Door to Nowhere

[Eric Zephlaer]

Interested in the brand, Plumeir waits to see how the woman will respond, wether in Centrin or Markidian, as he is quite proficient in Centrin, though he has chosen not to use it, thus far. Once the waitress has departed he cautions concerning engaging the solitary figure. He speaks in Maldrog. "Anyone able to travel alone is either a fool or very competent. I am betting on competent with this one. At this point we cannot know if he is friend or foe to the Evipaun, but if he tries to follow us or them, he will be an interference. Astarte may be correct in attempting a direct approach."

OOC: 75

 

[MacConnell]

Season: Drenching. Day: 50

Spoiler: Negotiate

Astarte: 57 + 31 + 73 = 161
Taylar: 47 + 34 + 76 = 157

The waitress hands off the items that she is carrying to the party then deliberately looks down at the brand on her arm. She is momentarily taken aback by the fluidity of her native language coming from Astarte. “Ignosce me,” she responds in Centrin, which is to say forgive me, and then switches to Markidian, not knowing that Astarte is not the only one who can understand her.

“You do not look Centrin and being with a Markidian and a Maldrog, I took you all to be from the Kingdom of West Cove. I only speak my own language like a child. I do not use it much. I forget about the brand now that it has been so many Cycles. I was once marked as a slave, captured as a girl, and brought here. I must not have been pretty enough for the Yenisha for they did not take me with the other children. Fortunately, I was taken in by a family of Pelimonrae. I was treated as their own child and have worked here since I was able.”

She continues to explain. She has no way of knowing that Taylar is expressly familiar with the Centrin village of her birth, since he and the Outliers of that day saved the village from destruction. If the woman has any relatives remaining, it is likely that will now live in Refuge. Astarte is not from that village, but Plumeir has visited it once.

With the observations of Astarte concerning the Evipaun, the party feels certain that they are the sought quarry. While the kidnappers seem content to lounge for longer, the solitary figure fluidly moves toward the entrance flap and smoothly exits the tent before Astarte can make three steps toward him. The party can see that he is unnaturally obscured in shadow. His face can never be seen and his clothing is suited to the desert disguising his figure, but he walks like a man. It cannot be determined if the man could be friend or foe or even of no consequence.

Spoiler: Character Data

Taylar: full wellness
tunic: 60 - 3 - 3 = 54
Astarte: full wellness
vest: 29
Plumeir: full wellness
tunic: 48

Spoiler: Discoveries

Ferguine, Mining Commissioner
4 missing children from Mining
3 missing from Vineyard
Francis, Priest of Dawn at Vineyard (Centrin)
cherry orchard, 1 day north of Vineyard
Rheini village: Grandfather of Maka: Pardal
Kol and party: Maldrog Explorers

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions and provide a random roll.

 

[Kwargrow]

It cannot be determined if the man could be friend or foe or even of no consequence

Taylar lowers his voice and speaks in Maldrog to his companions, "We know the Evipaun have struck many communities so it is logical to assume we are not the only ones interested in their line of work. Since we are only three and this is a strange place, I do not want to split up. Should we go after the stranger to possibly find an ally or stay on our quarry? I think that since we came to find these Evipaun and the children they stole, we should stay here until they leave and follow them. If the stranger is also an enemy of theirs, that will reveal itself in time. Whatever we decide, we should stay together."

Spoiler: Rolls

52

 

[astarte]

“I was once marked as a slave, captured as a girl, and brought here. I must not have been pretty enough for the Yenisha for they did not take me with the other children.,”

"Who are these Yenisha? And why they would need youngsters even more beautiful that you? How did you heard about these monsters? Tell me everything you know about them." She hands to the servant 1 measure of salt: "Please, accept this tip". She'll also tell her that her reminding relatives and friends live safely in the village where this Maldrog [Taylar] and she spent last 5 cycles; and when they're on their way back there, she'll be invited to join them and travel back to her beloved, if only she'll wish so.

since we came to find these Evipaun and the children they stole, we should stay here until they leave and follow them.

"Yes. We are here to get them. And whether this mysterious guy is foe or friend, I'm also sure we will meet him again."

