Into the Icy Darkness: The Great Demon War
- Thread starter Emperor Valerian
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Emperor Valerian
First Post
No, its a rather normal family... mom and pop are in the same profession, and they pass their knowledge on to their kid...
Just so happens their professions are being an assassin and their alignment is chaotic evil...
A Plan Foiled
The hallway outside the room began to fill with shouts and calls, as Ilia dashed outside, a furious Elenya on her heels. Ilia skidded through the doorway, and darted up the hallway at full tilt, as Shaun burst into the hallway mere seconds later, after grabbing his bow and quiver on the way out.
“Come back here, you bitch!” the wizard snarled, and she shouted a furious, screeching words of power as she too slid to a stop in the hallway. Magical power flared in her hands, and a powerful blast of lightning thundered from her grasp, slamming directly into the back of Ilia, thundering crashing through the halls.
“I go the bitch, honey! I got her!” Shaun shouted as he skidded to a stop beside his wife. As Ilia kept running up the hall, her legs pumping for her life, Shaun calmly, mechanically set his stance, and reached into his quiver. He drew his arrow, and the slight creak of the bowstring could barely be heard over the rest of the party. He held his breath, and closed his eyes, uttering a brief prayer... and let loose.
As calls came from up ahead, and just beyond Ilia the forms of ten men and women clad in simple jerkins rounded the corner, Shaun’s arrow slashed through the air, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. The shot was true, directly where he aimed... and slashed into Ilia’s left leg, just behind her kneecap. Her tendons severed, she tumbled to the ground, her head hitting the stone floor with an audible thunk. She twitched, and fell still, save the rising and falling of her chest as she breathed.
As Ilia tumbled into unconsciousness, Grumki rounded the corner into the hall, and it did not take a court mage to realize the furious, screaming faces charging towards him were not friendly. Prayers on high rumbled from his lips, and a column of flame bore through the ranks of monks with holy fury, sending three of their forms cartwheeling to the side in screaming, flaming deaths, and leaving most of the others burned. As the seven others bore forward, it became apparent that black shapes, small and flower like, were at their hips.
Siabrey dashed towards the hallway, activating her boots of speed, before a noise caught her ear... the muffled shouts of Tess, complaining about her binding. As the thunder of Elenya’s lightning flashed through the hallway, Siabrey, with a quick, precise swing of her broken blade, cut the bindings on Tess’ arms. She then dashed into the hall herself, confident her newly movable friend would be able to pull off the binding around her mouth.
As she rounded the corner, the only thing on the fighter’s mind was taking down Ilia... the woman that had tried to kill Shaun, chased the party through Irulas, and now had laughed as her beloved Lucius was stolen from her. She was utterly surprised to see the woman’s form sprawled on the ground further up the hallway, and her eyes were drawn to the seven forms, now clearly members of the Black Rose, charging forward.
Good, Siabrey’s mind flared as her broken, hurt mind relished the thought of vengeance, You shall all enter the netherworlds soon... and your master shall quickly join you! She fighter leapt forward, the shatter form of Kelir above her head, a wicked battlecry echoing in the air.
Orion as well was now up, his bonds having been broken by Grumki. He too arrived only a second after Shaun’s shot felled Ilia, and he too noted the monks running towards the group. With a leap and a bound, he covered the nearly 70 feet between himself and the monks with ease, his foot extended to deliver a frightening blow to the jaw of one of the lead in the group, knocking the man back. As the three other monks close by swarmed him, an epic duel began.
Fists flew, faster than the eye could track, as the four martial artists alternately launched and dodged furious, deadly blows. Seeing that he was being faced on three fronts, Orion dashed towards the left wall of the room, and using his momentum, scampered up its side. As expected, two of the monks dashed after him. Using his higher positon, Orion kicked off the wall in mid run, backflipped through the air, and landed behind them. Before they could react, a fist was planted vicious in each of their backs, causing them to stumble. He then snapped around, his arm catching the first of the third, blocking what would have been a killing blow.
Siabrey, her scream still rising through the hall, charged towards the other two monks, and yet another high speed, epic duel began, as sword shard fought against fist. At first, Siabrey found herself on the defensive, being forced to spin Kelir’s shard around rapidly to block the flurry of punches headed her way. Within the second, she had already picked up a pattern in their blows, and as another flurry came, she lightly twisted Kelir to the side, slashing deeply into two of their arms as they tried to strike.
The monks continued their attacks, oblivious to mere pain, and several furious blows landed on Siabrey’s face and arms. The fighter could feel her face swelling in protest to the bruises the blows had inflicted, and her head swam. Nonetheless, she remained focused, determined on one thing... dispensing vengeance on those that had helped take away her Lucius. A new fury arose in her, and with a nearly demonic howl, she slashed Kelir through the air, disemboweling one of the monks.
Even as the cries and shouts of the duels rose in the air, more noises came, as the party saw more figures... nearly twenty, rounding the corner about 40 feet behind the monks. They were clad in what almost looked like the colors of the Imperial Guard... save the whites of their tunics were not snow white, and the gold of their dragons seemed more dull yellow. Their swords were upraised... all the excuse Grumki needed to call forth another flame strike, sending most of them back to their maker in a massive, flaming pyre. The others suddenly and quickly came to a confused, frightened halt, as more noise arose from around the corner, behind them...
The two monks Orion had punched in the back now turned on him, and he found himself fending off assaults from front and behind. With a flurry of blocks from his legs and fists, he dodged their assaults, before suddenly dropping low. With a sweeping leg kick, he brought all three to the ground. In a flash, his fists had shattered the windpipe of two of his assailants.
Siabrey’s blade continued to sing viciously through the air, as another monk tried to slam her in the face. She deftly dodged the blow, and the sharp end of Kelir’s sword found the man’s throat. She executed a frightening spin, sending the man’s jugular sailing through the air, before it quickly, menacingly came to rest at the throat of her third opponent, as the noise further ahead grew loud enough and close enough it could be made out... a multitude of voices, crying the same phrase...
“Surrender in the name of the Emperor!”
From around the corner again come more, clad in the pure snow white of the Imperial Guard, the golden dragons on their tunics seeming to snarl.
“Raise your arms, and drop your weapons!” Siabrey snarled, anger, loss and hatred in her eyes. Kelir quivered slightly at the throat of the monk to her front, as her rage thundered through her veins. I should kill you now! You helped cost me Lucius! her mind fumed, until cooler, quieter parts could take over.
Orion merely pointed to the two men with crushed windpipes laying on the floor, and called to the guardsmen, “Do not be like them! They paid with their lives!” Orion’s other hand was around the throat of the third monk that had faced him. The man’s eyes were wide with fear, and his hands slowly reached skyward.
The fight had been so furious, and so fast, that it was only by this point that the rest of the party could reach the area, panting. Shaun pushed Ilia’s form around, and with a smile, realized she was merely unconscious.
“She ain’t dead,” he grinned. Which means, we’ll have a chance to ask you all sorts of questions... and send you to your proper maker...
A large contingent of Imperial Guards... the REAL Imperial Guards, by this point had arrived. As the throng began taking in the prisoners, a small man, dressed in a bronzed breastplate, pushed his way to the front. His eyes ferreted around quickly, setting on Siabrey.
“Majesty,” he said breathlessly. “Where is His Majesty, Lucius?” the man asked, without bothering to introduce himself.
Siabrey’s mind, so focused on anger, finally and suddenly fell back, as Luke’s name hung in the air around her. My Luke... her heart cried, and she gave a slight shudder of sadness before her mind pushed it aside. I must talk to this man. Find out where the Countess went. Track her down, and free my Luke!
“He is not here, General,” she said, her voice dark with more than anger now. “The Countess took him. Have you seen her? Do you know where she went?” Her eyes flashed a deep, resolute flame that called for the woman’s blood.
The General recoiled slightly, his eyes belying a look mixing confusion, loss... and fear of who he was facing. Suddenly he dropped to a knee.
“Dammit, get up! Where did she go!? Have you seen her!?” Siabrey snarled. Where is she! TELL ME!
“Siabrey,” Elenya started softly, touching the fighter’s arm, “I believe she teleported... she’s likely in Holstean already...” the wizard’s voice trailed off. The young girl saw her friend’s face fall. “I’m... I’m sorry,” she added quietly.
“Your Majesty,” the General said quietly. “We came as fast as we could! We heard there were troops moving in the city dressed in Guard outfits... we had to fight out way down here... its a miracle we found you safe!”
STOP CALLING ME MAJESTY! Siabrey’s mind wanted to scream. I’m not the frickin’ Emperor! Alexander is the frickin’ Emperor! She pushed that fury aside, and pressed on with questions. General, I just need to know when I can get my husband!
“General, how soon can your troops be on the march? How soon till we can march on Holstean?” Siabrey asked again, the same determination in her eyes. The man’s eyes went slightly wide.
“We... we do not have the forces... we have merely the forces to hold Irulas...” he began, and before their eyes, the party watched as Siabrey seemed to crack and melt. The fighter gave another, very visible shudder. For a split second rage danced in her eyes, but before any of it could erupt, her mind had already reined itself in.
Its not this man’s fault they cannot find Luke... do not waste your anger on him... save it for the Countess... her mind decided, and with a deep breath, she decided to survey the situation. The Imperial Guard has been called... Alexander might be hurt, and Kelir is broken. Siabrey... what can you fix right away? Kelir. her mind decided.
Excellent choice, her sword said to her quietly. The other things will need time to resolve. In the meantime... perhaps...
“What news on the Emperor?” Tess asked the question Kelir was going to propose.
The General gave a shrug, and a sigh of frustration. “Alexander? We don’t know. All we know for certain is that there was an attempt on his life. In the last hour, there have been three couriers coming into the city from Illyant. One said he was dead, one said he was fine, and one said he was wounded, and nigh to death’s door. We just don’t know. Until we do, Your Majesty and retinue should go to the palace...”
“No air-tight rooms!” Shaun said angrily, “and I’d like to interrogate this bitch,” he kicked Ilia’s body. “Maybe she knows something about this mess.”
“Lord Dice, that can be arranged,” the General gave a nod. “And we’ll likely have you wait in the throne room... thats where the messengers have been arriving. That way, you all will find out the news as soon as...”
“...I need a forge,” Siabrey said quietly. “As soon as possible.”
“Um... there’s one at the palace,” the General said hurriedly. “Of course, I can have an orderly take your sword there Majesty for y...”
“I must take it there,” Siabrey said sharply and firmly. Her point was evidently made, as the General’s eyes went a little wide, and he did not press.
“Um... very well,” he said after a bit. “Majesty, Lords and Ladies, if you would follow me please...”
Just so happens their professions are being an assassin and their alignment is chaotic evil...
A Plan Foiled
The hallway outside the room began to fill with shouts and calls, as Ilia dashed outside, a furious Elenya on her heels. Ilia skidded through the doorway, and darted up the hallway at full tilt, as Shaun burst into the hallway mere seconds later, after grabbing his bow and quiver on the way out.
“Come back here, you bitch!” the wizard snarled, and she shouted a furious, screeching words of power as she too slid to a stop in the hallway. Magical power flared in her hands, and a powerful blast of lightning thundered from her grasp, slamming directly into the back of Ilia, thundering crashing through the halls.
“I go the bitch, honey! I got her!” Shaun shouted as he skidded to a stop beside his wife. As Ilia kept running up the hall, her legs pumping for her life, Shaun calmly, mechanically set his stance, and reached into his quiver. He drew his arrow, and the slight creak of the bowstring could barely be heard over the rest of the party. He held his breath, and closed his eyes, uttering a brief prayer... and let loose.
As calls came from up ahead, and just beyond Ilia the forms of ten men and women clad in simple jerkins rounded the corner, Shaun’s arrow slashed through the air, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. The shot was true, directly where he aimed... and slashed into Ilia’s left leg, just behind her kneecap. Her tendons severed, she tumbled to the ground, her head hitting the stone floor with an audible thunk. She twitched, and fell still, save the rising and falling of her chest as she breathed.
