Insight's "The Isle of Dread" - Chapter One

[Scotley]

"Thank you Ken. Take care of yourself. My companions and I will look into this. While I can make know promises, if we learn anything that can help you we'll make sure the information gets to the priests."

 

[Shayuri]

Astra fidgets slightly with an arrow's fletching, where it pokes out of the quiver at her hip. She wasn't following what people were saying too well. In her mind, this was pretty simple. The dwarves were clearly prisoners who had been freed by some criminal mastermind who was using them as minions to discover the location of a particular object...no doubt something valuable, stolen or lost down here.

Why they treated bandits in the city differently than the bandits outside was a mystery to Astra, but she accepted it as a human idiom...even if it did make the process of confrontation much lengthier.

 

[Leif]

Questor, Halfling Chaos Sorcerer 6

Questor cannot for the life of him understand why humans, dwarves, and elves have to make everything so bloody difficult. All he knew now was that he found himself somewhere beneath the city of Specularum with a motley group including elves and humans, with a band of dwarvish slaves, prisoners, or some such who evidently had only very recently regained their freedom by some means, fair or foul. "Please, would someone kindly tell me just what in blazes is going on around here?" Questor is at loose ends, and, surprisingly enough, he finds himself trusting Vrashek (the HALF-ORC for crying out loud!) the most of all the people he has recently met!

 

[Insight]

Inside the Secret Passage: Cassi, Nafije, Astra, Questor, and Vrashek

"One is an escaped prisoner," Nafije whispered at the backs of her friends while the dwarf spoke.

Nafije gave a slight bow and dipped her head to the side in silent admission of her nature. "You're not mistaken. There are many things a wizard can do that might prove useful. I know of several different rituals that can locate objects, for instance. But first, an accurate description of the trinket and its properties is needed. Magic is fickle like that."

Rake runs his sausage fingers through a wild and unkempt beard. "Aye, many a times I've seen the bizarre workings of a mage. All right, I'll tell you what I know, which isn't preciously much."

"Hold on!" the dwarf with the broken manacles around his ankles says. He looks to Nafije. "What do you want in return for your magical aid? I know wizards aren't keen to part with their spells without compensation."

All three dwarves then turn to look at the human wizard.

Questor cannot for the life of him understand why humans, dwarves, and elves have to make everything so bloody difficult. All he knew now was that he found himself somewhere beneath the city of Specularum with a motley group including elves and humans, with a band of dwarvish slaves, prisoners, or some such who evidently had only very recently regained their freedom by some means, fair or foul. "Please, would someone kindly tell me just what in blazes is going on around here?" Questor is at loose ends, and, surprisingly enough, he finds himself trusting Vrashek (the HALF-ORC for crying out loud!) the most of all the people he has recently met!

The dwarves turn to look at Questor. They then turn back to looking at Nafije.

 

[stonegod]

"Thank you Ken. Take care of yourself. My companions and I will look into this. While I can make know promises, if we learn anything that can help you we'll make sure the information gets to the priests."

Skaros smiled tightly, but said nothing until the disabled man left. You promise too much, friends, in your haste to act in the good. Many an noble deed only ends in punishment. He swirls his finger on the rim of his drink, thinking. But this story may have bearing on the information we seek about the Isle. For now, we wait for the others.

 

[JustKim]

Nafije couldn't help but use guile to twist things in their favor. She knew very well that their encounter with the dwarves would end in bloodshed, but before it reached that point, she would get everything she could out of them. Astra and Questor might know her style well- after all, they had worked together before.

"And I know dwarves are too stubborn to accept help when it's offered. Perhaps one of us is wrong about the other."

 

[Leif]

Questor, Halfling Chaos Sorcerer 6

Questor silently defers to Nafije's gambit, knowing all too well that his skills at subterfuge are sadly lacking.

 

[Scotley]

"Aye Skaros, you are likely correct. I was touched by their suffering. I hate to see simple people brought low through no fault of their own." He fidgets with his spear uncomfortable with the waiting.

 

[Rhun]

Vrashek chuckles, and attempts to help Nafije a bit. "Some wizards like to show off their skills," he chimes in. "Fame is as important to their kind as money."

 

[Insight]

Inside the Secret Passage: Cassi, Nafije, Astra, Questor, and Vrashek

Nafije couldn't help but use guile to twist things in their favor. She knew very well that their encounter with the dwarves would end in bloodshed, but before it reached that point, she would get everything she could out of them. Astra and Questor might know her style well- after all, they had worked together before.

"And I know dwarves are too stubborn to accept help when it's offered. Perhaps one of us is wrong about the other."

Vrashek chuckles, and attempts to help Nafije a bit. "Some wizards like to show off their skills," he chimes in. "Fame is as important to their kind as money."

Rake grins. "Fair enough, then," he says. "I take you at your word, sorceress. What, then, do you need from me?"