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Plumeir thinks on the discussion and then responds in Maldrog, leaning in toward the others to speak as quietly as possible to still be heard. "Since we do not know where the children are being held, I agree we should stick to the Evipaun to see where they go. With the manner in which they are behaving, I think they have already made their end of the sale. I too think that we can forget the stranger for the time being."

He takes a drink and leans toward Astarte. "I know that the Yenishae are a tribe of Faethrins, but I have never seen one and I know almost nothing of them. They are rumored to have a city in the Bakka Taerm region of this desert. It is quite an inhospitable place."

He then sits back to see how the Centrin waitress will respond.

OOC: 51

 

[MacConnell]

Season: Drenching. Day: 50

Spoiler: Negotiate

Astarte: 57(coerce) + 31(muddle) + 50 = 138
Plumeir: 83 + 64(befriend) + 51 = 199
Taylar: 47 + 34(muddle) + 52 = 133

The server looks back and forth from one party member to the next while Maldrog is being spoken. She evidently does not understand it and may be wondering if she is dismissed until Astarte addresses her again. She graciously accepts the salt then waves her hand dismissively at the question, pointing as if she could see outside the tent. “The Yenisha handle the trade of people, or slave trade may be the more appropriate term. You can find them on the north side of the valley. You will recognize them as they dress all in red. I do not think they see it as slavery. I do not know their way of thinking. They are not cruel. They seem emotionless, but I will not wait one the Evipaun or the Deviards. They are takers. It was Evipaun who took me, but I have been told of the Deviards by other Mhytres.”

About an hour or so later, the Evipaun rise unsteadily to their feet and begin to stumble to the exit. As it is now night, it seems likely that they will be headed to sleep.

Spoiler: Character Data

Taylar: full wellness
tunic: 60 - 3 - 3 = 54
Astarte: full wellness
vest: 29
Plumeir: full wellness
tunic: 48

Spoiler: Discoveries

Ferguine, Mining Commissioner
4 missing children from Mining
3 missing from Vineyard
Francis, Priest of Dawn at Vineyard (Centrin)
cherry orchard, 1 day north of Vineyard
Rheini village: Grandfather of Maka: Pardal
Kol and party: Maldrog Explorers

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions and provide a random roll.

 

[Kwargrow]

Taylar intends to discreetly manipulate waylines so that he is harder to see and then follow the Evipaun, keeping as quiet as he can.

Spoiler: Rolls

81

 

[astarte]

astarte will obscure her presence as well.

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

With his particular skills being suited to a more natural environment, Plumeir suspects that if he were to attempt to obscure his own appearance, it would likely have the opposite effect and draw more attention to him. Once outside the tent and away from his two friends a short distance, he will mystically camouflage himself. As it is now night and in a n open environment, he hopes that he can adapt to some shade og gray in the moonlight. He will continue to widen his flanking movement, trying to keep an eye more on his enemy than his friends.

OOC: 61

 

[MacConnell]

Season: Drenching. Day: 50

Spoiler: Enhancements

Astarte: 43(soullessness)
Plumeir: 54(camouflage)
Taylar: 36(soullessness)

Spoiler: Follow

Astarte: 57(observation) + 50(d100) = 107
Plumeir: 61 + 61 = 122
Taylar: 47 + 81 = 128

The party has no difficulty in following the drunken Evipaun, but the mystically enhancing night vision is required to make it possible. Even with the unobscured moonlight, there is a haziness to linear vision, and moon shadows are less than definitive. The kidnappers show no awareness of their environment. They head directly toward another large tent and stumble inside.

This leads the party inside the community sleeping tent, the equivalent to an inn back in The Kingdom of West Cove. The space under the extremely large canopy is furnished almost identically to the tavern tent. There are plenty of unoccupied rugs and pillows to allow the party to settle with a good view of the Evipaun. The inside of the tent is very partially illuminated with what appears to be covered oil lamps.

Spoiler: Character Data

Taylar: full wellness
tunic: 60 - 3 - 3 = 54
Astarte: full wellness
vest: 29
Plumeir: full wellness
tunic: 48

Spoiler: Discoveries

Ferguine, Mining Commissioner
4 missing children from Mining
3 missing from Vineyard
Francis, Priest of Dawn at Vineyard (Centrin)
cherry orchard, 1 day north of Vineyard
Rheini village: Grandfather of Maka: Pardal
Kol and party: Maldrog Explorers

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions and provide a random roll.