As Ilia tumbled into unconsciousness, Grumki rounded the corner into the hall, and it did not take a court mage to realize the furious, screaming faces charging towards him were not friendly. Prayers on high rumbled from his lips, and a column of flame bore through the ranks of monks with holy fury, sending three of their forms cartwheeling to the side in screaming, flaming deaths, and leaving most of the others burned. As the seven others bore forward, it became apparent that black shapes, small and flower like, were at their hips.
Siabrey dashed towards the hallway, activating her boots of speed, before a noise caught her ear... the muffled shouts of Tess, complaining about her binding. As the thunder of Elenya’s lightning flashed through the hallway, Siabrey, with a quick, precise swing of her broken blade, cut the bindings on Tess’ arms. She then dashed into the hall herself, confident her newly movable friend would be able to pull off the binding around her mouth.
As she rounded the corner, the only thing on the fighter’s mind was taking down Ilia... the woman that had tried to kill Shaun, chased the party through Irulas, and now had laughed as her beloved Lucius was stolen from her. She was utterly surprised to see the woman’s form sprawled on the ground further up the hallway, and her eyes were drawn to the seven forms, now clearly members of the Black Rose, charging forward.
Good, Siabrey’s mind flared as her broken, hurt mind relished the thought of vengeance, You shall all enter the netherworlds soon... and your master shall quickly join you! She fighter leapt forward, the shatter form of Kelir above her head, a wicked battlecry echoing in the air.
Orion as well was now up, his bonds having been broken by Grumki. He too arrived only a second after Shaun’s shot felled Ilia, and he too noted the monks running towards the group. With a leap and a bound, he covered the nearly 70 feet between himself and the monks with ease, his foot extended to deliver a frightening blow to the jaw of one of the lead in the group, knocking the man back. As the three other monks close by swarmed him, an epic duel began.
Fists flew, faster than the eye could track, as the four martial artists alternately launched and dodged furious, deadly blows. Seeing that he was being faced on three fronts, Orion dashed towards the left wall of the room, and using his momentum, scampered up its side. As expected, two of the monks dashed after him. Using his higher positon, Orion kicked off the wall in mid run, backflipped through the air, and landed behind them. Before they could react, a fist was planted vicious in each of their backs, causing them to stumble. He then snapped around, his arm catching the first of the third, blocking what would have been a killing blow.
Siabrey, her scream still rising through the hall, charged towards the other two monks, and yet another high speed, epic duel began, as sword shard fought against fist. At first, Siabrey found herself on the defensive, being forced to spin Kelir’s shard around rapidly to block the flurry of punches headed her way. Within the second, she had already picked up a pattern in their blows, and as another flurry came, she lightly twisted Kelir to the side, slashing deeply into two of their arms as they tried to strike.
The monks continued their attacks, oblivious to mere pain, and several furious blows landed on Siabrey’s face and arms. The fighter could feel her face swelling in protest to the bruises the blows had inflicted, and her head swam. Nonetheless, she remained focused, determined on one thing... dispensing vengeance on those that had helped take away her Lucius. A new fury arose in her, and with a nearly demonic howl, she slashed Kelir through the air, disemboweling one of the monks.
Even as the cries and shouts of the duels rose in the air, more noises came, as the party saw more figures... nearly twenty, rounding the corner about 40 feet behind the monks. They were clad in what almost looked like the colors of the Imperial Guard... save the whites of their tunics were not snow white, and the gold of their dragons seemed more dull yellow. Their swords were upraised... all the excuse Grumki needed to call forth another flame strike, sending most of them back to their maker in a massive, flaming pyre. The others suddenly and quickly came to a confused, frightened halt, as more noise arose from around the corner, behind them...
The two monks Orion had punched in the back now turned on him, and he found himself fending off assaults from front and behind. With a flurry of blocks from his legs and fists, he dodged their assaults, before suddenly dropping low. With a sweeping leg kick, he brought all three to the ground. In a flash, his fists had shattered the windpipe of two of his assailants.
Siabrey’s blade continued to sing viciously through the air, as another monk tried to slam her in the face. She deftly dodged the blow, and the sharp end of Kelir’s sword found the man’s throat. She executed a frightening spin, sending the man’s jugular sailing through the air, before it quickly, menacingly came to rest at the throat of her third opponent, as the noise further ahead grew loud enough and close enough it could be made out... a multitude of voices, crying the same phrase...
“Surrender in the name of the Emperor!”
From around the corner again come more, clad in the pure snow white of the Imperial Guard, the golden dragons on their tunics seeming to snarl.
“Raise your arms, and drop your weapons!” Siabrey snarled, anger, loss and hatred in her eyes. Kelir quivered slightly at the throat of the monk to her front, as her rage thundered through her veins. I should kill you now! You helped cost me Lucius! her mind fumed, until cooler, quieter parts could take over.
Orion merely pointed to the two men with crushed windpipes laying on the floor, and called to the guardsmen, “Do not be like them! They paid with their lives!” Orion’s other hand was around the throat of the third monk that had faced him. The man’s eyes were wide with fear, and his hands slowly reached skyward.
The fight had been so furious, and so fast, that it was only by this point that the rest of the party could reach the area, panting. Shaun pushed Ilia’s form around, and with a smile, realized she was merely unconscious.
“She ain’t dead,” he grinned. Which means, we’ll have a chance to ask you all sorts of questions... and send you to your proper maker...
A large contingent of Imperial Guards... the REAL Imperial Guards, by this point had arrived. As the throng began taking in the prisoners, a small man, dressed in a bronzed breastplate, pushed his way to the front. His eyes ferreted around quickly, setting on Siabrey.
“Majesty,” he said breathlessly. “Where is His Majesty, Lucius?” the man asked, without bothering to introduce himself.
Siabrey’s mind, so focused on anger, finally and suddenly fell back, as Luke’s name hung in the air around her. My Luke... her heart cried, and she gave a slight shudder of sadness before her mind pushed it aside. I must talk to this man. Find out where the Countess went. Track her down, and free my Luke!
“He is not here, General,” she said, her voice dark with more than anger now. “The Countess took him. Have you seen her? Do you know where she went?” Her eyes flashed a deep, resolute flame that called for the woman’s blood.
The General recoiled slightly, his eyes belying a look mixing confusion, loss... and fear of who he was facing. Suddenly he dropped to a knee.
“Dammit, get up! Where did she go!? Have you seen her!?” Siabrey snarled. Where is she! TELL ME!
“Siabrey,” Elenya started softly, touching the fighter’s arm, “I believe she teleported... she’s likely in Holstean already...” the wizard’s voice trailed off. The young girl saw her friend’s face fall. “I’m... I’m sorry,” she added quietly.
“Your Majesty,” the General said quietly. “We came as fast as we could! We heard there were troops moving in the city dressed in Guard outfits... we had to fight out way down here... its a miracle we found you safe!”
STOP CALLING ME MAJESTY! Siabrey’s mind wanted to scream. I’m not the frickin’ Emperor! Alexander is the frickin’ Emperor! She pushed that fury aside, and pressed on with questions. General, I just need to know when I can get my husband!
“General, how soon can your troops be on the march? How soon till we can march on Holstean?” Siabrey asked again, the same determination in her eyes. The man’s eyes went slightly wide.
“We... we do not have the forces... we have merely the forces to hold Irulas...” he began, and before their eyes, the party watched as Siabrey seemed to crack and melt. The fighter gave another, very visible shudder. For a split second rage danced in her eyes, but before any of it could erupt, her mind had already reined itself in.
Its not this man’s fault they cannot find Luke... do not waste your anger on him... save it for the Countess... her mind decided, and with a deep breath, she decided to survey the situation. The Imperial Guard has been called... Alexander might be hurt, and Kelir is broken. Siabrey... what can you fix right away? Kelir. her mind decided.
Excellent choice, her sword said to her quietly. The other things will need time to resolve. In the meantime... perhaps...
“What news on the Emperor?” Tess asked the question Kelir was going to propose.
The General gave a shrug, and a sigh of frustration. “Alexander? We don’t know. All we know for certain is that there was an attempt on his life. In the last hour, there have been three couriers coming into the city from Illyant. One said he was dead, one said he was fine, and one said he was wounded, and nigh to death’s door. We just don’t know. Until we do, Your Majesty and retinue should go to the palace...”
“No air-tight rooms!” Shaun said angrily, “and I’d like to interrogate this bitch,” he kicked Ilia’s body. “Maybe she knows something about this mess.”
“Lord Dice, that can be arranged,” the General gave a nod. “And we’ll likely have you wait in the throne room... thats where the messengers have been arriving. That way, you all will find out the news as soon as...”
“...I need a forge,” Siabrey said quietly. “As soon as possible.”
“Um... there’s one at the palace,” the General said hurriedly. “Of course, I can have an orderly take your sword there Majesty for y...”
“I must take it there,” Siabrey said sharply and firmly. Her point was evidently made, as the General’s eyes went a little wide, and he did not press.
“Um... very well,” he said after a bit. “Majesty, Lords and Ladies, if you would follow me please...”
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Emperor Valerian
First Post
The Interrogation - The party interrogates Ilia...
With a solid clamp noise as shields locked around the party, the guardsmen near them formed a tight wall around them, hustling them through the corridors of the mountain. Where-ever the party looked, right and left, they could see the grim results of the Guardsmen’s work... cut down Black Rose assassins and fighters lay strewn about. Behind, the noise of hte guards whipping on the prisoners the party had taken echoed through the halls.
More and more guardsmen formed around the party, till Shaun was sure that there were several hundred clustered around, ranks five and six thick on all sides of the party. The General, of whoever, was to the front, shouting and calling as more troops joined in the procession.
When the party left the mountainside, the sky overhead was already changing from the depths of night to a navy blue, as the sun slowly was starting its rise behind the mountain. A few quick turns through the streets of the still sleeping city, and the party, along with their extensive guard accompaniment, were now outside the colonnaded walls and spires of the Governor’s Palace.
Shaun was surprised, however, when the General barked a few orders, and most of the sea of guards surrounded Siabrey as she conducted herself off towards the palace forge. By the looks in her eyes, she was undoubtedly surprised as well, as they quickly ushered her and the rest of the party to their destinations within the safety of the Palace walls.
“Tess?” Shaun asked uneasily, “why are most of the guards going with Siabrey? Especially considering the general up ahead is with us?” I’m very confused.
“Shaun,” Tess turned to him, her eyes quiet in seriousness, “we are merely going to interrogate an unconscious, bound woman. Siabrey....” she stopped, and Shaun could almost see the anguish of Luke’s disappearance on her face as well, “Siabrey for all we know... is the lone ruler of the entire Empire right now...”
“Pelor help us...” Shaun muttered. He knew his friend... and in his mind, he could already see her mentally collapsing...
The General, who gave his name as Andronicus, led the rest of the party through a winding barrage of stairs and increasingly dank halls, into the bowels of the palace. After perhaps a half hour, he opened an, iron door, which led into the part of the palace that only traitors saw...
...the Imperial dungeons.
The room was only slightly lit by a few candles, but their soft light illuminated numerous vicious looking implements... racks, manacles, whips, flails, even an iron maiden. Shaun was split... part of him, the party that loathed and hated Ilia and all she stood for, relished the thought of making her talk in here. Another part... the former thief in him, quailed at the sight of all of these instruments of pain.
Tess gave a slight whistle at all of the instruments, and a few seconds later the still limp form of Ilia was dragged into the room by several guardsmen, and unceremoniously dumped alongside a wall.
“You have free reign to question her as you like... I only ask that you turn her over after to my jurisdiction after you finish,” Andronicus said. “I know this woman has caused Your Lordships great harm...”
“We wish you to stay, General,” Tess said calmly, too calmly. She had sunk into the same quiet, dangerous mode she had been in while questioning Tess, and while questioning the Black Rose. “So that you may hear any useful information we obtain from her.” And possibly, you could instruct us on how to use some of this equipment, if she has information that might save our friend! “As for now,” Tess leaned over towards the prone woman, and drew Fa’rallan, “its time to wake her up!”
