide of battle in our favor. The best part is when Zans body dies, so does Zan. I will need to part with some magic items to put the plan into effect. It will cost a great deal of money."Grundar stared at Terenon as he laid out his plan. Scratching the side of his head, he said, "That sounds like a risky plan. First off, how do we know if Zan was hired by the dragon? As I said, it could be the gith. We made some powerful enemies recently, and any one of them could want us dead.”"It is a risky plan, I know,” the wizard replied, “but you know me. I like to turn any situation into an advantage if I can. We know that Zan was hired by the dragon or one of his minions by the fact that there were ice golems at the ambush as well. It is not a coincidence."Grundar frowned. “Okay, but as for possessing the body of a mind flayer…that's way out of my league. Have you possessed another body before? I haven't, and I wouldn't know how to use it even if I did.”"I have never possessed a body, but I am wizard of some power. Given enough setup I can do it in relative safety, and once he is trapped...I can do that."The elf scratched his head again. “Can't we just do this the normal way? Hunt him down and take him out?""We could do this the normal way, but for me it is an opportunity that is hard to pass up,” Terenon’s eyes glittered. “I will have to do it alone. I don't want to risk you or any others in the group to the danger.""I will support you in whatever way you need me to," Grundar patted Terenon on the back, smiling ruefully. "We've been through alot together, I wouldn't want to miss out on getting even with Zan. If your plan succeeds, it'll be the stories of bards all over the realm."-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rhys arranged a bath and a room for the evening at the temple of Torm. He asked for an ewer of water and some scented oils to ritually purrify himself first. When done, he put on an initiate’s robe and went into the room for prayer and meditation. The priest kneeled and thought of Torm, of his duty to his companions and to his god. His duty to the forces of Good. An image came to his mind. A harbor. Two giants are in the harbor fighting. Rhys is on the docks watching. It was from his past. It was Tantras harbor.The gods Bane and Torm, cast down from the heavens during the Time of Troubles, were locked in mortal combat. Hundreds of Torm’s followers were poised on the docks, ready to make the ultimate sacrifice to lend their god the strength needed to defeat his foe. Among those followers, Rhys’ parents.The priest ran up to them, tears streaming down his face. “You don’t have to do this!” he wailed. “Please, don’t leave me!”Rhys’ father smiled sadly down at him. Though he didn’t speak, words flowed through Rhys’ mind. Being a priest isn't a job of convienece. Sometimes tough choices present themselves. To solve them you must believe in yourself as much, if not more, than in Torm. Our deaths are nothing when compared to the good that's accomplished. The time may come when you may have to make a similar sacrifice. Remember that as long as you live in the hearts of others, you will never truly die.An enormous wave washed over the docks, washing away all that stood upon it. And washing away the vision from Rhys’ mind. The aasimar gasped slightly, holding on to his dragon-headed staff for balance. He would need to meditate on this further.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rumar headed off toward his room at the temple, though he did so in a circuitous manner. Frankly, the paladin had no desire right now to talk with anyone he knows...nonetheless "certain" people.Once he'd settled down within his room, the door shut behind him, Rumar's affairs were his own. Those walking by did hear one-half of a conversation echoing through the closed door, albeit one that made little sense. Even when the talking occasionally escalated into outright shouting, it's still less than clear what's going on in there."The decision is mine to make! Not yours! You are to watch! To listen! No more!"----------------------------------------------------------------------------------“This is what you wanted to show me?” growled Taigiel in surprise. Jelani had left the half-dragon down into the basement of the temple of Torm. The temperature in this particular corner was sweltering, necessary to support the valuable objects supported by the viscous fluid they floated in. Taigiel peered at the mottled eggs the adventurers had recovered from the old barracks house in the Selskar Vale weeks ago.“Somebody has to watch over them,” Jelani said, smiling. “I thought that since you are part dragon, you might know something about eggs.”“I was birthed the same as any other humanoid,” the half-dragon replied. “I did not hatch from an egg. It was quite painful for my mother.”“I can imagine,” the mystic theurge said lightly. Taigiel whirled on him angrily, and Jelani raised his hands in a placating gesture. “Sorry.”Taigiel snorted and turned back to the eggs, leaning closer to inspect them. “These eggs are stranged. They look like red dragon eggs, but they are mottled, and small.”“We think they’re the eggs of half-dragon githyanki,” Jelani explained.“Abominations,” Taigiel spat, “like me. We should destroy them now and spare them a life of misery.”“Is that what you wish?” Jelani asked softly. “Do you wish you were never born?”Taigiel fixed him with a withering stare, but said nothing. The theurge continued. “Had you never been born, things might have been better. Your mother surely would have been spared much pain and heartbreak, and you yourself would not have suffered from the prejudice that plagues your life. But then you would also not be around to combat the evils of your father. Even now we move to end his reign of terror, and you will play an integral role in the battles to come.“Every new being is a blank slate. Even the most villainous of monsters can become a great force of good in the world. That is what we hope to accomplish here. Raised properly, these dracogiths could be bastions of strength for those in need. Like you yourself have become, whether you realize it or not. So do not begrudge your existence, Taigiel. Be proud of what you will accomplish.”Taigiel gazed at the mottled eggs, contemplating Jelani’s words. He stood vigil long into the night, ensuring no harm came to them.</blockquote>

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