As Fa’rallan slid alongside Ilia’s throat, Shaun rudely tossed a bucket of water into the assassin’s face. Her eye flared open with a jump, a twitch that was cut short as she felt the cold steel of a dagger by her throat.
“Good morning,” Tess said quietly, her voice a terrifying whisper. “Do not worry, you are bound... just like I was. You will answer our questions,” the bard said with finality, not asking or brooking any dissent. Ilia’s eyes betrayed a sneer, and Fa’rallan bit slightly closer to the assassin’s throat.
“How many troops does the Countess have, Ilia?” Tess asked quietly. To her fury, the assassin gave a deep chuckle... Fa’rallan scratching her throat slightly as she laughed.
“You should already know, witch... considering what you did to Rogar!” Ilia growled.
“Why did the Countess take Lucius?” Shaun jumped in, his own voice dangerously quiet, as his hands toyed with the same rose colored rapier that had been Ilia’s bane only an hour or two before. I’m not sure I want to know the answer... but I must know! Why?
“Do I look like a sorcerer? Or a demon? I don’t know, you fool!” Ilia snarled at him. For a second, Fa’rallan closed tighter on the assassin’s throat, before Tess withdrew the weapon and stood, looking at Shaun, Orion and Grumki.
“It’s clear she’s not going to cooperate,” Tess said, reading the defiance in the assassin’s eyes. Tess eyed the instruments along the wall... wariness coming back into her head, as her humanity pushed aside her anger. “I’m afraid we might have to start asking how to use some of those,” she whispered. The thought of using them suddenly did not seem so welcoming... her human side was now frightened to touch one of them.
“Let me talk to her... Grumki has a way with assassins,” the half orc announced loudly and proudly. Tess nodded to him, and Grumki stepped over towards the prone assassin, baring his tusks in a dangerous half orc smile.
“Last time I interrogated someone... it was a young man named Shivalas,” the cleric threw in her son’s name. “When I looked at him, he peed all over the floor of the Temple of Kord.” The cleric drew closer and closer to the woman, his shadow looming massive over her. “I will resort to ever harsher things to you... if you do not cooperate.” His bass was loud, rumbling, the full Intimidation of Kord on full display.
“Ha!” Ilia’s mezzo-soprano laughed echoed. “It is unbecoming of a cleric, even a cleric of so obscure and pointless a diety as Kord, to lie to a prisoner!” Her guffaws made Grumki’s greenish skin turn bright red with fury, and before anyone can say something, his massive paws grabbed Ilia by the throat and hefted her skyward.
“You doubt that Grumki can hurt you?!” an ear-splitting bellow came from his throat as he started to shake her, her legs flailing like those of a ragdoll.
“You honestly... expect...me... to... talk...when... I....am...being...choked?” Ilia managed to rasp out. Tess tapped the half orc hard on the shoulder, and reluctantly Grumki let her drop to the ground.
Perhaps its time for a new tack, Shaun thought, looking on as Ilia recovered. Unlike Tess, his anger and fury stilled burned bright as Ilia's eyes still screamed defiance.
“Your son is dead... why should you think it would be...”
“You lie!” she positively snarled at him, leaning forward as if to try and rush him.
Ah... so I’ve hit a soft spot... Shaun smiled inwardly. Now to twist the knot a little bit.
“Why would I lie about such things?” Shaun said with a grin... even a deadly smile. “Orion... if you please. Go fetch the boy’s head.”
Ilia merely spit towards Shaun. “You lie! I will not believe such rubbish! Shivalas is a strong, valiant young man!”
While I wait, I might as well have some fun Shaun thought again, sadistically. He grabbed her eyepatch, and whipped it over so it covered her good eye. Moving it revealed to the world the empty socket that the long scar on her face ran over.
“Now... how do you honestly expect me to believe you when you cover my eyes like this?” she sneered again, engaging in her own mind game to try and irritate and annoy him. “You obviously...”
As she continued to rant, Shaun roughly grabbed her by the hair, and drawing his dagger, began cutting pieces of it, and throwing the blond strands into her face. It gave him a sense of satisfaction, of release, to see her elaborate blonde locks destroyed... a taste of what would happen when Orion returned.
“Why are you tossing your hair in my face!” she snapped, unable to see. “What kind of interrogator are you? You think I’ll talk just because you annoy me and tell me silly tales?”
Shaun stood and waited, enduring a few moments of her ranting, before Orion returned, with the severed head of the young man. Carefully, Shaun brushed away the hairs on her face, and moved the eyepatch back. Just as Orion thrust Shivalas’ head, eyes replete with looks of abject terror, into her face.
As Ilia’s face contorts into a look of absolute horror, Shaun dryly commented, “I don’t lie about such things.”
A second later, Ilia retched into her own lap. The look of terror, the look of horror in her eyes was invigorating almost. Now you feel what you’ve caused so many! Shaun wanted to shout. Instead, he tossed the head into her lap, as Ilia started to softly mew, sobbing.
“Now that we’ve shown you what we can do... answer our questions,” Shaun said simply. When he looked up, he saw Elenya and Tess were looking at him with looks of fright on their faces. Their looks brought his humanity back again, and he dismissed his next plan to humiliate and frighten her. She’s broken now, Shaun thought, seeing her openly crying now, She’ll answer your questions now.
“How many march with the Countess?” he sighed.
“I...I don’t know,” she said between sobs. “I...I don’t know! P...please...s...stop!”
“What are they going to do to Lucius?” he asked again, confident her response to the first question was truthful. Her crying increased even more.
“I...I...I don’t know...s...she said s...she needed another...a...another to k...keep t...the balors in line...” Ilia sputtered between genuine tears.
Another to keep the balors in mind? Shaun wondered, and his look spoke of his unasked question to Tess.
“Balors are extremely powerful demons... they don’t like to listen to any authority save force,” the bard said quietly. “If she needs Lucius to go evil to help keep them in line... she’s having trouble with controlling her own ranks...”
A very valuable piece of knowledge, Shaun recognized with a nod. He then turned back to Ilia, her head down, now only a shell of the defiant assassin that had been there only moments before.
“Does the Countess march with her army, or stay in Holstean?”
“S...she...she marches,” Ilia gurgled quietly. With a nod of disgust, the party left her to the ‘care’ of General Andronicus, and marched up towards the throne room of the palace, to try and discover what really happened to Alexander...
The party’s arrival in the massive room they had once danced in at a gala caused quite a stir. Court rumor had long linked them with Emperor Alexander, and almost immediately they were assailed with petitioners demanding to know where the Emperor was, as well as the status of their cases.
Overwhelmed, the party quietly deflated many of their hopes by telling them they were just as in the dark as everyone else, and in fact had come here to find out the Emperor’s fate themselves. Couriers streak in and out, some from the nobles and merchants gathered inside, some from others not in the palace.
The ones that attract all attention are those bearing the livery of the Imperial family, which seem to arrive every five minutes. Some claim that the Emperor is dead, and that Lucius Caladron has been proclaimed in his place. Others say he is just fine, and marching on Holstean as they spoke. One courier, clad in the colors of the Lord Holgren, even claimed that the Emperor had fought the Countess in a great battle, and had single handedly slain her.
Rather quickly, the party realized that they were stuck in the midst of a confusing maelstrom, and that likely no one understood what was happening...
With a solid clamp noise as shields locked around the party, the guardsmen near them formed a tight wall around them, hustling them through the corridors of the mountain. Where-ever the party looked, right and left, they could see the grim results of the Guardsmen’s work... cut down Black Rose assassins and fighters lay strewn about. Behind, the noise of hte guards whipping on the prisoners the party had taken echoed through the halls.
More and more guardsmen formed around the party, till Shaun was sure that there were several hundred clustered around, ranks five and six thick on all sides of the party. The General, of whoever, was to the front, shouting and calling as more troops joined in the procession.
When the party left the mountainside, the sky overhead was already changing from the depths of night to a navy blue, as the sun slowly was starting its rise behind the mountain. A few quick turns through the streets of the still sleeping city, and the party, along with their extensive guard accompaniment, were now outside the colonnaded walls and spires of the Governor’s Palace.
Shaun was surprised, however, when the General barked a few orders, and most of the sea of guards surrounded Siabrey as she conducted herself off towards the palace forge. By the looks in her eyes, she was undoubtedly surprised as well, as they quickly ushered her and the rest of the party to their destinations within the safety of the Palace walls.
“Tess?” Shaun asked uneasily, “why are most of the guards going with Siabrey? Especially considering the general up ahead is with us?” I’m very confused.
“Shaun,” Tess turned to him, her eyes quiet in seriousness, “we are merely going to interrogate an unconscious, bound woman. Siabrey....” she stopped, and Shaun could almost see the anguish of Luke’s disappearance on her face as well, “Siabrey for all we know... is the lone ruler of the entire Empire right now...”
“Pelor help us...” Shaun muttered. He knew his friend... and in his mind, he could already see her mentally collapsing...
The General, who gave his name as Andronicus, led the rest of the party through a winding barrage of stairs and increasingly dank halls, into the bowels of the palace. After perhaps a half hour, he opened an, iron door, which led into the part of the palace that only traitors saw...
...the Imperial dungeons.
The room was only slightly lit by a few candles, but their soft light illuminated numerous vicious looking implements... racks, manacles, whips, flails, even an iron maiden. Shaun was split... part of him, the party that loathed and hated Ilia and all she stood for, relished the thought of making her talk in here. Another part... the former thief in him, quailed at the sight of all of these instruments of pain.
Tess gave a slight whistle at all of the instruments, and a few seconds later the still limp form of Ilia was dragged into the room by several guardsmen, and unceremoniously dumped alongside a wall.
“You have free reign to question her as you like... I only ask that you turn her over after to my jurisdiction after you finish,” Andronicus said. “I know this woman has caused Your Lordships great harm...”
“We wish you to stay, General,” Tess said calmly, too calmly. She had sunk into the same quiet, dangerous mode she had been in while questioning Tess, and while questioning the Black Rose. “So that you may hear any useful information we obtain from her.” And possibly, you could instruct us on how to use some of this equipment, if she has information that might save our friend! “As for now,” Tess leaned over towards the prone woman, and drew Fa’rallan, “its time to wake her up!”
As Fa’rallan slid alongside Ilia’s throat, Shaun rudely tossed a bucket of water into the assassin’s face. Her eye flared open with a jump, a twitch that was cut short as she felt the cold steel of a dagger by her throat.
“Good morning,” Tess said quietly, her voice a terrifying whisper. “Do not worry, you are bound... just like I was. You will answer our questions,” the bard said with finality, not asking or brooking any dissent. Ilia’s eyes betrayed a sneer, and Fa’rallan bit slightly closer to the assassin’s throat.
“How many troops does the Countess have, Ilia?” Tess asked quietly. To her fury, the assassin gave a deep chuckle... Fa’rallan scratching her throat slightly as she laughed.
“You should already know, witch... considering what you did to Rogar!” Ilia growled.
“Why did the Countess take Lucius?” Shaun jumped in, his own voice dangerously quiet, as his hands toyed with the same rose colored rapier that had been Ilia’s bane only an hour or two before. I’m not sure I want to know the answer... but I must know! Why?
“Do I look like a sorcerer? Or a demon? I don’t know, you fool!” Ilia snarled at him. For a second, Fa’rallan closed tighter on the assassin’s throat, before Tess withdrew the weapon and stood, looking at Shaun, Orion and Grumki.
“It’s clear she’s not going to cooperate,” Tess said, reading the defiance in the assassin’s eyes. Tess eyed the instruments along the wall... wariness coming back into her head, as her humanity pushed aside her anger. “I’m afraid we might have to start asking how to use some of those,” she whispered. The thought of using them suddenly did not seem so welcoming... her human side was now frightened to touch one of them.
“Let me talk to her... Grumki has a way with assassins,” the half orc announced loudly and proudly. Tess nodded to him, and Grumki stepped over towards the prone assassin, baring his tusks in a dangerous half orc smile.
“Last time I interrogated someone... it was a young man named Shivalas,” the cleric threw in her son’s name. “When I looked at him, he peed all over the floor of the Temple of Kord.” The cleric drew closer and closer to the woman, his shadow looming massive over her. “I will resort to ever harsher things to you... if you do not cooperate.” His bass was loud, rumbling, the full Intimidation of Kord on full display.
“Ha!” Ilia’s mezzo-soprano laughed echoed. “It is unbecoming of a cleric, even a cleric of so obscure and pointless a diety as Kord, to lie to a prisoner!” Her guffaws made Grumki’s greenish skin turn bright red with fury, and before anyone can say something, his massive paws grabbed Ilia by the throat and hefted her skyward.
“You doubt that Grumki can hurt you?!” an ear-splitting bellow came from his throat as he started to shake her, her legs flailing like those of a ragdoll.
“You honestly... expect...me... to... talk...when... I....am...being...choked?” Ilia managed to rasp out. Tess tapped the half orc hard on the shoulder, and reluctantly Grumki let her drop to the ground.
Perhaps its time for a new tack, Shaun thought, looking on as Ilia recovered. Unlike Tess, his anger and fury stilled burned bright as Ilia's eyes still screamed defiance.
“Your son is dead... why should you think it would be...”
“You lie!” she positively snarled at him, leaning forward as if to try and rush him.
Ah... so I’ve hit a soft spot... Shaun smiled inwardly. Now to twist the knot a little bit.
“Why would I lie about such things?” Shaun said with a grin... even a deadly smile. “Orion... if you please. Go fetch the boy’s head.”
Ilia merely spit towards Shaun. “You lie! I will not believe such rubbish! Shivalas is a strong, valiant young man!”
While I wait, I might as well have some fun Shaun thought again, sadistically. He grabbed her eyepatch, and whipped it over so it covered her good eye. Moving it revealed to the world the empty socket that the long scar on her face ran over.
“Now... how do you honestly expect me to believe you when you cover my eyes like this?” she sneered again, engaging in her own mind game to try and irritate and annoy him. “You obviously...”
As she continued to rant, Shaun roughly grabbed her by the hair, and drawing his dagger, began cutting pieces of it, and throwing the blond strands into her face. It gave him a sense of satisfaction, of release, to see her elaborate blonde locks destroyed... a taste of what would happen when Orion returned.
“Why are you tossing your hair in my face!” she snapped, unable to see. “What kind of interrogator are you? You think I’ll talk just because you annoy me and tell me silly tales?”
Shaun stood and waited, enduring a few moments of her ranting, before Orion returned, with the severed head of the young man. Carefully, Shaun brushed away the hairs on her face, and moved the eyepatch back. Just as Orion thrust Shivalas’ head, eyes replete with looks of abject terror, into her face.
As Ilia’s face contorts into a look of absolute horror, Shaun dryly commented, “I don’t lie about such things.”
A second later, Ilia retched into her own lap. The look of terror, the look of horror in her eyes was invigorating almost. Now you feel what you’ve caused so many! Shaun wanted to shout. Instead, he tossed the head into her lap, as Ilia started to softly mew, sobbing.
“Now that we’ve shown you what we can do... answer our questions,” Shaun said simply. When he looked up, he saw Elenya and Tess were looking at him with looks of fright on their faces. Their looks brought his humanity back again, and he dismissed his next plan to humiliate and frighten her. She’s broken now, Shaun thought, seeing her openly crying now, She’ll answer your questions now.
“How many march with the Countess?” he sighed.
“I...I don’t know,” she said between sobs. “I...I don’t know! P...please...s...stop!”
“What are they going to do to Lucius?” he asked again, confident her response to the first question was truthful. Her crying increased even more.
“I...I...I don’t know...s...she said s...she needed another...a...another to k...keep t...the balors in line...” Ilia sputtered between genuine tears.
Another to keep the balors in mind? Shaun wondered, and his look spoke of his unasked question to Tess.
“Balors are extremely powerful demons... they don’t like to listen to any authority save force,” the bard said quietly. “If she needs Lucius to go evil to help keep them in line... she’s having trouble with controlling her own ranks...”
A very valuable piece of knowledge, Shaun recognized with a nod. He then turned back to Ilia, her head down, now only a shell of the defiant assassin that had been there only moments before.
“Does the Countess march with her army, or stay in Holstean?”
“S...she...she marches,” Ilia gurgled quietly. With a nod of disgust, the party left her to the ‘care’ of General Andronicus, and marched up towards the throne room of the palace, to try and discover what really happened to Alexander...
The party’s arrival in the massive room they had once danced in at a gala caused quite a stir. Court rumor had long linked them with Emperor Alexander, and almost immediately they were assailed with petitioners demanding to know where the Emperor was, as well as the status of their cases.
Overwhelmed, the party quietly deflated many of their hopes by telling them they were just as in the dark as everyone else, and in fact had come here to find out the Emperor’s fate themselves. Couriers streak in and out, some from the nobles and merchants gathered inside, some from others not in the palace.
The ones that attract all attention are those bearing the livery of the Imperial family, which seem to arrive every five minutes. Some claim that the Emperor is dead, and that Lucius Caladron has been proclaimed in his place. Others say he is just fine, and marching on Holstean as they spoke. One courier, clad in the colors of the Lord Holgren, even claimed that the Emperor had fought the Countess in a great battle, and had single handedly slain her.
Rather quickly, the party realized that they were stuck in the midst of a confusing maelstrom, and that likely no one understood what was happening...
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Emperor Valerian
First Post
Siabrey (typed by drag n fly)
My Lucius, my dear dear Lucius Siabrey’s mind and heart were twisted up tighter than the grip she had on Kelir’s shattered pieces stuck through her belt. The sword, thank Heironeous, was still fully magical, although it would be difficult to repair.
“If ever your sword breaks, you must reforge it, and you alone.” Stodiana’s voice echoed through the hallways of Siabrey’s memory. The magic in that sword is tied to the Sipner bloodline; it will not heed anyone else’s attempts to heal it.
I never thought I’d need to reforge you, Kelir. she thought to her sword. Its deep bass voice came back with a trace of sarcasm.
”Neither did I. Then again, I never thought that either of us would be in the position that we are now.”
Siabrey was confused by the sword’s ominous tone. What do you mean?
Her query was interrupted as her and her guard entourage turned a corner. The echoing clank of the guard retinue’s armor echoed, as before them lay a pair of heavy metal doors, propped open. Siabrey could feel the heat searing through its opening.
“Thank you, gentlemen. I’ll take it from here.” Siabrey said to her guards. The coolness in her voice surprised her. At the loss of Lucius, everyone had fully expected her to fall apart, but some last inner reserve of strength was somehow holding her up. A part of her mind barely registered that it was the knowledge of the task at hand that was perhaps the only thing keeping the fighter from sinking into the oblivion of her mind as she headed through the open forge doors.
Inside, the room resembled an inferno from the pits of the Abyss. Fully five times as large as any forge she had been in, the temperature hovered around 105 degrees, kept constant by the row of fires at the back of the long narrow room. Siabrey instantly felt herself beginning to sweat under her armor.
As she entered, several very experienced looking dwarves and men looked up. It was hard to tell what they were more surprised at; the gender of the person entering the room, or pair of royal guards that had accompanied her and had now positioned themselves authoritatively on either side of the room’s entrance.
“Good day, miss. What can we do for you?” A tall dark-skinned man with arms like pythons stood and smiled guardedly at her.
“I require the use of one of your furnaces.” Siabrey said, beginning to strip off her armor. Several of the dwarves whistled at the craftsmanship as its stylings glimmered in the firelight.
The man also appraised her armor with a careful eye. “Do you need to be fixing that?”
“No, it is my sword that needs to be re-forged.” Siabrey pulled the broken pieces of Kelir from her belt and cradled them gently.
“A sword? Let me see.” The man held out a hand and Siabrey passed over the pieces rather reluctantly. It felt hard to let Kelir go, even for a few minutes.
The smith tested the blade carefully, running a finger over the sandhog hilt wrapping and staring at the runes for a long while. “Well, I don’t think it’ll be that much of a problem. A few days time and we’ll…”
“The sword must be re-forged today…and I will do it.” Siabrey steeled her fiery eyes on the man and for the first time he noticed how they glowed exactly like his furnaces. A rumor ran through the back of his mind, The Princess, the one who is married to the Emperor's heir, supposedly she has red eyes…and she is supposed to wield a katana, marked with runes just like this… Suddenly realizing exactly who he had in his forge, the man gulped and handed the sword pieces back quickly. He somehow resisted the urge to immediately fall to his knees... she hadn’t demanded him to bow, and the last thing he wanted was to offend her.
“Of course, Your Highness. The forge is yours,” he stammered.
“Thank you, sir.” Siabrey inclined her head in a polite bow to the smith, and made her way over to the largest and hottest of the fires. Two of the dwarves brought her armor over and rested it beside her, but she barely noticed. Her mind flickered along with the flames, and she drew a deep breath.
You must help me now, Kelir. I have never forged a blade before, let alone one as special as you.
”I was made by your mother, Siabrey, and re-forged once by your father. The very blood that made me runs in your veins. Trust yourself; the fire will do the rest.”
Nodding imperceptively, Siabrey reached for the pair of tongs by the fires edge. Gently grasping the upper point of her sword in it, she sent a swift prayer to Hieroneous to watch over her blade…and her lost love. She leaned forward, sliding her beloved blade into the hot flames, and waited. Counting silently in her head, she watched the blade grow hotter and hotter, till eventually its shade matched the color of her eyes. Pulling the metal free from the flames, she then repeated the process with the second half of the sword, stopping to unwrap the skin from the hilt. When both pieces were flaming slightly from the heat, she placed them both on the nearby slab of iron, positioning them so that the broken edges realigned.
Now came the hard part.
Lifting the hammer that would remake her sword, Siabrey sent a worried thought to Kelir. The sword’s response was strong and free from hesitation. Strike true, Siabrey. I trust you.
Even the other smiths in the room held their breath as Siabrey’s hammer began to fall. Letting a fighter, even one as high-ranking as this, re-forge her own blade when none of them had any idea if she could even work a forge was troubling them. So far, she had done everything right, but now…
TING!
The echo of metal on metal resounded through the room; the returning echo a note so perfect that even Tess would have approved.
Siabrey smiled, and thanked every blacksmith she had ever watched forging a blade. Her arm settled into a steady rhythm of hammering the heated metal together, flipping the blade over to pound the other side before sticking it back into the flames to be reheated, and then hammering again.
She was several hours into the task before she even knew it. Kelir had helped her pass the time by singing her a strange tune that he said he had learned from her father. It was oddly comforting in the face of all her anxieties.
I hear some distant drumbeat
A heartbeat pulsing low
Is it coming from within
A heartbeat I don't know
A troubled heart knows no peace
From a dark and poisoned pool
Of liberty now lost
A pawn, an oppressors tool
Oh my heart be strong
And guide when eyes grow dim
When ears grow deaf with empty words
When I know there's life within
A change is slow in coming
My eyes can scarcely see
The rays of hope come streaming
Through the smoke of apathy
But oh my heart be strong
And guide when eyes grow dim
When ears grow deaf with empty words
When I know there's life within
May the spirit never die
Though a troubled heart feels pain
When this long winter is over
It will blossom once again (drag n fly’s note: this song is adopted from Loreena McKennitt’s “Breaking the Silence”. A beautiful song and a beautiful singer)
Stopping to take a break and steal a sip of water from a nearby barrel, Siabrey sat, turning her partially healed sword over and over in her hands. Although the blade still glowed red hot, she felt no pain from the heat. As she stared into the blade, her eyes marked that the runes, despite the sword’s metal having been drastically heated, were still glistening on its surface.
Oh Kelir, I miss Lucius. she sighed softly. There was a pause, before the sword answered in a strangely pitched voice. So do I. Siabrey frowned. What do you mean, Kelir? The sword heaved a sigh that only she could hear, and she felt its worry and concern for her flooding through her fingers. You still don’t realize it, do you, Siabrey?
Realize what? she was concerned.
Siabrey, open your eyes. Don’t you notice the way your friends were looking at you when Lucius was taken? The way those guards refuse to leave your side? Why the men and dwarves in this room are practically soiling themselves at your presence? At Siabrey’s quizzled stare Kelir vibrated softly in her hands.
If Alexander is indeed dead, then Lucius would be Emperor. With him gone, you are technically the Head of State, if not Empress!
Siabrey’s jaw dropped. With all that had been going on, she had totally forgotten that her recent marriage and Lucius’ anointment as Heir made her now, technically, the highest ranking noble around. Her limbs began to shake and she felt the usual admonitions and fears beginning to crop up. I can’t be in charge! I don’t know the first thing about ruling an Empire! I’ll screw everything up! Even as they went screaming through her head however, another, quieter part of her mind began talking in a voice that was a surprising combination of her mother, Kelir, and Lucius. We have faith in you. they whispered. You have spent most of your life around nobles. You are married to one of the youngest, yet most powerful nobles around. More than that though, Siabrey, you have noble blood, and fey blood, in your veins. And most importantly, you are not alone; you have your friends to help you and watch out for you. The voices congealed into one that she knew very well.
As will I. Kelir’s steely voice was full of comfort and resolve. Even broken, it still was her strength.
Siabrey’s head lifted, a new strange look in her fiery eyes. Had Tess or Shaun seen her at that moment, they would have been shocked to see a deep calm and resolution burning within as she stood and made her way over to the forge and began to heat her sword once again.
Twenty hours later, the task was complete. Kelir’s shiny new surface gleamed as she pulled him from the bucket of water she had used to cool his fire. The surface, unmarred except by a string of indecipherable runes, glinted back at her. A dull round of applause echoed from the various corners of the room as the other occupants smiled at her success. Smiling back, Siabrey sheathed her sword quickly and gathered up her armor. Someone had taken the opportunity to clean and polish it for her while she had been busy, and she was deeply grateful for the gesture.
Exiting the boiling hot room, Siabrey breathed in deep the cool air of the corridors.
“Where to now, Your Highness?” One of the guardsmen asked. It was not the same one that had accompanied her down to the forge; sometime during the night they had switched shifts on her.
Siabrey took one glance at herself. She was drenched in sweat, and her clothes were grimy. Smiling softly, she lifted her gaze to the guardsmen. “Where would you go if you were filthier than a hog and stank like one too?”
The two men chuckled; they were part of Alexander’s regiments and enjoyed a noble with a good sense of humor.
“Perhaps up to the late Empress’ bathing rooms?” one suggested.
Siabrey wrinkled her nose, then relaxed. As much as she had hated Zoe, a bath was sounding too good to miss. Although I will have to bath alone she thought sadly, before steeling herself and gripping Kelir’s hilt securely.
“Lead me there.”
An hour and a half later, Siabrey stood staring at herself in one of the mirrors. The bath had been wonderful, exactly as she had needed, although one of the servant maids had looked at her strangely when she had brought Kelir into the bathing room.
Now, her freshly scrubbed face looked back at her from the halo of her gleaming clean golden hair. In memory of Lucius, she had left her hair down and free from its usual braid.
The servant had found a set of robes of state in one of Zoe’s drawers. Complete with a stunning set of jewelry and a tiara that, while perhaps not as tasteful as those that Tess might have picked out, did complete the job, Siabrey felt like she had stepped into the late Empress’ footprints.
Don’t be silly. You still have me. Kelir’s voice laughed at her. Siabrey smiled as she agreed with him. The fighter had refused to be parted with the sword, and so, despite the maid’s horrified objections, she would be wearing him along with the robes.
“Your Majesty? Are you ready?” the maid’s voice called to Siabrey from outside the door. The voice called her back into reality; that same voice had only a short while ago brought her news that the Emperor possibly was not dead. With that knowledge, in addition to the regular updates that she was getting of what was happening in the throne room, she had formed a plan.
“Yes, Majorine. I am ready.” As ready as I’ll ever be. Drawing a deep breath and squeezing Kelir’s hilt for luck, Siabrey turned and strode from the room, following the maid up to the main throne room.
[Note from drag n fly*
After this interesting section about Siabrey and her sword, I thought that I should post the description of Kelir, so that people know exactly what he is
Siabrey is a bondblade, and as such, recieves many benefits from her sword. The exact description of a bondblade can be found here http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44045 Tess’s character wrote the player class. I can however, tell you about Kelir.
He is a talking psychic katana, with a 15 Wis, 10 Int, and 15 Char. He has a deep Bass voice, and on top of all of the normal abilities that a bondblade gives, he has an additional ability (from It’s a Kind of Magic III) to give Siabrey Bull Strength (1d4 +1) once per day. The other additional ability (which actually did not get rolled up until the end of this weeks posting’s session, but that’s ok, I’ll post it here) is from “I Didn’t Know You Could Do That!” and adds an additional 1d6 fire damage.
Hope you all are enjoying so far! Have a great day! ~ drag n fly]
My Lucius, my dear dear Lucius Siabrey’s mind and heart were twisted up tighter than the grip she had on Kelir’s shattered pieces stuck through her belt. The sword, thank Heironeous, was still fully magical, although it would be difficult to repair.
“If ever your sword breaks, you must reforge it, and you alone.” Stodiana’s voice echoed through the hallways of Siabrey’s memory. The magic in that sword is tied to the Sipner bloodline; it will not heed anyone else’s attempts to heal it.
I never thought I’d need to reforge you, Kelir. she thought to her sword. Its deep bass voice came back with a trace of sarcasm.
”Neither did I. Then again, I never thought that either of us would be in the position that we are now.”
Siabrey was confused by the sword’s ominous tone. What do you mean?
Her query was interrupted as her and her guard entourage turned a corner. The echoing clank of the guard retinue’s armor echoed, as before them lay a pair of heavy metal doors, propped open. Siabrey could feel the heat searing through its opening.
“Thank you, gentlemen. I’ll take it from here.” Siabrey said to her guards. The coolness in her voice surprised her. At the loss of Lucius, everyone had fully expected her to fall apart, but some last inner reserve of strength was somehow holding her up. A part of her mind barely registered that it was the knowledge of the task at hand that was perhaps the only thing keeping the fighter from sinking into the oblivion of her mind as she headed through the open forge doors.
Inside, the room resembled an inferno from the pits of the Abyss. Fully five times as large as any forge she had been in, the temperature hovered around 105 degrees, kept constant by the row of fires at the back of the long narrow room. Siabrey instantly felt herself beginning to sweat under her armor.
As she entered, several very experienced looking dwarves and men looked up. It was hard to tell what they were more surprised at; the gender of the person entering the room, or pair of royal guards that had accompanied her and had now positioned themselves authoritatively on either side of the room’s entrance.
“Good day, miss. What can we do for you?” A tall dark-skinned man with arms like pythons stood and smiled guardedly at her.
“I require the use of one of your furnaces.” Siabrey said, beginning to strip off her armor. Several of the dwarves whistled at the craftsmanship as its stylings glimmered in the firelight.
The man also appraised her armor with a careful eye. “Do you need to be fixing that?”
“No, it is my sword that needs to be re-forged.” Siabrey pulled the broken pieces of Kelir from her belt and cradled them gently.
“A sword? Let me see.” The man held out a hand and Siabrey passed over the pieces rather reluctantly. It felt hard to let Kelir go, even for a few minutes.
The smith tested the blade carefully, running a finger over the sandhog hilt wrapping and staring at the runes for a long while. “Well, I don’t think it’ll be that much of a problem. A few days time and we’ll…”
“The sword must be re-forged today…and I will do it.” Siabrey steeled her fiery eyes on the man and for the first time he noticed how they glowed exactly like his furnaces. A rumor ran through the back of his mind, The Princess, the one who is married to the Emperor's heir, supposedly she has red eyes…and she is supposed to wield a katana, marked with runes just like this… Suddenly realizing exactly who he had in his forge, the man gulped and handed the sword pieces back quickly. He somehow resisted the urge to immediately fall to his knees... she hadn’t demanded him to bow, and the last thing he wanted was to offend her.
“Of course, Your Highness. The forge is yours,” he stammered.
“Thank you, sir.” Siabrey inclined her head in a polite bow to the smith, and made her way over to the largest and hottest of the fires. Two of the dwarves brought her armor over and rested it beside her, but she barely noticed. Her mind flickered along with the flames, and she drew a deep breath.
You must help me now, Kelir. I have never forged a blade before, let alone one as special as you.
”I was made by your mother, Siabrey, and re-forged once by your father. The very blood that made me runs in your veins. Trust yourself; the fire will do the rest.”
Nodding imperceptively, Siabrey reached for the pair of tongs by the fires edge. Gently grasping the upper point of her sword in it, she sent a swift prayer to Hieroneous to watch over her blade…and her lost love. She leaned forward, sliding her beloved blade into the hot flames, and waited. Counting silently in her head, she watched the blade grow hotter and hotter, till eventually its shade matched the color of her eyes. Pulling the metal free from the flames, she then repeated the process with the second half of the sword, stopping to unwrap the skin from the hilt. When both pieces were flaming slightly from the heat, she placed them both on the nearby slab of iron, positioning them so that the broken edges realigned.
Now came the hard part.
Lifting the hammer that would remake her sword, Siabrey sent a worried thought to Kelir. The sword’s response was strong and free from hesitation. Strike true, Siabrey. I trust you.
Even the other smiths in the room held their breath as Siabrey’s hammer began to fall. Letting a fighter, even one as high-ranking as this, re-forge her own blade when none of them had any idea if she could even work a forge was troubling them. So far, she had done everything right, but now…
TING!
The echo of metal on metal resounded through the room; the returning echo a note so perfect that even Tess would have approved.
Siabrey smiled, and thanked every blacksmith she had ever watched forging a blade. Her arm settled into a steady rhythm of hammering the heated metal together, flipping the blade over to pound the other side before sticking it back into the flames to be reheated, and then hammering again.
She was several hours into the task before she even knew it. Kelir had helped her pass the time by singing her a strange tune that he said he had learned from her father. It was oddly comforting in the face of all her anxieties.
I hear some distant drumbeat
A heartbeat pulsing low
Is it coming from within
A heartbeat I don't know
A troubled heart knows no peace
From a dark and poisoned pool
Of liberty now lost
A pawn, an oppressors tool
Oh my heart be strong
And guide when eyes grow dim
When ears grow deaf with empty words
When I know there's life within
A change is slow in coming
My eyes can scarcely see
The rays of hope come streaming
Through the smoke of apathy
But oh my heart be strong
And guide when eyes grow dim
When ears grow deaf with empty words
When I know there's life within
May the spirit never die
Though a troubled heart feels pain
When this long winter is over
It will blossom once again (drag n fly’s note: this song is adopted from Loreena McKennitt’s “Breaking the Silence”. A beautiful song and a beautiful singer)
Stopping to take a break and steal a sip of water from a nearby barrel, Siabrey sat, turning her partially healed sword over and over in her hands. Although the blade still glowed red hot, she felt no pain from the heat. As she stared into the blade, her eyes marked that the runes, despite the sword’s metal having been drastically heated, were still glistening on its surface.
Oh Kelir, I miss Lucius. she sighed softly. There was a pause, before the sword answered in a strangely pitched voice. So do I. Siabrey frowned. What do you mean, Kelir? The sword heaved a sigh that only she could hear, and she felt its worry and concern for her flooding through her fingers. You still don’t realize it, do you, Siabrey?
Realize what? she was concerned.
Siabrey, open your eyes. Don’t you notice the way your friends were looking at you when Lucius was taken? The way those guards refuse to leave your side? Why the men and dwarves in this room are practically soiling themselves at your presence? At Siabrey’s quizzled stare Kelir vibrated softly in her hands.
If Alexander is indeed dead, then Lucius would be Emperor. With him gone, you are technically the Head of State, if not Empress!
Siabrey’s jaw dropped. With all that had been going on, she had totally forgotten that her recent marriage and Lucius’ anointment as Heir made her now, technically, the highest ranking noble around. Her limbs began to shake and she felt the usual admonitions and fears beginning to crop up. I can’t be in charge! I don’t know the first thing about ruling an Empire! I’ll screw everything up! Even as they went screaming through her head however, another, quieter part of her mind began talking in a voice that was a surprising combination of her mother, Kelir, and Lucius. We have faith in you. they whispered. You have spent most of your life around nobles. You are married to one of the youngest, yet most powerful nobles around. More than that though, Siabrey, you have noble blood, and fey blood, in your veins. And most importantly, you are not alone; you have your friends to help you and watch out for you. The voices congealed into one that she knew very well.
As will I. Kelir’s steely voice was full of comfort and resolve. Even broken, it still was her strength.
Siabrey’s head lifted, a new strange look in her fiery eyes. Had Tess or Shaun seen her at that moment, they would have been shocked to see a deep calm and resolution burning within as she stood and made her way over to the forge and began to heat her sword once again.
Twenty hours later, the task was complete. Kelir’s shiny new surface gleamed as she pulled him from the bucket of water she had used to cool his fire. The surface, unmarred except by a string of indecipherable runes, glinted back at her. A dull round of applause echoed from the various corners of the room as the other occupants smiled at her success. Smiling back, Siabrey sheathed her sword quickly and gathered up her armor. Someone had taken the opportunity to clean and polish it for her while she had been busy, and she was deeply grateful for the gesture.
Exiting the boiling hot room, Siabrey breathed in deep the cool air of the corridors.
“Where to now, Your Highness?” One of the guardsmen asked. It was not the same one that had accompanied her down to the forge; sometime during the night they had switched shifts on her.
Siabrey took one glance at herself. She was drenched in sweat, and her clothes were grimy. Smiling softly, she lifted her gaze to the guardsmen. “Where would you go if you were filthier than a hog and stank like one too?”
The two men chuckled; they were part of Alexander’s regiments and enjoyed a noble with a good sense of humor.
“Perhaps up to the late Empress’ bathing rooms?” one suggested.
Siabrey wrinkled her nose, then relaxed. As much as she had hated Zoe, a bath was sounding too good to miss. Although I will have to bath alone she thought sadly, before steeling herself and gripping Kelir’s hilt securely.
“Lead me there.”
An hour and a half later, Siabrey stood staring at herself in one of the mirrors. The bath had been wonderful, exactly as she had needed, although one of the servant maids had looked at her strangely when she had brought Kelir into the bathing room.
Now, her freshly scrubbed face looked back at her from the halo of her gleaming clean golden hair. In memory of Lucius, she had left her hair down and free from its usual braid.
The servant had found a set of robes of state in one of Zoe’s drawers. Complete with a stunning set of jewelry and a tiara that, while perhaps not as tasteful as those that Tess might have picked out, did complete the job, Siabrey felt like she had stepped into the late Empress’ footprints.
Don’t be silly. You still have me. Kelir’s voice laughed at her. Siabrey smiled as she agreed with him. The fighter had refused to be parted with the sword, and so, despite the maid’s horrified objections, she would be wearing him along with the robes.
“Your Majesty? Are you ready?” the maid’s voice called to Siabrey from outside the door. The voice called her back into reality; that same voice had only a short while ago brought her news that the Emperor possibly was not dead. With that knowledge, in addition to the regular updates that she was getting of what was happening in the throne room, she had formed a plan.
“Yes, Majorine. I am ready.” As ready as I’ll ever be. Drawing a deep breath and squeezing Kelir’s hilt for luck, Siabrey turned and strode from the room, following the maid up to the main throne room.
[Note from drag n fly*
After this interesting section about Siabrey and her sword, I thought that I should post the description of Kelir, so that people know exactly what he is
Siabrey is a bondblade, and as such, recieves many benefits from her sword. The exact description of a bondblade can be found here http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44045 Tess’s character wrote the player class. I can however, tell you about Kelir.
He is a talking psychic katana, with a 15 Wis, 10 Int, and 15 Char. He has a deep Bass voice, and on top of all of the normal abilities that a bondblade gives, he has an additional ability (from It’s a Kind of Magic III) to give Siabrey Bull Strength (1d4 +1) once per day. The other additional ability (which actually did not get rolled up until the end of this weeks posting’s session, but that’s ok, I’ll post it here) is from “I Didn’t Know You Could Do That!” and adds an additional 1d6 fire damage.
Hope you all are enjoying so far! Have a great day! ~ drag n fly]
Emperor Valerian
First Post
Chaos Resolved... Slightly?
Tess looked about, lost in the sea of nobility and merchants now pressing around her. The party had gone to bed the night before, and when they had come back early in the morning, the same chaos still abounded, and people still expected them to have answers.
“Madam!” a man from the crowd pushed forward, “Madam!”
Tess winced as she realized he was making a beeline straight towards her.
“Yes?” she said rather guardedly, glancing at the others nearby for some support and/or distraction.
“Madam,” the man began. “My name is Lord Eschelis Varron, and I currently have a case in front of His Majesty’s government regarding three acres of land that Lord...”
“Lord Varron, I told you yesterday, I cannot speak for His Majesty’s government,” she snapped, recognizing the name. She’d forgotten his face in the sea of people pressing them with petitions or asking for information, but she remembered his request well. “Upon news of His Majesty’s state, we might be able to direct you on where to go, until then, you must remain patient!”
The man rolled his eyes, and gave a grumble before looking towards Shaun.
“Don’t even think about it,” the rogue growled. “Same goes for all of us.” The man looked down, and then stormed off into the crowd, as others took his place.
“Why are they pressing us so hard for information, hon?” Elenya asked, brushing away another petitioner, a merchant who was complaining that a deal he’d signed had been violated. Shaun turned from “3 acre man,” as the party had begun calling him, and shrugged.
“I guess they remember us being close to Crown Prince Alexander during the chaos with his sister... maybe some of them assume we speak on his behalf.” He kicked his foot around slightly, a motion Elenya recognized as a sigh of worry in him. “Its not like anyone knows what happened down there for sure... no singly accurate report has come through... each one has been contradicted by the next.”
“No! I don’t know what the status of the new taxation edict is! Stop pestering me!” Orion snapped at another petitioner, and finally it seemed the crowd had understood the idea that the party were NOT messengers or representatives of the Imperial government. The Provincial Chamberlain coming into the throne room also provided another target, and the crowd proceeded to start mobbing him for information. Over the din, Tess and Shaun could both hear some noble families already starting to plot efforts to seize the throne if the Emperor indeed was dead.
“They’re like a pack of ravenous wolves,” Tess growled, as the nobles and merchants proceeded to corner the chamberlain, and the poor man was downed by a barrage of complaints, questions and demands. “I truly understand why Alex didn’t like being Emperor.”
“Tons of work, annoying people, and political backstabbing... um.. yeah, I don’t blame him for hating it,” Orion chimed in. “I need solace... peace and quiet...”
“I need nobles staying out of my face with problems that I can’t solve and don’t care to solve,” Shaun added grumpily. Some of the nobles were already starting to trickle back, as it was apparent the chamberlain carried no news himself. The trickle increased as a messenger in Imperial livery arrived and ignored the large crowd, instead headed towards the party.
Tess caught the messenger’s attention, and as he approached, she gave a gracious bow. Maybe something concrete this time?
“Baroness Keldare?” the messenger asked, and Tess nodded.
“His Imperial Majesty has personally sent me to you, Lord Shaun Dice, Master Orion, Father Grumki, and other members of your group to convey the following message.”
“Firstly, that his Majesty was assaulted by poison five days ago. He is currently recovering, and is expected to be at the head of his troops within the day. Second, during this time when he was incapacitated, the Countess’ forces assaulted our positions. During the confusion, some three score thousand of her troops managed to sidestep our forces, and are now marching north with all due speed for Irulas itself.
His Majesty is mounting as rapid a pursuit as he can organize, however, He doubts he will reach the city walls before the Countess does. Therefore, His Majesty has charged me to inform you that your group... Baroness Keldare, Prince Lucius, Princess Siabrey, Lord Shaun Dice, Master Orion, Father Grumki, and the Wizard Barachis are charged with organizing and supervising the city’s defenses.
You must merely hold the city till His Majesty can arrive, at which point he shall take over operations and destroy the Countess’ forces. He knows you have fought demons and the like in the past, and he is counting on your experience to save the city of Irulas and its six score thousand residents during this dark time. In addition, His Majesty begs you to check with the court mages regarding the magic questions about a certain item you asked about earlier,” the messenger added, before taking a large breath.
There was a distinct pause from the party, as the mouths of all were agape.
Us... organize the city’s defense? I don’t know how to organize the defense of a city! Tess’ mind gasped. I tell tales, I fight a little... I’m not a General!
The silence was finally broken by Elenya giving Shaun a nervous smirk. “Hon, close your mouth. He said defend the city, not clean its coffers dry.” A slight push with her hand caused his mouth to close with a click, but he still stared straight ahead, frightened.
By this point, the rest of the petitioners had noticed the messenger as well, and quickly the swarming about the party continued. Tess, Shaun, Orion and Elenya quickly found themselves herded further and further into a corner, as nobles, dignitaries and elites pressed them for information. On their statement as to what the letter said, there was general air that many regarded the note as dubious. Pressure once again remounted for them to take charge, take control, even as they wished not to....
Tess looked about, lost in the sea of nobility and merchants now pressing around her. The party had gone to bed the night before, and when they had come back early in the morning, the same chaos still abounded, and people still expected them to have answers.
“Madam!” a man from the crowd pushed forward, “Madam!”
Tess winced as she realized he was making a beeline straight towards her.
“Yes?” she said rather guardedly, glancing at the others nearby for some support and/or distraction.
“Madam,” the man began. “My name is Lord Eschelis Varron, and I currently have a case in front of His Majesty’s government regarding three acres of land that Lord...”
“Lord Varron, I told you yesterday, I cannot speak for His Majesty’s government,” she snapped, recognizing the name. She’d forgotten his face in the sea of people pressing them with petitions or asking for information, but she remembered his request well. “Upon news of His Majesty’s state, we might be able to direct you on where to go, until then, you must remain patient!”
The man rolled his eyes, and gave a grumble before looking towards Shaun.
“Don’t even think about it,” the rogue growled. “Same goes for all of us.” The man looked down, and then stormed off into the crowd, as others took his place.
“Why are they pressing us so hard for information, hon?” Elenya asked, brushing away another petitioner, a merchant who was complaining that a deal he’d signed had been violated. Shaun turned from “3 acre man,” as the party had begun calling him, and shrugged.
“I guess they remember us being close to Crown Prince Alexander during the chaos with his sister... maybe some of them assume we speak on his behalf.” He kicked his foot around slightly, a motion Elenya recognized as a sigh of worry in him. “Its not like anyone knows what happened down there for sure... no singly accurate report has come through... each one has been contradicted by the next.”
“No! I don’t know what the status of the new taxation edict is! Stop pestering me!” Orion snapped at another petitioner, and finally it seemed the crowd had understood the idea that the party were NOT messengers or representatives of the Imperial government. The Provincial Chamberlain coming into the throne room also provided another target, and the crowd proceeded to start mobbing him for information. Over the din, Tess and Shaun could both hear some noble families already starting to plot efforts to seize the throne if the Emperor indeed was dead.
“They’re like a pack of ravenous wolves,” Tess growled, as the nobles and merchants proceeded to corner the chamberlain, and the poor man was downed by a barrage of complaints, questions and demands. “I truly understand why Alex didn’t like being Emperor.”
“Tons of work, annoying people, and political backstabbing... um.. yeah, I don’t blame him for hating it,” Orion chimed in. “I need solace... peace and quiet...”
“I need nobles staying out of my face with problems that I can’t solve and don’t care to solve,” Shaun added grumpily. Some of the nobles were already starting to trickle back, as it was apparent the chamberlain carried no news himself. The trickle increased as a messenger in Imperial livery arrived and ignored the large crowd, instead headed towards the party.
Tess caught the messenger’s attention, and as he approached, she gave a gracious bow. Maybe something concrete this time?
“Baroness Keldare?” the messenger asked, and Tess nodded.
“His Imperial Majesty has personally sent me to you, Lord Shaun Dice, Master Orion, Father Grumki, and other members of your group to convey the following message.”
“Firstly, that his Majesty was assaulted by poison five days ago. He is currently recovering, and is expected to be at the head of his troops within the day. Second, during this time when he was incapacitated, the Countess’ forces assaulted our positions. During the confusion, some three score thousand of her troops managed to sidestep our forces, and are now marching north with all due speed for Irulas itself.
His Majesty is mounting as rapid a pursuit as he can organize, however, He doubts he will reach the city walls before the Countess does. Therefore, His Majesty has charged me to inform you that your group... Baroness Keldare, Prince Lucius, Princess Siabrey, Lord Shaun Dice, Master Orion, Father Grumki, and the Wizard Barachis are charged with organizing and supervising the city’s defenses.
You must merely hold the city till His Majesty can arrive, at which point he shall take over operations and destroy the Countess’ forces. He knows you have fought demons and the like in the past, and he is counting on your experience to save the city of Irulas and its six score thousand residents during this dark time. In addition, His Majesty begs you to check with the court mages regarding the magic questions about a certain item you asked about earlier,” the messenger added, before taking a large breath.
There was a distinct pause from the party, as the mouths of all were agape.
Us... organize the city’s defense? I don’t know how to organize the defense of a city! Tess’ mind gasped. I tell tales, I fight a little... I’m not a General!
The silence was finally broken by Elenya giving Shaun a nervous smirk. “Hon, close your mouth. He said defend the city, not clean its coffers dry.” A slight push with her hand caused his mouth to close with a click, but he still stared straight ahead, frightened.
By this point, the rest of the petitioners had noticed the messenger as well, and quickly the swarming about the party continued. Tess, Shaun, Orion and Elenya quickly found themselves herded further and further into a corner, as nobles, dignitaries and elites pressed them for information. On their statement as to what the letter said, there was general air that many regarded the note as dubious. Pressure once again remounted for them to take charge, take control, even as they wished not to....
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K_S_Snyder
First Post
EV: ick! I would NOT want to be responsible for organizing military forces as a player... I bet THIS made you a little unpopular as GM's go. 
I am glad that Alexander is still around but, out of curiosity, did you actually consider really killing him off and really making Lucius / Siabrey the Empirical couple?
I am glad that Alexander is still around but, out of curiosity, did you actually consider really killing him off and really making Lucius / Siabrey the Empirical couple?
Emperor Valerian
First Post
Um... not too much really. The PCs were 15th level by this point, and I'd decided it was high time that they start issuing orders, instead of recieving them... a way to spice things up a little, considering they'd been running on quest after quest for most of the previous slew of sessions.
I don't think the players minded too much... Siabrey's player got into the role really well (as you'll see shortly), and no sooner had the message been recieved than the party began plotting and peppering nearby officers and commanders with questions and orders. The actual "planning" didn't take long either... perhaps a half hour at most.
None of the players have a military background or an interest in military history (that I know of... I myself am going to grad school partly to study military history), but they jumped in with gusto. The battleplans were almost entirely their making... and I was very very impressed with how well thought out they were.
As for Alexander, I started the session without knowing for sure what I was going to do with him. I left things hanging at the end of the previous session on purpose (let them sit and stew for a couple days, build up some anticipation for this session ), and hadn't really decided the final results... other than the trap I laid for them.
I eventually decided Alex was alive about five minutes before I had the messenger come in and inform them of such. As much as I plan monsters and encounters ahead of time, many of the plot points are run, "on the fly," so to speak. Keeps everyone guessing and on their toes.
I don't think the players minded too much... Siabrey's player got into the role really well (as you'll see shortly), and no sooner had the message been recieved than the party began plotting and peppering nearby officers and commanders with questions and orders. The actual "planning" didn't take long either... perhaps a half hour at most.
None of the players have a military background or an interest in military history (that I know of... I myself am going to grad school partly to study military history), but they jumped in with gusto. The battleplans were almost entirely their making... and I was very very impressed with how well thought out they were.
As for Alexander, I started the session without knowing for sure what I was going to do with him. I left things hanging at the end of the previous session on purpose (let them sit and stew for a couple days, build up some anticipation for this session
), and hadn't really decided the final results... other than the trap I laid for them.I eventually decided Alex was alive about five minutes before I had the messenger come in and inform them of such. As much as I plan monsters and encounters ahead of time, many of the plot points are run, "on the fly," so to speak. Keeps everyone guessing and on their toes.
Emperor Valerian
First Post
Hehe... yeah. For me, the unexpected turns are some of the fun of being a DM
A Noble Is Born, Part One - typed by drag n fly
Suddenly, from the rear of the room, the sharp sound of a staff being tapped loudly against the marbled floor echoed through the massive chamber.
“The Princess Siabrey Sipner-Caladron!” an equally loud voice yelled. The crowds of petitioners parted on impulse, and the party suddenly found themselves at the edge of a clear pathway that led from the ornate double doors up to the throne. The figure standing framed in the open doorway stepped forward, and they all gasped.
“Is that….Siabrey?” Shaun asked in a hushed voice.
It was indeed the fighter, although she looked as none of the party had ever seen her before. Her short, muscular frame was shrouded in elegant white robes of state, her obviously newly re-forged sword swinging from her hip. Long golden hair hung down past her waist, framing a copper-skinned face with eyes as red as a desert’s sunset. Eyes that whirled with heartbreaking loss, glossed over with the knowledge that she had a duty to perform that could not be denied. The noble blood in Siabrey had awoken.
The hush on the crowd was maintained as Siabrey strode forward, head lifted with a strength and pride that was superficial only. Inside, she was being torn between her heart’s desire to flee and find Lucius, and her mind’s wisdom that she could not desert the Empire…her Empire. Kelir reminded her.
All of her concentration was on walking; somehow she had found a gate halfway in between her normal strutting pace and a noblewoman’s simpering glide, and she was focusing on maintaining it.
As she passed by the party however, and saw their dropped jaws and widened eyes, Siabrey paused momentarily and gave them a wink. Her joy was forced; inside she was trembling with trepidation at what she was about to do.
Taking the last few steps down the cleared pathway, Siabrey mounted the dais, turned, and with deliberate slowness, sat down in the massive gilt throne. A murmur ran through the crowds. Siabrey resisted squirming, she felt like a bug on display up here, with hundreds of eyes focused on her, and barely even registered Kelir’s comment that her exotic looks meshed well with the equally exotic throne.
Taking a deep breath and swallowing, she raised an arm in salute.
“Petitioners!” she projected, feeling incredibly grateful that her voice came out strong and sure. “Pending valid news about the Emperor’s condition, all petitions will be held until further notice.” This announcement caused an uproar in the crowd as shouts of shock and rage echoed through the chamber. Obviously these nobles were not used to not having their complaints listened to.
“However!” Siabrey shouted over the crowd, suddenly glad of the fact that her voice was battlefield honed. “However,” she continued, as the voices quieted momentarily, “A list shall be taken of your petitions, until they can be managed by the appropriate parties. ” The mood of the crowd changed as quickly as a dragon turns in the air. Now the nobles were cheering and shouting her name, those that knew it. She gave a short nod to the Imperial Chamberlain; the one who had announced her entrance and followed her into the room. He nodded back and took up a position at the base of the throne to the left.
“Form a line here, please! Form a line to have your petitions taken!” his reedy voice called out. Immediately, there was a great deal of pushing and shoving as all the nobles attempted to be first at the same time. There was one particularly annoying individual who kept screaming about his “three acres”…
Siabrey shook her head at the din they were making, reminded of the way a pack of dogs fought over who was to be the first fed. Inclining her head in the party’s direction, she gestured with her hand toward a doorway to the right, where a set of guards already stood. Taking her hint, Tess led the others in that direction. They passed through the open door and found themselves in a circular war room. Books and charts of all kinds lay scattered about the various tables. The room, normally unused in peacetime, was filled with the fresh odor of sweat and fear that accompanied war-driven times.
Siabrey entered the room a few minutes later, said a few swift words to the guards, and closed and locked the door behind her. She leaned against it for a brief moment, finding solace in its firm surface, before opening her eyes and surveying her friends. Up close, they could see that her facade was just that, and already threatening to crumble. In their eyes she could see recent pain and triumph, and she didn’t have to ask about what they had done to Ilia.
“So…am I doing a good job as a noble?” she inquired, trying to break the awkward silence that had filled the room. As usual, Shaun, with his reliable rapier wit, grinned.
“Siabrey, if I didn’t know any better, I would have said Alexander himself was up on that throne, bossing those nobles around. I think he would have used more swearing though.”
Siabrey grinned back once weakly before settling down to business.
“You look….good, Siabrey.” Tess said caustiously. Wearing nice clothes, fully cleaned, and with jewelry!?! This is NOT the Siabrey that I know…
“Thank the maid,” Siabrey brushed off the compliment. There were more important things at hand. She drew another deep breathed and forced the steel back into her face and voice.
“So, what did you learn from Illia?”
Tess proceeded to spend the next few minutes laying out all the information that the former assassin had given them; regrettably little. Siabrey listened carefully to Ilia’s numbering of the troops, and tried hard not to cry at her description of what the Countess wanted with Lucius. When Tess mentioned that the Countess was indeed marching with her army, Siabrey looked up sharply, and revenge glinted in her eyes.
So, the Countess is coming here. Which means that she’ll have Luke with her. Which means that I will have the opportunity to slice her into little pieces and…save my love. She refused to think of what the Countess’ influence could have already done to Lucius.
It is best not to think of such things at this time…. Kelir’s soothing voice commented.
She was saved from further depressive thoughts by a loud knock on the door.
“Ahh, right on time.” Siabrey straightened and went to open the heavy oak door. Four heavily armed men entered, carrying their helms in their arms and looking as if they weren’t quite sure what they were doing here.
“Gentlemen, thank you for coming on such short notice. I am sorry to have had to summon you from your troops.” Siabrey inclined her head in a short bow to each of them.
“I have to admit, Majesty. I wasn’t sure what to expect when you summoned us here. I mean, with the news of the Emperor and all…”
“The news on the Emperor is inconclusive, although the last report I received informed me that he is very much alive and on his way here.” Siabrey interrupted, her fiery eyes authoritative. “But until we know for sure, we will act under the assumption that he is alive, and do what he would do were he here in our stead.” The generals looked impressed by her speech, as did the others in the room.
Siabrey’s eyes met each general’s, who slowly dropped their own gazes.
“Now then,” she continued. “Since my friends and I are in charge of the defense of this city, I think we should begin planning the fortifications. I would not wait until the Countess was knocking at our walls to have a suitable defense plan in place.”
“Agreed.” One of the generals looked around for a convenient place to put his helm, and finding none, placed it on the floor under one of the larger tables.
“Now then, where is that map…” he murmured.
Tess and the others stood back as the general, looking disgustedly over the cluttered table, heaved it over, knocking everything to the floor. The now debunked map fluttered to the floor on top of the mess, and the general grabbed it with a flourish and spread it out on the now clean table. Siabrey looked on with an amused expression, before bending over the map with all of the others.
“Ok, here we are in the palace middle of the city.” The general started, explaining the map to the others. “Now, these two lines around the perimeter are the outer and inner walls. The inner walls are 50 feet high; the outer walls 30.”
“The walls don’t go all the way around.” Shaun noticed, frowning at the squiggles on the paper.
The general shook his head. “No, but the river forms the border on the West side, and the mountains to the East.”
“Is the river fordable?” Siabrey asked. That’s a big chunk of land to defend if it is… But the general was already shaking his head.
“Not at this time of the year. Tonight is Midsummer’s Eve, and even though the river is at its lowest, it is still a quarter mile wide and some 40 feet deep; any invading army would need boats, lots and lots of boats, and we would be able to pick them off easily as they came across the water. No, no sensible army commander would attack that way.”
Tess gave a start at hearing the date. With all of the excitement over the past few weeks, she had completely lost track of time. “Midsummer’s Eve, that means that tonight is my birthday…” she mused quietly to herself. Siabrey heard her and gave the bard a funny look, coupled with an odd smile. Tess’ birthday? I wonder…
Shaun was still staring at the map, turning his head sideways to try to get a better idea of what all the little symbols meant. “So, if the river is safe, where are they most likely going to attack?”
“Very good question. Based on our analysis,” the general nodded at his three compatriots, who all nodded back “we are in agreement that the attack is most likely to come here.” The general pointed to a thin valley between the sheer cliffs that lined the city’s East side. “There is only the outer wall to breach in this location, and an invading army could overpower our defenses and get into the heart of the city by sheer numbers.”
“Then this is where the major defense will have to be set up.” Tess finished.
“Yes. If it’s not too much trouble,” the general turned to Siabrey. “We would like you and your companions to be stationed here, on the outer wall above that valley. We have heard the tales of your effectiveness in combat with the demons, and it would be good for the troops to see their Commander right in the thickest of the fighting along with them.”
“Of course we’ll be there.” Siabrey said smoothly, after a quick glance at the others to be sure it was alright. And if this is where the Countess tries to get in, she’ll have a surprise waiting for her…my sword.
Thoughts of the Countess caused Siabrey to look up at the general and inquire, “Where is the Countess’ army exactly?”
“Honestly, we’re not sure.” The general shrugged, looking slightly embarrassed. “She could be two days out or two weeks out for all we know.”
“Don’t you have spies out?” Orion asked; the first time that the monk had spoken. The general shook his head. “We do, but they keep disappearing, or coming back in multiple pieces, or burned beyond recognition.”
Hmm…. Orion thought.
“We have found out some information though.” The general added quickly, as if to make up for the lack of knowledge of their foes whereabouts. “We do know that the Countess has demons with her, as many as four red dragons, and bombards.”
“Bombards? What are bombards?” I don’t remember seeing that in Lucius’ books of warfare… The thought of Lucius brought a cramp to her gut, and she swiftly began thinking of other things, like Tess’ birthday…
A Noble Is Born, Part One - typed by drag n fly
Suddenly, from the rear of the room, the sharp sound of a staff being tapped loudly against the marbled floor echoed through the massive chamber.
“The Princess Siabrey Sipner-Caladron!” an equally loud voice yelled. The crowds of petitioners parted on impulse, and the party suddenly found themselves at the edge of a clear pathway that led from the ornate double doors up to the throne. The figure standing framed in the open doorway stepped forward, and they all gasped.
“Is that….Siabrey?” Shaun asked in a hushed voice.
It was indeed the fighter, although she looked as none of the party had ever seen her before. Her short, muscular frame was shrouded in elegant white robes of state, her obviously newly re-forged sword swinging from her hip. Long golden hair hung down past her waist, framing a copper-skinned face with eyes as red as a desert’s sunset. Eyes that whirled with heartbreaking loss, glossed over with the knowledge that she had a duty to perform that could not be denied. The noble blood in Siabrey had awoken.
The hush on the crowd was maintained as Siabrey strode forward, head lifted with a strength and pride that was superficial only. Inside, she was being torn between her heart’s desire to flee and find Lucius, and her mind’s wisdom that she could not desert the Empire…her Empire. Kelir reminded her.
All of her concentration was on walking; somehow she had found a gate halfway in between her normal strutting pace and a noblewoman’s simpering glide, and she was focusing on maintaining it.
As she passed by the party however, and saw their dropped jaws and widened eyes, Siabrey paused momentarily and gave them a wink. Her joy was forced; inside she was trembling with trepidation at what she was about to do.
Taking the last few steps down the cleared pathway, Siabrey mounted the dais, turned, and with deliberate slowness, sat down in the massive gilt throne. A murmur ran through the crowds. Siabrey resisted squirming, she felt like a bug on display up here, with hundreds of eyes focused on her, and barely even registered Kelir’s comment that her exotic looks meshed well with the equally exotic throne.
Taking a deep breath and swallowing, she raised an arm in salute.
“Petitioners!” she projected, feeling incredibly grateful that her voice came out strong and sure. “Pending valid news about the Emperor’s condition, all petitions will be held until further notice.” This announcement caused an uproar in the crowd as shouts of shock and rage echoed through the chamber. Obviously these nobles were not used to not having their complaints listened to.
“However!” Siabrey shouted over the crowd, suddenly glad of the fact that her voice was battlefield honed. “However,” she continued, as the voices quieted momentarily, “A list shall be taken of your petitions, until they can be managed by the appropriate parties. ” The mood of the crowd changed as quickly as a dragon turns in the air. Now the nobles were cheering and shouting her name, those that knew it. She gave a short nod to the Imperial Chamberlain; the one who had announced her entrance and followed her into the room. He nodded back and took up a position at the base of the throne to the left.
“Form a line here, please! Form a line to have your petitions taken!” his reedy voice called out. Immediately, there was a great deal of pushing and shoving as all the nobles attempted to be first at the same time. There was one particularly annoying individual who kept screaming about his “three acres”…
Siabrey shook her head at the din they were making, reminded of the way a pack of dogs fought over who was to be the first fed. Inclining her head in the party’s direction, she gestured with her hand toward a doorway to the right, where a set of guards already stood. Taking her hint, Tess led the others in that direction. They passed through the open door and found themselves in a circular war room. Books and charts of all kinds lay scattered about the various tables. The room, normally unused in peacetime, was filled with the fresh odor of sweat and fear that accompanied war-driven times.
Siabrey entered the room a few minutes later, said a few swift words to the guards, and closed and locked the door behind her. She leaned against it for a brief moment, finding solace in its firm surface, before opening her eyes and surveying her friends. Up close, they could see that her facade was just that, and already threatening to crumble. In their eyes she could see recent pain and triumph, and she didn’t have to ask about what they had done to Ilia.
“So…am I doing a good job as a noble?” she inquired, trying to break the awkward silence that had filled the room. As usual, Shaun, with his reliable rapier wit, grinned.
“Siabrey, if I didn’t know any better, I would have said Alexander himself was up on that throne, bossing those nobles around. I think he would have used more swearing though.”
Siabrey grinned back once weakly before settling down to business.
“You look….good, Siabrey.” Tess said caustiously. Wearing nice clothes, fully cleaned, and with jewelry!?! This is NOT the Siabrey that I know…
“Thank the maid,” Siabrey brushed off the compliment. There were more important things at hand. She drew another deep breathed and forced the steel back into her face and voice.
“So, what did you learn from Illia?”
Tess proceeded to spend the next few minutes laying out all the information that the former assassin had given them; regrettably little. Siabrey listened carefully to Ilia’s numbering of the troops, and tried hard not to cry at her description of what the Countess wanted with Lucius. When Tess mentioned that the Countess was indeed marching with her army, Siabrey looked up sharply, and revenge glinted in her eyes.
So, the Countess is coming here. Which means that she’ll have Luke with her. Which means that I will have the opportunity to slice her into little pieces and…save my love. She refused to think of what the Countess’ influence could have already done to Lucius.
It is best not to think of such things at this time…. Kelir’s soothing voice commented.
She was saved from further depressive thoughts by a loud knock on the door.
“Ahh, right on time.” Siabrey straightened and went to open the heavy oak door. Four heavily armed men entered, carrying their helms in their arms and looking as if they weren’t quite sure what they were doing here.
“Gentlemen, thank you for coming on such short notice. I am sorry to have had to summon you from your troops.” Siabrey inclined her head in a short bow to each of them.
“I have to admit, Majesty. I wasn’t sure what to expect when you summoned us here. I mean, with the news of the Emperor and all…”
“The news on the Emperor is inconclusive, although the last report I received informed me that he is very much alive and on his way here.” Siabrey interrupted, her fiery eyes authoritative. “But until we know for sure, we will act under the assumption that he is alive, and do what he would do were he here in our stead.” The generals looked impressed by her speech, as did the others in the room.
Siabrey’s eyes met each general’s, who slowly dropped their own gazes.
“Now then,” she continued. “Since my friends and I are in charge of the defense of this city, I think we should begin planning the fortifications. I would not wait until the Countess was knocking at our walls to have a suitable defense plan in place.”
“Agreed.” One of the generals looked around for a convenient place to put his helm, and finding none, placed it on the floor under one of the larger tables.
“Now then, where is that map…” he murmured.
Tess and the others stood back as the general, looking disgustedly over the cluttered table, heaved it over, knocking everything to the floor. The now debunked map fluttered to the floor on top of the mess, and the general grabbed it with a flourish and spread it out on the now clean table. Siabrey looked on with an amused expression, before bending over the map with all of the others.
“Ok, here we are in the palace middle of the city.” The general started, explaining the map to the others. “Now, these two lines around the perimeter are the outer and inner walls. The inner walls are 50 feet high; the outer walls 30.”
“The walls don’t go all the way around.” Shaun noticed, frowning at the squiggles on the paper.
The general shook his head. “No, but the river forms the border on the West side, and the mountains to the East.”
“Is the river fordable?” Siabrey asked. That’s a big chunk of land to defend if it is… But the general was already shaking his head.
“Not at this time of the year. Tonight is Midsummer’s Eve, and even though the river is at its lowest, it is still a quarter mile wide and some 40 feet deep; any invading army would need boats, lots and lots of boats, and we would be able to pick them off easily as they came across the water. No, no sensible army commander would attack that way.”
Tess gave a start at hearing the date. With all of the excitement over the past few weeks, she had completely lost track of time. “Midsummer’s Eve, that means that tonight is my birthday…” she mused quietly to herself. Siabrey heard her and gave the bard a funny look, coupled with an odd smile. Tess’ birthday? I wonder…
Shaun was still staring at the map, turning his head sideways to try to get a better idea of what all the little symbols meant. “So, if the river is safe, where are they most likely going to attack?”
“Very good question. Based on our analysis,” the general nodded at his three compatriots, who all nodded back “we are in agreement that the attack is most likely to come here.” The general pointed to a thin valley between the sheer cliffs that lined the city’s East side. “There is only the outer wall to breach in this location, and an invading army could overpower our defenses and get into the heart of the city by sheer numbers.”
“Then this is where the major defense will have to be set up.” Tess finished.
“Yes. If it’s not too much trouble,” the general turned to Siabrey. “We would like you and your companions to be stationed here, on the outer wall above that valley. We have heard the tales of your effectiveness in combat with the demons, and it would be good for the troops to see their Commander right in the thickest of the fighting along with them.”
“Of course we’ll be there.” Siabrey said smoothly, after a quick glance at the others to be sure it was alright. And if this is where the Countess tries to get in, she’ll have a surprise waiting for her…my sword.
Thoughts of the Countess caused Siabrey to look up at the general and inquire, “Where is the Countess’ army exactly?”
“Honestly, we’re not sure.” The general shrugged, looking slightly embarrassed. “She could be two days out or two weeks out for all we know.”
“Don’t you have spies out?” Orion asked; the first time that the monk had spoken. The general shook his head. “We do, but they keep disappearing, or coming back in multiple pieces, or burned beyond recognition.”
Hmm…. Orion thought.
“We have found out some information though.” The general added quickly, as if to make up for the lack of knowledge of their foes whereabouts. “We do know that the Countess has demons with her, as many as four red dragons, and bombards.”
“Bombards? What are bombards?” I don’t remember seeing that in Lucius’ books of warfare… The thought of Lucius brought a cramp to her gut, and she swiftly began thinking of other things, like Tess’ birthday…
